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Groundhogs, a type of large ground squirrel native to North America, are commonplace around the track in Montreal, which is on an artificial island in the Saint Lawrence River.

Every spring, a new litter of ground squirrels make its way to the surface of Palisades Park, eventually becoming accustomed to people and their delicious handouts.

For every observation of a California poppy or a ground squirrel, there are three western fence lizards.

A UC Davis study found a population of Bay Area ground squirrels hunting and eating voles, suggesting the species may be more flexible in its diet than previously thought.

“The fact that California ground squirrels are behaviorally flexible and can respond to changes in food availability might help them persist in environments rapidly changing due to the presence of humans,” Wild said.