Grand Canyon Rock Squirrel

Who would think that such a cute little critter could be so controversial. Technically known as Spermophilus variegatus Grand Canyon 3, they can be found begging for food along the Rim trails and even down into the canyon. Quoting from the National Park Service, Small Mammal Studies, "Grand Canyon National Park is home to at least fifty-two rodent species (the number of rodentia species currently known to reside in the park. These species include large rodents such as the beaver (Castor canadensis), porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), and muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), to smaller species such as rabbits, shrews, mice, gophers, prairie dogs, voles, rats, chipmunks, and squirrels."

Here is a list of the current Rodentia species known to live in the Grand Canyon National Park:

Abert Squirrel (Sciurus aberti)
Apache Pocket Mouse (Perognathus apache)
Arizona Pocket Mouse (Perognathus amplus)
Beaver (Castor canadensis)
Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus californicus)
Brush Mouse (Peromyscus boylii)
Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea)
Cactus Mouse (Peromyscus eremicus)
Canyon Mouse (Peromyscus crinitus)
Chisel-toothed Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys microps)
Cliff Chipmunk (Eutamias dorsalis)
Colorado Chipmunk (Eutamias quadrivittatu)
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)
Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
Desert or Gray Shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi)
Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)
Dwarf Shrew (Sorex nanus)
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis)
Great Basin Pocket Mouse (Perognathus parvus)
Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophi harrisii)
Heather Vole (Phenacomys intermedius)
House Mouse (Mus musculus)
Kaibab Squirrel (Sciurus kaibabensis)
Least Chipmunk (Eutamias minimus)
Little Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembris)
Long-tailed Pocket Mouse (Perognathus formosus)
Long-tailed Vole (Microtus longicaudus)
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Merriami)
Merriam's Shrew (Sorex merriami)
Mexican Vole (Microtus mexicanus)
Mexican Woodrat (Neotoma mexicana)
Mountain Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii)
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)
Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster)
Northern Pocket Gopher (Thomomys talpoides)
Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii)
Pinyon Mouse (Peromyscus truei)
Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
Red or Spruce Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Rock Pocket Chipmunk (Perognathus intermedius)
Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus)
Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus)
Southern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys torridus)
Spotted Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus spilsoma)
Stephen's Woodrat (Neotoma stephensi)
Uinta Chipmunk (Eutamias umbrinus)
Valley Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)
Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontom megalotis)
Whitetail Prairie Dog (Cynomus gunnisoni)
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophi leucurus)
White-throated Woodrat (Neotoma albigula)

Good luck!