BOISE, Idaho — Southern Idaho’s sprawling Snake River Plain has been harboring a distinct species of squirrel that’s emerged from the underground. Researchers have identified a new species of squirrel in Idaho called the Snake River Plains ground squirrel.
Like its name suggests, the species of squirrel lives along the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho. It was previously thought to be a subspecies of a different type of squirrel – until genetics revealed its unique identity.
The squirrel makes its home in southern parts of the Gem State in sagebrush habitats and open terrains. Unlike tree squirrels, ground squirrels use their claws to dig and burrow into the earth…