Is the Siberian chipmunk the only Asian chipmunk species?

Yes. It is the only chipmunk species found outside North America, native to a wide range across Russia, Siberia, China, Korea, and Hokkaido in Japan.

How much food does a Siberian chipmunk store for winter?

It caches around 3–4 kg of food in its burrow before winter, allowing it to survive underground in hibernation until around April or May.

Why is the Siberian chipmunk considered invasive in Europe?

Large-scale pet trade exports from South Korea beginning in the 1960s—over 200,000 individuals by 1980—led to escaped and released animals establishing wild populations in Belgium, France, Germany, and other European countries, where they can also contribute to Lyme disease transmission via ticks.

Siberian Chipmunkシマリス

Tamias sibiricusLC— Least Concern

The Siberian chipmunk is the only chipmunk species native outside North America, ranging across northern Eurasia from Russia and Siberia to China, Korea, and Hokkaido, Japan. An omnivorous forager with capacious cheek pouches, it caches several kilograms of food each autumn to survive underground hibernation through winter. Once exported in large numbers as pets, it has also established invasive, tick-carrying populations across several European countries.

Siberian Chipmunk (reference photo) — Photo: Alpsdake / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Rodentia / Sciuridae Source
Distribution: The only chipmunk species found outside North America, ranging across northern European Russia, Siberia to Sakhalin and Kunashir, eastern Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia, northern and central China, Korea, and Hokkaido, Japan. Source

Did You Know?

Siberian chipmunks have large internal cheek pouches that let them carry large quantities of nuts and seeds back to their burrows in a single trip. Source
Before winter, they cache 3–4 kg of food in their burrows to survive underground until April or May, with separate chambers for nesting, food storage, and waste. Source
Following exports of over 200,000 individuals from South Korea's pet trade beginning in the 1960s, escaped and released Siberian chipmunks have established invasive populations across Belgium, France, Germany, and several other European countries. Source

Where to See This Species

2 facilities · 0 individuals

桐生が岡動物園 (Kiryuugaoka Doubutsuen)Gunma自動車の場合、カーナビ検索は「桐生が岡動物園」ではなく「桐生が岡遊園地」で設定すると駐車場に到着できる（動物園名で検索すると誤った経路になる場合がある）。

桐生が岡動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

富士自然動物公園 (Fujishizen Doubutsu Kouen)ShizuokaOpened in 1980

富士自然動物公園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCNではLCに分類されています。飼育個体の逸出は地域の生態系に影響するおそれがあります。

Habitat

北東アジアの森林や林縁に分布します。

Threats

森林環境の変化
ペット由来個体の逸出

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

生息環境の保全
適正飼養と逸出防止の啓発

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

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Furusato Nozei: Municipally run facilities may share official guidance for this Japanese hometown-tax program.

FAQ

Is the Siberian chipmunk the only Asian chipmunk species?: Yes. It is the only chipmunk species found outside North America, native to a wide range across Russia, Siberia, China, Korea, and Hokkaido in Japan. Source
How much food does a Siberian chipmunk store for winter?: It caches around 3–4 kg of food in its burrow before winter, allowing it to survive underground in hibernation until around April or May. Source
Why is the Siberian chipmunk considered invasive in Europe?: Large-scale pet trade exports from South Korea beginning in the 1960s—over 200,000 individuals by 1980—led to escaped and released animals establishing wild populations in Belgium, France, Germany, and other European countries, where they can also contribute to Lyme disease transmission via ticks. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org