Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel hoping for food

There were a few of these very cute Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels at Cameron Falls, in Waterton Lakes National Park. There were picnic tables nearby and where there are people, these little creatures know that, if they are "lucky", someone will give them food. I noticed this one doing its best to attract attention.

"Spermophilus lateralis is found in Canada and the United States. It ranges from southeast British Colombia and southwest Alberta, into the western United States as far east as western Colorado and down to northwestern New Mexico and southern California.

Golden-mantled ground squirrels have little positive economic importance to humans. They do however, provide amusement and enjoyment for many campers as they can become quite tame, living at campgrounds and taking food from eager campers hands. (Bartels and Thompson, 1993).

Spermophilus lateralis can have a negative impact on the timber industry. In the fall, coniferous seeds make up a large portion of their diet, and S. lateralis can harm reforestation efforts by eating newly sprouted conifer seeds. They have little impact on agriculture because of habitat selection."

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Spermophilus_late...

A few of the things friends, Cathy and Terry, and I, saw during our three-day trip to Waterton Lakes National Park (26, 27 & 28 August 2014) included fantastic scenery, 4 Black Bears (including one that was swimming in the lake), Bison, Deer (including several that we saw in the village of Waterton, where we stayed the two nights at the clean and friendly Bear Mountain Motel), Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, various bird species including the endangered Burrowing Owls (new to all three of us), a few wildflowers, several Yellow-bellied Marmots (a first for me!), a few different insect species, and a family of some species of Grouse (still not sure what kind). I even got the chance to see three or four new-to-me old, wooden grain elevators.