A Siberian chipmunk on Mount Taisetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
© Ida Toshiaki/Minden Picture
Happy Thanksgiving from an expert face-stuffer
The Siberian chipmunk is the only species of chipmunk found outside of North America. Its native habitat ranges from across Russia to northern China, Japan, and Korea. Though Siberian pine nuts are a favorite meal, these little rodents will eat nearly anything—seeds, fruits, insects, even small birds and lizards. Our ravenous friend here in Hokkaido, Japan, is gorging on inflorescences, or clusters of flowers. A chipmunk can stuff a surprising amount of goodies into its cheek pouches, which can stretch to three times its head size—imagine how ridiculous we'd look if our stomachs were as forgiving.
Why are we showing you a Siberian chipmunk on Thanksgiving Day? Because on a day when we tend to stuff ourselves silly, we wanted to offer an extra helping of silly.
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