A small ground-dwelling rodent native to western North American coniferous forests, characterized by distinctive longitudinal stripes along its body and agile foraging behaviors.
Primarily inhabits pine and mixed conifer forests in mountain regions ranging from southern British Columbia to California, typically at elevations between 600-3,000 meters above sea level
Critical seed disperser and prey species in mountain forest ecosystems, contributing to seed germination, forest regeneration, and serving as a food source for predators like raptors and carnivorous mammals
