A burrowing rodent widespread in western and midwestern North America. It lives in tunnels and uses grasslands, mountain meadows, and farmland.
It has a stocky, tapering body, short legs, strong claws, and small eyes and ears. Its short, soft fur ranges from grey-brown to yellow-brown.
It digs tunnels in open places with little tree cover, including mountain meadows, valley grasslands, sagebrush, and fields. It eats plant roots, stems, and grasses, and may store food.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.