The russet ground squirrel digs burrows in grassland and river valleys. It forages by day and hibernates in winter.
Adults have dark ochre-brown backs with pale flecks. Rust-colored spots appear above and below the eyes; juveniles are grayer and less speckled than adults.
The range of the russet ground squirrel meets those of four related Spermophilus species. A 2023 study used mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers to examine how those neighbours contributed to the species’ genetic variation. The researchers found alleles attributed to other species in 36% of the sampled russet ground squirrels, and every neighbouring species that contacted its range contributed genetic variation.
The authors proposed at least five separate hybridization events during past shifts in species ranges linked to changing climate. Some events may also have replaced the mitochondrial genome of one species with that of another. The russet ground squirrel’s genetic record therefore reflects a long history of contact with related animals living in steppe regions.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The study found alleles from other species in 36% of sampled russet ground squirrels. The authors identify the combination of population decline and incoming genes from related species as a conservation concern and emphasize protecting distinctive steppe communities.