If my site stats can be believed, a lot of folks come to Outside seeking answers, and one of their most pressing questions is this: “Do chipmunks climb trees?” Until today, however, the question has languished unanswered, at least by me. But that’s about to change. In my never-ending quest to give the public what it wants, I’m going to resolve this burning issue once and for all. So here goes…

Do chipmunks climb trees? Yes. That was easy, wasn’t it? Chipmunks do climb trees. Of course, most of us think of these tireless little foragers as ground dwellers, and so they are. Chipmunks make their homes in underground burrows. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t equally at home up high. After all, chipmunks are squirrels, and squirrels are well-known climbers, quite capable of hanging upside down, prevented from tumbling into the void by their hind feet alone.

And when I picked up my camera, this fine fellow was doing just that: suspended from his hind feet, he was having a bit of a stretch to get the kinks out. By the time I clicked the shutter, however, he’d put his right forefoot back down. (The left is still curled against his chest.) It was a remarkable performance, and I hoped he’d give me an encore. He didn’t, though. Still, the photo reveals the squirrel’s secret weapon—hind feet that can be rotated round till they’re nearly back to front. Toenails then become grappling hooks. What could be simpler?

But gray squirrels (and their red cousins) aren’t alone in having this helpful anatomic adaptation. Chipmunks share it, too. As this grande dame is happy to demonstrate:

What works on a stump works equally well in a tree, of course. And once our grand dame has finished hanging out, she turns her feet right way round once more, the better to leap and sprint and dig. (The sunflower seeds are her fee, by the way. You can’t expect a professional to work for nothing, can you?)

OK. Chipmunks climb trees. We’ve established that. But we’re left with another question: Why? And there’s no one answer. Here are a few of the possibilities: To gather food. To catch the first warm rays of the sun on a chilly morning. To eyeball the whole sweep of the landscape at one go. To escape less agile predators. Or to give the alarm…

Sometimes, there’s no reason but curiosity. And why should there be, anyway? Chipmunks are indefatigable explorers. Their lives depend on their having an intimate knowledge of every corner of their home territory, the high points as well as the low…

But food is never far from a chipmunk’s mind. Here’s the grande dame again, making short work of some tasty lilac seed capsules:

Observe the confident spraddle stance and the natural balance. There’s no doubt that this lady is used to working above ground. And speaking of balance, check this out:

Then, once the makings of a good lunch have been collected, it’s time to eyeball the area:

That’s another good reason for going high. If you were only six inches tall in your stocking feet, you’d be mighty glad of an elevated observation post, too.

Now, having completed her threat assessment and found no imminent danger, she gets back to work. There’s always one more seed capsule just a little higher up:

Going down is easier, of course:

Caution! Professional climber. Don’t try this at home!

Finally, with all her work done—for the moment, at any rate—she takes a well-earned rest, calmly and confidently surveying her world…

With her tail wrapped securely around the branch and her tightly curled front feet held close to her chest. No chipmunk needs a fur muff, even on a chilly day!

 

Can chipmunks climb trees? Well, I referred that question to a panel of local experts. And now you’ve seen their answer for yourself.

 
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