This species must not intentionally be brought into the Union kept bred transported to, from or within the United Kingdom, unless for the transportation to facilities in the context of eradication placed on the market used or exchanged permitted to reproduce, grown or cultivated or released into the environment.Chipmunks can be found almost anywhere in North America where there are trees. Ĭurrent Legislative Position (Listed on 03 August 2016) From different species of chipmunk, only one of those species known as the Siberian chipmunk lives outside North America. You can help by reporting any sightings: the Centre for Environmental Data & Recording (CEDaR) - Or via the iRecord App. A sales ban, the phasing out from zoos, collections and any other ownership, a rapid eradication of any newly emerging populations and the management of established populations should prevent the species from becoming a wider problem.More distribution information can be found at NBN Atlas NI.It has not been recorded in Northern Ireland.The Siberian chipmunk was a popular as a pet, and some individuals escaped or were released intentionally from captivity.It can also cause significant damage to crops, gardens and orchards and it is a potential host for various infectious diseases, such as Lyme disease or rabies, and parasites.It is suspected to compete with native rodents and may have a local impact on ground-nesting birds, although the numbers of studies investigating its potential impact on biodiversity are currently limited.So far, isolated wild populations have been recorded in woodlands, suburban forests and urban parks in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands.

Since then, individuals have most probably escaped or been deliberately released from captivity. It was introduced into Europe as a pet in the 1960s.