Speckled ground squirrel

Perlziesel ( Spermophilus suslicus )

The or Perlziesel ( Spermophilus suslicus ) is a ground squirrel species, which was described in 1770 by Güldenstaedt first time.

With a head-body length of about twenty centimeters and a tail length of about four centimeters this type is slightly smaller than the European ground squirrel. An adult Perlziesel weighs between 200 and 350 grams. The back is dark brown and covered with clear, white, three to five millimeters wide polka dots. The belly is yellow gray, on the chest, neck and around the eyes to find white fur games. The tail is shorter and not as hairy as the European Ziesels.

The Perlziesel is housed in a small part of Eastern Europe, parts of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Romania includes. The animals mostly inhabit steppes. Meanwhile, they also occur in pastures, fallow land and crop fields.

The diurnal animals feed on cereals and grasses, sometimes they also prey on insects and even small vertebrates. Only very rarely do they store the food reserves in their construction, which consists of widely branched junctions. With danger come from Perlziesel whistles. Once a year get the Perlzieselweibchen offspring. This usually happens in the spring after waking up from hibernation.

Similar Species:

• European ground squirrel ( Spermophilus citellus )