Search Results (7)

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered mammal that inhabits open habitats with low vegetation in central and southeastern Europe. Its southernmost range includes northern Greece, where populations are declining due to habitat degradation and fragmentation. Limited behavioural research on Greek populations underscores the need for studies to support conservation efforts. The present study examined the species’ diet and seasonal changes in food consumption in an anthropogenic area of Central Macedonia, Greece. Between 2022 and 2023, feeding behaviour was documented recording plant parts, taxa, and feeding durations, while plant availability was assessed through surface sampling. The results revealed that Cynodon, Carex–Cyperus, Salvia, Solanum, and Plantago were the dominant plant genera in the species’ diet, while rhizomes and leaves were the most frequently consumed plant parts. Seasonal dietary shifts were observed, with ground squirrels selecting specific plants and plant parts based on availability. Under resource-limited conditions, they adapted by consuming nutritious rhizomes or the less-common, but toxic, S. elaeagnifolium. These findings highlight the species’ dietary adaptability to Mediterranean and human-modified environments, providing valuable ecological insights and informing habitat conservation and improvement strategies. Full article

European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) populations have declined precipitously over the last 70 years. Its protection cannot be ensured solely by protecting its habitat; it is also necessary to protect the animals ex situ. In our study, within a European ground squirrel species protection program, we examined two elements of indoor housing technology. Knowledge of the animals’ needs is essential for captive housing and breeding success, so in our tests, the animals could freely choose both nest-building materials and feed. In the nest material preference test, the animals could choose from three materials with different structures: paper, Lignocel and hay. In the feed preference test, the animals could also choose from three types of feed: commercial rabbit feed, complete rabbit feed and a natural feed mixture. The first two feeds were in granulated format, and the third was a grain feed mix. Among the nesting materials, they preferred hay, which allowed them to build better-quality nests. Among the feeds, they preferred the grain feed mix, the composition closest to their natural feed, and it was the only one that contained animal protein. Our results contribute to the successful maintenance and breeding the European ground squirrel in captivity. Full article

The main goal of the study, based on historical-geographical research, was to reconstruct the history of an anthropogenically created cultural landscape on the southern edge of the Muránska Planina National Park in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia) as a potential European ground squirrel habitat. Humans began to change the original forest landscape in the second half of the 13th century in connection with the construction of Muráň castle, which became the economic center of the study area. The first written mention of the existence of Muráň castle (castro Muran) dates to 1271. The original deciduous forests were gradually removed and transformed into agricultural land. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, we can almost certainly assume the existence of an agricultural landscape in the territory called Biele Vody (part of the study area) on the right side of the Muránsky Potok valley in such spatial dimensions as it is at present. The landscape created in this way provided suitable ecological conditions for the successful survival of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus). The analysis and reconstruction of the origins and development of the agricultural landscape were carried out based on detailed archival and terrain research. Map outputs are also the result of the reconstructions. Whether the European ground squirrel was already present in the locality before its conservation translocation (773 individuals were released at the site in 2000–2007) is discussed in detail in this paper. The current ground squirrel colony is dependent on feeding, mainly sunflowers (since 2011), on active management and maintenance of the landscape provided by a herd of donkeys (March–December) and sheep (May–July). The ground squirrel locality Biele Vody is currently a center of ecotourism and ecological education. Full article

The European ground squirrel is an endangered rodent whose populations are declining throughout its range. Only in Bulgaria, the genetic hotspot of the species, are some abundant populations still present. We employed 12 microsatellite loci in ten Bulgarian populations to look at population structure, gene flow and recent bottlenecks. We found that the populations are in good condition in terms of heterozygosity, where values ranged from 0.55 to 0.78. However, the inbreeding index (F_IS) was significant for most populations. A recent bottleneck was detected in only one population. Based on Bayesian clustering methods, the populations in Bulgaria were attributed to two groups, northern and southern, with admixture in the northern one. The AMOVA test between these groups showed no differentiation in genetic diversity. The mean value of F_ST was 0.184, which shows strong diversification among all populations. Hence, gene flow is probably limited. All these results indicate that Bulgaria is the main area to focus the efforts for conservation of the species by ensuring that the complex and rich genetic structure of Bulgarian populations is preserved. Full article

Gastrointestinal helminth parasites can be transferred during conservation translocations and impact their outcome. The current study applied non-invasive coprological sampling to investigate the helminth infection rates and dynamics in translocated and resident European ground squirrels, during and after a population reinforcement. The FLOTAC method was calibrated and applied for the first time for the target species. In the studied coprological samples, helminth eggs belonging to Acanthocephala and Nematoda were found; the latter were morphologically identified as belonging to the families Capillariidae (Enoplida) and Trichostrongylidae (Strongylida) and superfamily Spiruroidea (Spirurida). The overall helminth prevalence and their diversity were higher in the donor colony compared to the resident one before the reinforcement. Pronounced seasonal dynamics in the parasite prevalence and diversity were observed, and their values were considerably lower in spring than in summer in both translocated and resident hosts. A year after the start of the translocation, the helminth prevalence and number of species detected in the reinforced colony had increased significantly. This is in accordance with epidemiological models and other empirical studies that predict a positive relationship between the population density of a host and the prevalence and species richness of parasites. Full article

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered semifossorial small mammal of grassland/agricultural ecosystems. In the last few decades, the species’ population has declined throughout its range in Europe. The Greek populations represent the southernmost limit of the species’ range and are notably small, scattered, and located mainly in human-modified areas. The goal of the present research is to understand the environmental and anthropogenic variables associated with its distribution in the Mediterranean habitats, assess possible drivers of observed local extinctions, and propose conservation and land-use management actions in light of near-future climate change scenarios. We used presence records since 2000 across all known populations (107 colonies) and maximum entropy conditional probability models (MaxEnt) to calculate both the habitat suitability (bioclimatic variables) and habitat availability (anthropogenic/land-use variables) within the European ground squirrel’s historical range in northern Greece. We report a projected 39% to 94.3% decrease in habitat suitability by 2040–2060 due to climate change. Based on our findings, we provide guidance by proposing nascent conservation actions to protect the few existing colonies in Greece via improved land management practices and identify in situ climate refugia that could be prioritized as sites for future reintroductions. Full article

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered species, endemic to Central and Southeastern Europe, inhabiting burrow colonies in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. In recent years, agricultural land-use changes and increased urbanization have largely contributed to a severe population decline across its range, particularly in its southernmost edge. Assessing the population and habitat status of this species is essential for prioritizing appropriate conservation actions. The present study aims to track population size changes and identify habitat characteristics of the species in Greece via a literature search, questionnaires, and fieldwork for assessing trends in population size as well as spatial K-means analysis for estimating its relation to specific habitat attributes. We found that both distribution size (grid number) and colony numbers of the species decreased in the last decades (by 62.4% and 74.6%, respectively). The remaining colonies are isolated and characterized by low density (mean = 7.4 ± 8.6 ind/ha) and low number of animals (mean = 13 ± 16 individuals). Most of the colonies are situated in lowlands and did not relate to specific habitat attributes. Habitat aspect and system productivity (NDVI) were the main factors contributing mostly to the clustering of the existing colonies. These results demonstrate that the species is confined to small, isolated anthropogenic habitats. Specific conservation actions such as population reinforcement, habitat improvement, and specific common agricultural policy measures could effectively improve agroecological zones that are suitable for the maintenance and protection of existing and potential habitats for populations of the species. Full article