Asia Minor Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus) lives in temperate grasslands across Southeastern Europe and Turkey. Its conservation status is Near Threatened.
Fascinating facts about the Asia Minor Ground Squirrel
- These squirrels carve burrows that can plunge 2.19 m deep, far deeper than the shallow 21-57 cm tunnels they use for daily foraging. The deep chambers store food and provide a safe haven for hibernation, letting the animals survive the harsh winter months from September to March.
- Molecular clocks place the split between the Asia Minor ground squirrel and its European cousins at roughly five million years ago, coinciding with the formation of the Bosporus that cut Anatolia off from Europe. Fossils from the early Pleistocene, even as far west as Chios, show the species once roamed a much larger area.
- Intensive grain farming in central Anatolia has slashed ground-squirrel numbers by up to 25 % in just ten years, prompting the IUCN to upgrade their status to Near Threatened in the 2009 Red List. Because they raid crops, farmers may poison them, further driving the decline. Legal protection in Turkey.
- Males of the Asia Minor ground squirrel stretch up to 29 cm long and weigh as much as 490 g, while females top out at 28 cm and 410 g. Their tails are tiny, only 3 to 6 cm.
- After a brief 25-day gestation, females give birth to 3-9 pups that weigh only 5-7 g. The newborns sprouting fur at day 15 and opening their eyes by day 22-25. By four weeks they venture out of the burrow, and by seven weeks they're fully weaned.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSoutheastern Europe and Turkey
HabitatTemperate grasslands
DietSeeds and fruits
About the Asia Minor Ground Squirrel
In the sun-baked landscapes of Anatolia, the Asia Minor Ground Squirrel darts with frenetic energy, its tawny fur blending seamlessly into the rust-hued soil as it scurries about with an air of perpetual urgency. With each burst of speed, its tiny paws barely touch the ground, as if it is perpetually poised on the cusp of disappearing into the labyrinthine burrows that crisscross its underground realm. As it emerges into the bright light, its large, dark eyes shine like polished onyx, filled with a quiet intensity that belies the squirrel's diminutive stature.
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