Spermophilus citellus
A European Souslik carrying building material. KHI.
European Souslik is a large rodent with greyish brown upperparts and a lighter underside. It is 19–22 cm long; the tail measures 5.5–7.5 cm and the animal weighs 230–340 g. The prints are small; the front foot has four toes and the tracks are about 1.8 cm long and 1.2 cm wide; the hind foot has five toes, the tracks are about 2 cm long and 1.3 cm wide.
European Sousliks live in large family groups in open grassland, where they are active during the day but spend the night in large underground tunnels. The entrance holes are somewhat smaller than those excavated by Rabbits. Sousliks feed on roots, plant shoots, blossoms, seeds, and berries but also consume insects and other small animals. They hibernate from November to March.
One of the adults is always on the lookout for predators and warns the family with loud calls. WWE.
