Yellow ground squirrel

Yellow ground squirrel
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Spermophilus
Species: S. fulvus
Binomial name
Spermophilus fulvus
(Lichtenstein, 1823)

The yellow ground squirrel (Spermophilus fulvus) is a large and sturdy species of ground squirrel with naked soles on the hind feet(excluding the heels).[2] It is found in Afghanistan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia and on sandy steppes with Artemisia, glasswort and tamarisk. Is replaced by other ground squirrels in farmland and grassland. It is strictly diurnal and forages mainly in the morning when the vegetation is still damp. lives a very gregarious lifestyle in large colonies. Diet includes bulbs, seeds, stems and leaves.Like many other ground squirrels it hibernates, but it may also aestivate.[2]

References

  1. Tsytsulina, K.; Formozov, N. & Sheftel, B. (2008). "Spermophilus fulvus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  2. 1 2 Aulagnier S.; P. Haffner, A. J. Mitchell-Jones, F. Moutou & J. Zima (2009) Mammals of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, A&C Black, London.


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