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      • Translocation of Kulans
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      • Reintroduction European Pond Turtle
      • Reintroduction European Ground Squirrel
      • Reintroduction of the Ural Owl
      • Reintroduction of Alpine Ibex
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      • Sensory Biology in Dolphins
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      • Vaquita in Trouble
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Reintroduction European Pond Turtle
22/07/2020
Conservation of the Irrawaddy Dolphin in the Mekong River
11/09/2020

Reintroduction European Ground Squirrel



The European ground squirrel(Spermophilus citellus) is a rodent from the squirrel family. European ground squirrels mainly feed upon green plant parts like roots and tubers. Unlike hamsters, however, they do not hoard food in their underground burrows. Having built up reserves over the summer they hibernate from September to April or March. Their habitat ranges from the Black Sea and the steppes of eastern Europe to the Czech-German border. The population is divided into two parts by the Carpathian Mountains. Nowadays, their numbers have declined in many places and many subpopulations are threatened by genetic impoverishment due to habitat fragmentation. Until the 1980s there was a German subpopulation in the Ore Mountains and current findings close to the border on the Czech side give reason to hope for the possibility of a reintroduction in Germany.

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European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) Nuremberg Zoo © Jonas Straub

Our Contribution



The Nuremberg Zoo is home to a formidable European ground squirrel population. A few years ago, the zoo supported a reintroduction project near Altenberg in Germany with 34 animals which, however, had to be discontinued in 2016 due to a lack of success. In the summer of the following year the zoo provided 22 animals (13 males and 9 females) to support a small population on the golf court of the Czech town Karlovy Vary – this time successfully. Meanwhile this population has grown to more than 200 individuals. Seven further sousliks from Nuremberg were reintroduced in the Eger valley in 2019 with direct support from the Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš and the Czech minister for the environment Richard Brabec. In 2020, too, Nuremberg Zoo will provide European ground squirrels for a reintroduction programme so that a further valuable contribution to the future of this species can be made.


European ground squirrels are kept and bred in the Nuremberg Zoo.


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European Ground Squirrel at Nuremberg Zoo © Jonas Straub

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European Ground Squirrel at Nuremberg Zoo © Jonas Straub

Pictures




Scientific Reports



Action Plan for the Conservation of the European Ground Squirrel Spermophilus citellus in the European Union

Partner



Museum Karlovy Vary

Zoo Hluboká

More Projects



  • 21/07/2020

    Stress in Polar Bears


    See project
  • 06/02/2021

    Conservation of the Guiana Dolphin in Lake Maracaibo


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation in Brazil


    See project
  • 11/09/2020

    Conservation of the Irrawaddy Dolphin in the Mekong River


    See project
  • 19/10/2020

    Conservation of the Atlantic Humpback Dolphin


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction of the Ural Owl


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Conservation of the La Plata Dolphin


    See project
  • Alpensteinbock_Titel
    18/07/2021

    Reintroduction of Alpine Ibex


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Sensory Biology in Dolphins


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction European Ground Squirrel


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction European Pond Turtle


    See project
  • 21/07/2020

    Conservation Breeding Programs


    See project
  • 21/07/2020

    Vaquita in Trouble


    See project
  • 22/07/2020

    Reintroduction of the Northern Bald Ibis


    See project
  • 21/07/2020

    Translocation of Kulans


    See project
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