Spermophilus suslicus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	SCIURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Spermophilus suslicus

Species Authority

(Güldenstaedt, 1770)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Speckled Ground Squirrel, Spotted Souslik
French	–	Souslik Tacheté
Spanish	–	Ardilla Terrestre Moteada

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Zagorodnyuk, I., Glowacinski, Z. & Gondek, A.

Evaluator/s:

Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Temple, H. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Globally, the population has shown serious declines over the last 50 years. However, over the last ten years the rate of decline has slowed (perhaps to ca. 20%, but no data are currently available to support this figure). Since the population is still declining, albeit at a slower rate, and habitat loss and fragmentation is continuing, the species is assessed as Near Threatened at the global level (approaching A2bc+3bc).

History:

1996

–

Vulnerable (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The spotted souslik is endemic to eastern Europe, where it is found in south-eastern Poland, small areas in Belarus, the Ukraine, Moldova, and Russia eastwards to the river Volga. In Poland, the souslik occurs on the western edge of its range and it is known from one relic enclave located between the Wieprz and Bug rivers in the region of Zamosc (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005). A lowland species, it occurs up to no more than 500 m (I. Zagorodnyuk pers. comm. 2006).
Countries:	Native: Belarus; Moldova; Poland; Russian Federation; Ukraine
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	The spotted souslik has suffered marked declines in both population and range. Its extent of occurrence has contracted in both Poland and southern Russia, and the number of colonies in Poland and the Ukraine (where no more than 10% of the former range described in mid-twentieth century is left) has decreased markedly (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, I. Zagorodnyuk pers. comm. 2006). Populations in the southern and eastern parts of the range are more stable. Over the last ten years some populations have shown increases in population size. However, across the global range, the total population is declining, although the rate of decline over the last ten years is likely to be less than 30% (I. Zagorodnyuk pers. comm. 2006). The Polish population of the spotted souslik has been estimated at c.20,000 individuals living in 7 compact and no more than 10 scattered colonies. The most numerous of these colonies, with 10,000-12,000 individuals, is found at Swidnik airport (near Lublin) and is the result of an unofficial introduction in the early 1980s. The present population of S. suslicus is one third of what it was in the 1960s, the number of localities has markedly decreased and the area occupied has shrunk by a half. If this trend continues the souslik will die out in Poland at the first decades of the 21th century (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, Z. Glowacinski pers. comm. 2006).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

The spotted souslik has suffered marked declines in both population and range. Its extent of occurrence has contracted in both Poland and southern Russia, and the number of colonies in Poland and the Ukraine (where no more than 10% of the former range described in mid-twentieth century is left) has decreased markedly (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, I. Zagorodnyuk pers. comm. 2006). Populations in the southern and eastern parts of the range are more stable. Over the last ten years some populations have shown increases in population size. However, across the global range, the total population is declining, although the rate of decline over the last ten years is likely to be less than 30% (I. Zagorodnyuk pers. comm. 2006). The Polish population of the spotted souslik has been estimated at c.20,000 individuals living in 7 compact and no more than 10 scattered colonies. The most numerous of these colonies, with 10,000-12,000 individuals, is found at Swidnik airport (near Lublin) and is the result of an unofficial introduction in the early 1980s. The present population of S. suslicus is one third of what it was in the 1960s, the number of localities has markedly decreased and the area occupied has shrunk by a half. If this trend continues the souslik will die out in Poland at the first decades of the 21th century (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, Z. Glowacinski pers. comm. 2006).

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Like its congener the European souslik Spermophilus citellus, the spotted souslik prefers open areas with short grass (including steppes, pastures, and road verges). Unlike the European souslik, it can also sometimes be found on cultivated ground and can survive ploughing (Macdonald and Barrett 1993). It feeds chiefly on grasses and cereals, although arthropods and small vertebrates are also taken.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Like its congener the European souslik Spermophilus citellus, the spotted souslik prefers open areas with short grass (including steppes, pastures, and road verges). Unlike the European souslik, it can also sometimes be found on cultivated ground and can survive ploughing (Macdonald and Barrett 1993). It feeds chiefly on grasses and cereals, although arthropods and small vertebrates are also taken.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is threatened by the loss and fragmentation of appropriate habitats. Causes of habitat loss include expansion of agriculture and forestry, urbanisation, reclamation of wasteland and industrial development (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, Z. Glowacinski pers. comm. 2006). More than 50% of the remaining Polish population is threatened by the expansion of Lublin airport (A. Gondek pers. comm. 2006). In some areas, it is persecuted as an agricultural pest. Hybridisation with S. pygmaeus and S. citellus has been recorded, but is not likely to be a major threat. Currently all populations are declining and becoming more fragmented, which makes hybridisation less of a problem.

Major Threat(s):

It is threatened by the loss and fragmentation of appropriate habitats. Causes of habitat loss include expansion of agriculture and forestry, urbanisation, reclamation of wasteland and industrial development (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, Z. Glowacinski pers. comm. 2006). More than 50% of the remaining Polish population is threatened by the expansion of Lublin airport (A. Gondek pers. comm. 2006). In some areas, it is persecuted as an agricultural pest. Hybridisation with S. pygmaeus and S. citellus has been recorded, but is not likely to be a major threat. Currently all populations are declining and becoming more fragmented, which makes hybridisation less of a problem.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is legally protected under Appendix II of the Bern Convention. In Poland the souslik is strictly protected under national law, and five nature reserves have recently been created to protect the species. Development of the system of nature reserves and active protection (reintroduction and habitat management) are recommended (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, Z. Glowacinski pers. comm. 2006).

Conservation Actions:

It is legally protected under Appendix II of the Bern Convention. In Poland the souslik is strictly protected under national law, and five nature reserves have recently been created to protect the species. Development of the system of nature reserves and active protection (reintroduction and habitat management) are recommended (Glowacinski et al. 2001, Piskorski 2005, Z. Glowacinski pers. comm. 2006).

Citation:	Zagorodnyuk, I., Glowacinski, Z. & Gondek, A. 2008. Spermophilus suslicus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2008.
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