Burrow entrance of Spermophilus citellus (4805' N 1656' E)

Description:

2011-04-02 Lower Austria, district Bruck-Leitha (Spitzerberg glider airfield, 190 msm Quadrant 7967/2).German name: Europischer Ziesel - Hhleneingang (European ground squirrel - burrow entrance)Some facts about their life cycle as I recall what I was told by Christa Staudinger when visiting this place:These squirrels have two strategies of reproduction.There are 'pasha males' who try to copulate with as many females as they can, and as they spend most of their energy on keeping their harem together, they can't and won't offer much help to the females which, in turn, cannot raise as many young.And then there are the 'househusband males' who contend themselves with one female (I think; or was it a couple? can't remember), and for this reason are able to help in feeding the young, which is why they are able to raise many more young per litter.On average, both strategies prove to be about equally successful! Which, it seems, also is the reason why those squirrels keep pursuing both strategies.Also, their hibernation habits are quite interesting: they go into hibernation as soon as they've got enough fat to savely get through the winter even if it is still yet late summer, and plenty of green to be eaten about. By this strategy, they avoid being eaten by predators in the fall (when they actually would gain little by staying awake, as they've got enough reserves for the winter already).They come out of hibernation some time in late march, and hibernation begins in september - some, especially the young, may go into hibernation even earlier; as said, it is not the time of year which is important - they go into hibernation as soon as they've got enough reserves.In hibernation then they have 'waking periods' - every couple of weeks or so they're 'warming up' from hibernation status (with very low body temperature) to 'ordinary sleep' - without waking, they go through a 'normal' body temperature phase, and then go back to hibernation; reasons for this are yet unknown.Unfortunately, as told by Maria Zacherl on the same day, it seems that most of the population here at Spitzerberg drowned this spring when still in hibernation, due to heavy rains.See also remarks here, and photos of the animals themselves.