Squirrels of the World

Spermophilus fulvus 305

two species of coccidian parasites (Eimeria berkinbaevi and
E. callospermophili).

general references: Dawaa 1972; Rogovin and Shenbrot
1995; Shar and Lkhagvasuren 2008; Spirodonova, Chelo-
mina, Starikov, et al. 2005; Spirodonova, Chelomina, Tsuda,
et al. 2006; Wilber et al. 1998.

Spermophilus fulvus (Lichtenstein, 1823)

Yellow Ground Squirrel

description: This ground squirrel has brownish gold
guard hairs and ash gray wool hairs.

size: Female—HB 224.0 mm; T 71.4 mm.
Male—HB 284.3 mm; T 85.4 mm; Mass 290.0 g.
Sex not stated—HB 323.0 mm; T 102.0 mm; Mass 596.0 g.

distribution: The range of the yellow ground squirrel ex-
tends east from the Caspian Sea and the Volga River (Russia),
across central Kazakhstan, to Lake Balkhash; and south
through Uzbekistan, western Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

Other populations are found in northeastern Iran and

northern Afghanistan. A disjunct population occurs in west-

ern Xinjiang (China). At least four introductions outside

this species’ native range have been successful.

geographic variation: Three subspecies are recognized.

S. f. fulvus—region between the Caspian Sea and the Aral

Sea. This form is as described above, with a buff color-

ation on the abdomen.

S. f. hypoleucos—northeastern Iran. This form has a white

belly, with a slight buff y appearance.

S. f. oxianus—southern portion of the range. This is a smaller

subspecies, similar in appearance to S. f. fulvus, but with

the head slightly grayer.

conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population

trend—no information.

habitat: S. fulvus is found in desert and semidesert eco-

systems.

natural history: T he yel low g rou nd squ i r rel i s pr i ma r i ly

herbivorous, feeding largely on the rhizomes and tubers of

desert plants; however, few details are available on its di-

etary habits. This species is considered territorial, defend-

ing a relatively large area in which it constructs a single bur-

row, where it hibernates from approximately mid-September

to mid-May. S. fulvus is a relatively abundant and common

species, although hunting pressure has contributed to its

Spermophilus erythrogenys. Photo courtesy Yurii Danilov.