Article
| Article name | DYNAMICS OF AN ISOLATED COLONY OF SPERMOPHILUS SUSLICUS (RODENTIA, SCIURIDAE) IN LIPETSK, EUROPEAN RUSSIA, ITS PROSPECTS AND ROLE IN SPECIES CONSERVATION |
| Authors | Olga N. Batova, PhD, Researcher of Laboratory for population ecology, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences (119071, Russia, Mosсow, Leninsky Prospect, 33); iD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7822-6507; e-mail: batova_olga@mail.ru |
| Reference to article | Batova O.N., Savinetskaya L.E., Proyavka S.V., Sandlerskiy R.B., Shekarova O.N. 2026. Dynamics of an isolated colony of Spermophilus suslicus (Rodentia, Sciuridae) in Lipetsk, European Russia, its prospects and role in species conservation. Nature Conservation Research 11(4). https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2026.027 |
| Section | Research articles |
| DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2026.027 |
| Abstract | Spermophilus suslicus is a threatened species listed in Red Data Books at all levels (from regional Red Data Books to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species), and it currently requires special conservation activity. Over the past 30–50 years, its range has changed from continuous to mosaic, and its population has declined everywhere. In 2015, in Russia experimental studies started being devoted to the Spermophilus suslicus re-introduction with the use one of the largest remaining wild colonies at the Kosyrevskoe cemetery (Lipetsk town vicinity, European Russia) as a source of animals. The present study attempts to assess the long-term dynamics of this colony and its prospects. Based on the long-term monitoring using visual counts along a permanent route, the number of animals in the colony was calculated each year after their emerging from hibernation and after the end of the breeding season. We also assessed the dynamics of tree overgrowth within the studied territory, and we have summarised data on the removal of animals for further relocation based on literature. During the monitoring period (2007–2024), two stages are clearly distinguished: stably high abundance (until 2018) and stably low abundance (since 2019). The sharp population decrease occurred because of a single effect, rather than as a result of gradual changes in habitat conditions or the capture of animals for re-introduction activities. However, the expected increase in number after the crisis has not yet occurred despite continuing active reproduction. At the current population size level, the colony remains viable in the long-term perspective, but is much less resistant to various external forces. The strict control on the removal of animals for re-settlement, in particular, excluding the capture of adult individuals during the breeding season, is the only way to conservate the wild colonies of Spermophilus suslicus. |
| Keywords | abundance, long-term monitoring, population resistance, speckled ground squirrel, threat of extinction |
| Artice information | Received: 02.02.2026. Revised: 05.03.2026. Accepted: 16.05.2026. |
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