Problemy ochrony populacji susła perełkowanego (Spermophilus suslicus (Gueldenstaedt, 1770)) na Podolu Zachodnim

<ns3:p>The article is devoted to the study of populations of a rare rodent species that is on the verge of extinction in Ukraine - the spotted ground squirrel (Spermophilus suslicus (Gueldenstaedt, 1770) (Rodentia: Sciuridae). This is a species of Ukrainian fauna that is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (2009) and the IUCN Red List. In Ukraine, this species is under threat of extinction, since its habitats were concentrated in the steppes of eastern Ukraine, in particular, in the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, where fierce fighting is currently underway, and the natural complexes of the Eastern European steppes have been completely destroyed. The identified habitats of ground squirrels in the Lviv region of Ukraine were studied for the characteristics of the biotope that ground squirrels choose for settlement. The usual habitat of ground squirrels is sunny slopes with soft soil and low grassy vegetation, the height of which does not exceed the length of the ground squirrel's body. The main reasons were established the disappearance of ground squirrel populations, the most important of which are the cessation of grazing, the overgrowth of areas with tall grasses and bushes, and the plowing of areas.</ns3:p>