European Ground Squirrel
Spermophilus citellus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderRodentia (Rosegadors)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusSpermophilus (Old World Ground Squirrels)
- SpeciesSpermophilus citellus (European Ground Squirrel)
The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus), also known as the European souslik, is a species from the squirrel family, Sciuridae. It is among the few European species in the genus Spermophilus. Like all squirrels, it is a member of the rodent order. It is to be found in eastern and central Europe from southern Ukraine, to Asia Minor, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and north as far as Poland but the range is divided in two parts by the Carpathian Mountains. The European ground squirrel grows to a length of approximately 20 cm (8 in) and a weight of approximately 300 grams (11 oz). It is a diurnal animal, living in colonies of individual burrows in pastures or grassy embankments. Wikipedia →
40–50% of wildlife watchers report a European Ground Squirrel sighting in Fertő-Hanság National Park, based on 179 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Fertő-Hanság National Park
Eurasian Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
Coypu
Myocastor coypus
Eurasian Beaver
Castor fiber
Yellow-necked Field Mouse
Apodemus flavicollis
Herb Field Mouse
Apodemus uralensis
Mound-building Mouse
Mus spicilegus
Bank Vole
Myodes glareolus
Black-bellied Hamster
Cricetus cricetus
Eurasian Harvest Mouse
Micromys minutus
Striped Field Mouse
Apodemus agrarius
Common Vole
Microtus arvalis
Tundra Vole
Microtus oeconomus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 2 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 3 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 4 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a European Ground Squirrel in Fertő-Hanság National Park?
About 46% of wildlife watchers report a European Ground Squirrel sighting in Fertő-Hanság National Park, based on 179 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see European Ground Squirrel in Fertő-Hanság National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for European Ground Squirrel in Fertő-Hanság National Park in our monthly data.