A Study on the Hibernation of Spermophilus xanthoprymnus (Bennet, 1835) (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Turkey

Authors

NURİ YİĞİT
ERCÜMENT ÇOLAK
MUSTAFA SÖZEN
ŞAKİR ÖZKURT

DOI

-

Abstract

In this study, the hibernation of ground squirrels ( Spermophilus xanthoprymnus) distributed in Central Anatolia were studied in laboratory and field conditions. According to our findings, the hibernation period of ground squirrels began at the end of August and terminated in mid February. The longest and shortest hibernation bouts of ground squirrels were found to be 100 and 21 days, respectively. In this period, the longest ununterrupted hibernation was 13 days. Ground squirrels gained weight during the early months of summer and then lost weight constantly throughout hibernation period. No marked periodic cycles were observed in the periods of weight loss, and ground squirrels lost an average of 28% of their total body weight during this period.

Keywords

Spermophilus xanthoprymnus, hibernation, Turkey

First Page

87

Last Page

94

Recommended Citation

YİĞİT, NURİ; ÇOLAK, ERCÜMENT; SÖZEN, MUSTAFA; and ÖZKURT, ŞAKİR (2000) "A Study on the Hibernation of Spermophilus xanthoprymnus (Bennet, 1835) (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Turkey," Turkish Journal of Zoology: Vol. 24: No. 1, Article 10. Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/vol24/iss1/10