Marmota bobak
Range
They are found in Europe, Russia and central Asia.Habitat
They live on grasslands near rivers on the steppes and on low hillsides. They can be found in near farmlands, but generally don’t burrow too close to plowed lands.Body Traits
They have rounded bodies with short legs and long tail. They are under 2 feet long with a yellowish coat with darker tips. They have small eyes and a dark face. They have sharp claws for digging.Habits
They live in family groups in a colony, with a series of tunnels into which to escape with any sign of a predator. They stand up to scan for predators. They are active in the mornings and evenings and spend half the year hibernatingDiet
They eat grass.Predators
They are eaten by foxes, large birds of prey (like eagles) and domestic dogs.Reproduction
Females are pregnant for about 7 weeks (gestation) and have up to 6 pups. Males will protect young when they emerge from the burrow to feed.Lifespan and/or Conservation Status
They can live for more than 10 years in captivity but rarely survive that long in the wild. They are listed as Lower Risk – conservation dependent.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Suborder: Sciuromorpha
- Family: Sciuridae
- Subfamily: Xerinae
- Genus: Marmota
- Species: Marmota bobak