Spermophilus, also known as the Old World ground squirrels, sousliks or, sometimes, spermophiles, is an Old World genus of ground squirrels in the squirrel family. Formerly, the genus was more species
The yellow ground squirrel is a large and sturdy ground squirrel species native to Afghanistan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia. It inhabits sandy steppes with
Spermophilus
…with clear white spotting. Size varies with species and they have a head-and-body length of c. 17–40 cm (6.7–15.7 in). Before hibernation the largest S. fulvus may weigh up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) and the largest S. major up to almost 1.4 kg (3.1 lb), but they always weigh much less earlier in the year and other…