Also known as Suite or tastar, the Gopher is a species belonging to the squirrel family – Sciuridae and the only European representative of the genus Spermophilus. Like all squirrels, this animal belongs to the order of rodents. The name popandau or poponete is derived from the position it often adopts: support on the hind limbs and on the tail, in an upright position.
It inhabits the Steppe area, unforested, being present in very different biotopes: islets, Meadows, cultivated or grassed lands, gardens, orchards, ravines, dams, etc.in our country, the Gopher has a discontinuous spread, missing totally from the Transylvanian plateau.
Unlike other areas of the range, in Romania it was not found at high altitudes, climbing only up to 450 m. (Pietricica Hill in Piatra Neamt). We find it outside the Carpathian arc, up to the borders of the country, in Moldova, Muntenia, Oltenia, Crisana, Maramures, the population density can reach 13-17 individuals/ha in Baragan and Dobrogea.
Popandau Food
Food can be both vegetable and animal.
The Gopher is a diurnal, hemophilic animal and performs its foraging activity in the early part of the day and in the afternoon, before sunset.
They generally consume the green parts of plants, roots and seeds, but also insects, centipedes, snails, bream or small vertebrates.
Gopher Behavior
It lives in colonies, but each individual has its own gallery. Although it is a sociable animal, most of its time is spent in its rather complicated galleries, some being used permanently, others occasionally. Occasional galleries are used in cold and wet weather and are built either on the surface or at a maximum depth of 120 cm, being provided with 1-2 Burrows.
Permanent galleries, used for hibernation, have a more complicated structure and reach a depth of over 2 m. The Burrow is located in depth and housed in a room whose dimensions are variable.
It is made of plant debris, dried leaves of grasses, stems, wool threads, pieces of paper or canvas and other materials. The burrow serves them both for hibernation and for raising chicks.
The architectonics of the gallery vary depending on the soil, climatic conditions or the characteristics of the individuals (age, e.g.).
The Gopher is considered to be a harmful animal for both crops and soil safety. This rodent depreciates Meadows and fanlets through their network of galleries and contributes to the erosion of soils and the weakening of dams. Moreover, the animal is a reservoir of pathogens and parasites. Their fur, successfully marketed in some countries, is poorly valued in our country.Popandau Appearance
The Gopher has a slender and elongated body, not exceeding 22 cm. head slightly tessit in the frontal region, snout short and obtuse, ears pavilions small and rounded, like skin folds covered by short bristles. The tail is 5.5 - 7.5 cm long and is well dressed in fur.
The body weight is between 230 and 340 g. the limbs are short, the forelimbs having 4 fingers and the hind ones 5, provided with long, strong claws, more or less sharp, adapted for digging.
The coat has short and rough bristles; the background color on the upper face of the body is canusie-yellowish-brown, with black and rust reflections, insular, dark, with the appearance of fine spots. On the sides of the body the fur shows sulfide shades.
On the head the color is uniform and without spots, and around the eyes a light yellow ring is outlined; the chin and neck are white, the chest, abdomen and internal face of the limbs are sulphur yellow. The tail is lighter on the ventral side and has darker bristles on the terminal side.
The Gopher's eyes are large, prominent and, compared to the size of the head, are widely spaced between them. This position of the eyes is the result of an adaptation to the environment, allowing the animal to observe the surrounding stretches without completely removing the head from the galleries.
The upper lip is deeply notched. At the base of the tail has 3 perianal papillae, which secrete an odorous liquid, with a role in finding mating partners and delimiting the territory.
Breeding Gophers
The breeding season begins a few days after coming out of hibernation.
During this period males have aggressive behavior towards each other.
Females give birth to 2 to 9 Cubs (most commonly 4 or 5), after a gestation period of 25-28 days.
Breastfeeding lasts 6 weeks, and puppies reach sexual maturity one year after birth, after the hibernation period.
