In the end of September, the dry-thermophilic pastures in south of Eastern Slovakia was visited again for a second time by volunteers. The Site of Community Importance Tarbucka was established for a purpose to protect and to improve favourable conservation status of species and habitats of European interest.
Together with our DANUBEPARKS partners, we are launching a new project focused on the entire flow of the Danube, which will bring restoration of the side arms and the revitalization of the islands.
In August, we prepared another fence for sheep grazing, so that ground squirrels would do better. This time, we have built more than 1 km of fencing in the village of Jesenské in the Cerova vrchovina, and grazing on the 4.4 hectares of ground squirrel locality can begin.
A fat ground squirrel, a healthy ground squirrel, this applies especially in this period before hibernation. Ground squirrels can weigh up to more than 500 g. In the spring, they weigh around 200 g. If you see a skinny ground squirrel during this late summer period, you are probably seeing him for the last time.
As part of the project, we are also carrying out genetic research, and at the same time we are strengthening localities where there are so few individuals and interbreeding would deffinetelly occur between them.