What gophers eat in nature. Gopher of the steppe zone: features of appearance and habits

A small rodent belonging to the Squirrel family. One of the largest representatives of this species is the steppe ground squirrel. You can find photos and descriptions of this animal in many publications about animals, but today we want to talk about it.

Appearance

An adult gopher has a body length of 25 to 37 cm. This animal weighs up to 1.5 kg. Approximately 35% of the total body length is the tail. You can see a photo of the steppe gopher in our article.

The hind legs of these animals are slightly longer than the front ones. The main difference between gophers and other rodents is the shape of their ears: they are short and slightly drooping. Gophers have so-called cheek pouches behind their cheeks.

The coat is short and thick. Color light yellow with splashes dark hair. The fur on the sides and belly is lighter. The tail has two stripes - light yellow on the outside, dark yellow on the inside.

Lifestyle

This cute animal lives in semi-deserts in the west of Kazakhstan, in the steppe zone of the Lower Volga region. IN Central Asia prefers to settle in clayey semi-deserts.

The steppe gopher is an animal that prefers a solitary lifestyle. At favorable conditions The density of rodents reaches 8 individuals per hectare. Colonies of animals are located several tens, and sometimes hundreds of kilometers from each other. Each adult has its own feeding area, which it carefully protects.

The most common in Russia the following types ground squirrels: large and small, as well as speckled. The thin-toed ground squirrel is also isolated.

Under natural conditions, the steppe ground squirrel lives 3-4 years. Puberty occurs in the second year of life.

Life cycle

The steppe ground squirrel hibernates 9 months a year. In this sense, he is the record holder among all hibernating animals. This period ends at the end of February. The males wake up first, only after them the females, and only then the young individuals. Immediately after waking up comes mating season. It lasts approximately two weeks.

Females carry their cubs for 30 days, small gophers are born in April-May. One brood can consist of from 4 to 14 cubs. The female feeds the offspring for a little more than a month, then the cubs leave the mother and begin an independent life.

Young individuals begin to dig a hole for themselves on a free mound; the soil there is much softer than on virgin soil. First, an inclined passage is dug, which is then clogged with earth from the inside. The vertical passage, which slightly does not reach the surface of the earth, is constructed by the animal closer to the onset of hibernation.

The soil that the gopher steppe zone thrown from the lower layers to the surface, very important for soil formation. Many experts are confident that thanks to steppe rodents and ground squirrels, among others, the southern regions of Russia are rich in black soil, the most fertile in the world.

With the onset of heat, when the main part of the vegetation dries out, most gophers move from highlands to lowlands, since the grass cover remains fresh there longer. However, this does not happen in all regions. For example, in Central Asia in hot weather gophers hibernate during the summer.

The enemies of these rodents are various predators, including foxes, wolves, steppe eagles, and ferrets.

Steppe ground squirrel: nutrition

This rodent does not have a very varied diet. He prefers plant foods. As a rule, these are bulbs and stems of plants, seeds and tubers of cereal crops, of which there are more than 30 species. Before hibernation, the steppe ground squirrel spends almost the entire day searching for food. This is necessary in order to accumulate the necessary fat reserves.

Housing

The animal lives in burrows, which it constructs of several types. There are permanent, “rescue”, temporary shelters. The animals live in permanent burrows in winter, in temporary burrows in summer, and the purpose of “rescue” burrows is clear from their name.

The first two types of burrows have two passages and a nesting chamber. Their depth can reach 3 meters in depth, and their length can be 7 meters. “Rescue” holes are much smaller in size. This is a long underground passage, at an angle. In addition, sometimes the gopher can settle in the burrows of a large gerbil.

The steppe gopher is an extremely cautious and secretive animal. When danger approaches, he instantly hides in one of the nearest holes. If he has moved far from his shelters, he lies down on the ground and freezes. Thanks to the color of its fur, it remains almost invisible on the ground. If this technique does not work, and the danger still exists, it emits a high-pitched, loud whistle, which can disorient the enemy for some time.

A typical representative of the Gopher genus can be considered. This is one of the smallest animals in the family, its length does not exceed 26 centimeters.

Speckled steppe ground squirrel: brief description

He has a chiseled large head and a very mobile neck. The eyes are large and round. The paws are short, and the front ones have movable long toes. The peculiarity of the speckled gopher (as well as the animals described above) is that it has cheek pouches. They, of course, are not as large and roomy as those of a hamster. But at one time the gopher carries up to several dozen plant bulbs in its bags.

The body color is bright and variegated. On the back Brown large spots scattered white, this is the mottling from which the name of the species comes. The spots merge on the head and neck, forming whitish ripples. The “glasses” around the eyes stand out brightly against the background of the cheeks. The tail is decorated with a light border along the very edge. The speckled ground squirrel, unlike many of its relatives, is active during the daytime. He settles in meadows and steppes.

The speckled ground squirrel spends most of its life in an individual burrow. The animal is extremely energetic, but shy. Moving across open areas, he stands up on his hind legs and looks around. A frightened gopher warns neighbors of danger with a loud whistle.

It is not difficult to catch a gopher, but it is much more difficult to accustom it to life in captivity. One can hardly hope that this rodent will turn into an accommodating and responsive pet. Gophers are not accustomed to people. In addition, their lifestyle is not very suitable for keeping at home. Early in the morning they are active, and during the day they hide in a hole. In addition, it is necessary to take into account that these animals do not have a very pleasant smell.

Quite often, keeping gophers in a cage shortens the life of the animals, and sometimes leads to their death. Gophers do not reproduce in a cage. But if you really want to have this funny animal, then you should keep it in a spacious enclosure on fresh air. The only species that may be suitable for keeping at home is the thin-toed ground squirrel. It is distinguished by its funny habits, which are very reminiscent of a squirrel.

There must be a shelter inside the enclosure so that your pet can safely hibernate. Cover the floor of the cage with hay or straw, which must be changed regularly. The gopher definitely needs a drinking bowl.

Surprisingly, the steppe ground squirrel is well adapted to heat. Interesting Facts scientists report.

• These rodents are not afraid of changes in body temperature of up to ten degrees. For comparison, it should be remembered that a person feels unwell when body temperature changes by half a degree. The habit of sitting upright helps these animals avoid heatstroke: their head is away from the hot soil. But they don’t stay in the heat for long. The coolness of the holes and rare shade help out.
• The gopher, an inhabitant of the steppes, eats more than 16 kilograms of grass and grain over the summer.
• The small gopher is the most harmful rodent. It spoils pastures and destroys valuable forage plants. In areas of intensive agriculture, these rodents are exterminated.
• Fighting them saves the harvest and gives a large number of skins It must be said that gophers can be carriers of dangerous diseases (plague, brucellosis, etc.).

Little gopher- a small but very significant representative of his kind. This is one of the most noticeable inhabitants of dry steppes and semi-deserts. It is curious that, despite the colonial lifestyle, the gopher is a staunch individualist. Each adult lives in a separate burrow, with the exception of females with young in spring and summer.

A feeding gopher raises its head from time to time and looks around carefully.

Lesser gophers prefer areas with sparse vegetation. The animals lead daily lifestyle. They feel uncomfortable in the thick grass that obscures their view, but they willingly settle along roadsides and in pastures cleared out by cattle.

The animals have excellent vision, their large, slightly slanted eyes raised at the level of the muzzle, providing an almost all-round view, which increases even more when the gopher stands up in a column.

By autumn, all young gophers have time to acquire their own housing, in which they hibernate. Small gophers do not store any provisions for the winter.

ENEMIES OF THE SMALL GOUTHER

These active and energetic rodents, leading a diurnal lifestyle, many enemies. The very life of many steppe predators depends on gophers. Eagles and Buzzards feed their chicks with them.

Corsac and fox will never miss the opportunity to kill a young, inexperienced animal. No wonder the gophers excellent vision and effective alarm signal - loud whistle, notifying relatives hundreds of meters away about the appearance of an eagle or corsac.

The most dangerous enemies of the small gopher are the steppe polecat and the bandage, because the long and narrow body of these predators allows them to get straight into holes.

The fox caught the small gopher

NORA—THE FORTRESS OF THE SMALL GOOSP.

On open spaces In steppes and semi-deserts, it is almost impossible to find natural shelters, so ground squirrels, like all rodents living here, natural diggers.

In their underground shelters they escape from enemies, wait out the midday heat and spend the winter. In the simplest case, a burrow is an inclined passage ending at a depth of 1.5 - 2 meters with a living chamber.

Females awaiting offspring improve the home additional cells and dens - toilets. In preparation for hibernation, the ground squirrel plugs the main passage with an earthen plug, but digs out a vertical shaft from the chamber, which is slightly below the surface. Through it, having made only a narrow hole, the sleepy animal gets out of the hole in the spring, and then restores the old inclined passage or digs a new one.

As a result of the tireless digging activity of many generations of gophers, throwing tons of lower, often saline, soil horizons to the surface, a characteristic microrelief of low tubercles is formed in their settlements - gopher- with peculiar vegetation, sharply different from the surrounding steppe.

GOUTHERS LIVE IN LARGE COLONIES.

Despite the fact that each adult gopher individually owns a habitat area on which it builds the main or several spare burrows, these animals live large colonies. Neighbors constantly maintain contact with each other through characteristic sounds and poses.

Standing in the distance, a feathered or four-legged predator will appear, as the animal that noticed it, before diving into the hole, emits ringing whistle- an alarm signal, which, like a relay race, is transmitted from hole to hole.

DIET OF THE SMALL GOOSPLIK

Small gophers emerge from their wintering burrows in March - April, as soon as the snow melts, and are immediately adopted for feeding. They feed on the green parts of cereals, wormwood, hodgepodge, dig up tulip bulbs, are very fond of the seeds and nodules of the viviparous bluegrass, visit neighboring fields of grain and melons, and catch insects.

Photo of the small gopher.

OFFSPRINGS OF THE SMALL GOOSPEL

The main task of small gophers in the spring is to leave offspring. After 25 days, after a short stormy period, females give birth to 3 to 8 cubs. For about three weeks, the mother feeds them milk, and then leaves for another area.

Young animals do not stay long near the brood hole, spreading widely throughout the surrounding area. This is the most dangerous period their lives. Up to 85% of those who are uninformed and have not yet settled down permanent places animals fall prey to steppe eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites, steppe polecats and corsacs.

Hibernation

The middle of summer comes, and the steppe vegetation dries out under the scorching rays of the sun. Adult males, who have managed to accumulate a sufficient supply of fat, appear on the surface only in the morning, and then completely plunge into hibernation.

Following them, the females retire, and the last are the young animals. Small gophers can be found in the steppe until August - September, and in the hottest areas they spends hibernation up to 8 months a year, that is, three quarters of your life! The total lifespan of the small gopher is 34 years.

Hibernation is a state of reduced activity in warm-blooded animals, allowing them to survive unfavorable times of the year by using energy sparingly. At the same time, their body temperature decreases to 5 - 10 degrees, heartbeat, breathing and all other vital processes slow down.

ROLE OF THE SMALL GOUTHER IN NATURE

The little gopher plays very important role in the life of arid steppes and semi-deserts. This is the main food source for most of the feathered and four-legged predators living there.

However, it was unconditionally ranked among the “most harmful rodents of the fauna.” This animal is guilty of harming people by harming grain crops and eating up pasture grains.

Amateur video about the small gopher

On globe 280 species of the squirrel family. Gophers belong to the class of mammals from the rodent genus and the squirrel family, their body size is four times larger than normal. More than forty species of these rodents are known.

The weight of the gopher is from two hundred grams to one and a half kilograms, its body is about fifteen centimeters long. Most ground squirrels are gray-brown in color, which is great for camouflage. Protruding teeth are visible on the muzzle, with the help of which it digs holes without swallowing the soil.

For the same purpose, they have well-developed sharp claws, five on each front paw. The eyes and ears are small, but the eyes are equipped with enlarged lacrimal glands, presumably to provide fluid to wash away dust and dirt.

It is not customary to keep a gopher as a pet, but in some places you can find such an animal for sale. Animal gopher buy available in pet stores, it is exported as an exotic pet.

If desired, they can be trained to walk on a leash and follow commands. If the rodent was bought small, it will not bite only when it senses danger. They become attached to people and are quite affectionate.

Features and habitat of the gopher

live gophers group of animals, small colonies of twenty or more individuals are mostly single mothers with cubs, ready to come to each other’s rescue. Gophers live in burrows up to a meter long, which they dig themselves; the entrances to all burrows are close to each other.

The burrows are marked with small mounds. Such tunnels can even pass under rivers and lakes. A nesting chamber lined with dry straw was built inside the dwelling. In such a nest, the gopher sleeps all winter and most of the summer, spending the fat accumulated during wakefulness in its sleep.

During the wintering period, it eats seeds and hay stored in the hole. Animals prefer to settle in open spaces in meadows, steppes, semi-deserts and even deserts. These rodents are territorial and do not like to live in groups, with a maximum of two individuals per hole.

In the steppe zone the animal is gopher Covers itself with its tail like an umbrella to avoid overheating. During the day, when the sun is at its zenith, gophers take a siesta in cool burrows. Since gophers are from the squirrel family, they are excellent tree climbers.

Character and lifestyle of the gopher

Gophers animals very smart and resourceful. They have many enemies such as hawks, snakes, bobcats, raccoons, antelope, coyotes, wolves and foxes. All of them are not against eating a well-fed gopher.

They can also be hunted for their skins, which are used to make fur products. At any suspicion of danger, the gopher stands on its hind legs and looks around. Animals scream when in danger, emitting a shrill squeak or whistle, warning the family and urging them to take refuge in their holes.

Moreover, when a person, a predator or a bird approaches, sounds of different tones are made, noticing who exactly is approaching. One of the flock is always on duty, photo of animal gopher you can see him standing stretched out at his post.

The animals' eyesight is poor due to their frequent stay underground, so they climb to elevated places to clearly see the movements of approaching enemies. At times they are helped by cave owls, which settle in holes abandoned by gophers.

Snakes can enter burrows and eat their offspring. To protect her children, the mother stands across the hole and intensively waves her tail, creating the appearance that she is larger than she actually is. Even if the gopher gets into a fight, the mother does not retreat even when bitten by poisonous snakes.

Gophers have an antidote against snake bites, which does not lead to fatalities. Gophers rarely move more than a hundred meters from their burrows in order to have time to hide.

They move well through tunnels both forward and backward, thanks to their sensitive tail, which probes the walls of the passages. If the male has eaten well of his fat reserves, then he goes into hibernation already in early June, then the adult females, and in the first ten days of July - early August, the young individuals also go into hibernation. After hibernation gophers wake up only after the first food appears, around the end of March.

Gopher food

Gophers animals Herbivores they eat plants, leaves, flowers, seeds, berries and fruits such as carrots, radishes, and other succulent vegetables. Mouse-like creatures do not disdain worms and larvae, which supplement their diet with protein.

Gophers have a strict lifestyle, requiring two meals a day: breakfast early in the morning and dinner late in the evening. Gophers eat, very quickly stuffing their cheeks in reserve and finishing their food in their shelter.

Their cheeks serve as pouches with which they carry supplies to their burrows. For people, these rodents can be a real scourge, as they often destroy crops in the fields.

For this reason, farmers in places where rodents live shoot or poison these animals. There is even a service that deals with the destruction of these pests.

Reproduction and life expectancy of the gopher

Males are twice the size of females. Immediately after hibernation, gophers are ready to reproduce and can reproduce several times during the year. These animals mature to sexual activity early; at six months they are ready to mate.

The fertilization process occurs like a dog. The female carries the cubs for four weeks; the offspring number from two to eight. Steppe animals gophers are born deaf, blind and naked. At the age of one week, the young grow a fluffy coat, and after two weeks they open their eyes.

During the first months, babies depend on their mother's milk and her care. The crumbs emerge from the hole after a month or two. At the age of two months, the young have not yet developed an antidote to snake bites, so they are very vulnerable. A caring mother digs a new hole for the young and drags them to live separately.

Gophers live from one to three years; some types of gophers in nature live up to eight years. Pocket pets can live up to five years. Most species are not of concern for extinction.

Gophers are relatives of squirrels. In total there are about 20 species of representatives of this genus. These creatures are most common in Asia, Europe, and North America. They can be classified as the most numerous and prominent inhabitants of the steppe and forest-steppe zones.

Description of the gopher

Depending on what species the gopher animal belongs to, it may have different sizes– from small to medium. The body length of this rodent can be from 14 to 40 cm. The length of the tail varies from 4 to 25 cm.

The front legs of the gopher are slightly shorter than the hind legs. The fourth toe on the forelimbs is longer than the third. The ears are small, short, drooping, slightly visible from the fur.

The gopher's body is covered with dense fur. In summer it is a little shorter and rougher than in winter period. IN cold period the fur becomes longer and denser. The color of the animal cannot be called uniform: the top is dark, the bottom is yellowish-gray.

There may be light spots on the back. In rare cases, the color of the rodent's fur on the back may be black. Sometimes red or brown-gray shades may be present. There are light lines along the side of the body, which are outlined by dark lines at the ends.

Hibernation of gophers

These animals are most active during the day, in the warm part of the day, but most of the day the gopher spends in the hole. They hibernate there, but unlike other animals, they are able to hibernate not only during cold periods, but also, for example, in the summer, if a period of drought begins, since there is no food.

For example, a long-tailed gopher burrow can be up to 3-3.5 meters deep and up to 15-17 meters long. Such a dwelling is built in sandy soils. Burrows built on clayey soils, which are heavier, have a depth of no more than 2 meters, and their length is 5-7 meters.

During the period of winter suspended animation, all vital functions of the creature become weak and slow. The heart beats less frequently, the pulse slows down 15-20 times, oxygen consumption decreases, and body temperature drops to 5-9 ° C. In other words, during hibernation, the physiological state of the gopher becomes similar to that of a cold-blooded reptile.

It should be noted that the duration of suspended animation in a rodent depends on the climatic and geographical area he dwells. If the gopher lives in the southern region, then hibernation may be short-lived or absent altogether, but in northern regions it occurs fully and for a long time. Their awakening from suspended animation depends on when warming occurs.

Gopher habitats

Gophers mainly live in latitudes with temperate climate Northern Hemisphere. They are most common in forest-steppe, steppe and meadow-steppe zones, as well as in forest-tundra zones. Their habitats are characterized by open landscapes. Along the riverine terrain they are able to enter even the Arctic regions, and along the steppe terrain - into the desert and semi-desert regions. The animal lives throughout Europe, Asia and North America. It is characterized by a ground-underground existence.

Where does the gopher live?

Basically, the life of gophers comes down to spending time in burrows, and they dig holes on their own. The design and dimensions of such dwellings vary depending on what species the rodent belongs to and what the geographical feature of its territory of residence is.

It may seem that factors such as low breeding rates and short term life, put these creatures at a rather disadvantage compared to other rodents, such as squirrels, whose numbers are growing much faster. However, in the places where they live, gophers can be found in huge numbers.

The animals live in colonies, arranging their homes with the help of dry grass and leaves. If any enemies of the gophers approach their abode, then the animals located next to the holes immediately hide in them, warning their brothers by whistling.

Gopher nutritional features

The rodent's diet includes above-ground and underground parts of plants that are located near their place of residence. However, it should be noted that not all species of these creatures have a penchant for plant foods; some tend to eat animal food.

These are mainly various insects. Animals tend to accumulate food, which they store in the pantries of their burrows. Typically these are cereal grains and grass seeds.

Reproduction of gophers

After pregnancy, the female gopher gives birth to cubs that lack vision and body hair. These rodents are capable of producing offspring only once a year.

This is due to the fact that at the moment when the cubs grow up and become ready for adulthood, the hibernation period has already begun, which given year prevents their further reproduction. By the way, regarding the question of how many years a gopher lives, it should be noted that their life period is only 3-4 years.

It should be noted that these small rodents are far from harmless. They cause considerable harm agriculture, causing damage in the steppe zones where farming is carried out. Gophers also act as distributors of all kinds of infectious diseases, for example, the plague.

Gophers are numerous and visible inhabitants of nature, there are 20 species of them. These animals are relatives of squirrels. Gophers are pests of agricultural land and carriers of dangerous diseases. But these animals are valued because of the skins from which they sew fur. Where does the gopher live, in what natural area, read the article.

Description of the animal

The ability of gophers to make sounds when communicating with relatives influenced the name of the rodents. The point is that, translated from Old Slavonic language“susati” means “to hiss.” Gophers belong to the squirrel family, a genus of rodents, and a class of mammals. The sizes of gophers vary, depending on their species. The body of rodents can be 14-40 cm in length, and the tail part - 4-25 cm. On average, gophers weigh 190 grams, but there are individuals with a body weight of up to one and a half kilograms.

The length of the front legs is shorter than the hind legs. Sharp claws on the limbs help in digging holes. The head is small, slightly elongated. The drooping ears are short and barely visible from the fur. The lacrimal glands of the eyes are well developed, which is a reliable protection against dust. The body is covered with dense wool, which summer time always rougher and smaller. In the cold season, the fur is long and very dense.

The color is heterogeneous: the top is dark, the bottom is yellowish-gray. Depending on the species, the back may be covered with light spots. Very rarely the color of the fur on the back is black. Light-colored lines are clearly visible on the sides of the body. In places where the gopher lives, this coloring helps it camouflage itself from its enemies.

The presence of animals in the field is easy to detect. The animals stand on their hind legs and squeak. A peculiar whistle informs the family in case of danger or the presence of food.

Life in captivity

It is not customary to breed gophers at home. But in some regions they are sold precisely for this purpose. There are lovers who consider this animal exotic pet and keep him at home, teaching him the wisdom of life in captivity. The gopher is an easily trained animal. He quickly learns to follow simple commands and walk using a leash. If the animal was bought very small, it will not bite its owner. This can happen when the animal is in danger. This is an affectionate, trusting animal, it quickly becomes attached to a person.

Hibernation

During the day, gophers lead an active lifestyle, which takes place mainly in the mink. There they hibernate. These animals differ from other animals in that they are susceptible to this condition not only in the cold season, but also in the summer. If there is a drought where the gopher lives, the animal hibernates due to lack of food. The cause of hibernation in rodents is often an insufficient amount of sunlight. IN winter time Animals' bodies cannot cope with the cycle of day and night.

In gophers that climb into burrows, their circadian rhythms are blocked. During this period, the body temperature drops to almost three degrees below zero. But the blood does not turn into ice, since animals purify it of those impurities that can freeze. In terms of their physiological state during hibernation, gophers are similar to cold-blooded reptiles. But the duration of this period differs in different regions.

Where does the gopher live? Habitats can be both southern and northern regions. For example, in the south the hibernation period is short-lived or absent altogether. In the north it lasts a long time, about six months. The awakening of animals depends on warming.

Place of residence

Where do gophers live in the wild? Traditionally, rodents live in burrows. They dig underground passages up to 15 meters long, at the end of which they equip nesting chambers. Dry grass is used for their arrangement. The gopher needs such a nest in order to spend the winter in hibernation, using up the fat accumulated over the summer. But the animal spends the summer, most of it, in a hole, hiding from enemies.

Where does the gopher live, in a burrow or hut? These animals live in burrows, which are most often dug in sandy soil, since in this case it is much easier to build housing. Clay soil is rarely used unless there is another in the area. The length of the moves in this case is shorter, amounting to 5-8 meters, no more. Their depth is small, only two meters. The design and size of the dwellings are different. It depends on the species of rodents and geographical feature places of residence.

How do they live?

Gophers live in groups. Each colony has more than 20 individuals, the majority of which are single mothers and their children. Gophers are territorial animals; they prefer to live alone in a hole, or at most two individuals. Sensing danger, they hide in holes, the entrances to which are located close to each other. Burrows on the ground surface can be detected by small mounds. Despite the short life expectancy (in natural environment- only three years) and poor reproduction, the number of gophers in their habitats is huge. The animal leads a ground-underground lifestyle.

Habitat territories

Where does the gopher live, in what zone? Animals mainly live in temperate climatic zone Northern Hemisphere. Their largest numbers are in the zone of steppes, forest-steppes, and forest-tundra. Animals also love to inhabit meadow-steppe zones. The habitats of gophers are characterized by open landscapes, mostly meadows and fields, or rather, their outskirts. In the coastal areas of numerous rivers, they settle even in the polar regions, and in the steppe areas - in deserts and semi-deserts.

Gophers are adventurous animals. In the steppe zone, in order not to overheat in the sun, they cover their heads with their tail. But during the day, when the sun is at its zenith, they hide in holes for a siesta. Belonging to the squirrel family, these rodents are good at climbing trees. Therefore, often from sun rays hiding in their crowns. The habitats of the animals are Asia, Europe, North America. Where do gophers live in Russia? They are found everywhere, but their largest numbers in our country are observed in the Volga and Ciscaucasia regions, since their territories belong to the steppe zone.

Enemies of the gopher

Where the gopher lives, danger awaits him everywhere. In the temperate climate zone there are many wild animals that are not averse to feasting on the gopher. These are snakes and foxes, lynxes and wolves, eagles, raccoons, hawks, antelopes, badgers and others. In addition, humans hunt the gopher. The skins of these animals are considered the most valuable.

But these animals are smart and resourceful. They never leave their home unattended. In view of poor eyesight animals are on duty elevated place, from where both the mink and any movement of the enemy are visible. The avid enemies of gophers are snakes, which penetrate into burrows and eat their offspring. But the mother protects her cubs, even if she herself is in danger of being bitten poisonous snake. However, it is not dangerous to the gopher, since the animal has an antidote.

Danger of gophers to humans

These animals do not attack people, but they cause a lot of inconvenience. Where the gopher lives, you can’t expect a good crop harvest. Rodents damage plants at all stages of development: from planting to harvesting. For workers in this field, gophers are a real disaster, especially if they settle nearby. And this happens often, since these rodents are not afraid of humans. In addition to such mass pests, rodents are carriers of various diseases, migrating from one area to another, covering vast distances. In the event of a mass disease, harmful bacteria migrate along with the animals.