The European ground squirrels sowing belong to the true winter sleepers, consistently overpassing even more than 5 months of the year. Each souslik has a single hole of more than 80 cm below the ground – what presents the border to which in the country usually frozen the soil. Starting the end of September sousliks in Gemerska Hôrka and Hrhov slept. There are almost 400. They did not even wake up during the warm summer days in October. In spring, after waking up, they will make a new hole from their winter home and come out. According to their number, the zoologists know how many animals managed to survive the winter.

For winter survival, it is crucial that sousliks are well fatted. At our two locations, they will wake up late February or early March. In the case of a long winter lasting until mid-March, every other day is energetically difficult and sousliks use their last reserves. We already feed them in August and September – with apples, sunflowers. Another important measure for their rescue is regular mowing with special tractors.