“Earth dogs” are a species of small rodent in the squirrel family. Unlike their relatives, squirrels, earth dogs lead a terrestrial lifestyle. The length of their body, including the head, is 164–205 mm, and their tail measures 40–74 mm. Their color ranges from yellowish-brown to yellow, sometimes with dark spots on their backs. The ground squirrel is distributed throughout the eastern parts of the Balkan Peninsula and the Middle Danube Lowland, as well as in Moldova and the Czech Republic. In Bulgaria, it is found throughout the country, mainly in the plains. Earth dogs prefer open areas with low grass vegetation, often near arable land.
Earth dogs are active mainly during the day. They hibernate between October and March, and for a longer period in the mountains. They inhabit underground tunnels ranging from 150 to 315 cm in length, with the living chamber located at a depth of 40 to 170 cm. In autumn, they dig a vertical tunnel above the living chamber that does not fully reach the surface and fill the summer entrance to the dwelling with the excavated soil. After hibernation, they complete the digging of the vertical tunnel, through which they emerge to the surface.
Earth dogs have extremely funny and somewhat predictable behavior. When danger is detected, they hide in their holes with incredible speed, but when they hear a rustle, their curiosity gets the better of them, and they raise their heads to see where the noise is coming from. This way, a photographer can attract their attention and, with a little luck, capture them.
