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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 2d

4/4 ⚠️ Conservation status:

Listed as Vulnerable (IUCN Red List). Populations decline due to habitat loss from agriculture & urbanization. Conservation focuses on restoring open grasslands and reintroducing colonies.

German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 2d

3/4 📡 Behavior & ecology:

Highly social, they live in colonies and communicate with alarm calls to warn conspecifics of predators. Diet is primarily seeds and grasses, with occasional insects.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 2d

2/4 😴 Hibernation biology:

Sousliks spend up to 6 months in hibernation, lowering body temperature close to ambient levels. This extreme energy-saving strategy helps them survive winters with scarce food.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 2d

1/4# It's mammal monday!
🧪 🦊 🦤 🌍

Meet the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus)!
Also called the souslik, this little rodent calls the grasslands of Central & SE Europe home. 🌱

Photos: ©Frank Zachos

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

8/8 Conservation of Propithecus candidus is critical not only for the species but also as a bioindicator of the ecological health of Madagascar’s forests — among the most unique and imperiled ecosystems on Earth.

German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

7/8 ⚠️ Threats: Habitat loss, slash-and-burn agriculture, hunting pressure (despite local fady taboos), and climate vulnerability.

Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN)

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

6/8 🧑🤝🧑 Social System

Groups typically include 2–9 individuals, often female-dominant (as in most lemurs).
Strong social bonds reinforced through allogrooming, play, and synchronized travel.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

5/8 👃 Olfactory Communication

Use of anogenital scent glands for territorial marking and reproductive signaling.

Scent-marking occurs on branches and trunks, often accompanied by body rubbing or chest marking in males.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

4/8 🗣️ Communication & Social Behavior
Silky Sifakas exhibit a complex communication system, essential for maintaining group cohesion, avoiding predators, and regulating social hierarchies.

🔊 Vocal Communication:
Call repertoire includes grunts, growls, and alarm calls.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

3/8 🦷 Dentition & Diet:

Prominent tooth comb used for grooming and scraping plant surfaces.

Primarily folivorous, with selective feeding on young leaves, seeds, and buds, facilitated by strong masseter and temporalis muscles.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

2/8 It is a large-bodied, arboreal lemur with a population estimated at fewer than 250 mature individuals.

🦴 Locomotion:
Specialized for vertical clinging and leaping (VCL) with elongated hind limbs and a modified pelvic musculature.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 9d

1/8 #MammalMonday Spotlight: Silky Sifaka (Propithecus candidus)

Native to the high-altitude rainforests of northeastern Madagascar, the Silky Sifaka is one of the rarest and most enigmatic lemurs alive today.
🧪 🦤 🦊 🌍

Photos: © pfaucher ,© Sunny Fleming, CC-BY-NC 4.0, iNaturalist

© pfaucher, (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184867835), CC-BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

© Sunny Fleming (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1833349), CC-BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 16d

5/5 ✨ Fun fact: A European hamster can carry up to 90 g of food in its cheek pouches – that’s like a person stuffing several loaves of bread in their mouth!

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 16d

4/5 Conservation efforts are underway, including habitat restoration, captive breeding, and reintroduction programs. Protecting this charismatic species is vital not only for biodiversity, but also as a reminder of the delicate balance between wildlife and modern land use.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 16d

3/5 These hamsters are solitary and nocturnal, spending their nights foraging for seeds, roots, and crops, which they store in their cheek pouches and later cache in underground burrows. In winter, they hibernate but wake occasionally to feed on these carefully collected reserves.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 16d

2/5 Once widespread across central and eastern Europe, the European hamster has suffered dramatic population declines due to intensive agriculture, habitat loss, and climate change. Today, it’s considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 16d

1/5 #MammalMonday: Meet the European hamster (Cricetus cricetus)! 🐹

Unlike its tiny pet-store cousins, this wild hamster can reach up to 30 cm long, with a bold coat of chestnut, black, and white patches that makes it truly stand out.

🧪 🦊 🦤 🌍

Photos: ©Frank Zachos

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 19d

2/2 The Alpine Mostela, an enclosed camera-trap for small mustelids at high altitude, shows promise as a long-term tool, providing more reliable stoat detection than traditional trail cameras and an umbrella effect on other alpine species .

@ermlinproject.bsky.social

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 19d

1/2 New publication in our Journal "Mammalian Biology" 📢
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Granata, M., Di Paolo, F., Luciano, L. et al. How to catch a ghost? Comparing two camera trap-based monitoring methods for elusive small mustelids in the Italian Alps. Mamm Biol (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s429...

How to catch a ghost? Comparing two camera trap-based monitoring methods for elusive small mustelids in the Italian Alps - Mammalian Biology

Mammalian Biology - Small mustelids are increasingly recognized as species requiring conservation attention. In recent years, several camera-based methodologies have been developed to study them,...

doi.org

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 26d

2/2
Mountain mice respond differently to climate change: the high-altitude Juliomys ossitenuis loses more habitat than the widespread Juliomys pictipes as temperatures increase. Both species are endemic to the Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot particularly susceptible to climate change.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 26d

1/2 New publication in our journal "Mammalian Biology" 📢

de Mendonça, G., Leite, Y.L. & Loss, A. The role of climate change in the past, present, and future of two species of montane neotropical mice, genus Juliomys. Mamm Biol (2025). doi.org/10.1007/s429...

🧪 🦊 🦤 🌍

The role of climate change in the past, present, and future of two species of montane neotropical mice, genus Juliomys - Mammalian Biology

Changes in the Earth’s climatic conditions influence the geographic distributions of species, resulting in variations in patterns of diversity and occurrence across space and time. Because of their…

doi.org

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · Sep 8

What a great experience the 2025 meeting in Siena was!

We had inspiring talks, shared knowledge, sparked discussions, and strengthend the amazing community of mammalogists.

A big thanks goes out to the coordination team and the Italian Mammal Society- Associazione Teriologica Italiana!

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · Aug 11

5/5 ⚠️ It is currently not endangered (IUCN: Least Concern), but threatened by hunting, persecution, and trade in some areas.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · Aug 11

4/5 🌿 Ecological Role & Conservation

Functions as a mesopredator and seed disperser, playing key roles in forest food webs and plant regeneration.
Tolerant of disturbed habitats, including secondary forest and agricultural margins — though vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and road mortality.

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German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · Aug 11

3/5 🌙 Behavior & Communication

Primarily nocturnal and terrestrial, though capable of climbing.
Uses anal gland secretions for territorial marking and chemical communication.

Solitary, with overlapping home ranges and latrine use suggesting indirect communication.

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