GB No. 4(23)/96
The Spotted gopher (Citellus suslicus) is one of the most endangered species of mammals in our country. It does not occur anywhere outside Poland and the areas of the former USSR. The region of Zamooa is one of the last habitats of the animal. Recently, the population in some of its colonies have dramatically dropped.
Since 1993 we have been trying to make the European public opinion and international organisations for nature protection interested in the problem.
Lately we have managed to make contact with the EURONATUR foundation, with the seat in Germany, that organises large-scale nature protection actions: in Poland e.g. the restoration of natural character of the marshy valley of the Narew. In Hungary the foundation bought out and protected habitats of another kind of gopher, Citellus citellus. Now the organisation has taken interest in protection of spotted gophers in Poland. The actions to be undertaken should embrace land purchase and financial support for certain operations, e.g. cultivation of biotope, etc. On our part we would like to establish an organisation to co-ordinate the actions.
We invite all people who are interested in this issue
or who want to support us to contact us:
Maciej Zimowski,
Popiełuszki 105,
Konińskie 1C/5,
15-641 Białystok,
tel./fax 48/85/616768
e-mail: bird@alfa.nask.bialystok.pl
Grzegorz Leśniewski,
Jakubowice,
21-003 Ciecierzyn,
tel. 48/90/236181
reprinted from Zielone Brygady June '96,
transl. M. Maciejewska