It is one of the smallest ground squirrels. Its distinctive features are an earthy grey back, a whitish throat, a greyish belly and a short tail. Little ground squirrel inhabits forb-feather steppes, sagebrush semi-deserts and deserts. These rodents eat plants and whistle to communicate. Every individual has its own way of whistling.

That is how they distinguish each other after hibernation and their mates from strangers. A short loud whistle is a signal of danger and an approaching predator.

Little ground squirrel of Kazantyp and Opuksky nature reserves is included in the Red Data Book of Russia.

In Kazantyp Nature Reserve you can find both a rare plant called Tulipa biebersteiniana and the only poisonous snake in the Crimea called Vipera renardi. Most of the rare plants are endemic as well, which means you can’t find them anywhere else in the world. Some of the animal species of the nature reserve are endangered.