An Anthropogenically Created Landscape as a Habitat for the European Ground Squirrel Population Using the Example of the Muránska Planina National Park in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia)

Abstract

The main goal of the study, based on historical-geographical research, was to reconstruct the history of an anthropogenically created cultural landscape on the southern edge of the Muránska Planina National Park in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia) as a potential European ground squirrel habitat. Humans began to change the original forest landscape in the second half of the 13th century in connection with the construction of Muráň castle, which became the economic center of the study area. The first written mention of the existence of Muráň castle (castro Muran) dates to 1271. The original deciduous forests were gradually removed and transformed into agricultural land. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, we can almost certainly assume the existence of an agricultural landscape in the territory called Biele Vody (part of the study area) on the right side of the Muránsky Potok valley in such spatial dimensions as it is at present. The landscape created in this way provided suitable ecological conditions for the successful survival of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus). The analysis and reconstruction of the origins and development of the agricultural landscape were carried out based on detailed archival and terrain research. Map outputs are also the result of the reconstructions. Whether the European ground squirrel was already present in the locality before its conservation translocation (773 individuals were released at the site in 2000–2007) is discussed in detail in this paper. The current ground squirrel colony is dependent on feeding, mainly sunflowers (since 2011), on active management and maintenance of the landscape provided by a herd of donkeys (March–December) and sheep (May–July). The ground squirrel locality Biele Vody is currently a center of ecotourism and ecological education.