Ziesel, Nagetier#

Gopher (brown squirrel), rodent, about 20 cm long, reddish-brownish-grey top coat, grey/white under side; most common in eastern Austria; typical steppe animal preferring meadows, pastures and slopes with short grass, and dense but not too high plant covers. Being colonial animals, gophers live in burrows they make in the ground, where they also hibernate.