WWF. Speckled ground squirrel
Newsletter # 34 (636) August 20, 2015
| On September 1, 2015 the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus will issue 4 stamps of the WWF series “Speckled ground squirrel” (Spermophilus suslicus) bearing the WWF logo. Artist: Alexander Mityanin. Design: Marina Vitkovskaya. Printing: offset. Colour: multicoloured. Paper: chalk-surfaced, gummed. Perforation: comb 12: 121/4. Size of the stamps: 28x40 mm. Sheets composition: 8 (4х2) stamps. Size of the sheets: 130x100 mm. Print quantity: 96.000 stamps each. The stamps were printed at the Republican Unitary Enterprise “Bobruisk Integrated Printing House named after A. T. Nepogodin”. Face value A is equal to the tariff of a letter up to 20 gram within Belarus. Face value N is equal to the surface tariff of a postcard abroad. Face value M is equal to the air-mail tariff of a postcard abroad. Face value H is equal to the surface tariff of a letter up to 20 gram abroad. |
| No. 1079  Speckled ground squirrel  Elements of protection |  |
| No. 1080  Speckled ground squirrel  Elements of protection |  |
| No. 1081  Speckled ground squirrel  Elements of protection |  |
| No. 1082  Speckled ground squirrel  Elements of protection |  |
| A sheetlet is also issued. Sheetlet composition: 4 (1 set) stamps. Size of the sheetlet: 130x60 mm. Print quantity: 20.000 sheetlets. |
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| The speckled ground squirrel is a steppe rodent species. It prefers completely open upland areas with short grass. On the cultivated ground it is found only in temporary settlements. The speckled ground squirrel is a diurnal species. It feeds on ground parts of plants. It likes grains of barley, rye and wheat. It willingly eats many insects. The speckled ground squirrel spends winter in deep hibernation. Back in the mid-20th century the speckled ground squirrel population was so high that different chemical agents were used to fight it. As a result, since 1960 the number of speckled ground squirrels in Belarus has decreased by 80-90 percent. The speckled ground squirrel is included into the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus. |
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