O syslech a lidech

The population of European sousliks in the Czech Republic has shrunk by 90% in the last 60 years. What caused this and how can we protect the sousliks in the future? Zoologists from the Prague Faculty of Sciences, along with environmentalists, are attempting to answer these questions. In 2009, they started working on a research which seeks to uncover important details of the sousliks' lives. The film Of Sousliks and Humans provides viewers with a comprehensive look at the lives of these creatures in their natural habitats which have, sadly, changed substantially in the last few decades. They have moved from steppes to areas artificially created by humans, such as housing developments, where they come into contact with us more often than before. Cameras that follow these animals from up close inspire a feeling of empathy with them, while migrations of souslik colonies around Europe and the radical drop in their numbers are presented in infographics. Even though the documentary does not neglect to mention, for example, the biology of sousliks, its main topic is the relationship of sousliks and humans and whether it is even possible for us to positively influence the population of sousliks in their colonies. (Academia Film Olomouc)