Status of Hamsters Cricetus Cricetus, Cricetus Migratorius, Mesocricetus Newtoni, and Other Hamster Species in Europe

Download or read book Status of Hamsters Cricetus Cricetus, Cricetus Migratorius, Mesocricetus Newtoni, and Other Hamster Species in Europe written by Gábor Nechay and published by Council of Europe. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eight species of hamster are found in Europe. The Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) and the Golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) are popular pets but the others occur solely in eastern Europe living in agricultural or steppe-like habitats. The increase of agricultural production has led to an increase in their distribution. Some species are in decline but some species in some parts of Europe are regarded as pests. This study aims to give a summary of the status of hamsters in Europe. It summarises the biology, distribution and conservation status and analyses the causes of decline of the Common hamster and the state of the Romanian hamster. Ways of dealing with the conservation or management of the species are proposed