The hamsters, released as part of a project to revive the ecology of the Tarutino Steppe in Ukraine, are 30cm long and can weigh more than 500g.
There’s a rustling on the Tarutino Steppe, a precious expanse of grassland on the Ukraine side of the Danube Delta. The cause of all the commotion? 13 European hamsters, released as part of a project to revive the ecology of one of Europe’s last remaining grassy steppe landscapes.
The work is being spearheaded by Rewilding Ukraine – part of a network of conservation organisations known as Rewilding Europe – who have partnered with Kyiv Zoo, where the hamsters were bred, and the Tarutino Steppe Nature and Ethnographic Park to bring the project to life.
European hamsters once thrived in steppe landscapes across Europe, but today they have nearly vanished due to habitat loss, environmental pollution and targeted extermination as an agricultural pest. They are now listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Crepuscular by nature, these omnivorous rodents – considerably larger than their domesticated relatives, growing up to 30cm long and weighing up to 500g – thrive in grassland habitats and tend to dine on wheat, corn, sunflower seeds, plants and insects.
They are voracious burrowers, and play a vital role in the steppe’s ecosystem, dispersing seeds, improving biodiversity and soil fertility. “The primary importance of burrowing… rodents on the Tarutino Steppe, lies in the transformation of the soil and vegetation cover,” says Rewilding Officer Oleg Dyakov. They also contribute to the circle of life as prey for predatory birds and mammals.
After initially being placed in specialist enclosures to help them acclimatise and keep them safe from predators, the 13 hamsters were released into the wild where they will continue to be monitored. It’s the third introduction in as many years, following one in 2022 and one 2023.
Cloaked in a distinctive coat, they’re well camouflaged and, as they spend 95% of their time underground, they’re not easy to see. The chance of spotting them in the wild? “The hamsters are rather elusive and shy,” explains Mykhailo Nesterenko, Team Leader at Rewilding Ukraine. “However, intent wildlife watchers may well [see them] with luck. You can already see other animals we are reintroducing such as kulans, marmots and fallow deer.
“There’s a trail from which you may see some animals… [and] we are also planning to make a hide.”
But the hamsters are just one piece of the puzzle. The Tarutino Steppe is home to multiple rewilding projects aimed at boosting not only biodiversity but also nature-based tourism to support the local economy, such as that of Borodino, where people have shown enthusiasm for the projects.
Rewilding Ukraine is planning a fourth release of European hamsters in 2025. It’s also working towards the creation of the new Budzhak Steppes National Park, of which Tarutino Steppe would be a part. “We hope [it] may be established this year,” Nesterenko concludes.
Main image/Maxim Yakovlev, Rewildling Europe
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