The work is being spearheaded by\u00a0Rewilding Ukraine<\/a> \u2013 part of\u00a0a network of conservation organisations known as Rewilding Europe<\/a> \u2013 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.\u00a0<\/p> 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.<\/p> Crepuscular by nature, these omnivorous rodents \u2013 considerably larger than their domesticated relatives, growing up to 30cm long and weighing up to 500g \u2013 thrive in grassland habitats and tend to dine on wheat, corn, sunflower seeds, plants and insects.\u00a0<\/p> They are voracious burrowers, and play a vital role in the steppe\u2019s ecosystem, dispersing seeds, improving biodiversity and soil fertility. \u201cThe primary importance of burrowing\u2026 rodents on the Tarutino Steppe, lies in the transformation of the soil and vegetation cover,\u201d says Rewilding Officer Oleg Dyakov. They also contribute to the circle of life as prey for predatory birds and mammals.<\/p> 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.\u00a0It’s the third introduction in as many years, following one in 2022 and one 2023. <\/p> Cloaked in a distinctive coat, they\u2019re well camouflaged and, as they spend 95% of their time underground, they\u2019re not easy to see. The chance of spotting them in the wild? \u201cThe 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.<\/p> \u201cThere’s a trail from which you may see some animals\u2026 [and] we are also planning to make a hide.\u201d<\/p>![\"European](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/10\/European-hamster-1-scaled.jpeg\")