PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) is a species listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive with a poor conservation status for the continental region in Germany and the German federal state of Saxony. Since the 1970s, the former large distribution area in Saxony has continuously shrunk. The last extensive population occurred in northwest Saxony. After a sharp decline in 2004 and two extremely dry summers (2018/19), the situation deteriorated significantly. Since 2020, monitoring did not reveal any evidence of hamsters in the area. Large-scale agriculture and climate change are the main causes for the collapse. The fragmentation of populations has certainly contributed to this.
In 2008, a Working Group for Cooperative Common Hamster Protection in Saxony (WGCH) was founded and implemented protection measures. However, the joint efforts have not yet led to an increase in the population. To prevent regional extinction, a captive breeding programme recommended by the International Common Hamster Workgroup for the central German population was set up at Zoo Leipzig and a change in the conservation strategy was decided. Between 2023 and 2025, breeding of the hamster was successfully achieved and 33.5 ha were dedicated to hamster habitat. In 2024, 71 hamsters were released successfully in Northern Saxony and first contracts with farmers for hamster friendly land management were signed.
In 2024, the WGCH developed a Cooperative Strategy, setting the grounds for future conservation activities.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the project is to restore the common hamster population in Northern-Saxony to a favourable population level.
The project’s specific objectives are to:
- establish a self-sustaining, growing, healthy, and genetically diverse hamster population in Northern Saxony;
- implement habitat restoration measures and agricultural management measures that are adapted to the hamsters' needs and to climate change;
- build a strong reserve population through a metapopulation-based breeding programme;
- expand regional expertise and hamster monitoring, and ensure effective knowledge transfer;
- increase public awareness about the hamster and ensure long-term continuation of conservation efforts.
RESULTS
The implementation of the project is expected to yield the following results:
- self-sustaining hamster population of ca. 1,200 individuals in Northern Saxony with the following population densities: Core areas 4–15 burrows/ ha; Demanding development/connection areas 3 burrows/ ha; Simple development/connection areas 0.5 burrows/ ha;
- long-term, high-quality agricultural habitats across 394 hectares inside the 5,997 ha large project area (working with farms to design, test, and adapt methods);
- breeding capacity expanded to 600–700 young hamsters per year; overwintering of 700–800 individuals;
- at least ten hamster release sites established, enabling genetic exchange and restocking;
- up to 500 individuals released in the final project year to strengthen the wild populations;
- ca. 15 local farms involved in climate-resilient, hamster-friendly agriculture through training, field days, and advisory services;
- Public knowledge of the species, its threats, and conservation needs increased by 30%; Awareness of Natura 2000 increased by 15%;
- hamster conservation and monitoring embedded in long-term programmes and agricultural schemes.