The EU is investing 12.2 million euros to protect field hamsters in Saxony!

The EU is investing 12.2 million euros to protect field hamsters in Saxony!

An important chapter in animal and nature conservation is currently being opened in Saxony. A new project to strengthen the European hamster population, which goes by the name “LIFE4HamsterSaxony”, is being supported by the European Union with an impressive 12.2 million euros. The Saxon State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG) has concluded a funding agreement with the EU for this purpose, which will come into force on October 1, 2025 and will run for six years.

The starting signal for the project was given in May 2025, when 179 field hamsters were poached on two specially created “hamster-friendly” fields in northern Saxony. There was already good news at the breeding station at Leipzig Zoo: nine litters with a total of 15 healthy young animals were observed to the delight of the zookeepers, which fuels hope for a more stable population. Litter checks, in which the nests are opened after two to three weeks, provide important data on litter size and sex ratio to better assess the health status of the animals.

The goal of the project

The main goal of “LIFE4HamsterSaxony” is to sustainably strengthen and develop the field hamster population in Saxony. In order to achieve this, agricultural interventions are to be gradually implemented in the 6,000 hectare project area, where, among other things, 400 hectares are earmarked for special measures. The focus is on cultivating hamster-friendly cultures and creating a network of core, development and connecting areas that will make it easier for field hamsters to establish and spread. It is planned that local agriculture will also be actively involved in the implementation, which is considered an important aspect for long-term success.

“Close cooperation with farmers and the local population is crucial,” emphasizes project manager Thomas Liebenstein. Zoo director Prof. Jörg Junhold also emphasizes how important these funds are for the interaction between agriculture and nature conservation in order to build a stable European hamster population.

Background and teams

The beginnings of cooperative field hamster protection in Saxony go back to the working group that was founded in 2008. Pilot measures to save the European hamster had already been undertaken using state funds, which served as the basis for the current LIFE application. The conservation breeding carried out by Leipzig Zoo and the planned releases into the wild are central components of the project. The EU is funding 75 percent of the project, while the remaining 25 percent is borne by the project partners – the Free State of Saxony, Leipzig Zoo and the North Saxony District Office.

The first reports of success, such as the counting of young animals, are optimistic and show the potential of the project. This could not only be beneficial for the field hamsters in Saxony, but also bring positive synergy effects for the entire Central German hamster population as well as other European LIFE projects.

The brilliant start to the new project makes it clear: nature conservation and responsible agriculture can go hand in hand. You can find more information about the protection project in the reports from Stalk, Media service Saxony as well as Leipzig internet newspaper.