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Save field hamsters: 12 million euros for species protection in Saxony!
The “LIFE4HamsterSaxony” project starts in northern Saxony with 12 million euros to protect the endangered field hamster and support agriculture.
Save field hamsters: 12 million euros for species protection in Saxony!
The protection of the European hamster in Germany is taking concrete shape. An ambitious project was launched under the promising name “LIFE4HamsterSaxony” that aims to promote the endangered species in Saxony. This significant undertaking was officially launched at the beginning of October 2023 and was funded with a whopping 12.2 million euros, with 75% of the funding coming from the EU. The remaining funds come from the Free State of Saxony, the Leipzig Zoo and the district of North Saxony. That reports Agricultural today.
Experts have found that European hamster populations in Germany have declined by an alarming 99%. They are listed as critically endangered worldwide on the IUCN Red List. The project is therefore crucial to halt the decline of these small animals and to offer them a new habitat. Heinz Bernd Bettig, President of the Saxon State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG), is one of those responsible for this project.
Protect field hamsters and promote agriculture
The “LIFE4HamsterSaxony” project runs until the end of 2031 and has a lot planned: hamster-friendly release areas are to be provided between Delitzsch and the surrounding area. These areas are characterized by the fact that they are not treated with pesticides and do not consist of monocultures. Farmers here have the big goal of making the soil more fertile through the return of the European hamster and at the same time contributing to promoting biodiversity.
This year, 179 field hamsters have already been released into suitable areas. If all goes well, the offspring of these animals could increase the existing population to up to 300. The aim is also to create awareness of sustainable agriculture. To this end, the focus is also on land use change, for example by supporting farms in restructuring their arable land. That according to Watson.
Together for the field hamster
Various partners are responsible for implementing the project, including Leipzig Zoo and other institutions such as NABU Saxony, Bergzoo Halle and Berlin Zoo. These institutions agree: Agricultural support is crucial for the European hamster's habitat. As part of the “Feldhamsterland” project, intensive public relations work is also taking place to protect the remaining stocks through voluntary recordings, which is another heart of this initiative.
In addition to the rodents worthy of protection, the exchange between agriculture and species protection is also promoted. There is great hope that this collaboration will not only benefit the field hamster in the long term, but also agricultural use. A good hand is required here to offer nature and farmers a win-win situation. This shows once again that species protection and agriculture can go hand in hand.
The “Feldhamsterland” project, which is active in several federal states such as Hesse, Lower Saxony and Thuringia, is also intended to help protect the field hamster in various project regions. The measures focus not only on the return of the species, but also on ensuring its future on agricultural land, he said Feldhamster.de.