New hope for Feldhamster: 12.2 million euros for your protection!

New hope for Feldhamster: 12.2 million euros for your protection!

Nordsachsen, Deutschland - In Saxony there are fresh perspectives for the endangered field hamster. The Saxon State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LFULG) recently signed a support agreement with the European Union (EU) for an important Life project that is all about the field hamster. The project with the name " Life4hamstersaxony " should help strengthen the field hamster population and develops over a period of six Years.

With a total budget of 12.2 million euros, the project is ambitious. Much of the financing, about 75 percent, comes from the EU, during the Free State of Saxony, the Lfulg, the Leipzig Zoo and the North Saxony district office. It is planned to take targeted measures in the Northwest Saxony area on an area of 6,000 hectares, including the cultivation of hamster -friendly cultures.

occurrence and challenges

The measures are intended to compensate for negative effects of climate change, such as early harvesting and drought, and thus improve the habitat of the field hamster (Cricetus Cricetus). The field hamster can reach a size of up to 35 cm and has a maximum weight of 500 g. These small animals are known for their hibernation from October to April and use special, stretchy baking to transport their supplies - a very natural "shopping bag".

But the stocks of the field hamster have decreased drastically, in particular due to intensive agriculture and the use of pesticides that severely damage their habitat. The new project not only wants to strengthen the field hamster population, but also create a network of core, development and connecting areas in order to enable the species to spread. The Leipzig Zoo plays a crucial role here: it is responsible for breeding and resettlement of the Feldhamster.

outlook on the start of the project

The official project phase of "Life4hamstersaxony" begins on October 1, 2025. In the preparation, work is already in full swing to ensure the implementation of the planned measures. The collaboration between the LFulG, the Leipzig Zoo and the district office in North Saxony will be crucial. The development of hamster -friendly cultures is also intended to help protect and revitalize the last refuge of the Feldhamster in northern Saxony.

How the

This important project is also supported by the reports in the Stern , which draws attention to the critical situation of the field hamster. If we act now, we might still turn the fate of these lovable animals for the better.