DISTRIBUTION AND ENDANGERING
OF THE COMMON HAMSTER (CRICETUS CRICETUS L. 1758) IN GERMANY AND ADJACENT
REGIONS
U. Weinhold (Heidelberg) 1, K. Seluga, A. Weidling (Halle)
2, B. Pott-Dörfer (Hannover), J. Voith (Munich), Th. Waßmer
(Konstanz), W. Wendt (Magdeburg), W. Zimmermarm (Gotha), GERMANY, L. Backbier,
E. J. Gubbels (Limburg), Netherlands. 1 Zoologie 1, Universität
Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, 2 Institut für Zoologie,
M-L-Universität Halle/Wittenberg, D-06108 Halle, GERMANY.
Historical documents describe the
Common Hamster as a farmland pest. Prizes were paid for each hamster killed.
Even in the 20th century cases of mass breeding and over-populations were
registered. In the eastern parts of Germany specialised pest controllers
killed between 100000 and 400000 hamsters each year. The furs were sold
to the fur industry. In other parts of Germany and in the hamster's dutch
range its furs had less economic value. The hamster's distribution is restricted
to a moderate continental climate and deeply layered clayey soil. Humidity,
stony ground and altitudes over 400 m above sea level do not meet the demands
of a hamster habitat. This causes a patchy distribution along agricultural
lowland regions, interrupted by highland areas. In Germany and the Netherlands
the hamster is listed in the red list of endangered species. Recent studies
show, in comparison to early distribution data, that the hamster has vanished
completely in some areas and that population density seems to be decreasing
continuously. The possible reasons for this development, such as hibernation
mortality, food supply, isolation of populations and influence of inbreeding
are objects of current research and discussion.
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