Feldhamster outdate project in Zülpich: A new beginning for the endangered type!

Feldhamster outdate project in Zülpich: A new beginning for the endangered type!

The district of Euskirchen has started with a release project for the field hamster, which is threatened with extinction. A total of 98 field hamsters are to be located on a fenced 5.5 hectare field in Zülpich, of which twelve were released on Tuesday. The animals receive an oasis with grain, legumes and corresponding cover in the field to protect themselves from predators such as foxes, dogs and cats.

The long -term goal of the release project is the development of a self -preserving population of the field hamster. These cute rodents inhabit tunnels under fields and search for food on the surface. You will often not find enough grains and cover on perfectly mown fields. This should change in the field in Zülpich, where you should find optimal conditions.

The North Rhine-Westphalian Environment Minister Oliver Krischer described the project as a "showcase project", since Feldhamster are considered a symbol for species protection. The district administrator of the district of Euskirchen, Markus Ramers, also emphasized that species protection was a central task. The project was made possible by seven years of preliminary work, with the support of farmers and a planned observation phase of ten years. The exposed animals come from the offspring of the last wild field hamsters in Zülpich and are now returning to their traditional surroundings. In recent years, release projects for Feldhamster have also been carried out in Pulheim, Rommerskirchen and Aachen.