European Hamster Faces Extinction

The European Hamster (also known as the Black-Bellied or Great Hamster) is seriously endangered, and if the French government doesn't save it, they will be forced to pay the price. The European Union warned them in December that if they do not seriously address the species' impending extinction, they would be fined 17 million euro ($26.5 million dollars). The EU just recently granted France two more months to address this issue before they must pay the price.

The European Hamster was considered a pest by farmers and others citizens until quite recently, and was actively exterminated. In addition to this, the hamster has seen a reduction in its natural habitats due to agricultural expansion. These two factor have decimated the hamster's numbers from 1167 in 2001 to 161 in 2007. 

If you are imagining the hamsters that are sold in pet stores, these wild hamsters are a bit larger, ranging from 8 to 10 inches in length. But they are about as cute.

So here's hoping that France will take the necessary measures and the European Hamster will be saved. “When a European mammal like the Great Hamster approaches extinction, nature is sending a message,” EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said. Hopefuly France, and the rest of the Western World, will get the message.