Ontwikkeling van de hamsterpopulatie in Limburg : stand van zaken 2019-2020

Samenvatting

Each year about 100 European hamsters are released in the southern part of the province of Limburg. They are part of a breeding programme with genetic material from the last five remaining populations in northwest Europe. To investigate their survival and distribution, the movements of the hamsters are tracked with transmitters and their burrows recorded. In 2019 144 burrows were found in 19 kilometre quadrants. After two months almost 45% of the hamsters were still alive. Hamsters can only live in arable fields under an adapted management regime, and are unable to survive in conventional arable fields. To conserve the European hamster, at least 25% of arable land must provide suitable conditions for their survival. At the moment this percentage has not been achieved, with the exception of several very small areas.