Cricetus cricetus, the European hamster, also known as the Eurasian hamster, black-bellied hamster or common hamster, is the only species of the genus Cricetus. It is native to grassland and similar habitats in a large part of Eurasia, extending from Belgium to the Altai mountains and Yenisey River in Russia.
The European hamster is a very aggressive animal, and in the wild each adult lives in its own burrow. They will leap at and bite any person that tries to touch it, says Mikhail Rusin, a researcher at the Kyiv Zoo in Ukraine. “Even those born in captivity, when they grow up, are not tame,” he says.
Historically, it was considered a farmland pest and had been trapped for its fur. Its population has declined drastically in recent years and is now considered critically endangered. In captivity, the European hamster has an unusually long lifespan, living up to eight years.