Young Animals - Cricetus Cricetus

Catalogue number	0688
Date of issue	15.6.2011
Face value	10 CZK
Print sheets	á 50 pcs of stamps
Size of picture	23 x 40 mm
Graphic designer	Libuše a Jaromír Knotkovi
Engraver Printing method	Martin Srb multicoloured offset

The European hamster (Cricetus Cricetus) is a species of hamsters relative to voles. Some authors classify hamsters, voles and mice as a single family.
The European hamster is a medium-sized, stout-bodied animal with short legs. The tail is short and furred. It is often taken for a marmot, but unlike a marmot, the European hamster is more colourful, with yellow to orange brown dorsal fur with black ends, and a dark brown to black chest and belly. The top head fur is reddish, with white or yellow patches behind the ears and on the nose (and on the front legs). The animal changes its rather thick coat colour once a year. Other prominent features include very large cheek poaches, and flank glands of males that are much larger during the breeding season. 
The European hamster is a nocturnal species. It is an excellent runner and jumper. It lives in separate burrows, consisting of tunnels 6-8 cm in diameter, nesting chamber, hibernating chamber, food and storage chambers and droppings chamber. It can burrow as deep as 2 meters in winter months when it hibernates. Females usually have 2-5 litters each year. The gestation period is 20 days, and the size of the litter ranges from 3 to 12 young. 
The European hamster's diet consists of grains, seeds, plants, insects and baby young nesting birds. 
It is native to a large area extending from south-west Siberia (the Yenisey river) to Belgium and north-east France. It started spreading from its original habitat on steppes into central Europe during the extensive deforestation period, significantly earlier than marmots; its remains were found on neolithic archaeological sites dating back some 6-7 thousand years. In the Czech Republic it lives in an open landscape. Since the 1970-80s, when it has become almost extinct, especially in hills and mountains, its presence has been steadily increasing, reaching very high levels in some regions (around the Labe River, in south Moravia, etc.), although its occurrence in areas more than 500-600 meters above the sea level is rather rare.


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