Bringing Alsace’s hamsters back from the brink

European hamsters, declared critically endangered since 2020, have seen three quarters of their global population disappear in the past 50 years. Intensive cereal monoculture has been identified as one of the reasons for this decline. In the northeastern French region of Alsace, the only one where these hamsters are found, researchers, voluntary organisations and farmers are taking action to protect them. Among those taking part are scientists at the Hubert-Curien Multidisciplinary Institute* in Strasbourg. A report from CNRS News.