3 July 2014: partial freedom for 8 hamsters from the CNRS breeding unit (DEPE-IPHC)

A few days after their release into the first enclosures of action A3, the hamsters are doing very well. Placed in 2x8m runs sown with alfalfa and protected by fencing and an anti-predation net, the 4 males and 4 females (aged 2.5 years old) happily adopted the burrows pre-dug into the loess-rich soil and have already complemented them with new chambers and galleries.

The aim is to now monitor their behaviour in this new environment and the interactions between females and males. These observations will be used to complement behavioural studies conducted at the CNRS. Watch this space…