Meeting of the Ecological Club

7.11.2024

A meeting of the Ecological Club was held: “How hamsters are researched and saved in Ukraine”. 

During the regular meeting of the Ecological Club, they discussed the urgent problem of protecting and preserving the hamster population in Ukraine, in particular the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus L.), which is under threat of extinction and is included in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Larysa Osypenko, a 2nd-year master’s student of the Department of Ecology, made a speech and presentation for the members of the Ecological Club. Larysa shared the results of her own field research on the registration of the common hamster, which she carried out in the summer of 2024 in the territory of Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia regions.

Mrs. Larysa noted that the low level of awareness of the population about hamsters is a significant problem that affects its preservation. This is due to the stereotype that the hamster is a pest. Many farmers and housekeepers perceive hamsters as a serious threat to crops, because of this they often exterminate them or fight them with aggressive methods, not realizing the ecological value of the species and its endangered status.

Please, take part in annual hamster registrations. Traditionally, they are held in late August – early September.
The meeting of the Ecological Club was extremely informative and motivated the participants to actively participate in environmental protection measures, because each of us can contribute to the preservation of Ukraine’s biodiversity.

We thank Ms. Larysa for an interesting and informative meeting and wish her continued success in these important studies!

Department of Landscape Gardening and Ecology