The Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus, Cricetidae, Rodentia) in the City of Simferopol: Population Dynamics and Survival Outlook

In the city of Simferopol, the numbers of common hamsters began to grow in the early 1970s and reached a peak in the mid-1990s. The abundance was maintained at a high level until 2014—2015, and then it began to decline. By now, permanent hamster colonies in residential areas of the central part of the city have almost disappeared, and in large green areas the numbers have decreased by an order of magnitude. The further existence of the urban population is a cause for serious concern. One of the possible causes for this decline was cutting down shrubs and hedges, which began in 2016–2017. However, the population has also severely declined in areas with no such activities. Obviously, we are dealing with a multifactor process that requires special study, without which estimation of population viability and development of conservation measures are impossible.