Rediscovered after half a century: a new record of the grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius (Mammalia: Cricetidae), in Romania

Authors: ATTİLA D. SANDOR

Abstract: The grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius, is the smallest hamster species in Europe, with a highly fragmented distribution in most countries in the south-eastern part of the continent. It is rarely observed, with most records provided by raptor diet studies. Here we report a new observation from extreme north-eastern Romania, based on individuals identified in the diet of owls. The records considerably extend the known geographical range to the north in Romania and these are the first observations from an urban area in the country.

Keywords: Elusive species, Eastern Europe, owls, steppe, range extension, urbanisation

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