From Rubryka’s story to the wild: rescued hamsters set free

Mykhailo Rusin, the founder of the Hamster Rescue Center, recently released the rodents saved last season into the wild.

Rubryka writes about it.

What is the problem?

Six types of hamsters living in Ukraine are listed in the Red Book. They are considered rare, and the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses states that there is a fine for harming them. Despite this protection, the number of hamsters is continuously declining. This is a widespread issue throughout the continent. For instance, the hamster population in Poland has dropped by 75% in the last 40 years. The situation is similar in Western and Central European countries.

What is the solution?

Previously, Rubryka wrote about Mykhailo Rusin, the creator of the Hamster Rescue Center. We also shared how Mykhailo travels throughout Ukraine, searching for people who cannot coexist with hamsters. He catches them using specialized traps and releases them into their natural habitat.

^{Mykhailo Rusin with hamsters rescued at the Center during their release into the wild. Photo: Hamster Rescue Center}

The other day, Mykhailo Rusin and his team released the first five hamsters into the wild in the Kyiv region.

^{Mykhailo Rusin with hamsters rescued at the Center during their release into the wild. Photo: Hamster Rescue Center}

"This release took place in the Kyiv region, and the place was not chosen by chance: there is a colony of hamsters here and a variety of food. Also, it is relatively far from people," Rusin searches for suitable locations to relocate rodents, ensuring that neither humans nor the rodents themselves will disturb each other.

The process of releasing hamsters is really fascinating because it's not just a matter of setting them free like we would with bats. Instead, artificial burrows are created in their natural habitats.

"For the first time, we poked holes and filled them with food. We sealed off the hamster's hole from above to give him more room to dig. We will be monitoring the holes," the Center reports.

What should you do if you discover that hamsters are living next to you?

If you happen to encounter wild hamsters in your area, the most important thing is to learn to peacefully coexist with them. As long as you avoid trying to interact with them (which may result in a hamster bite), they pose no danger to human life. The ultimate goal of the Hamster Rescue Center is to strive for harmonious cohabitation between humans and hamsters.

However, if the hamsters are still bothering you, for example, spoiling your crops, you can contact the Hamster Rescue Center on Facebook. Specialists will install special live traps in your yard to safely catch the hamsters and then release them into the wild in the most suitable places for hamsters in nature.

"We will teach you peaceful coexistence. If this does not work, then we will resettle the hamster at a safe distance in the most suitable conditions," the Center adds.

For reference:

It should be noted that the famous actor Andriy Lidahovsky has completed work on his directorial debut – the film "Everything is Fine with Us." This work became part of the film almanac "War through the Eyes of Animals".

In addition, a petition on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers [Ukraine's government—ed.] calling for the creation of a zoo police unit within the structure of the National Police received the necessary 25,000 votes for consideration. Now, the government has to consider it.