The European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) in Podillia: description of a new settlement and the finding of a melanistic form

The material for the writing of this article is based on the observation of animals hunted by domestic cats. The hamsters were immobilized and killed by the predators mostly by biting through the spine at the back of the neck. Regarding the dispersal of melanistic forms, it has been established that today the boundary of the Podillia segment of the species’ range is much further to the west of the point determined by V. Samosh (1978), which suggests the idea about the expansion of the distribution range of melanistic variants. The results of the study of quantitative parameters of the hamster population show that the density of inhabited burrows and the activity of their use decrease from perennial grasses, crops, and motley grass crops to gardens and areas overgrown by weeds. A colony of this rodent was found on the banks of the Strypa River as well.