Golden hamster
The golden hamster or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is a member of the subfamily Cricetinae, the hamsters. In the wild, they are now considered vulnerable. Their natural geographical range is limited to the north of Syria and the south of Turkey, in arid habitats. Their numbers have been declining due to loss of habitat caused by agriculture and deliberate destruction by humans. However, captive-breeding programs are well established, and captive-bred golden hamsters are popularly kept as pets and used as scientific research animals throughout the world.
Biology
The size of adult animals ranges from 5 to 7 in (13 to 18 cm) long, with a lifespan of two to three years. Body mass is in the range of 120-125 g.
Like most members of the subfamily, the golden hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which extend from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are larder hoarders; they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. Their name in the local Arabic dialect where they were found roughly translates to "mister saddlebags" (Arabic: أبو جراب) due to the amount of storage space in their cheek pouches. If food is plentiful, the hamster stores it in large amounts.
