Did you know there are wild hamsters? I didn't think so until I saw Julian Rad's hamster photographs, which he took in Austria. As he explained to me, he has spent the previous ten years documenting the extremely uncommon European Hamster, a wild-living hamster species found only in a few European countries. When you look at his adorable hamster photos, you can see he must have spent every spare moment trying to acquire all of these amazing shots.The European hamster was listed as critically endangered over its entire range in 2020, putting it one step away from extinction. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the species could go extinct over the next 30 years. Although the causes of its rapid decrease are unknown, it has been connected to habitat loss, as well as pollution, climate change, and previous fur trapping. Julian and other wildlife photographers not only educate the audience about various animals, but they can also help by leveraging the power of photos to raise awareness about endangered species. Julian has a wonderful ability for photographing these rare and beautiful moments, and it is my pleasure today to share with you some of his best photographs of wild hamsters that he has been able to catch over the last ten years.
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