Lama dwarf hamster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lama dwarf hamster |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Cricetinae |
| Genus: | Cricetulus |
| Species: |
C. lama
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| Binomial name | |
| Cricetulus lama Bonhote, 1905
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The Lama dwarf hamster (Cricetulus lama) is a small rodent. It belongs to the Cricetidae family, which includes hamsters and voles. This special hamster lives only in the mountains of western China. It makes its home in grassy areas, wet shrublands, and open steppes. Even though it lives in a small area, experts say it is not in danger. The International Union for Conservation of Nature calls its status "least concern". This means there are enough of them for now.
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What the Lama Dwarf Hamster Looks Like
The Lama dwarf hamster is a small creature. Its head and body are about 8.6 to 10.3 centimeters (3.4 to 4.1 inches) long. Its tail adds another 4 to 5 centimeters (1.6 to 2.0 inches) to its length.
This hamster looks a lot like the Chinese striped hamster. However, the Lama dwarf hamster is a bit smaller. It also has a shorter tail. Unlike the Chinese striped hamster, it usually does not have dark marks on its back or upper legs.
Its fur on top is a dark greyish-brown color. Its belly is greyish-white. There is a clear line where these two colors meet. The tail is thick and covered with stiff hairs. It has a dark stripe on top. The rest of the tail, including the tip, is white.
Where It Lives and Its Home
The Lama dwarf hamster lives only in western China. You can find it in the Tibet Autonomous Region. It is a mountain animal. It lives at very high places in the mountains.
Its favorite places to live are high grasslands. It also likes marshy areas with shrubs. Open steppe lands are another type of home for this hamster.
How the Lama Dwarf Hamster Behaves
Scientists have not studied the Lama dwarf hamster's behavior very much. But they think it acts much like the Chinese striped hamster. Some experts even believe the Lama dwarf hamster might be a type of Chinese striped hamster.
This hamster lives in a burrow underground. It comes out to search for seeds to eat. It carries some seeds back to its burrow. It stores these seeds in special rooms it builds. Lama dwarf hamsters usually have their babies during the summer.
Conservation Status
The Lama dwarf hamster lives in a small part of the world. But scientists believe there are many of them in total. We do not know if their numbers are growing or shrinking.
No major threats to this hamster have been found. It might even live in some protected areas. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says the hamster is of "least concern". This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
 | Delilah Pierce |
 | Gordon Parks |
 | Augusta Savage |
 | Charles Ethan Porter |
