In pockets of low-lying farmland in France, a small rodent is the subject of much controversy, stirring up tensions between politicians, farmers and conservationists.
The rodent in question is the Black-bellied hamster. Previously considered a pest, this species has been formally protected by ministerial decree since 1996, along with the wolf, bear and lynx.
Yet, despite this protection the species has been in steep decline since 2010, and the disappearance of this little known species would have a dramatic impact on the structure of the local ecosystem.
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