Wild hamsters are primarily distributed in the following regions:
1. Asian Distribution
Within China
Provinces north of the Yangtze River (including Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, etc.)
Northwestern Xinjiang (Cricetus cricetus)
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (meadows and thickets at elevations of 2,000-3,900 meters)
Farmland ridges of the North China Plain and deserts of the Hexi Corridor
Other Asian Regions
Mongolian grasslands
Korean Peninsula
Central Asia and the Middle East (Syria, Iran, etc.)
2. European Distribution
Grasslands of Central and Eastern Europe (Germany, Hungary, etc.)
Arid regions of Asia Minor (Turkey, Syria)
3. Typical Habitats
Grasslands and semi-deserts (with burrows 2-3 meters underground)
Farmland ridges and ditches
Shrublands and river valley areas
4. Special Distribution Cases
European hamsters (Cricetus cricetus): Critically endangered, surviving only in Xinjiang, China, and scattered parts of Europe
Tibetan hamsters: Endemic to China, adapted to high altitudes
Note: All hamsters are nocturnal and solitary, so encounters in the wild are rare.