Authorities in the French region of Alsace have launched an action plan to save a hamster facing extinction, more than two years after Europe's top court rapped Paris for neglecting the little rodent, reports The Guardian.
The five-year project will see farmers in the eastern region implement measures to try to encourage the reproduction of the Great Hamster of Alsace, which can grow to 25cm (10in) long, has a brown and white face, a black belly, white paws and little round ears.
It aims to raise the population of the creature, which is currently 500-1,000, to around 1,500.
As part of the three-million-euro ($4.2 million) project announced on Monday by Alsace's regional council, farmers have pledged to grow plants or grains that the rodent likes - such as wheat or alfalfa - on parts of their fields.
Read more of this report from The Guardian.