Sokolov's Lesser Hamster

Sokolov's lesser hamster, also called Sokolov's dwarf hamster, has grey fur with a brown-yellow hue and a distinctive dark stripe running from the back of the neck to the base of the tail, easier to see in younger animals and fading with age. The feet are white, the toes curl upwards, and each ear matches the fur in colour with a dark grey spot in the middle (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is found in China and Mongolia and lives in burrows beneath desert shrubs in sandy areas. Breeding begins in mid-May, with two or three litters of four to nine young produced each year (Wikipedia, general species account).