It is smaller and has a much shorter tail than the greater long-tailed hamster, Tscherskia triton, which inhabits much of the same range.

The Chinese striped hamster was first described in 1773 as Cricetulus barabensis by the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas.

The snout is short, the eyes set wide apart and the ears are neat and rounded, blackish fringed with white.

Its range includes Western Siberia, Tuva, the Trans-Baikal region, Mongolia, northeastern China, Primorsky Krai and Korea.

This hamster is most active in the early hours of the night when it emerges from its burrow to forage for seeds of grains and legumes.

[4] Reproductive activity takes place through spring, summer and autumn, and there may be as many as five litters in this period.