Protecting Ukraine's Small Mammals
We are a Ukrainian NGO studying and protecting small mammals — rodents and shrews — the tiny creatures that keep ecosystems alive.
Our Mission
The Small Mammals Research and Conservation Center (SMRCC) is a Ukrainian non-governmental organization, officially registered in 2026.
We study and conserve often-overlooked species critical for ecosystems: hamsters (Cricetus, Nothocricetulus, Mesocricetus), ground squirrels (Spermophilus), birch mice (Sicista), mole rats (Spalax), mole voles (Ellobius), jerboas, as well as other mice, voles and shrews.
Directions: population surveys and long-term monitoring, habitat restoration, rescue/relocation and captive breeding, rewilding, taxonomy and phylogeography. Our focus areas include primarily Pontic Steppe ecoregion within Ukraine. But we also work in Podillia, Carpathian and Caucasus mountains, Moldova, Dobrudjia.
What we have already done: carried out habitat management for ground squirrels, completed the first-ever ground squirrel restoration in Ukraine, relocated hamsters from human-wildlife conflict zones, and established captive breeding of small mammals for reintroduction to the wild.
Scientific Research
Long-term population monitoring, ecological studies, and biodiversity surveys across Ukraine's diverse landscapes.
Conservation Action
Habitat protection, roost and burrow preservation, and reintroduction programs for threatened species.
Education and Outreach
Raising public awareness about the importance of small mammals through workshops, school programs, and citizen science.
Our Activities
Fieldwork, research and rescue — the directions our teams work on across Ukraine.
Our Partners
We collaborate with leading conservation organizations to maximize our impact.
In the Media
Journalists writing about our work.
Make a Donation
If you want to support our work, you can donate via bank transfer in hryvnias, US dollars or euros.
Make a Donation