File photo dated 01 August 1999 of the Alsace hamster coming out of its hole near Blaesheim. Ecologists have been fighting for some years to protect the rodent which in the past was considered a pest by farmers. The European Commission considerers that France has not done enough to protect this endangered species which is threatened with extinction. AFP PHOTO GERARD BAUMGART (Photo credit should read GERARD BAUMGART/AFP/Getty Images)
