In the darkness, a little Roborovskis hamster emerges to search for food

They're the worlds smallest hamsters, the size of a ping pong ball

and they live in family groups of around 10.

Unlike the Kazaks, hamsters can't migrate to avoid the severity of winter.

They have to prepare for difficult times by storing up provisions

to spend the season underground

Anyone who has kept a pet hamster, knows what an energetic little creature it can be.

In a single night, a hamster may cover the equivalent of four human marathons.

But foraging far and wide creates a problem. How to carry the harvest back to it's nest?

Here the hamsters famous flexible cheek pouches come in to play.

They can be stuffed full of seeds for carrying back to the burrow.

Underground, the family have special food chambers to store the bounty.

This supply will have to last them through the lean and cold times ahead.

Winter is on its way.