The Syrian hamster was first recognized as a distinct species in 1839 .
It was first described by science in the 1797 second edition of The Natural History of Aleppo , a book written and edited by two Scottish physicians living in Syria .
The Syria hamster was first recognized as a distinct species in 1839 .
It was first described by science in the 1797 second edition of The Natural History of Aleppo , a book written and edited by two Scottish physicians living in Syria .