Wild hamsters are endangered in Europe, but they thrive in Vienna

The Austrian capital has shown that it’s perfectly possible for a large metropolis to also serve as a wildlife habitat

Likely you’re quite familiar with hamsters as one of the world’s most popular pets, and maybe you even own one or two of these cute rodents. At the same time, most people are unaware that the wild cousins of these creatures – the field hamsters – are steppe dwellers that are declared critically endangered in Europe.

Even heading out to the Pannonian Plain in the central part of the continent, their natural kind of habitat, you’re unlikely to encounter a hamster given that apart from rare they’re also rather skittish. Yet, you might have better chances to catch a glimpse of one or several of these rodents if you visit Vienna – a city of almost 2 million people. But how?

Vienna protects small wildlife

You see, it’s not just the hamsters when it comes to Vienna. The Austrian capital has long been keeping an eye on the habitats of numerous protected species with its "Network Nature" species and habitat protection program. 

One famous habitat for wild hamsters is the Vienna Central Cemetery and there is a good chance of spotting one of the critters there.

The City, however, also found a way to combine animal protection with hands-on experience of conservation among the youngest residents. For this purpose, a hamster habitat of stacked wooden logs was created at the Kinderfreunde kindergarten in Vienna.

"We are delighted that our kindergarten garden can accommodate the habitat for field hamsters and that we can thus offer the animals a shelter and at the same time the children the opportunity to get to know and explore nature. Species protection that can be experienced in a vivid and direct way makes an important contribution to raising awareness among children and thus future generations," emphasises Daniel Bohmann, Managing Director of the Vienna Children's Friends.

The wild hamsters are larger than their domestic ones. They can reach up to 34 centimetres and up to 500 grams in weight. They are largely solitary creatures who design their burrows as "single apartments". They have separate living chambers, storage rooms and even a separate toilet.