Cemeteries are usually associated with the dead, but for one endangered species, a graveyard may yet be the key to its long-term survival.
The BBC reported that researchers have been pleasantly surprised to discover that Vienna's Central Cemetery, the largest on the continent, is a biodiversity hotspot.
Among the resting places of some of Europe's most influential musicians and composers, the critically endangered European hamster has made a home for itself. The odd setting is actually ideal for the fierce little rodents and other creatures, including rare toads, beetles, and squirrels, to thrive.
The graveyard has embraced its wild residents. Maintenance crews leave their burrows alone, and the site offers guided tours as part of efforts to inform visitors about the graveyard's wild residents.
Thomas Filek, researcher at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, monitors the cemetery's wildlife.
"People are starting to appreciate that we have something special here," he told the BBC. "It creates a synergy between cemetery staff, citizens, and scientists, who all work together for something worth protecting."
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The European hamster has had a pretty tough time of late. Once plentiful, they have been driven to the brink of extinction in the wild because of rampant habitat loss and warming global temperatures.
As National Geographic explains, the birth rate for the hamsters has plummeted. In the 20th century, hamsters averaged 20 pups per year, but today it's only five or six. Their lifespan has contracted sharply to around two years, a third of their historic average.
Warmer winters mean less snowfall, and that absence of snow cover reduces protection to their burrows. Many don't make it through the winter. Moreover, some theorize that light pollution is disrupting their circadian rhythm, per National Geographic.
Urbanization is usually a threat to wildlife, but some species do surprisingly well in cities. Graveyards could join other urban green spaces in protecting an area's biodiversity. Ultimately, that will require an increase in awareness and grassroots support to maintain.
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"We know what we have here," Filek told the BBC. "Now, we have to protect it — and make sure it stays protected."
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