Why Wild Hamsters live where Beethoven is buried (w/ Yaz Ellis, Wildlife Filmmaker)

Not a Biologist - A Wildlife Behaviour Podcast · May 28, 2026 · 28m

When you hear “hamster,” you probably think of tiny cages, spinning wheels, and sunflower seeds. But wild European hamsters are a completely different story.

In this episode of Not a Biologist, Alex talks to wildlife filmmaker Yasmine Ellis about the secret lives of Vienna’s wild hamsters, which are thriving on the city's graveyards.

Alex and Yaz will talk about dramatic cemetery fights, underground tunnel systems and also about why one of Europe’s cutest rodents is now critically endangered. We also dive into how you even film these tiny chaos goblins, why Vienna has become one of their last…