General contact

Our group is broadly interested in animal movement, from small scale locomotion to long-distance migration. We study the underlying drivers of animal movement, and how environmental variables, in particular, interactions with conspecifics and heterospecifics, affect movement decisions. Ultimately, we want to better understand the consequences of animal movement on individuals, populations, biodiversity, and ecosystem processes.

The impacts of human activities on animal movement are a strong focus in our research. Around the world, human activities are increasing leading to substantial habitat alterations, and driving significant changes in the behaviour, distribution, and viability of wildlife populations. Landscape modifications, resource alterations, overexploitation, and climate change are just some anthropogenic impacts that influence how animals move through their environment. By bridging basic with applied research, we aim to develop solutions for conservation and wildlife management that lead to better human-wildlife coexistence.

In various study systems, we integrate cutting-edge tracking technologies (see Bio-logging technology lab) with ecological modelling techniques to gain deeper insights into animals’ responses to their natural environment and human activities.

Research areas:

• Effects of human activities on animal movement
• Recolonization of large carnivores and its effects across trophic levels
• Influence of anthropogenic food sources on wildlife behaviour
• Ecology and behavioural adaptations of scavenger species
• Use of acceleration data for behaviour classification and energy expenditure estimation

The group has only started recently and focused so far mainly on birds and mammals in Alpine environments, including common ravens, red deer, wolves, spotted nutcrackers.