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Four decades after the successful reintroduction of the bearded vulture in the Hohe Tauern National Park, the 4th Mallnitz Days on March 20 focused on current challenges in alpine birds of prey conservation. Under the theme "Birds of Prey Between Research and Practice," experts from science, conservation, and wildlife management discussed the latest findings, practical experiences, and future strategies.

The conference centered on monitoring programs, wildlife pathology, specific conservation measures, and addressing illegal impacts on endangered species. It became clear that successful birds of prey conservation requires close integration of research, management, and regional stakeholders.

The event was initiated in 2019 as a joint effort by the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), the state of Carinthia, and the Hohe Tauern National Park. This close collaboration between science, public authorities, and protected area management remains the foundation of the event to this day.

The Mallnitz Days have since established themselves as a significant professional platform for exchange between research and practice in the alpine region. They strengthen institutional cooperation, promote interdisciplinary dialogue, and provide concrete impulses for nature and species conservation in the Alps.

40 Years of Bearded Vulture Release: A Look Back at the Success Story in Hohe Tauern National Park

"The first release of bearded vultures, which took place in 1986 in the Rauris Krumltal, was a major milestone that required years of intensive preparation," emphasized Hans Frey (Owl and Birds of Prey Station Haringsee) in his opening lecture. "That this project would develop so positively and that the bearded vulture population in the Alps today includes so many individuals and breeding pairs was our hope—but we would not have dared to dream of it. All the more important is it to continue monitoring the situation closely to ensure that bearded vultures can live undisturbed in the Alps in the future," he concluded.

Monitoring for Long-Term Success

In a specialized lecture, Michael Knollseisen, a bearded vulture expert from Mörtschach, provided fascinating insights into the methodology of annual nest monitoring. He explained how breeding sites are systematically recorded, monitored, and documented to ensure the reproductive success of this rare bird of prey species in the long term. Additionally, he discussed the practice of marking released birds: these are equipped with individually recognizable wing color markings and transmitters. This allows for the clear identification of individual birds, tracking their movements, and gathering important data on survival rates, spatial behavior, and reproduction. These measures are central to monitoring and ensuring the long-term success of the reintroduction project, Knollseisen summarized.

Matthias Lehnert (Project Manager "Birds of Prey" at Hohe Tauern National Park) presented the results of bearded vulture monitoring conducted in the park from 1986 to 2025. His lecture focused on the long-term population development and the establishment of breeding pairs in the Hohe Tauern. He illustrated how the population has evolved since the initial reintroduction projects and what territorial structures have emerged.

Conservation Measures and Success Monitoring for Threatened Birds of Prey and Owl Species

"Continuous conservation measures and targeted monitoring are crucial for the positive development of rare birds of prey, falcons, and owl species. They enable reliable tracking of reproductive success while also identifying negative changes early. Only on this basis can timely countermeasures be implemented to ensure the long-term positive development trend of these remarkable species," summarized Richard Zink (Austrian Ornithological Institute, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Vetmeduni) during his lecture.

Fascinating Insights into Wildlife Pathology

Niklas Vesely (Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Vetmeduni) emphasized that wild animals cannot afford to openly display symptoms of illness. Even when abnormalities become visible, reliable diagnoses are often impossible from a distance. To gain well-founded insights into the health status of wild populations, close collaboration between hunters and national parks is essential. Through targeted, sample-based health examinations, current disease occurrences can be recorded and better understood.

Lifestyle and Threat Scenarios for Native Birds of Prey

For Gerald Muralt of the Carinthian Hunters' Association, birds of prey are among the most fascinating inhabitants of our landscape and play a central role in the natural balance. His lecture provided a compact overview of native birds of prey species, their lifestyles, and current threats. He also explored the role of hunting in their conservation and preservation. A particular focus was placed on falconry, its long tradition, and its modern significance for responsible and sustainable interaction with birds of prey.

wildLIFEcrime: An Interdisciplinary Project Against Illegal Persecution

Johannes Hohenegger from BirdLife Austria used the Mallnitz Days to present the cross-border LIFE project against wildlife crime. In his lecture, he explained how illegal persecution can be detected and how interdisciplinary collaboration supports law enforcement.

Pollutant Exposure and (Lead) Poisoning of Birds of Prey

The exposure of birds of prey to pollutants remains concerning, summarized Oliver Krone (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research): "It is incomprehensible that the use of lead-based ammunition has still not been consistently restricted—especially since equivalent, non-toxic alternatives are readily available," the expert emphasized.

Sustainability, Exchange, and Involvement of the Next Generation

Martina Marchetti-Deschmann, Vice Rector for Research, International Affairs, and Sustainability at Vetmeduni, highlighted the importance of the exchange format: "The Mallnitz Days repeatedly demonstrate that the interplay between university wildlife research and practical wildlife management is a win for all involved—especially for the wildlife in Hohe Tauern National Park. This is environmental protection in action; this is OneHealth in action."

National Park Director Barbara Pucker also emphasized the importance of networking and exchange: "As a national park, we bear responsibility for protecting sensitive species and habitats. The Mallnitz Days are a central platform for directly transferring scientific findings into practice and jointly developing sustainable solutions," she concluded.

Johanna Painer-Gigler (Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Vetmeduni): "What made this conference special was the space created for our young audience, with elementary school students from Mallnitz also attending. Introducing children to areas of wildlife medicine and ecology is always a special joy and makes an important contribution to imparting scientific knowledge and fostering openness toward conservation."

Legend had it that ravens followed wolves to fresh kills. A tracking study reveals a much more interesting scavenging strategy

To the Point

• Do ravens follow wolves to feed on their kills? For decades, biologists assumed they did. Ravens are often seen flying with wolves, following their tracks, or gathering quickly at fresh carcasses
   
• A twist in the tale: New research reveals that ravens don’t simply follow wolves, they remember common hunting grounds and regularly check back for fresh meat.
   
• Large tracking study: Researchers tracked 69 ravens and 20 wolves across Yellowstone National Park for two-and-a-half years to find out that scavengers likely use spatial memory and navigation to locate unpredictable food sources.

When a wolf pack runs down its prey, the first on the scene is often the raven. Even before the predators have had time to dig in, the ravens are already in line, waiting to take advantage of the odd scrap of meat that becomes available. The speed with which the scavengers arrive at wolf kills is uncanny, and people had an explanation for how: ravens must be following wolves.

But a new study that tracked ravens and wolves in Yellowstone National Park over two-and-a-half years shows that the scavengers use a far more sophisticated strategy. Ravens can remember where wolves are most likely to make kills and will return to those areas from far away. “They can fly six hours non-stop, straight to a kill site,” says Dr Matthias Loretto, the study’s first author.

Published in Science, the findings suggest that ravens use spatial memory and navigation to find food scattered over the landscape. “Ravens can cover large distances by flying, and they seem to have a good memory, so they don’t need to constantly follow wolves in order to profit from the predators,” says Loretto.

The study was led by the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (Germany), together with several other international institutions, including the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (Germany); School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington (USA); and Yellowstone National Park (USA).

Putting a legend to the test

The study focused on Yellowstone National Park, where wolves were reintroduced in the mid-90s after a 70-year absence. The park’s wolves are monitored by tracking collars, which are attached to a quarter of the wolf population in any given year. Dr. Dan Stahler, a biologist from Yellowstone who has tracked the park’s wolves since reintroduction, says that ravens appear to seek out the company of wolves: “You see them flying directly above traveling packs or hopping close behind wolves as they take down prey.”

For the ravens, it’s a profitable foraging strategy, as the wolves invariably produce food that the birds can scavenge. “We all assumed that the birds had a very simple rule; just stick close to the wolves,” says Stahler. But the assumption was untested. “We didn’t know what ravens were capable of because nobody had ever put them at the center; nobody had taken the scavenger’s point of view,” he says.

To gain a complete picture of raven behavior, the team attached tiny GPS tracking devices to 69 ravens, “which is just an insane number,” says Loretto, who started the research while at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. “Ravens are so observant of the landscape that they don’t step into traps easily,” he says. To trap the birds for tagging, researchers meticulously matched the trap setup with the surroundings. For example, traps set near campsites had to be disguised with rubbish and fast-food bait, “or else the ravens would suspect that something was off and wouldn’t come near it,” says Loretto, now a scientist at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

In addition to tracking ravens, researchers included movement data from 20 of Yellowstone’s collared wolves. They monitored the animals during winter, when ravens most often associate with wolves, recording GPS locations at intervals of up to 30 minutes for ravens and up to one hour for wolves. They also included data on where and when wolves killed prey, primarily elk, bison, and deer.

Remembering profitable landscapes

Over two-and-a-half years of tracking, researchers found only one clear case of a raven following a wolf for more than one kilometer or more than an hour. “At first, we were puzzled,” says Loretto. “Once we realized that ravens are not following wolves over long distances, we couldn’t explain why the birds still arrive so quickly at wolf kills.”

After a detailed analysis of the movement data, the pattern became clear. Rather than tracking predators directly over long distances, ravens repeatedly revisited specific areas where wolf kills were common. Some individuals flew up to 155 kilometers in a single day, moving along highly directional paths toward places where a carcass was likely to appear—even though the exact timing of a kill is unpredictable.

When it comes to location, wolf kills cluster in particular landscape features, such as flat valley bottoms, where wolves hunt more successfully. Ravens were far more likely to visit areas with a history of frequent wolf kills than areas where kills were rare, suggesting that they learn and remember the long-term “resource landscape” created by wolves.

“We already knew that ravens can remember stable food sources, like landfills,” says Loretto. “What surprised us is that they also seem to learn in which areas wolf kills are more common. A single kill is unpredictable, but over time some parts of the landscape are more productive than others — and ravens appear to use that pattern to their advantage.”

A broader insight into animal intelligence

The authors don’t rule out that ravens still follow wolves over short distances. “To find wolf kills locally, ravens likely use short-range cues, like monitoring wolf behavior or listening to wolf howling,” says Loretto. But at a broader scale, the pattern is clear: memory first, cues second. Ravens use spatial memory and navigation to decide where to search in the first place, sometimes across tens or even hundreds of kilometers.

Senior author Prof John M. Marzluff of the University of Washington adds: “What our study clearly shows is that ravens are flexible in where they decide to feed. They don’t stay tied to a particular wolf pack. With their sharp senses and memory of past feeding locations, they can choose among many foraging opportunities far and wide. This changes how we think about how scavengers find food—and suggests we may have underestimated some species for a long time.”

The article "Ravens anticipate wolf kill sites across broad scales" by Loretto, M.-C., Beck, K. B., Smith, D. W., Stahler, D. R., Walker, L., Wikelski, M., Müller, T., Safi, K. und Marzluff and J. M. was published in Science.

Scientific article

An international research team led by the National Centre for Wildlife (Riyadh) and with the participation of the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology of the University of Veterinary Medicine (FIWI) reports on the discovery of naturally mummified cheetahs in caves near Arar (northern Saudi Arabia). The study combines radiocarbon dating, imaging and palaeogenomics and proves a millennia-old presence of the species in the region. Genetic analyses provide central impulses for future reintroductions. The article was recently published in the Nature journal Communications & Earth Environment.

Researchers have discovered the mummified remains of cheetahs in caves near the northern Saudi city of Arar – some are more than 4000 years old. A total of seven mummies were found, as well as numerous bones that were naturally preserved. How this came about is not fully understood; presumably, dry conditions and stable temperatures in the caves ensured the exceptional preservation.     

Co-author Pamela Burger (FIWI) emphasizes the dimension of the find: "Cheetahs have suffered a particularly sharp decline in populations worldwide and have disappeared from 91 percent of their historical range." The team examined 134 caves covering an area of 1.2 km2. The finds were concentrated in five caves, including one that is accessible via a 16-meter-deep sinkhole. Radiocarbon dating was used to determine the age of the remains: some finds are around 130 years old, while the oldest remains are more than 4,000 years old. X-ray analyses show many subadult animals and juveniles – an indication that the caves were used as birthing or resting places.

Genetics lead the way for rewilding*

Palaeogenetic analyses provide key clues for nature conservation. "The youngest mummy clearly belongs to the highly endangered Asian subspecies Acinonyx jubatus venaticus - today limited to Iran - while older samples are closer to the West African subspecies A. j. hecki," says Pamela Burger. This suggests that different genetic lineages existed in Arabia for a long time. In view of new protected areas, restored habitats and successful reintroductions of ungulates in Saudi Arabia, the new finds now offer concrete, genetically based reference points for future cheetah projects. Burger sums up: "We conclude that rewilding of cheetahs in Arabia can be carried out from the subspecies that are closest to the cheetahs discovered in the caves."

The global cheetah population has shrunk sharply; no animals have been sighted in Saudi Arabia for decades. Of the Asian subspecies, which used to be found there, only about fifty animals still live in the wild, in Iran. At the same time, the cave finds show that arid cave systems are valuable archives of ancient biodiversity that can provide decision-relevant data for evidence-based species conservation programmes.

* Rewilding means letting nature become "wilder" again. Habitats are renaturalised and species that have partly disappeared are reintroduced so that natural processes such as grazing, hunting and forest development regulate themselves. The aim is to create stable, species-rich ecosystems – with as little human control as possible.

The article „Mummified cave cheetahs inform rewilding actions in Saudi Arabia” by Boug, A.A., Mir, Z.R., Jbour, S. et al. was published in Commun Earth Environ..

Scientific article

Numerous animals live in extreme environments and have adapted their metabolism accordingly. Can this knowledge be used to develop solutions that help combat human disease? An international research team, with participation from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, has addressed this question with a meta-study and outlined new avenues for solutions. The One Health study focuses, among other things, on obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

The scientific review, published in the top journal Diabetologia, took a closer look at “extreme animal species” based on previously published studies. Led by Peter Stenvinkel of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, the researchers investigated the remarkable metabolic adaptations of animals living in extreme environments. The study provides insights into their resilience, flexibility, and disease resistance. Species such as hibernating brown bears, migratory birds, cavefish, Greenland sharks, and naked mole-rats exhibit unique metabolic characteristics that challenge conventional paradigms of metabolic regulation.

Novel solutions for human disease According to the scientists, these adaptations – including resistance to hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) and metabolic aging – offer potential solutions for human metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Findings from comparative physiology, particularly regarding the mechanisms by which animals cope with food scarcity, extreme temperatures, and hypoxia, could help identify new therapeutic targets to promote human health.

Study co-author Johanna Painer-Gigler from FIWI adds: “For example, hibernation can serve as a model for understanding metabolic diseases and provide insights into reversible insulin resistance and energy homeostasis. Based on this, novel treatments for metabolic diseases are a realistic prospect.”

Longer, healthier lives through high resilience Furthermore, long-lived species and their adaptations to environmental stress can teach us a great deal about aging and resilience. According to the scientists, there is also considerable valuable knowledge to be gained in the field of cardiovascular diseases and in understanding how resilient species adapt to global environmental changes. Overall, the resilience of these animal species to adverse environmental conditions is often associated with healthy longevity and a low risk of disease.

Climate change – a threat even to species adapted to extremes The researchers view climate change as the greatest threat – it endangers, according to their findings, even the survival of species adapted to the most extreme conditions. “We call for a holistic approach to species conservation and environmental protection in order to preserve these species and the valuable insights they offer for guiding our metabolic health,” emphasizes study co-author Szilvia Kalogeropoulu from FIWI.

The article „Comparative physiology and biomimetics in metabolic and environmental health: what can we learn from extreme animal phenotypes?“ by Peter Stenvinkel, Peter Kotanko, Johanna Painer-Gigler, Paul G. Shiels, Pieter Evenepoel, Leon Schurgers, Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, Szilvia Kalogeropoulu, Joshua Schiffman and Richard J. Johnson was published in „Diabetologia“.

Scientific article

Little is known about the interactions between host and gut microbiome in wild animal populations at the gut mucosa, the primary interface. A recently published Austrian-German study co-led by the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has now used AI to investigate the gut microbiome of African spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in the Serengeti National Park (Tanzania). According to the researchers, the newly acquired knowledge improves our understanding of the gut microbiome, its driving forces and the interactions in wild animal populations that are subject to natural selection.

The researchers investigated relationships between the gut microbiome and mucosal immune measures while controlling for host, social and environmental factors in 199 samples from 158 wild spotted hyenas. The composition of the microbiome was assessed using a multi-amplicon approach and faecal immunoglobulin A and mucin were measured. ‘Probabilistic models showed that both immune measures predict the similarity of the microbiome between individuals in an age-dependent manner,’ explains study last author Susana C. M. Ferreira from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at Vetmeduni Vienna.

Use of machine learning as an accurate predictor and identifier

These associations were strongest for bacteria, intermediate for parasites and weakest for fungal communities. Machine learning models accurately predicted both immune measures and identified the taxa responsible for these associations: symbiotic bacteria also found in humans and laboratory mice, unclassified bacteria, parasitic hookworms and fungi.

Wild animal populations harbour a hidden and largely unknown diversity in their guts, according to the researchers, and their immune systems must regulate these communities by maintaining mutualists and commensals while reducing harmful parasitic interactions. According to Ferreira, the study on the hyenas now provides important new information: ‘We were able to establish far-reaching and general relationships between immune measures and the various components of the gut microbiome and identify the taxa that determine these relationships.’

Co-adaptations in the microbiome as the next research goal

The study results point to the important role that the immune system plays in both defence and regulation of the microbiome. ‘We hypothesise that the identified taxa are closely linked to and involved in cross-talk, i.e. mutual exchange and communication, in the gut of wild hyena populations - a possible product of co-adaptation,’ says Ferreira. The next step, according to Ferreira, is to further investigate the genetic diversity and functional profile of gut microbiomes in natural populations to uncover evolutionary aspects of such potential co-adaptations.

The article „Mucosal immune responses and intestinal microbiome associations in wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta)“ by Susana P. Veloso Soares, Victor H. Jarquín-Díaz, Miguel M. Veiga, Stephan Karl, Gábor Á. Czirják, Alexandra Weyrich, Sonja Metzger, Marion L. East, Heribert Hofer, Emanuel Heitlinger, Sarah Benhaiem and Susana C. M. Ferreira was published in „Communications Biology“.

Scientific article

10-07-2025

From 7 to 9 June 2025, 36 top-class scientists from twelve nations came together at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at the Vetmeduni Wilhelminenberg. Under the motto ‘Patterns across Scales in Living Systems’, the latest findings from various scientific disciplines were exchanged. The event was organised by Johanna Painer-Gigler and Szilvia Kalogeropoulu (FIWI/Vetmeduni) and colleagues Peter Stenvinkel (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm), David Jörg (Frankfurt) and Peter Kotanko (New York), among others.

New research findings were presented, project ideas developed and interdisciplinary discussions held in an inspiring and extremely positive atmosphere. In addition to the extensive conference programme, the audience also reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the event. Participants from the fields of human and veterinary medicine, biology, physics, ecology, chemistry, behavioural research and biostatistics were represented - and took the opportunity to network across disciplinary boundaries and develop common perspectives.

The conference began with a guided tour of the FIWI's mobile wildlife clinic and a competition in blowpipe shooting. The range of topics covered by the lectures and talks was impressive: from gender differences in medicine to memory retention after hibernation, remarkable resistance to atherosclerosis in certain mammals and birds to molecular mechanisms in worms and the physiological challenges faced by humans in space. The role of heat dissipation as a limiting factor in the scaling of animal sizes was also highlighted - an example of the exciting cross-connections that were created on this day.

For example, Keith Siew (University College London) presented ongoing clinical research into astronaut health, highlighting how space travel and weightlessness can negatively impact physiological systems. Natalie Fich (University of Bristol) provided an overview of the pathophysiology of renal disease in dogs and cats. The presentation focussed on the most common nephropathies encountered in small animal practice. Viola D'Ambrosio (Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome) focussed on sex differences in human physiology and pathology. John Speakman (University of Aberdeen) spoke about the hypothesis of the heat dissipation limit and its implications for scaling and ecology; Paul Shiel's lecture (University of Glasgow) focussed on the modulation of the metabolism of ageing. Iwan Burgener (Vetmeduni) spoke about the dog as a possible model for IBD (Inflammatory Bowl Disease) in humans; David Ebmer (Schönbrunn Zoo) focussed on research into the co-evolution of parasites using the example of the seal louse and its interactions in finned animals as a model system. Claudia Bieber (Head of FIWI, Vetmeduni) explained the effects of hibernation on the memory performance of dormice. Szilvia Kalogeropoulu (FIWI, Vetmeduni) presented a fascinating literature review on atherosclerosis in mammals and birds. Steffen Werner's talk (Wageningen University) focussed on the unique adaptations of flatworms. Irene Yuting Li (ISTA Vienna) focussed on the applications of biophysics to better understand developmental systems and Peter Stenwinkel (Karolinska Institute) spoke about bioinspiratory non-laboratory animal models in medicine and bone metabolism during hibernation.

The event also provided plenty of space for informal dialogue. Numerous new projects were initiated, manuscripts planned and collaborations considered.

The organisers were delighted with the positive response from participants and the productive atmosphere.

"The symposium was a complete success. We were able to welcome an international audience from twelve countries to FIWI. Sunday was packed with many exciting presentations from various disciplines and on Monday, after a short series of lectures, we focussed primarily on the creative development of new projects and manuscripts and worked on them in small groups. It was an honour and a pleasure to host this third symposium on “Patterns across Scales in living systems”."

PASILS organisation team

This event illustrated how fruitful it can be to look beyond disciplinary boundaries - with promising prospects for future scientific collaboration.

To the Program
 

The dormouse, a small rodent with large beady eyes and fluffy fur, is a fascinating inhabitant of our forests. To mark Dormouse Day on 27 June, we take a look at the special features of this nocturnal animal, which impresses not only with its record-breaking hibernation, but also with its adaptability and way of life.

Profile

Order: Rodents (Rodentia)
Family: Dormice (Gliridae)
Genus: Glis
Species: Edible dormouse (lat.: Glis glis)
Body length: approx. 14 cm
Tail length: approx. 11 cm
Weight: approx. 100 g in early summer
Age: up to 14 years
Distribution areas: Continental Europe, Asia Minor, Caucasus to north-western Iran

Interesting facts about the edible dormouse

Habitat and shelter
Dormice feel particularly at home in deciduous and mixed deciduous forests, where they use the treetops as their habitat. However, they can also be found close to humans: Garden sheds, attics or uninhabited nesting boxes serve as harbourages for them. They often give themselves away by rumbling or their characteristic whistling.

Diet
Dormice forage mainly in the treetops. Their favourite food sources are energy-rich nuts, seeds, acorns, beechnuts, fruit, buds, berries and flowers. Fruit trees and shrubs are also used to fortify themselves for the long winter hibernation.

Family planning and offspring
Dormice are true masters of family planning. In so-called mast years, when beeches and oaks produce plenty of seeds, there is a particularly large number of offspring. If these seeds are missing in mast years, however, mating and rearing of young can be completely cancelled. After a gestation period of around 30 days, a female gives birth to two to nine young, which weigh only around four grams at birth - as light as two cent pieces. The typical birth date in our latitudes is the beginning of August. Breeding takes place in tree hollows or nesting boxes, with the females raising the young alone.

Special adaptations
The dormouse's large eyes and long tactile hairs help it to orientate itself in the dark. In early summer it weighs around 100 grams, but before hibernation it can double its weight to over 200 grams. Another survival strategy is its tail: if it is grabbed by an enemy, the thin skin can tear off, allowing the dormouse to escape. The bony remains dry up later and are gnawed off.

Cuddling out of necessity
Dormice are usually solitary animals. It is different when it gets cold. In groups of up to 16 animals, they snuggle close together during the day to save energy and keep each other warm. Related animals are often found snuggled together.

Hibernation: world record holder
The dormouse is a true world champion of hibernation. While other animals only rest for a few months, the dormouse can spend up to 11 months in its shelter. However, it only reaches these extreme periods in years when there is little food available. Then the well-fed animals in particular decide against rearing young and disappear underground into hibernation in July. In this way, they optimise their survival in bad times. The young in particular would not survive in bad years, so the dormice prefer not to reproduce at all. Hibernation thus helps them to survive the cold and food-poor season but also to escape the many predators.

Nature conservation and enemies
As a native wild animal, the edible dormouse is protected and may not be hunted or killed. However, its natural enemies include cats, martens, weasels and owls.

Curious facts from history
In ancient Rome, dormice were considered a delicacy. They were fattened up in special clay pots and prepared in a variety of ways. There were even competitions to find the ‘fattest’ dormouse. In some regions, such as Slovenia and Croatia, the dormouse is still eaten today. In the Croatian national costume, the men's hats are made of dormouse fur.

Edible dormouse at Wilhelminenberg

Every year, Edible Dormouse Day on 27 June reminds us that research into the edible dormouse has a long tradition at Wilhelminenberg and therefore also at Vetmeduni. As early as 1960, Lilli König published a comprehensive monograph on the behaviour of the edible dormouse at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Comparative Behavioural Research (KLIVV). In the late 1990s, this tradition was revived by Claudia Bieber at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) when she re-established the behaviour of the edible dormouse. In 2006, she also started a field study in the Vienna Woods. Since then, numerous publications have appeared and many young scientists have begun their careers researching the ecology of this fascinating species.

Astonishing observations were made during this time. For example, it was proven for the first time that dormice are true masters of hibernation. Contrary to their name, they not only sleep for seven months, but on average eight to nine months per year. In years with low food availability and poor conditions for rearing offspring, they can even spend over eleven months in hibernation by returning to their underground winter quarters in summer. ‘It is important to remember,’ explains Claudia Bieber, head of the FIWI, "that hibernation has nothing to do with the sleep we are familiar with during the night. The animals lower their metabolism in phases and during this time the brain is almost completely switched off. Sleep is out of the question."

Despite the long history of research at Wilhelminenberg, there are always new questions. One of the central questions is how global warming affects the biology of this species. So there is still a lot of research to be done in the future.

Dormouse Day

The so-called ‘Siebenschläfertag’ takes place every year on 27 June. According to a country saying, the prevailing weather on this day determines the weather conditions for the next seven weeks. However, Dormouse Day has nothing to do with the rodent of the same name. The day owes its name to a legend in which seven Christians were walled up alive for their faith, supposedly sleeping through almost 200 years and surviving.

Current research:

Research Project: Memory retention and cognition in hibernators

Many species are used to adapting to extreme environmental conditions. However, the rapid, man-made changes in the Anthropocene are now presenting animals, and therefore humans, with completely new challenges. This also affects processes at the cellular level and even the entire organism, as a recent European study led by the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna shows. The authors of the study identify seven main factors and advocate a holistic approach in line with the One Health concept of humans and animals.

Conventional physiological research focuses on investigating the endogenous mechanisms underlying species' adaptations to life in extreme habitats such as polar regions or deserts. In their current study, the researchers argue that nowadays even habitats that are not considered extreme are exposed to unpredictable, rapid and strong (climate) changes due to human activities (and also independently of them) – which confronts all animals and thus also humans with new types of extreme conditions.

Diverse environmental influences put the bio-exposome under pressure

According to the scientists, physiological research on affected animals can shed light on the effect of their physiological plasticity on their resilience and adaptability. To this end, the research team from Austria, Belgium and Italy examined previously published research. “We were particularly interested in stress physiology with a focus on oxidative stress and associated hormonal stress responses. These reactions caused by stressors from the environment play a central role in the interaction between the exposome, i.e. the measure of all environmental influences to which an individual is exposed in the course of its life, and the bio-exposome, i.e. cellular processes in connection with relevant extreme anthropogenic changes in habitat conditions,” reports Valeria Marasco from the Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at Vetmeduni.

Seven main factors for oxidative stress and its negative effect on the bio-exposome

The researchers believe that the responsible influencing factors are increasingly strong and simultaneously accelerating changes in the seven areas of heat waves, water shortage, light pollution, noise, land use, chemical pollution and reduced food quality. To counteract the resulting oxidative stress caused by environmental pollution and increased glucocorticoid hormones, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants are boosted, which in turn affects phenotypic plasticity, physiological changes and adaptability. However, as recent research has shown, this can lead to an increased concentration of dangerous reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the organism, which can have harmful consequences and lead to the decline of populations and species through reduced Darwinian fitness, increased morbidity and ultimately death.

Holistic One Health understanding needed: global changes affect humans and animals

According to the researchers, research into the relationship between oxidative stress and the bio-exposome can also be relevant for the health of the population, because “humans are also an animal species”, emphasizes Marasco. The scientists therefore suggest integrating the bio-exposome and the One Health framework into future research work. Valeria Marasco explains: “This would enable a holistic, integrative understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual responses to extreme changes on Earth.”

The article „Life at new extremes: Integrating stress physiology and the bio-exposome in the Anthropocene“ by David Costantini, Simone Messina, Manrico Sebastiano and Valeria Marasco was published in „Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences“.

Scientific article

23-06-2025

On May 14 the AVA Spring Meeting 2025 started with a pre-congress day, focusing on wildlife anaesthesia and field immobilisation. Organized by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists – Vetmeduni Vienna Clinical Unit of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Intensive-Care Medicine, the day combined expert-led lectures with hands-on workshops, attracting veterinary anaesthesia professionals dedicated to advancing wildlife care.

Following the welcome address, participants were divided into two groups: one began the day with a series of lectures, while the other engaged in practical workshops. After the lunch break, the groups rotated to ensure all attendees experienced both components of the program.

Dr. Friederike Pohlin from the FIWI at the Vetmed was responsible for the organisation of this day summarises: “We were incredibly lucky to enjoy beautiful weather in the equally beautiful setting of Schönbrunn, which provided the perfect backdrop for our Wildlife Immobilization Workshop. The atmosphere throughout the day was full of energy — participants were not only enthusiastic and excited to learn, but also clearly enjoyed the mix of friendly competition and hands-on training. The small group format created a relaxed, familiar environment where people could truly connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. It was wonderful to see participants supporting each other, having fun, and making the most of the interactive stations.”

For the first group the day began with a keynote by Dr. Aleksandr Semjonov, who delved into the pharmacology of potent opioids and combinations like BAM (butorphanol, azaperone, medetomidine), emphasizing their applications in wildlife capture. Dr. Nigel Caulkett followed, discussing refined techniques for humane wildlife handling. Dr. Jacobus Raath concluded the morning lectures by addressing safety considerations during chemical immobilisation, highlighting risk mitigation strategies for both animals and practitioners.

Simultaneously, the other attendees participated in five competitive practical workshops covering species-specific drug dosing and volume calculations, drug delivery methods including a blow-dart competition, dart preparation (how to fill a dart) practice and relay, an introduction to telemetry, and finally a demonstration of available darting equipment.

“None of this would have been possible without the incredible commitment of our helpers. I am especially grateful to the Vetmeduni Conservation Medicine Module Students and the Vetmeduni Veterinary Anaesthesia Team for their invaluable support in running the stations and guiding participants throughout the day.”, says Friederike Pohlin, who underlines that the whole event was a team effort: “A heartfelt thank you also goes to our volunteer instructors and speakers — experienced veterinary wildlife professionals from the FIWI Wildlife Medicine Team, IWJ (BOKU), Zoodocs Schönbrunn, FauneVet France — who not only gave their time and expertise to teach but also helped create such an engaging and supportive learning environment. Teledart generously sponsored all the darting equipment and helped run the stations, while Wildlife Pharmaceuticals sponsored the workshop, some of the speakers, and provided prizes for the winners of the competitions. A special shout-out goes to our speakers, Dr. Nigel Caulkett (who flew in from Canada), Dr. Cobus Raath (who traveled all the way from South Africa), and Dr. Aleksandr Semjonov (visiting from Estonia), for their amazing lectures that were deeply appreciated by all participants.”

In the past, dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius) and Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) played an important role in agriculture, the logistics of the Roman Empire and in medieval rituals, leaving archaeological and cultural traces throughout Europe. After a decline in the Middle Ages, camels were largely confined to exotic collections.

In recent decades, however, camel breeding has experienced an upswing, primarily due to tourism and the demand for camel milk. An estimated 5,000 to 6,000 camels live in Europe today. Despite their adaptability to harsh climatic conditions and their nutritional benefits, livestock farmers face challenges such as “small population sizes, fragmented and geographically dispersed breeding efforts and the lack of a legal framework tailored to camels,” emphasizes study co-author Pamela Burger from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at Vetmeduni. In addition, there is a lack of breeding organizations, breeding registers and genetic evaluation systems as well as a low reproductive performance and currently poor reproductive management of these species.

Better framework conditions needed ...

On the other hand, advances in the field of genomics have created new opportunities for the genetic management of camels in Europe. However, these findings also give cause for concern about the low genetic diversity of the animals native to Europe. “Coordinated international efforts, standardized phenotype recording and improved animal welfare guidelines are needed to solve these problems,” emphasizes Pamela Burger.

... to exploit the promising potential of camels

In view of climate change and increasing desertification in Europe, Burger believes that the adaptability of camels to dry environments as well as their special behavioral characteristics, milk composition and functional properties will become more apparent and will also be increasingly appreciated. Burger sees interesting potential here as a sustainable livestock: “Camel breeding in Europe is unlikely to become as important as the well-known, large livestock species in the coming decades. However, due to its special characteristics, the camel could offer interesting opportunities for diversification in animal husbandry, also from a profitability perspective.”

The article „Breeding of Camels in Europe: Between Continuity and Innovation“ by Ahana Maitra, Carlos Iglesias Pastrana, Bernard Faye, Pamela Burger and Elena Ciani was published in „Applied Sciences“ .

Scientific article
 

So-called accelerometers are commercially available as ear tags. In principle, this enables automated, low-disturbance recording of animal behavior - a great benefit for behavioral studies, but also for wildlife management. However, these sensors often only scan at a low frequency, e.g. one Hertz. A recent study at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, therefore examined the extent to which this very low data acquisition rate in wild boar allows the calibration of various behaviors.

In their study, the scientists classified the behavior of female wild boars kept under semi-natural conditions in a large outdoor enclosure using acceleration data. The behavioral predictions were based on a machine learning algorithm, in particular the random forest model in the open source software h2o. According to Thomas Ruf from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at the Vetmeduni, first author of the study, this combination paid off: “Remarkably, the calibration and thus also the prediction of many behaviors was possible with the tiny acceleration sensors on the ear tags, even though they only scan the data at a low frequency.” According to Ruf, these miniature measuring devices are particularly suitable for significantly extending the shelf life of the battery in the ear tag and thus minimizing the potentially harmful effects of repeatedly capturing wild animals to replace batteries.

Population control of wild boar as a possible field of application

According to the researchers, the long battery life of the mini-sensors will also help to collect long-term acceleration data, for example to research seasonal trends. Foraging, resting and suckling of young animals were well recognized, while standing and walking, for example, were not reliably detected. Study last author Sebastian G. Vetter: “The accuracy depended on the type of behavior and ranged from 50 % for walking to 97 % for lateral resting. To predict the behavior, the algorithm used static features of the unfiltered acceleration data and the filtered gravity and orientation data. However, the waveform of certain behaviors in the sampled frequency range did not play an important role.”

Machine learning revolutionizes the use of accelerometers

Larger variants of accelerometers have been used for several decades in many animal species to quantify their behavior. The purpose of the measurements in up to three axes is to identify animals as active or resting, to calculate approximate values for their energy consumption or to classify the behavior of animals as foraging or running, for example. The identification of behavior based on body acceleration requires advanced analysis techniques such as principal component analysis, discriminant analysis or - especially recently - machine learning (ML) algorithms. Thomas Ruf comments: “The advent of ML has greatly facilitated the use of accelerometry data to classify behavior. This is a real revolution, especially for the use of mini-sensors.”

The article „Classification of behaviour with low-frequency accelerometers in female wild boar“ by Thomas Ruf, Jennifer Krämer, Claudia Bieber and Sebastian G. Vetter was published in „PLOS One“.

Scientific article
 

As animals age, they generally look less good and their telomeres, small structures that protect chromosomes from becoming frayed or tangled, become shorter. A recently published study co-led by the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna examined if the effects of age at conception of mothers to the telomeres of their offspring would persist over a subsequent generation (grandoffspring generation).

The offspring of older animals often have a shorter life expectancy. This is associated with a shorter telomere length of the offspring. However, it was not previously known whether such telomere shortening persists beyond a single generation. In their multi-generational study with zebra finches, the research team now examined grandmothers (generation 0), mothers (generation 1) and their children (generation 2).

Older age of breeding grandmothers results in significantly shorter telomeres ...

The study showed that the shorter telomeres found in the children of older grandmothers are also present in their children, i.e. the grandchildren generation - even if the breeding mothers of the 2nd generation were young. This effect was considerable: the telomeres were 43% shorter in the grandchildren of the grandmothers who were old when they bred, compared to those of the grandmothers who were young at rearing.

... and a significantly shorter life expectancy of the grandchildren's generation

“Shorter telomeres at the time of fledging are associated with a shorter lifespan in zebra finches. Our data clearly show that it is necessary to look beyond a single generation to explain inter-individual differences in ageing and different age-specific reproductive efforts,” explains study first author Valeria Marasco from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at Vetmeduni. In the present study, the mothers were young at the time of breeding, so effects due to the age of these mothers can be ruled out. According to Marasco, however, it would also be very interesting to know whether the effects of the grandmother's age increase if the mother's age is also high.

Hidden inheritance made visible for the first time

According to the researchers, the results of the study reveal for the first time a hidden legacy that can be passed on across generations and has a negative impact on the lifespan and reproductive value of offspring. “Evolutionary biologists and ecologists therefore need to look beyond a single generation and current environmental conditions to fully understand the causes of inter-individual differences in ageing rates and age-specific reproductive effort,” says Marasco.

Better understanding of the evolution of ageing and its associated mechanisms

The researcher also emphasizes that further cross-generational research would be important. In particular, research that analyzes the lifespan and reproductive performance of the offspring of both old (grand)mothers and old (grand)fathers. Valeria Marasco: “This would improve our knowledge of the processes underlying the evolution of ageing and the diversity of life strategies within species.”

The article „Hidden Causes of Variation in Offspring Reproductive Value: Negative Effects of Maternal Breeding Age on Offspring Telomere Length Persist Undiminished Across Multiple Generations“ byValeria Marasco, Winnie Boner, Kate Griffiths, Shirley Raveh and Pat Monaghan was published in „Ecology Letters“.

Scientific article

10.02.2025

Microbiomes of living organisms are a prime example of symbiotic relationships, as guest and host benefit equally. As a guest (symbiont), the microbiome is offered a protected living environment, while the host benefits from health-promoting effects - for example, many metabolic processes in animals and humans are not possible without microorganisms. A recent Austrian-German study led by the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) has now investigated the eco-evolutionary dynamics of host-microbiome interactions using mice.

Closely related host species have similar symbionts, but the effects of host genetic mixing (hybridization) and environmental conditions on these communities are still largely unknown. “We therefore investigated the influence of host genetic mixing and environmental factors on the prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities - fungi and parasites - in gut of the two house mouse subspecies Mus musculus domesticus and M. m. musculus and their hybrids,” explains study author Susana C. M. Ferreira from the Institute of Wildlife Ecology at Vetmeduni.

Infections and their effect on the gut microbiome

The researchers compared wild-caught mice with inbred mice from a controlled laboratory environment before and during a disruption of the microbiome by an infection. In wild-caught mice, environmental factors clearly predicted the overall composition of the microbiome. The genetic distance between subspecies significantly influenced the overall composition of the microbiome and the individual components - bacteria, parasites and fungi. Although hybridization only had a weak effect, it did have a significant impact on the composition of the fungi. “We observed similar patterns in inbred mice, where genetic distance and hybridization influenced the composition of the microbiome, with fungi being more stable to infection-related perturbations than other components of the microbiome,” says Ferreira.

Genetic differences are reflected in the relationship between host and microbiome

According to Ferreira, the genetic distance between subspecies has a stronger and more consistent effect on the microbiome components than the differences in expected heterozygosity - that is, differences between the hybrids.“This suggests that host divergence and host filtering play a key role in microbiome divergence, which is influenced by environmental factors. Overall, our results suggest that genetic differences between hosts affect the symbiont communities in the gut of the two house mouse subspecies and are reflected in host-symbiont interactions,” explains Ferreira.

The article „Eco-evolutionary dynamics of host-microbiome interactions in a natural population of closely related mouse subspecies and their hybrids“ by Susana C. M. Ferreira, Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz, Aimara Planillo, Ľudovít Ďureje, Iva Martincová, Stephanie Kramer-Schadt, Sofia K. Forslund-Startceva und Emanuel Heitlinger was published in „Proceedings B“.


Scientific article

03.02.2025

Handover of the trees from the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas market to the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at Vetmeduni 

The Christmas season may be over, but the once festively decorated conifers that framed the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market continue their journey. On 8 January 2025, the 50 festive fir trees that adorned the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market during the Advent season were handed over to the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna on Wilhelminenberg. The deer and other wild animals at the research institute really enjoy the trees, which serve as food and play material.

This year, the 50 conifers came from the southern Waldviertel, directly from the Jauerling, in front of Schönbrunn Palace. Josef Reithner, chairman of the Lower Austrian Christmas tree growers himself, was responsible for this year's batch. These beautiful conifers, which made a significant contribution to the festive atmosphere of the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas market and brought much joy to visitors, will now be used sustainably and enrich the everyday lives of the animals at FIWI. ‘Passing on these Christmas trees shows how festive decorations and sustainability can go hand in hand,’ says Katrin Edtmeier, Managing Director of Imperial Markets. The handover took place on the grounds of the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) and provided a welcome change to the animals' everyday lives.

‘There are currently 22 hinds living at FIWI, eight of which were only born in 2024 and were reared by hand. Christmas is also something special for the animals at FIWI. Conifers, which are no longer used after the festive period, provide the hinds with a tasty meal and something to do. However, this additional feed is only available in portions. Because too much of a good thing is not good for the animals either. We also make sure that the trees are free of decorative debris or other soiling,’ says Claudia Bieber, Head of the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology at the Vetmeduni.

The campaign is another example of the sustainable approach taken by the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market. In just two days, on 10 January 2025, the large Christmas tree, which was provided by the Austrian Federal Forests from the Salzkammergut, will be ceremoniously handed over to Schönbrunn Zoo by Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market - the two tree handovers are a symbolic end to the Christmas season that brings a smile to everyone involved.

* Press release from Allegria & Imperial Markets, 08.01.2025