Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW)
The ITAW has two facilities, one located in Büsum on the North Sea focusing on aquatic research and one in Hanover mainly working on terrestrial aspects. The research of the institute includes investigations on the ecology and health of many different wildlife species. Basic, applied and monitoring research is conducted. Main working areas are e.g. abundance estimates, distribution and habitat use of marine and terrestrial species, feeding and reproductive ecology, bioacoustics, health assessment, infectious and zoonotic diseases, immunology, endocrinology. Effects of anthropogenic activities on wildlife populations are evaluated and population development is modelled. Management advice is given to national and international bodies.
FLI is the leading German institution in animal health. It has contacts to German authorities and wildlife associations. The established databases at FLI for classical swine fever (European database on classical swine fever in wild boar), avian influenza (German AI-DB, FP6 New FluBird database), rabies (WHO Rabies database for Europe – Rabies Bulletin Europe) and echinococcosis (research database), which already contain wildlife population-related data and ecological parameters, will be extended for data obtained by the other partners. FLI coordinates the network “Rodent-borne pathogens” in Germany, which will be highly beneficial for the APHAEA project.
