IZW

Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) of the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. The IZW conducts integrated biological and veterinary research on wildlife. Our work is focused on the mechanisms and functions of evolutionary adaptations that ensure the survival and reproduction of individuals in free-ranging and captive populations of wildlife, and the limits that may affect the viability and persistence of such populations. For this purpose, we study the behavioural and evolutionary ecology, wildlife diseases, and reproduction of mostly larger mammals and birds. A special group around Dr. A. Ludwig studies in particular sturgeon genetics in relation to their phylogeny and distribution but also in light of trade control of caviar. The institute was recently the co-organizer of the 2nd Status Workshop on Identification of Acipenseriformes Species in Trade.