Field station Affenberg

The Department of Behavioural Biology proudly presents its new field station

The Affenberg Landskron (Monkey Mountain Landskron) is a 4 hectare forest park located in Carinthia, Austria that houses a big group of (semi)-free ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). During winter time, students are invited to join lectures and to collect data for their theses. They are trained in field work (behavioural techniques) and in the nearby lab to promote a better understanding in the field of behavioural genetics.

For our research we attach great importance to show how state-of-the-art research can be conducted in a responsible and humane manner. During behavioural observations the animals are not disturbed in their social interactions. Experiments are designed for a voluntary participation of the monkeys. Hormone and gene analyses are conducted non-invasively by collecting fecal samples.

Lectures

Current research projects

  • The influence of genotype on stress, conflict behavior and social dominance in male Japanese macaques.
  • Cooperative problem solving in Japanese macaques.
  • Endocrine influences of female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques.
  • The distribution of variable stress-related genotypes (MAOA, COMT, FKBP5) in different macaque species.

Supervisors: Lena Pflüger, Eva Millesi & Bernard Wallner