Frau Franziska Hörner

Biologie

Team

www.zoologie.uni-wuppertal.de/de/arbeitsgruppe/med-franziska-hoerner.html

Biografie

Kurzbiographie

• seit 09/2019: Stipendiatin der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal
• 10/2013 - 03/2019: Lehramtstudentin an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, Fächer: Biologie und Anglistik, Gymnasium/Gesamtschule (Master of Education bilingual)

Titel und Abstract des Dissertationsprojektes

Ethological Studies on the Differences in Social Behaviour of First and Second Generation Zoo-Born African Elephants

As European zoos now enter the F2-generation of African Elephants, the question of a changed social behaviour in those elephants arises. A previous study on the F1-generation indicated slight changes in the social behaviour concerning social distancing – calves showed to hold bigger distances and wander further away from the next herd member than their wild conspecifics. The question whether these changes increase with further generations and the passing on of different social behaviour is on hand.
Therefore, this project seeks to investigate the social behaviour of the F1- and F2-generation in European zoos and compare these data with data collected in situ. Knowledge of possible changes in social behaviour of zoo born African elephants would be beneficial, as demand changes in housing- and handling-conditions of African Elephants. This is especially important concerning the goal of generating an independent matriline of zoo-born elephants.
The project works with the known methods of ethological research – the elephants will be observed and all social behaviour will be documented.
It is expected that the project will give hints on a minor change in the social behaviour of elephants of the F2- generation being handled under good conditions and with a natural herd-structure, which won’t have any major impact on their breeding status or well-being. Bigger differences are expected for elephants of the F2-generation which are not kept under perfect conditions and therefore indicate a requirement of improved housing- and handling-conditions.

Neuigkeiten

Vortragstätigkeit

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Publikationen

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Sonstige wissenschaftliche Aktivitäten/Mitgliedschaften

Elefanten-Schutz Europa e.V. | European Elephant Group (EEG)
Zoo-Verein Wuppertal e.V

Sonstiges

M. Ed.