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Hello everyone 🌿
It has been a long time since my last update, and I am sorry for not having shared the progress of this project sooner. For me, having been immersed in this work from day one, it feels as if I am only now coming back to the surface. I would therefore like to share where this journey has led (and where it is going next).
First of all, I am happy to announce that I completed the experimental part of the project in February 2025 and, as a result, my thesis. This allowed me to obtain my Master’s degree in Biology 🎓
Following this, during the next year, I worked on the publication of the scientific paper, which I am happy to announce was published on May 4 of this year in Frontiers in Ethology 🤗 You can find it here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ethology/articles/10.3389/fetho.2026.1815859/full
The results of this first phase of research showed that wolves considered as «breeders» (i.e., forming a stable pair) are not only the main senders of territorial scent signals, but also the main receivers. In particular, they reacted about 13 times more to the urine of potential intruders compared to wolves considered «non-breeders» (offspring or individuals who were previously in a stable pair but lost their partner).
This represents a small step toward the original aims of the project. The research took much longer than expected, especially the chemical analysis part. For this reason, the project did not conclude exactly as I had initially envisioned or described during the WeMakeIt campaign.
However, I am very happy to share that the work will continue: the University of Neuchâtel will carry this research forward with future Master’s students, further developing the results obtained.
I would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported the project from the beginning. Your contribution made this work possible, and I am very happy to see it continuing to grow beyond this first study 🌱
P.S. I know I had started introducing you to the main «characters» of my research. If you’d like to meet all 13 participants properly and see their faces, you can find them here: https://giadastuder.myportfolio.com/master-thesis
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Hello everyone! My journey among zoos in Switzerland continues and I am currently working with the two packs at Zoo et piscine des Marécottes in Valais! Interesting fact about this zoo: it is the highest zoo in Europe (1100 msm), embedded in rock made it very difficult to place my experiments…
But let me introduce the main characters! There are two enclosures, the one at the bottom houses a matriarchal society, the social interactions are evident when you visit it: there is mother Daphnée (the dominant female) at the head of the group and the three daughters in tow, where the first one emerges over the other two and the last one is seen with a clear submissive posture. At the top instead, howl Dark, the dominant male, and Vaillante his partner and sister of Daphnée. A very curious and noisy pair who never part when come to spy on me while I position my cameras!
See you with the next actors! 🌞
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Finally, here are the cameras! This would not have been possible without your help 🌞. Accompanying, to allow a constant charge to the chambers and not risk losing valuable observations and restarting my experiments, are handy solar panels. Here I have finally placed the structures simulating raised-leg urination and can see how the wolves will react: will they show territorial behaviors? Or will urine make no difference?
If you stop by the zoological parks in Bern or Biel, you can ogle my ongoing experiments!
(Remember that the campaign has ended! If you have requested a reward you can contact me to decide which photograph you would like to receive)
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We are not yet at the end of the campaign, but the goal has been reached! Thanks to all of you supporters I will finally be able to start my research 🌞!
I will periodically update you on the observations I will make that were only possible because of your help. I will try to show you all my nice little wolves collaborating on the project 🌞