Joined OCC in 2018
Research Project
“Castration vs. Sterilization – Effects on Animal Welfare”
Castration is the first method of choice when it comes to the topic of restricting pet reproduction. Hereby the testes (males) or ovaries (females) are removed thus impairing the natural hormone balance of the organism. This has notable impacts on sexual and social behaviour, which are mostly wanted by the owner: pets are less aggressive, less active and easier to handle. But the removal of an important endocrine organ is barely in the sense of §1 German Animal Protection law, as there is a good and valid alternative to restrict animal reproduction: sterilization (vasectomy). In contrast to castration, the reproductive organs stay intact, only the ducts (semen/oviduct) are interrupted. This guarantees a normal hormonal balance. In my project, I examine the behavioural and hormonal differences according to sexuality and sociality. For this I compare not only the different treatments (castrated/sterilized/intact), but also the treatments in different life stages (pre-adolescent/post-adolescent) in male guinea-pigs.
PhD Committee
Prof. Dr. Sylvia Kaiser
Prof. Dr. Stefan Schlatt
Prof. Dr. Norbert Sachser
Publications
Schimmelpfennig, A., Bininda-Emonds, O., Boer, M., Gansloßer, U. Eingewöhnungs- und Paarbindungsverhalten zweier neuer Sumatratiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae, Pocock 1929) im Osnabrücker Zoo. Zool. Garten N.F. (2017) doi: 10.1016/j.zoolgart.2017.04.008
Conference Contributions
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CV
| *1990 | Cuxhaven, Germany |
| 2009–2011 | Apprenticeship Sales Management Print & Digital Media, Oldenburg |
| 2011-2017 | Studies in Biology at the Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg |
| 2017 | Beginning of PhD research project, Department of Behavioural Biology, Münster |