Projects - I (Inês) Marcelino MSc

Phd project - Herbivore Health in Nature Reserves in the Netherlands

My PhD is a joint project of Wageningen University & Research, Staatsbosbeheer and Royal GD, commissioned by the Province of Flevoland, which started in July 2022. In this project I will focus on the health of large herbivores that inhabit one of the Dutch nature reserves, the Oostvaardersplassen (OVP). This reserve is an important Natura2000 area, in which many wild bird species come to nest. The large herbivores help maintaining the area by their grazing behaviour. The three animal species at the reserve that I will focus my study on are Heck cattle (Bos taurus), Konik horses (Equus caballus), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). My goal is to get a better understanding of the health status of these animals, by studying the prevalence of both microbial (viral, bacterial, vector-borne) and chemical agents in this animal population. We will also study what standards of animal health parameters are suitable to assess their health status, with particular attention to mineral contents. Through studying  the health status of these large herbivores, we aim to build on our knowledge to safeguard the health and welfare of these animals.