Ankaran, 12 May 2025 – The 14th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference officially opened today in Ankaran with a ceremonial opening and an introductory plenary lecture. The conference, which runs until Friday, brings together more than 230 researchers from 28 countries, who will present a total of 167 scientific contributions.
The rich program includes 7 plenary lectures, 88 oral presentations, and 72 posters. Contributions were co-authored by as many as 806 authors from 45 countries across all continents. The conference addresses current challenges in the fields of ecology, genetics, wildlife health, human-wildlife conflicts, invasive species, and modern methods and approaches to vertebrate management. The research covers all groups of vertebrates – from fish, amphibians, and reptiles to birds and both small and large mammals.
The event is organized by a broad consortium of partners: Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Primorska (Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies), University of Ljubljana (Biotechnical Faculty), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Julius Kühn Institute, Hunting Association of Slovenia, and Slovenian Forestry Institute.
At the opening ceremony, attendees were welcomed by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Mateja Čalušić, the Rector of the University of Primorska Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, the Deputy Mayor of Ankaran Barbara Švagelj, the Director of the Slovenia Forest Service Gregor Danev, the President of the Hunting Association of Slovenia Alojz Kovšca, and the President of the Hunting Association of Koper Fabio Steffe.
Prof. Dr. Boštjan Pokorny, Chair of the Organizing Committee, emphasized the great importance of linking science and practice: “The greatest added value of the conference is the collaboration between researchers and end users – especially managers such as hunters and foresters. This cooperation is quite unique in the European context. As a result, scientific findings do not remain confined to offices and reports but are directly translated into management practices.”
Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan, also a member of the conference organizing committee, highlighted the importance of interdisciplinarity: “Wildlife management requires the integration of various fields – ecology, genetics, veterinary science, and an understanding of the social aspects of human-wildlife coexistence. This conference is distinguished by exactly such an approach, which is the foundation for modern, sustainable nature management.”
The conference marks an important milestone for Slovenian science, contributing to its visibility on the international stage while also strengthening collaboration among researchers, managers, and policymakers. At a time when Europe is adopting key measures for nature conservation, such as the EU Nature Restoration Law and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, such gatherings are crucial for connecting scientific knowledge with concrete political and management solutions.
For more information, visit www.evmc.online.
You can find the conference program HERE.
