The fourth Pan-European Duck Symposium took place from 7 to 11 April, 2015 in Hanko, Finland. Every three years, it brings together researchers and students working on duck research.
The Tour du Valat was well represented at this international event, which was attended by researchers from 19 countries. Jocelyn Champagnon (Research Assistant) gave an oral presentation on the consequences of releasing Mallards, and a poster was presented by Claire Pernollet, a Ph.D. student at the Tour du Valat on the utilisation of rice fields at night by ducks, geese, and swans. She is currently conducting research for the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife’s CNERA Migratory avifauna unit.
Awarding of its prize to Sidi Imad Cherkaoui by Jocelyn Champagnon
Within the framework of this event, the Duck Specialist Group awarded two prizes to the best papers presented by students. The Tour du Valat co-sponsored these €500 prizes given to :
- Sari Holopainen, of the University of Helsinki (Finland), received the prize for the best paper presented by a student in the field of conservation, for her talk on the population dynamics of Common Teals and the importance of the climate in wintering and breeding areas. Her research was completed in collaboration with several researchers, including Matthieu Guillemain who works for the ONCFS’s CNERA Migratory avifauna unit at the Tour du Valat;
- Sidi Imad Cherkaoui, of the Mohammed V University of Rabat (Morocco) received the prize for the best paper describing research in the Mediterranean region, for his talk on nesting ducks, geese, and swans in Morocco.
Jocelyn Champagnon handed out the prizes at the final evening event. We would like to extend our warm congratulations to the two prizewinners!
The next Pan-European Duck Symposium will be held in Scotland in April 2018.
More info on the Symposium: see links here opposite
Contacts : Jocelyn Champagnon (Tour du Valat, e-mail) and Matthieu Guillemain (ONCFS, e-mail)