Taxidermy and experiments’ set up

The staff at Vienna’s Research Institute for Wildlife and Ecology were kind enough to show us around their facilities, spanning from a pathology laboratory to rooms set up for experiments with mice, fish and insects to, lastly, a vast open-air enclosure in which they house a herd of red deer for research purposes. Unlike most other research facilities, the people working at FIWI have a very unstressed and human approach to their work. It seems since they work with more or less domesticated animals, the work revolves around their natural cycles and therefore cannot be forced or pushed. The chief-pathologist, Helmut Dier, made a lasting impression during this visit, kindly explaining his day-to-day work, giving insights into his hobbies and passions and being very warm and welcoming throughout our visit. We are hoping to work closely with him in future since he proved to an interesting individual sharing many common interests.