INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF WILDLIFE AND RESEARCH

DISCOVERING THE ALPINE WILDLIFE IN VAL MÜSTAIR

From June 19 to 26, 2021, Charlotte Barberon (18) represented the Fondation Jeunes Scientifiques Luxembourg (FJSL) at the International Wildlife and Research Week (IWRW) that was held in Val Müstar in the midst of the Swiss Alps.

The young scientist from the Grand Duchy was among 20 participants between 17 and 19 years.

Through her project “Why couldn’t the chicken cross the street?” that Charlotte presented at the national Jonk Fuerscher contest 2021, she was awarded with the participation in the IWRW, organised by Schweizer Jugend forscht (SJf). For her project she used EDTA titration, to investigate the calcium content of tibiotarsus bones from chickens raised in battery-farms compared to chickens raised in open-air farms. 

During the IWRW she got the opportunity to discover alpine wildlife in Val Müstair (Canton of Graubünden), work on a scientific research question, get to know the most important aspects of being a field biologist and foremost exchange with other like-minded young participants. 

Hence, together with two fellow participants she researched the “Habitat factors causing the niche separation of Vipera aspis and Vipera berus in the Val Müstair”. 

“It was so much fun and there were really interesting people there! In my project group, I was with two other girls and we researched snakes in the Val Müstair! There were a lot of hikes throughout the week where all the groups collected as much data as possible about their project. And then the last two days were devoted to writing up the project report, making a ten minute presentation, and presenting the findings to an audience! I learnt so much from the people there”, so Charlotte. 

The main goal of Schweizer Jugend forscht is to raise young people’s interest in the sciences and to encourage them to conduct independent research.