Dr. Claudio Signer

Work at ZHAW

Position

Lecturer Wildlife Management WILMA

Focus

• Biology, ecology and management of wild ungulates and large carnivores
• Ecophysiology, seasonal adaptation and disturbance biology
• Animal experimentation and wildlife protection
• Forest wildlife interactions

Teaching

Teaching Wildlife Management WILMA

Experience

• Lectureship "Wildlife Ecology and Management"
  ETH Zurich
  2021 - today
• Amt für Jagd und Fischerei Graubünden
  Kanton Grisons
  2005 - 2010
• Amt für Wald
  Kanton Grisons
  2005 - 2006

Education and Continuing education

Education

• PhD
  Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
  2007 - 2010
• Biology Diploma
  University of Basel
  1999 - 2005

Continuing Education

CAS Higher Education
PH Zurich
2013

Projects

• Artificial snow at Minschuns - Environmental impact report (UVB) / Team member / abgeschlossen

Publications

• Bar-Gera, Benjamin; Anderwald, Pia; Evans, Alina L.; Rempfler, Thomas; Signer, Claudio,

  2025.

  Comparing the accuracy of machine learning methods for classifying wild red deer behavior based on accelerometer data.

  Animal Biotelemetry.

  13(9).

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-025-00401-9

• Rempfer, Thomas; Rossi, Christian; Schweizer, Jan; Peters, Wibke; Signer, Claudio; Filli, Flurin; Jenny, Hannes; Hackländer, Klaus; Buchmann, Sven; Anderwald, Pia,

  2024.

  Remote sensing reveals the role of forage quality and quantity for summer habitat use in red deer.

  Movement Ecology.

  12(80).

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00521-6

• Ruf, Thomas; Signer, Claudio; Arnold, Walter; Vetter, Sebastian G.; Bieber, Claudia,

  2024.

  Filtering heart rates using data densities : the boxfilter R package.

  Methods in Ecology and Evolution.

  15(6), pp. 1016-1023.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14301

• Sigrist, Benjamin; Signer, Claudio; Wellig, Sascha D.; Ozgul, Arpat; Filli, Flurin; Jenny, Hannes; Thiel, Dominik; Wirthner, Sven; Graf, Roland Felix,

  2022.

  Green-up selection by red deer in heterogeneous, human-dominated landscapes of Central Europe.

  Ecology and Evolution.

  12(7), pp. e9048.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9048

• Vogt, Kristina; Vimercati, Eric; Ryser, Andreas; Hofer, Elizabeth; Signer, Sven; Signer, Claudio; Breitenmoser, Urs,

  2018.

  Suitability of GPS telemetry for studying the predation of Eurasian lynx on small- and medium-sized prey animals in the Northwestern Swiss Alps.

  European Journal of Wildlife Research.

  64(73).

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-018-1225-7

• Marreros, Nelson; Frey, Caroline F.; Willisch, Christian S.; Signer, Claudio; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre,

  2012.

  Coprological analyses on apparently healthy Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) from two Swiss colonies.

  Veterinary Parasitology.

  186(3-4), pp. 382-389.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.11.009

• Mavrot, Fabien; Vilei, Edy M.; Marreros, Nelson; Signer, Claudio; Frey, Joachim; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre,

  2012.

  Occurrence, quantification, and genotyping of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in wild Caprinae with and without infectious keratoconjunctivitis.

  Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

  48(3), pp. 619-631.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-48.3.619

• Marreros, Nelson; Hüssy, Daniela; Albini, Sarah; Frey, Caroline F.; Abril, Carlos; Vogt, Hans-Rudolf; Holzwarth, Nathalie; Wirz-Dittus, Sophie; Friess, Martina; Engels, Monika; Borel, Nicole; Willisch, Christian S.; Signer, Claudio; Hoelzle, Ludwig E.; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre,

  2011.

  Epizootiologic investigations of selected abortive agents in free-ranging Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) in Switzerland.

  Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

  47(3), pp. 530-543.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-47.3.530

• Signer, Claudio; Ruf, Thomas; Arnold, Walter,

  2011.

  Hypometabolism and basking : the strategies of Alpine ibex to endure harsh over-wintering conditions.

  Functional Ecology.

  25(3), pp. 537-547.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01806.x

• Signer, Claudio; Ruf, Thomas; Schober, Franz; Fluch, Gerhard; Paumann, Thomas; Arnold, Walter,

  2010.

  A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants.

  Methods in Ecology and Evolution.

  1(1), pp. 75-85.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x

• Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre; Bischof, Daniela F.; Marreros, Nelson; Willisch, Christian; Signer, Claudio; Filli, Flurin; Brosi, Georg; Frei, Joachim; Vieli, Edy M.,

  2009.

  Detection of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in the eyes of healthy, free-ranging Alpine ibex : possible involvement of Alpine ibex as carriers for the main causing agent of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in wild Caprinae.

  Veterinary Microbiology.

  134(3-4), pp. 368-374.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.08.005

• Sigrist, Benjamin; Laube, Patrick; Signer, Claudio; Graf, Roland Felix,

  2016.

  Close encounters : analyzing disturbance events between deer and visitors in a recreational forest [paper].

  In:

  GISRUK 2016 Proceedings.

  24th GIS Research UK Annual Conference (GISRUK16), Greenwich, 30 March - 1 April 2016.

  London:

  GISRUK.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24632

• Fischer, Claude; Signer, Claudio; Willisch, Christian; Urbina, Loreto; Huber, Laurent; Villard, Lucas; Golay, Lula; Thiébaud, Amélie; Sigrist, Benjamin; Reifler-Bächtiger, Martina; Suter, Stefan; Jakob, Miriam; Bar-Gera, Benjamin; Marreros, Nelson; Grüter, Michael; Lichtenberg, Christian; Marti, Iris,

  2024.

  Forschungsprogramm Rothirsch im Schweizer Mittelland : Abschlussbericht.

  Wädenswil:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-30746

• Imesch, Nicole; Fiechter, Ruth; Fischer, Claude; Gehr, Benedikt; Kupferschmid, Andrea Doris; Signer, Claudio; Suter, Stefan; Vogt, Kristina; Willisch, Christian,

  2023.

  Leitfaden zum Monitoring von Wildhuftieren.

  Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Wildtierbiologie SGW.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-32551

• Signer, Claudio; Wirthner, Sven; Kämpfer, Daniel,

  2023.

  Rothirschprojekt Aletsch-Goms : wichtige Grundlagen für das Wildtiermanagement.

  Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen.

  174(5), pp. 306-309.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.3188/szf.2023.0306

• Hochreutener, Adrian; Rupf, Reto; Signer, Claudio,

  2022.

  Outdoorsport und Wildtiere in den Bergen.

  IUNR Magazin.

  2022(2), pp. 20-21.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27315

• Koch, Tanja; Signer, Claudio; Graf, Roland Felix,

  2022.

  Einfluss der Schafsömmerung auf die Nahrungsverfügbarkeit für den Alpensteinbock (Capra ibex) im Winter.

  Jahresbericht der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Graubünden.

  2022(122), pp. 87-98.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-981212

• Signer, Claudio; Wirthner, Sven; Sigrist, Benjamin; Wellig, Sascha D.; Kämpfer, Daniel; Albrecht, Laudo; Graf, Roland Felix,

  2022.

  Rothirschprojekt Aletsch-Goms : Abschlussbericht zum Forschungs- und Managementprojekt 2017–2021.

  ZHAW Wädenswil, Kanton Wallis & Pro Natura.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24621

• Thiel, Dominik; Signer, Claudio; Graf, Roland Felix; Wellig, Sascha; Nef, Ueli; Nigg, Heinz; Elmiger, Albert; Ammann, August,

  2018.

  Rothirsch in der Ostschweiz : Abschlussbericht des interkantonalen Forschungsprojekts in der Ostschweiz der Jahre 2014–2017.

  Kanton Sankt Gallen, Amt für Natur, Jagd und Fischerei.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-9609

• Wellig, Sascha D.; Signer, Claudio; Graf, Roland Felix,

  2018.

  Spatiotemporal and physiological reactions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to recreational and hunting activities [poster].

  In:

  Workshop: Human-Nature Interactions and Conflict Management in Mountain Environment, Bolzano, Italy, 26-28 November 2018.

• Graf, Roland Felix; Signer, Claudio; Reifler-Bächtiger, Martina; Wyttenbach, Martin; Sigrist, Benjamin; Rupf, Reto,

  2018.

  Wildlife and humans in outdoor recreational areas near cities.

  Swiss Academies Factsheets.

  13(2), pp. 1-8.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.1168451

• Graf, Roland Felix; Signer, Claudio; Reifler-Bächtiger, Martina; Wyttenbach, Martin; Sigrist, Benjamin; Rupf, Reto,

  2018.

  Wildtier und Mensch im Naherholungsraum.

  Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz.

  13(2), pp. 1-8.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.1168451

• Signer, Claudio,

  2014.

  Der Alpensteinbock

  .

  In:

  Wanner, Kurt, ed.,

  Naturpark Beverin : ein Kultur- und Landschaftsführer rund um den Piz Beverin.

  Terra Grischuna.

  pp. 20-25.

• Signer, Claudio,

  2013.

  Zur Überwinterungsstrategie des Alpensteinbocks.

  FaunaFocus.

  2013(1).

• Signer, Claudio; Jenny, Hannes,

  2006.

  Bericht zur Rehkitzmarkierung im Kanton Graubünden 1972-2005.

  Amt für Jagd und Fischerei Graubünden.

• Signer, Claudio; Fluch, Gerhard; Jurcevic, Perica; Arnold, Walter; Ruf, Thomas,

  2014.

  Measuring heart rate and body temperature in the field : a new telemetry system opens novel perspectives in ruminant eco-physiology.

  In:

  48th North American Moose Conference and Workshop, Girdwood AK, USA, 28 April - 1 May 2014.

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