Project “Life for the Falcon” Team Participates in the 8th European Congress of Conservation Biology

From 6 to 10 July 2026, the 8th European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB 2026) was held at Leiden University, the Netherlands, bringing together researchers and conservation practitioners from across Europe to share the latest advances in biodiversity conservation.

Representing the Life for the Falcon project, Assoc. Prof. Yordan Koshev, PhD, and Chief Assistant Prof. Maria Kachamakova, PhD, from the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBER-BAS), presented the project's conservation work on the Dobruja hamster (Mesocricetus newtoni) in Bulgaria.

The presentation highlighted the successful captive breeding programme for this endangered species. To date, 10 generations have been bred, with 2026 marking a record year—five generations have already been raised and a sixth is expected. The team shared valuable experience and data on the species' reproduction, pup rearing, and husbandry, contributing to the growing knowledge of effective conservation breeding techniques.

The IBER-BAS researchers were also invited to speak at the special symposium “Conservation of Small Mammals – Part I”, where they presented the current challenges and priorities for the conservation of small mammals in Bulgaria.

The conference programme also included an online presentation by Dr. Volen Arkumarev, Project Manager of Life for the Falcon from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria). Dr. Arkumarev is the recipient of the 2025 European Society for Conservation Biology (ESCB) Early Career Conservationist Award, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to nature conservation.

For more information, see the Abstract Book of the 8th European Congress of Conservation Biology (6–10 July 2026, Leiden, the Netherlands).