Prof. Dr. Heribert Hofer

Eco-immunology of carnivores with low immunogenetic diversity

Strengthening scientific approaches in wildlife welfare

Behaviour, ecology and health of spotted hyenas in the Serengeti National Park

WTimpact – Citizen Science as a tool for knowledge transfer

Davidian E, Wachter B, Heckmann I, Dehnhard M, Hofer H, Höner OP (2021): The interplay between social rank, physiological constraints and investment in courtship in male spotted hyenas. FUNCT ECOL 35, 635–649. doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13733

Vartak N, Guenther G, Joly F, Damle-Vartak A, Wibbelt G, Fickel J, Joers S, Begher-Tibbe B, Friebel A, Wansing K, Ghallab A, Rosselin M, Boissier N, Vignon-Clementel I, Hedberg C, Geisler F, Hofer H, Jansen P, Hoehme S, Drasdo D, Hengstler JG (2021): Intravital dynamic and correlative imaging reveals diffusion dominated canalicular and flow-augmented ductular bile flux. HEPATOLOGY 73, 1531–1550. doi:10.1002/hep.31422

Barthel LMF, Wehner D, Schmidt A, Berger A, Hofer H, Fickel J (2020): Unexpected gene-flow in urban environments: The example of the European hedgehog. ANIMALS 10, 2315. doi:10.3390/ani10122315

Berger A, Barthel LMF, Rast W, Hofer H, Gras P (2020): Urban hedgehog behavioural responses to temporary habitat disturbance versus permanent fragmentation. ANIMALS 10, 2109. doi:10.3390/ani10112109

Kaumanns W, Begum N, Hofer H (2020): “Animals are designed for breeding”: Captive population management needs a new perspective. J ZOO AQUAR RES 8, 76–85. doi:10.19227/jzar.v8i2.477

Kimmig SE, Beninde J, Brandt M, Schleimer A, Kramer-Schadt S, Hofer H, Börner K, Schulze C, Wittstatt U, Heddergott M, Halczok T, Staubach C, Frantz AC (2020): Beyond the landscape: Resistance modelling infers physical and behavioural gene flow barriers to a mobile carnivore across a metropolitan area. MOL ECOL 29, 466–484. doi:10.1111/mec.15345

Melzheimer J, Heinrich SK, Wasiolka B, Müller R, Thalwitzer S, Palmegiani I, Weigold A, Portas R, Röder R, Krofel M, Hofer H, Wachter B (2020): Communication hubs of an asocial cat are the source of a human-carnivore conflict and key to its solution. PROC NATL ACAD SCI USA 117, 33325–33333. doi:10.1073/pnas.2002487117

Schlägel UE, Grimm V, Blaum N, Colangeli P, Dammhahn M, Eccard J, Hausmann SL, Herde A, Hofer H, Joshi J, Kramer-Schadt S, Litwin M, Lozada-Gobilard SD, Müller MEH, Müller T, Nathan R, Petermann JS, Pirhofer-Walzl K, Radchuk V, Rillig MC, Roeleke M, Schäfer M, Scherer C, Schiro G, Scholz C, Teckentrup L, Tiedemann R, Ullmann W, Voigt CC, Weithoff G, Jeltsch F (2020): Movement-mediated community assembly and coexistence. BIOL REV 95, 1073–1096. doi:10.1111/brv.12600

Barthel LMF, Hofer H, Berger A (2019): An easy, flexible solution to attach devices to hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) enables long-term high resolution studies. ECOL EVOL 9, 672–679. doi:10.1002/ece3.4794

Bergler C, Schröter H, Cheng RX, Maier A, Barth V, Weber M, Hofer H, Nöth E (2019): ORCA-SPOT: An automatic killer whale sound detection toolkit using deep learning. SCI REP 9, 10997. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-47335-w

Bredtmann CM, Krücken J, Murugaiyan J, Balard A, Hofer H, Kuzmina TA, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G (2019): Concurrent proteomics fingerprinting and molecular analysis of cyathostomins. PROTEOMICS 19, 1800290. doi:10.1002/pmic.201800290

Ferreira SCM, Hofer H, Madeira de Carvalho L, East ML (2019): Parasite infections in a social carnivore: Evidence of their fitness consequences and factors modulating infection load. ECOL EVOL 9, 8783–8799. doi:10.1002/ece3.5431

Ferreira SCM, Torelli F, Klein S, Fyumagwa R, Karesh WB, Hofer H, Seeber F, East ML (2019): Evidence of high exposure to Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging and captive African carnivores. INT J PARASITOL-PARASIT WILDL 8, 111–117. doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.12.007

Ludwig C, Dehnhard M, Pribbenow S, Silinski-Mehr S, Hofer H, Wachter B (2019): Asymmetric reproductive aging in cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) females in European zoos. J ZOO AQUAR RES 7, 87–93. doi:10.19227/jzar.v7i2.382

Mengüllüoğlu D, Fickel J, Hofer H, Förster DW (2019): Non-invasive faecal sampling reveals spatial organization and improves measures of genetic diversity for the conservation assessment of territorial species: Caucasian lynx as a case species. PLOS ONE 14, e0216549. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0216549

Niedballa J, Wilting A, Sollmann R, Hofer H, Courtiol A (2019): Assessing analytical methods for detecting spatiotemporal interactions between species from camera trapping data. REMOTE SENS ECOL CONSERV 5, 272–285. doi:10.1002/rse2.107

Benhaiem S, Marescot L, East ML, Kramer-Schadt S, Gimenez O, Lebreton JD, Hofer H (2018): Slow recovery from a disease epidemic in the spotted hyena, a keystone social carnivore. COMMUN BIOL 1, 201. doi:10.1038/s42003-018-0197-1

Benhaiem S, Marescot L, Hofer H, East ML, Lebreton J-D, Kramer-Schadt S, Gimenez O (2018): Robustness of eco-epidemiological capture-recapture parameter estimates to variation in infection state uncertainty. FRONT VET SCI 5, 197. doi:10.3389/fvets.2018.00197

Lesniak I, Heckmann I, Franz M, Greenwood AD, Heitlinger E, Hofer H, Krone O (2018): Recolonizing gray wolves increase parasite infection risk in their prey. ECOL EVOL 8, 2160–2170. doi:10.1002/ece3.3839

Marescot L, Benhaiem S, Gimenez O, Hofer H, Lebreton JD, Olarte-Castillo XA, Kramer-Schadt S, East ML (2018): Social status mediates the fitness costs of infection with canine distemper virus in Serengeti spotted hyenas. FUNCT ECOL 32, 1237–1250. doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13059

Melzheimer J, Streif S, Wasiolka B, Fischer M, Thalwitzer S, Heinrich S, Weigold A, Hofer H, Wachter B (2018): Queuing, take-overs, and becoming a fat cat: Long-term data reveal two distinct male spatial tactics at different life-history stages in Namibian cheetahs. ECOSPHERE 9, e02308. doi:10.1002/ecs2.2308

Mengüllüoğlu D, Ambarlı H, Berger A, Hofer H (2018): Foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx populations in southwest Asia: Conservation implications for a diet-specialist. ECOL EVOL 8, 9451–9463. doi:10.1002/ece3.4439

Heinrich SK, Hofer H, Courtiol A, Melzheimer J, Dehnhard M, Czirják GÁ*, Wachter B* (2017): Cheetahs have a stronger constitutive innate immunity than leopards. SCI REP 7, 44837. doi:10.1038/srep44837

Heitlinger E, Ferreira SC, Thierer D, Hofer H, East ML (2017): The intestinal eukaryote and bacterial biome of spotted hyenas: the impact of social status and age on diversity and composition. FRONT CELL INFECT MICROBIOL 7, 262. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2017.00262

Kofer J, Hofer H, Hartmann S (2017): Next generation parasitologists: new structured training programs meet current educational challenges. TRENDS PARASITOL 33, 423–425. doi:10.1016/j.pt.2017.03.008

Lesniak I, Franz M, Heckmann I, Greenwood AD, Hofer H, Krone O (2017): Surrogate hosts: Hunting dogs and recolonizing grey wolves share their endoparasites. INT J PARASITOL-PARASIT WILDL 6, 278–286. doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.09.001

Lesniak I, Heckmann I, Heitlinger E, Szentiks CA, Nowak C, Harms V, Jarausch A, Reinhardt I, Kluth G, Hofer H, Krone O (2017): Population expansion and individual age affect endoparasite richness and diversity in a recolonizing large carnivore population. SCI REP 7, 41730. doi:10.1038/srep41730

Nikolin VM, Olarte-Castillo XA, Osterrieder N, Hofer H, Dubovi E, Mazzoni CJ, Brunner E, Goller KV, Fyumagwa RD, Moehlman PD, Thierer D, East ML (2017): Canine distemper virus in the Serengeti ecosystem: molecular adaptation to different carnivore species. MOL ECOL 26, 2111–2130. doi:10.1111/mec.13902

Ripple WJ, Wolf C, Newsome TM, Galetti M, Alamgir M, Crist E, Mahmoud MI, Laurance WF plus 15,364 scientist signatories from 184 countries (signatories from the Leibniz-IZW: Barthel LMF, Courtiol A, Edwards S, Frey R, Fritze M, Hofer H, Höner O, Kiefer S, Kruszynski de Assis C, Lenz D, Mohamed A, Mühldorfer K, Patel R, Roellig K, Scherer C, Schiller S, Schirmer A, Seltmann A, Szentiks CA, Tilker A) (2017): World scientists’ warning to humanity: A second notice. BIOSCIENCE 67, 1026–1028. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix125

Stillfried M, Gras P, Börner K, Göritz F, Painer J, Röllig K, Wenzler M, Hofer H, Ortmann S, Kramer-Schadt S (2017): Secrets of success in a landscape of fear: Urban wild boar adjust risk perception and tolerate disturbance. FRONT ECOL EVOL 5,157. doi:10.3389/fevo.2017.00157

Davidian CE, Courtiol A, Wachter B, Hofer H, Höner OP (2016): Why do some males choose to breed at home when most other males disperse? SCI ADV 2, e1501236. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501236

Heinrich SK, Wachter B, Aschenborn OH, Thalwitzer S, Melzheimer J, Hofer H, Czirják GÁ (2016): Feliform carnivores have a distinguished constitutive innate immune response. BIOL OPEN 15, 550–555. doi:10.1242/bio.014902

Hofer H, Benhaiem S, Golla W, East ML (2016): Trade-offs in lactation and milk intake by competing siblings in a fluctuating environment. BEHAV ECOL 27, 1567–1578. doi:10.1093/beheco/arw078

Kretzschmar P, Kramer-Schadt S, Ambu L, Bender J, Bohm T, Ernsing M, Göritz F, Hermes R, Payne J, Schaffer N, Thayaparan ST, Zainuddin ZZ, Hildebrandt TB, Hofer H (2016): The catastrophic decline of the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) in Sabah: Historic exploitation, reduced female reproductive performance and population viability. GLOB ECOL CONSERV 6, 257–275. doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2016.02.006

Nadjafzadeh M, Hofer H, Krone O (2016): Sit-and-wait for large prey: foraging strategy and prey choice of white-tailed eagles. J ORNITHOL 157, 165–178. doi:10.1007/s10336-015-1264-8

Olarte-Castillo XA, Hofer H, Goller KV, Martella V, Moehlman PD, East ML (2016): Divergent sapovirus strains and infection prevalence in wild carnivores in the Serengeti Ecosystem: A long-term study. PLOS ONE 11, e0163548. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163548

Pribbenow S, East ML, Ganswindt A, Tordiffe ASW, Hofer H, Dehnhard M (2016): Correction: Measuring Faecal Epi-Androsterone as an Indicator of Gonadal Activity in Spotted Hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). PLOS ONE 11, e0163851. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163851

Stommel C, Hofer H, East ML (2016): The effect of reduced water availability in the Great Ruaha River on the vulnerable common hippopotamus in the Ruaha National Park, Tanzania. PLOS ONE 11, e0157145. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157145

Stommel C, Hofer H, Grobbel M, East ML (2016): Large mammals in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, dig for water when water stops flowing and water bacterial load increases. MAMM BIOL 81, 21–30. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2015.08.005

Davidian CE, Benhaiem S, Courtiol A, Hofer H, Höner OP, Dehnhard M (2015): Determining hormone metabolite concentrations when enzyme immunoassay accuracy varies over time. METHODS ECOL EVOL 6, 576–583. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12338

East ML, Otto E, Helms J, Thierer D, Cable J, Hofer H (2015): Does lactation lead to resource allocation trade-offs in the spotted hyena? BEHAV ECOL SOCIOBIOL 69, 805–814. doi:10.1007/s00265-015-1897-x

Krengel A, Cattori V, Meli ML, Wachter B, Böni J, Bisset LR, Thalwitzer S, Melzheimer J, Jago M, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Hofer H, Lutz H (2015): Gammaretrovirus-specific antibodies in free-ranging and captive Namibian cheetahs. CLIN VACCINE IMMUNOL 22, 611–617. doi:10.1128/CVI.00705-14

Nadjafzadeh M, Hofer H, Krone O (2015): Lead exposure and food processing in white-tailed eagles and other scavengers: An experimental approach to simulate lead uptake at shot mammalian carcasses. EUR J WILDL RES 61, 763–774. doi:10.1007/s10344-015-0953-1

Olarte-Castillo XA, Heeger F, Mazzoni CJ, Greenwood AD, Fyumagwa RD, Moehlman PD, Hofer H, East ML (2015): Molecular characterization of canine kobuvirus in wild carnivores and the domestic dog in Africa. VIROLOGY 477, 89–97. doi:10.1016/j.virol.2015.01.010

Pribbenow S, East ML, Ganswindt A, Tordiffe AS, Hofer H, Dehnhard M (2015): Measuring faecal epi-androsterone as an indicator of gonadal activity in spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). PLOS ONE 10, e0128706. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0128706

Quintavalle Pastorino G, Albertini M, Carlsen F, Cunningham AA, Daniel BA, Flach E, Hofer H, Junhold J, Kock R, Leather S, Masters N, Preziosi R, Routh A, Sainsbury T, Sato Y, Spencer W, Pearce-Kelly P (2015): Project MOSI: Rationale and pilot-study results of an initiative to help protect zoo animals from mosquito-transmitted pathogens and contribute data on mosquito spatio-temporal distribution change. INT ZOO YEARBOOK 49, 172–188. doi:10.1111/izy.12065

Rillig MC, Kiessling W, Borsch T, Gessler A, Greenwood AD, Hofer H, Joshi J, Schröder B, Thonicke K, Tockner K, Weißhuhn K, Jeltsch F (2015): Biodiversity research: Data without theory – theory without data. FRONT ECOL EVOL 3, 20. doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00020

Struebig MJ, Wilting A, Gaveau D, Meijaard E, Smith RJ, The Borneo Mammal and Modelling Consortium (IZW co-authors: Heckmann I, Hofer H, Lindenborn J, Niedballa J, Reinfelder V, Reusch C, Scharf AK), Fischer M, Metcalfe K, Kramer-Schadt S (2015): Targeted conservation to safeguard a biodiversity hotspot from climate and land-cover change. CURR BIOL 25, 372–378. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.11.067

Tian JD, Hofer H, Greenwood AD, Czirják GÁ (2015): Colonization history shaped the immunity of the western house mouse. OECOLOGIA 179, 679–686. doi:10.1007/s00442-015-3397-0

Wilting A, Courtiol A, Christiansen P, Niedballa J, Scharf AK, Orlando L, Balkenhol N, Hofer H, Kramer-Schadt S, Fickel J, Kitchener AC (2015): Planning tiger recovery: Understanding intraspecific variation for effective conservation. SCI ADV 1, e1400175. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1400175

Ajonina SA, Wiegleb G, Fuashi NA, Hofer H (2014): Endangering the endangered: Are protected areas save heavens for threatened species in Cameroon? Case study of Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, South Western Cameroon. J ECOL NAT ENVIRON 6, 42–55. doi:10.5897/JENE2013.0430

Gusset M, Fa JE, Sutherland WJ, Barros Y, Bensted E, Blumer E, Boyle P, Breheny J, Brooks T, Bruford M, Byers O, Carrillo L, Carroll B, Carter S, Clark P, Conde D, Conway W, Craig M, Dick G, Dickie L, Dinwiddie D, Falla C, Fidgett A, Fifield K, Flesness N, Gagliardo R, Greene L, Hanson B, Hibbard C, Hofer H, Holst B, Hunt S, Jensen D, Jepson P, Jones R, Kao C, Karsten P, Killmar L, Kongrom U, Kramer L, Larsson HO, Long S, Lowry R, Luz S, Maloney D, Manansang E, Manansang J, Marshall A, Matamoros Y, McGill P, Nxomani C, Oberwemmer F, O’Connell D, Oellgaard A, Paulraj S, Pearce-Kelly P, Pilgrim M, Pollard E, Pullen K, Robinson J, Rübel A, Shumaker R, Simmons L, Siriaroonrat B, Stevenson M, Street W, Syed H, Thongphakdee A, Vehrs K, Walker S, Werth J, Winata H, Wünnemann K (2014): A horizon scan for species conservation by zoos and aquariums. ZOO BIOL 33, 375–380. doi:10.1002/Zoo.21153

Szentiks CA, Tsangaras K, Abendroth B, Scheuch M, Stenglein MD, Wohlsein P, Heeger F, Höveler R, Chen W, Sun W, Damiani A, Nikolin V, Gruber AD, Grobbel M, Kalthoff D, Höper D, Czirják GÁ, DeRisi J, Mazzoni CJ, Schüle A, Aue A, East ML, Hofer H, Beer M, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD (2014): Polar bear encephalitis: Establishment of a comprehensive next-generation pathogen analysis pipeline for captive and free-living wildlife. J COMP PATHOL 150, 474–488. doi:10.1016/j.jcpa.2013.12.005

Belant JL, Hofer H, Wilting A (2013): Comparison of methods for detecting and surveying tropical carnivores. RAFFLES BULL ZOOL 28 (suppl.), 109–113.

Benhaiem S, Hofer H, Dehnhard M, Helms J, East ML (2013): Sibling competition and hunger increase allostatic load in spotted hyaenas. BIOL LETT 9, 20130040. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2013.0040

East ML, Kurze C, Wilhelm K, Benhaiem S, Hofer H (2013): Factors influencing Dipylidium sp. infection in a free-ranging social carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta). INT J PARASITOL-PARASIT WILDL 2, 257–265. doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2013.09.003

Goller KV, Fickel J, Hofer H, Beier S, East ML (2013): Coronavirus genotype diversity and prevalence of infection in wild carnivores in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. ARCH VIROL 158, 729–734. doi:10.1007/s00705-012-1562-x

Greiner S, Nagy M, Mayer F, Knörnschild M, Hofer H, Voigt CC (2013): Sex-biased senescence in a polygynous bat species. ETHOLOGY 120, 197–205. doi:10.1111/eth.12193

Jeltsch F, Bonte D, Pe’er G, Reineking B, Leimgruber P, Balkenhol N, Schröder B, Buchmann CM, Mueller T, Blaum N, Zurell D, Böhning-Gaese K, Wiegand T, Eccard JA, Hofer H, Reeg J, Eggers U, Bauer S (2013): Integrating movement ecology with biodiversity research – exploring new avenues to address spatiotemporal biodiversity dynamics. MOV ECOL 1, 6. doi:10.1186/2051-3933-1-6

Kramer-Schadt S, Niedballa J, Pilgrim JD, Schröder B, Lindenborn J, Reinfelder V, Stillfried M, Heckmann I, Scharf AK, Augeri D, Cheyne SM, Hearn AJ, Ross J, Macdonald DW, Mathai J, Eaton J, Marshall AJ, Semiadi G, Rustam R, Bernard H, Alfred R, Samejima H, Duckworth JW, Breitenmoser-Wuersten C, Belant JL, Hofer H, Wilting A (2013): The importance of correcting for sampling bias in MaxEnt species distribution models. DIVERS DISTRIB 19, 1366–1379. doi:10.1111/ddi.12096

Krengel A, Meli ML, Cattori V, Wachter B, Willi B, Thalwitzer S, Melzheimer J, Hofer H, Lutz H, Hofmann-Lehmann R (2013): First evidence of hemoplasma infection in free-ranging Namibian cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). VET MICROBIOL 162, 972–976. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2012.10.009

Krop-Benesch A, Berger A, Hofer H, Heurich M (2013): Long-term measurement of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (Mammalia: Cervidae) activity using two-axis accelerometers in GPS-collars. ITAL J ZOOL 80, 69–81. doi:10.1080/11250003.2012.725777

Ludwig C, Wachter B, Silinskia S, Ganswindt A, Bertschinger H, Hofer H, Dehnhard M (2013): Characterisation and validation of an enzyme-immunoassay for the non-invasive assessment of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). GEN COMP ENDOCRINOL 180, 15–23. doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.10.005

Mohamed A, Sollmann R, Bernard H, Ambu LN, Lagan P, Mannan S, Hofer H, Wilting A (2013): Density and habitat use of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in three commercial forest reserves in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. J MAMMAL 94, 82–89. doi:10.1644/11-MAMM-A-394.1

Nadjafzadeh M, Hofer H, Krone O (2013): The link between feeding ecology and lead poisoning in white-tailed eagles. J WILDL MANAGE 77, 48–57. doi:10.1002/jwmg.440

Sollmann R, Betsch, J, Furtado MM, Hofer H, Jácomo ATA, Palomares F, Roques S, Tôrres NM, Vynne C, Silveira L (2013): Note on the diet of the jaguar in central Brazil. EUR J WILDL RES 59, 445–448. doi:10.1007/s10344-013-0708-9

Sönnichsen L, Bokje M, Marchal J, Hofer H, Jedrzejewska B, Kramer-Schadt S, Ortmann S (2013): Behavioural responses of European roe deer to temporal variation in predation risk. ETHOLOGY 119, 233–243. doi:10.1111/eth.12057

Trinogga A, Fritsch G, Hofer H, Krone O (2013): Are lead-free hunting rifle bullets as effective at killing wildlife as conventional lead bullets? A comparison based on wound size and morphology. SCI TOTAL ENVIRON 443, 226–232. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.10.084