Birds and Mammals

We are Wildlife

At RIFCON our scope on wildlife field studies and their development is strongly linked to our experts for regulatory, risk assessment and modelling. This results in setting up solid strategies for your substances and products. We work with all relevant bird- and mammal species occurring in farmland and beyond (including bats). We offer any kind of generic, ecologically-oriented and exposure-related field studies, such as residue studies and large-scale field effect studies – each with customised individual adaptations in accordance with GLP regulations.

The results of the studies are evaluated and analysed by our highly qualified scientists. We commonly discuss new study designs with authorities and adapt older study protocols to new guidance needs. As with the planning of the studies, our team works closely with our regulatory and risk assessment experts in ecotoxicology, toxicology, as well as effect modelling and statistics.
Therefore, let’s see whether your project can be supported by field studies in combination with modelling approaches, post-registration option, more statistic evaluation etc.

Different study types

Generic field studies

Our specialists’ work includes substance-independent, ecological field studies. Standards as focal species are determined, and realistic exposure parameters such as “portion of time” or “portion of diet” are measured and recorded for each crop worldwide – to refine higher-tier risk assessments. We can support you in interpreting the rather vague guideline info regarding sample sizes and optional methods applied for such parameters. Ask us!

Substance-specific field studies

We conduct studies to investigate acute and/or long-term effects for both, birds and mammals (or other vertebrates). All methods known are used to perform a realistic exposure scenario to capture potential effects on animals under natural field conditions. Did you know? For small mammals we are the only contractor offering enclosure studies controlling immigration and emmigration processes in long-term study approaches. Do you want to know more about this? Get in touch!

Residue studies

RIFCON adapted within the past decades continously the more common and invented new types of residue decline studies regarding methods, designs and covered matrices. Besides publically documented plant residues on bird and mammal diet there are many options to cover reliable and useful data about vegetation groups, arthropod & vegetation types, but particularly for seeds, fruits, earthworms etc. to your risk assessment refinement package. If you are interested in discussing options for your product or substance regarding the new guideline requirements in this area just contact us!

Specific studies

One of our main emphases is the development of specific semi-field and field studies that concentrate on relevant data gaps and areas for which study protocols do not yet exist. The goal is to collect relevant data for a complete risk assessment covering e.g. avoidance or de-husking behaviour or to investigate the actual relevance of scenerios. Therefore, we also apply currently not common methods like remote sensing, drone techniques, eDNA sampling and analytics etc. in our studies – Interested to get more information about such options? Just let us know!