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 / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Rempfler, T., Peters, W., Signer, C., Filli, F., Jenny, H., Hackländer, K., Buchmann, S., & Anderwald, P. (2025). Contrasting daytime habitat selection in wild red deer within and outside hunting ban areas emphasises importance of small‐scale refuges from humans. Ecology and Evolution, 15(8), e71407. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71407
• Bar-Gera, B., Anderwald, P., Evans, A. L., Rempfler, T., & Signer, C. (2025). Comparing the accuracy of machine learning methods for classifying wild red deer behavior based on accelerometer data. Animal Biotelemetry, 13(9). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-025-00401-9
• Ruf, T., Signer, C., Arnold, W., Vetter, S. G., & Bieber, C. (2024). Filtering heart rates using data densities : the boxfilter R package. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 15(6), 1016–1023. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14301
• Rempfler, T., Rossi, C., Schweizer, J., Peters, W., Signer, C., Filli, F., Jenny, H., Hackländer, K., Buchmann, S., & Anderwald, P. (2024). Remote sensing reveals the role of forage quality and quantity for summer habitat use in red deer. Movement Ecology, 12(80). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00521-6
• Sigrist, B., Signer, C., Wellig, S. D., Ozgul, A., Filli, F., Jenny, H., Thiel, D., Wirthner, S., & Graf, R. F. (2022). Green-up selection by red deer in heterogeneous, human-dominated landscapes of Central Europe. Ecology and Evolution, 12(7), e9048. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9048
• Vogt, K., Vimercati, E., Ryser, A., Hofer, E., Signer, S., Signer, C., & Breitenmoser, U. (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). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-018-1225-7
• Marreros, N., Frey, C. F., Willisch, C. S., Signer, C., & Ryser-Degiorgis, M.-P. (2012). Coprological analyses on apparently healthy Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) from two Swiss colonies. Veterinary Parasitology, 186(3-4), 382–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.11.009
• Mavrot, F., Vilei, E. M., Marreros, N., Signer, C., Frey, J., & Ryser-Degiorgis, M.-P. (2012). Occurrence, quantification, and genotyping of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in wild Caprinae with and without infectious keratoconjunctivitis. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 48(3), 619–631. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-48.3.619
• Signer, C., Ruf, T., & Arnold, W. (2011). Hypometabolism and basking : the strategies of Alpine ibex to endure harsh over-wintering conditions. Functional Ecology, 25(3), 537–547. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01806.x
• Marreros, N., Hüssy, D., Albini, S., Frey, C. F., Abril, C., Vogt, H.-R., Holzwarth, N., Wirz-Dittus, S., Friess, M., Engels, M., Borel, N., Willisch, C. S., Signer, C., Hoelzle, L. E., & Ryser-Degiorgis, M.-P. (2011). Epizootiologic investigations of selected abortive agents in free-ranging Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) in Switzerland. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 47(3), 530–543. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-47.3.530
• Signer, C., Ruf, T., Schober, F., Fluch, G., Paumann, T., & Arnold, W. (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), 75–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x
• Ryser-Degiorgis, M.-P., Bischof, D. F., Marreros, N., Willisch, C., Signer, C., Filli, F., Brosi, G., Frei, J., & Vieli, E. 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), 368–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.08.005

Books, peer-reviewed

Signer, C. (2010). Seasonal acclimatisation and over-wintering strategy of free-ranging Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) : Dissertation [Doctoral dissertation]. Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

Sigrist, B., Laube, P., Signer, C., & Graf, R. F. (2016). Close encounters : analyzing disturbance events between deer and visitors in a recreational forest. GISRUK 2016 Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24632

Other publications

• Sigrist, B., Reifler-Bächtiger, M., Jakob, M., Bar-Gera, B., Suter, S., Graf, R. F., & Signer, C. (2025). Rothirsch im Mittelland: Bestandsentwicklung und Raumnutzung in der Region Albiskette – Reusstal : ZHAW-Schlussbericht 2025. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-33978
• Fischer, C., Signer, C., Willisch, C., Urbina, L., Huber, L., Villard, L., Golay, L., Thiébaud, A., Sigrist, B., Reifler-Bächtiger, M., Suter, S., Jakob, M., Bar-Gera, B., Marreros, N., Grüter, M., Lichtenberg, C., & Marti, I. (2024). Forschungsprogramm Rothirsch im Schweizer Mittelland : Abschlussbericht. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-30746
• Signer, C., Wirthner, S., & Kämpfer, D. (2023). Rothirschprojekt Aletsch-Goms : wichtige Grundlagen für das Wildtiermanagement. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 174(5), 306–309. https://doi.org/10.3188/szf.2023.0306
• Imesch, N., Fiechter, R., Fischer, C., Gehr, B., Kupferschmid, A. D., Signer, C., Suter, S., Vogt, K., & Willisch, C. (2023). Leitfaden zum Monitoring von Wildhuftieren. Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Wildtierbiologie SGW. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-32551
• Signer, C., Wirthner, S., Sigrist, B., Wellig, S. D., Kämpfer, D., Albrecht, L., & Graf, R. F. (2022). Rothirschprojekt Aletsch-Goms : Abschlussbericht zum Forschungs- und Managementprojekt 2017–2021. ZHAW Wädenswil, Kanton Wallis & Pro Natura. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24621
• Koch, T., Signer, C., & Graf, R. F. (2022). Einfluss der Schafsömmerung auf die Nahrungsverfügbarkeit für den Alpensteinbock (Capra ibex) im Winter. Jahresbericht der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Graubünden, 2022(122), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-981212
• Hochreutener, A., Rupf, R., & Signer, C. (2022). Outdoorsport und Wildtiere in den Bergen. IUNR Magazin, 2022(2), 20–21. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27315
• Graf, R. F., Signer, C., Reifler-Bächtiger, M., Wyttenbach, M., Sigrist, B., & Rupf, R. (2018). Wildlife and humans in outdoor recreational areas near cities. Swiss Academies Factsheets, 13(2), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.1168451
• Thiel, D., Signer, C., Graf, R. F., Wellig, S., Nef, U., Nigg, H., Elmiger, A., & Ammann, A. (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. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-9609
• Graf, R. F., Signer, C., Reifler-Bächtiger, M., Wyttenbach, M., Sigrist, B., & Rupf, R. (2018). Wildtier und Mensch im Naherholungsraum. Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz, 13(2), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.1168451
• Wellig, S. D., Signer, C., & Graf, R. F. (2018). Spatiotemporal and physiological reactions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to recreational and hunting activities. Workshop: Human-Nature Interactions and Conflict Management in Mountain Environment, Bolzano, Italy, 26-28 November 2018.
• Signer, C. (2014). Der Alpensteinbock. In K. Wanner (ed.), Naturpark Beverin : ein Kultur- und Landschaftsführer rund um den Piz Beverin (pp. 20–25). Terra Grischuna.
• Signer, C. (2013). Zur Überwinterungsstrategie des Alpensteinbocks. FaunaFocus, 2013(1).
• Signer, C., & Jenny, H. (2006). Bericht zur Rehkitzmarkierung im Kanton Graubünden 1972-2005. Amt für Jagd und Fischerei Graubünden.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

Signer, C., Fluch, G., Jurcevic, P., Arnold, W., & Ruf, T. (2014). Measuring heart rate and body temperature in the field : a new telemetry system opens novel perspectives in ruminant eco-physiology. 48th North American Moose Conference and Workshop, Girdwood AK, USA, 28 April - 1 May 2014.

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