News

Secret message - in the fur of a hamster

Author: 2024. 03. 27. 14:58

In Péter Bacsó's absurdist classic film The Witness, the communist state accuses the protagonist and his disgraced friend of passing "secret messages in ground squirrels skins" to the frogmen. According to the story, the two characters do indeed come into contact with the "dam's greatest enemy, the ground squirrel", beating the crap out of a (european) hamster.

European Commission consultation

Author: 2024. 02. 22. 14:31

Representatives of the European Commission's Nature Conservation Directorate have arrived in Hungary for a bilateral meeting on the Natura 2000 network. The meeting, which took place on 14-15 February 2024, provided the opportunity to discuss specific nature conservation issues and to present the results of the Grassland-HU LIFE integrated project.

Latest news from Hortobágy

Author: 2023. 06. 14. 13:34

The overall objective of GRASSLAND-HU is to restore and conserve the natural landscape of the Pannonian Steppes, the Hortobágy National Park Directorate intends to report on the status of work and give information about the progress that had been reached on the designated project locations.

Day of Birds and Trees

Author: 2022. 05. 19. 10:07

The Herman Otto Institute Nonprofit Ltd. invited 300 primary school children to get involved in the Day of Birds and Trees on Friday 13th May 2022. Children could learn about the importance of environmental protection through environmental awareness activities including fun bird and tree facts, videos, noise pollution and composting lessons, mini botanical garden and zoo at 10 venues.

A focus on grassland invertebrates

Author: 2022. 05. 06. 13:41

Under the GRASSLAND-HU LIFE integrated project, a one-day online workshop was organized by Herman Otto Institute Non-profit Ltd. on conservation and monitoring of grassland invertebrates of conservation concern and managing their grassland habitats in Natura 2000 sites.

Report on activities conducted in Őrség - GRASSLAND-HU LIFE IP reaches its halfway point

Author: 2022. 03. 26. 09:14

The LIFE integrated project is halfway through its 8-year duration. During the first cycle of the project, between 2019 and 2020, we focused on preparatory works, while during the second cycle pilot actions were conducted. Where does the integrated project stand now that is coordinated by the Herman Otto Institute with the collaboration of 14 project partners and what are the achievements so far?
Below, Dr. Mátyás Szépligeti park ranger at the Őrség National Park Directorate and local project coordinator, are providing information on the results achieved so far.

Annual Conference of Mammalogists

Author: 2021. 11. 20. 19:49

The first Annual Conference of Mammalogists will be held by the Hungarian Natural History Museum and the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd. with the participation of the WWF Hungary in order to raise awareness and to share the novel research results with the general public.

International Saker Falcon Conference and Workshop

Author: 2021. 10. 26. 16:53

Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., in cooperation with MME/Birdlife Hungary organizes an online internation conference and workshop on the conservation of saker falcon on 1-2 December 2021. The event focuses on the European population, but presentations and e-posters are welcome also from the Asian range of the species. 

First Birch Mouse Born in Captivity

Author: 2021. 09. 06. 17:16

For the first in its history, the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden have welcomed birch mice to its terrariums. In early June, researchers collected two pairs of Hungarian birch mice from the grassland of Borsod County. These mice were taken to the Budapest Zoo, so that the behaviour and lifestyle of these unique animals could be observed.

"The Secrets of Grasslands II." Photography Contest

Author: 2021. 06. 21. 02:56

Under Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project, Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., with its project partners, has decided to hold a second photo contest again this year. The aim of this year contest is to draw attention to the importance of conservation of grasslands through the presentation and promotion of grasslands habitats and species, and their high biodiversity values.

National European Hamster Census 2020

Author: 2020. 12. 17. 16:20

In the framework of the Grassland-HU project, under a joint nature conservation action project of the Hungarian Natural History Museum and the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., a census was carried out using questionnaires and interviews with the employees of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture and the National Park Directorates to learn about the status of the European hamster.