Wildlife biology
If questions about the course, contact wb.grimso@slu.se.
The Wildlife Biology course supplies students with a solid foundation in ecology and management of Scandinavian wildlife, including species biology, wildlife damage, management strategies (local and national), the organization of Swedish wildlife administration, research and monitoring methods, and insights into ongoing wildlife research. The main focus of the course is on applied issues but theoretical aspects of wildlife ecology are also addressed. Methods used in research and management of Scandinavian wildlife (for example animal capture, population monitoring and genetics) are explained and practised. The use of population modelling, monitoring data, effects of uncertainty etc. in forecasting the effects of management decisions are explained within an adaptive management framework.
Wildlife Biology is given by the Department of Ecology at Grimsö Wildlife Research Station and includes lectures, exercises, group and individual projects, field practices, excursions, and literature studies. The course is tightly connected to research and important field techniques used at Grimsö, including the Wildlife Damage Centre. Real-world problems are presented at lectures and exercises led by researcher and field technicians at Grimsö, and staff from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the County Board Administrations, the Reindeer Husbandry, and the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management.
Housing is available (student price) at Grimsö for all students on the course.
Information from the course leader
An email containing detailed information about the course and a preliminary schedule will be sent separately to all admitted students. At the moment (2025-07-17) we don´t have access to the lists of admitted student and we have therefore added the text from the welcome letter below. The preliminary schedule is also published here at the website.
For any questions regarding the course, please contact wb.grimso@slu.se. This email will be monitored approximately once a week during the summer vacation.
Kind regards,
Lovisa Nilsson & Jens Persson
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Hello and welcome to the Wildlife Biology Course at Grimsö Wildlife Research Station!
Below you will find some information that we hope will be helpful as you prepare for the course.
The course starts on Monday Sept 1 at 10:00 in “Loftsalen,” the large lecture hall at Grimsö. The final day of the course is Friday October 31. During the course, most days will be scheduled from 8:30 to 16:30. However, we will sometimes start before 08:30 and/or run past 16:30 depending on the day's activities. Lectures will be mixed with more practical activities like field trips and group projects. You will also likely need to spend some time studying or working on projects during the evenings and weekends.
Arriving at Grimsö: You are welcome to arrive the day before the course starts (Sunday, Aug 31). Please note that there is no public transportation to Grimsö. If you are coming by bus or train, we can pick you up in Lindesberg or Skinnskatteberg, which are the nearest towns with train stations. You are also encouraged to drive your own car if you have one. There is free parking at Grimsö, and the directions provided by Google Maps are correct. Please remember to let us know when you arrive so that someone can pick you up or greet you at Grimsö. If you are coming by car, maps are also attached.
Address: Grimsö Wildlife Research Station (in Swedish: “Grimsö forskningsstation”), Grimsö 152, 739 93 Riddarhyttan.
Accommodation: There is student housing at the Grimsö manor, where students will live in shared rooms (2 students per room), with shared bathrooms. Sheets, towels and blankets are included in your rooms, so you don´t need to bring your own. Please note that space in the rooms is limited.
There is a kitchen with fridges, a freezer, a stove, and oven in a nearby building where students can prepare food, but please be aware that the kitchen is shared by all students. Also, during shorter periods there will be people attending other courses hosted at Grimsö, and these course participants may also use the cooking facilities.
At the manor house, there is a TV, wireless internet, and microwave ovens. In the nearby office building, there are washers and dryers for laundry, and a sauna that is available for students to use. Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms, common living areas, cooking facilities and laundry room during the course, as well as washing their sheets if need be during the course.
Cost for accommodation: 5332 SEK for the whole course. Please note that this is a package cost for the whole course so if you miss a few days here and there they will still be charged the price above. You can pay the fee for your room anytime during the course using credit card or Swish.
Please bring your food for at least the first night and morning if you arrive the day before the course starts. There is nowhere to buy food at Grimsö on the weekends!
Please be aware that Grimsö is in a remote area, and there are no stores nearby. The closest convenience store and gas station are located in Riddarhyttan, which is 15 km away. There are a number of grocery stores and other shops in Lindesberg (28 km from Grimsö, see below). There is no transportation to these towns, and students will be responsible for organizing trips to town by themselves. This is usually not a problem, as there are usually a few students who bring cars. If you are undecided regarding whether to bring your own car, we would recommend it.
Lunch: Students can prepare their own lunch in the shared kitchen, or purchase lunch from the restaurant at the manor on weekdays. The restaurant does not serve breakfast or dinner.
The restaurant at the Grimsö manor serves lunch on work days (i.e. Monday – Friday) for 110 SEK per lunch. One main dish is prepared each day, with salad and bread on the side. The manor restaurant cannot consider special food requirements (i.e. vegetarian or food allergies) each day. Vegetarian dishes are sometimes prepared, and the lunch menu for each day is available the previous week. If you want to eat lunch at the restaurant occasionally, please let Eva Persson in the kitchen know at least one day in advance.
Pets: There are a limited number of rooms in cabins close to the manor in which dogs are allowed (2 beds in each room – please note that the rooms are shared by owners and dogs, and space is limited!). Please contact us if you are interested in bringing your dog to the course – these rooms are booked on a first-come, first-served basis, and once they are full, we are not able to accommodate additional dogs. Please note that dogs are only allowed in the designated cabins, and not in the manor, lecture halls, office building or kitchen. No other pets are allowed.
When you have accepted your place at the course, please email us at this email and let us know;
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Whether you plan to live at Grimsö manor during the course.
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If you know already now- provide your arrival information, including flights and train information, or approximate arrival time if driving
Course literature: We will use book chapters and scientific articles as course literature. The literature will be provided at course start and during the course.
Suggested things to bring: Rain gear, rubber boots or heavy hiking boots, warm clothes, small backpack, compass, binoculars, and thermos. Bring your own computer, notebooks and pens, etc. If you have a car, we suggest you bring it – it will be handy for some parts of the course (you will get compensated for the driving you do for course activities) and your own errands (e.g. shopping groceries).
Studentkåren (student union): Ultuna studentkår can be reached at uls_kans@stud.slu.se or 018-67 11 14.
Post office, grocery stores, etc: Mail is delivered to Grimsö every second weekday. There are post offices and banks in Lindesberg (ca 30 km south from Grimsö). In Lindesberg, you will also find grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, pharmacies, a library, swimming hall, gym, and movie theater. There is also a small grocery store and a gas station in Riddarhyttan (ca 15 km north from Grimsö).
Spare time: There is a nice lake to go for a swim about 1.5 km SW of the station and you can fish in Sörmogen and Sverkestaån nearby Grimsö (you don't need a fishing license for the part of Sörmogen that is closest to the research station – in other parts of the lake and Sverkestaån you need a license – ”Sveafiskekortet”). We play floor hockey (“innebandy”) in Lindesberg one evening a week, so bring your athletic gear if you want to join! There are also great opportunities to pick berries or mushrooms nearby the station and nice trails for running, or hiking etc. Feel free to ask us for suggestions on nice places to visit.
Tuition fee for non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens: Please note that your acceptance to the course is conditional on paying the tuition fee – your final acceptance to the course will not be complete until you have paid your tuition – please contact student affairs at 018-67 28 00 or studexp.ultuna@slu.se for questions about tuition fees – we have nothing to do with tuition fees but are required to remind you that your final acceptance will not be complete until you pay your tuition. Paying tuition applies to all students who do not hold an EU passport.
See the student website for details and the attached preliminary schedule: https://student.slu.se/en/studies/courses-and-programmes/course-search/course/BI0872/10224.2526/Wildlife-biology/
We look forward to seeing you at Grimsö!
Jens Persson & Lovisa Nilsson
Course evaluation
Additional course evaluations for BI0872
Academic year 2024/2025
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10181)
2024-09-02 - 2024-10-31
Academic year 2023/2024
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10456)
2023-08-28 - 2023-10-30
Academic year 2022/2023
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10106)
2022-08-29 - 2022-10-31
Academic year 2021/2022
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10315)
2021-08-30 - 2021-11-01
Academic year 2020/2021
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10290)
2020-08-31 - 2020-11-01
Academic year 2019/2020
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10086)
2019-09-02 - 2019-10-31
Academic year 2018/2019
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10099)
2018-09-03 - 2018-11-11
Academic year 2017/2018
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10151)
2017-08-28 - 2017-11-05
Academic year 2016/2017
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10268)
2016-08-29 - 2016-11-06
Academic year 2015/2016
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10016)
2015-08-31 - 2015-11-01
Academic year 2014/2015
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10169)
2014-09-01 - 2014-11-09
Academic year 2013/2014
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10312)
2013-09-02 - 2013-11-10
Academic year 2012/2013
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10185)
2012-09-03 - 2012-11-11
Academic year 2011/2012
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10034)
2011-08-29 - 2011-11-06
Academic year 2010/2011
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10108)
2010-08-30 - 2010-11-07
Academic year 2009/2010
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10175)
2009-08-31 - 2009-11-08
Academic year 2008/2009
Wildlife biology (BI0872-10116)
2008-08-25 - 2008-10-26
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
BI0872 Wildlife biology, 15.0 Credits
ViltbiologiSubjects
BiologyEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 15.0 | 0401 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The equivalent of 120 credits including 90 credits in biology of which 10 credits in ecology.English B (Swedish secondary school) or equivalent
Objectives
To supply qualified knowledge on Scandinavian wildlife ecology and management, including research and monitoring methods, species biology, wildlife damage, ecological processes and management strategies. The course focuses on applied ecological aspects related to management, conservation, hunting and land use and acknowledge both ecological theory and practical issues.
After completion of the course, the students should be able to;
describe the general ecology of Swedish wildlife (large herbivores, small game species with cyclic population dynamics, and medium sized to large carnivores).
account for management strategies of both hunted and protected species, as well as wildlife damage.
exemplify and summarize common methods within wildlife research and methods used to obtain input data for the management.
have a basic understanding how population models and monitoring data can be used in management decisions.
be familiar with common topics in wildlife biology and know where and how further knowledge could be found, e.g. from the scientific and management literature.
summarize and assess the varying kind of knowledge (ecological, sociological, economic etc.) needed to develop management plans.
Content
The course consists of lectures, exercises, group and individual projects, educational visits and excursions. The first part of the course concerns methods used in wildlife research and management, that are demonstrated and practiced in the field. The second part of the course is a survey of Swedish wildlife species and their ecology, natural dynamics and regulation, and habitat utilization etc. The third part of the course deals with management scenarios and real-world problems, land use, wildlife damage, wildlife research, administration and laws concerning Swedish wildlife management and conservation.
The project topics are chosen within the subject areas of the course to enable the students to broaden their knowledge. The group projects include field studies.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Passed written examinations, written reports and oral presentations of the projects
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Responsible department
Department of Ecology