36th European Mustelid Colloquium in Białowieża

About the event

The Białowieża Ecology Conference (BEC) is a series of international scientific conferences that aim to gather a better understanding of temperate forest ecosystems. The BEC takes place in the heart of Europe’s last primeval lowland forest, Białowieża, Poland.

In 2026, we will be hosting 36^th European Mustelid Colloquium (EMC). EMC is a scientific conference with nearly seventy years of history, co-organised by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, a UK-based charity founded in 1975 that conserves threatened mammals through scientific research, habitat restoration, monitoring, and public engagement. EMC is a platform for presenting the latest scientific results and as a key forum for building networks, fostering community among researchers, and promoting collaborative scientific work. The conference enjoys enduring popularity among ecologists, zoologists, and conservation biologists, drawing around one hundred experienced scientists and students from all over the world to each recent edition. For decades, EMC has been held in various European locations and has successfully brought together researchers studying mustelids — one of the largest and most diverse groups of carnivorous mammals — along with their ecological role and conservation.

The Mammal Research Institute, PAS, co-oorganising and hosting the 36th edition of EMC, is a leading centre for mammal biology and ecology. With a strong tradition of research on carnivores, including mustelids, the Institute has advanced knowledge in ecology, physiology, morphology, and evolution, with particular focus on population dynamics, interspecies interactions, and adaptation to environmental change. 

This joint initiative 36th EMC/BEC2026 offers a rare opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange, connecting experts in primary forest ecology with those specializing in the biology and ecology of small and medium-sized carnivores.