Collaborations and Management of Research Projects
Our team collaborates with zoological parks, private and public laboratories, and companies to carry out partial or complete studies in the field of ethology and animal welfare:
- Setting up experimental protocols.
- Literature review.
- Field data collection.
- Data analysis (including video analysis of behaviors).
- Conducting statistical tests.
- Scientific writing.
The software primarily used for collection and analysis are: BORIS, Cybertracker, SocProg, DeepLabCut, and our platform Akongo Welfare Manager. Statistical analyses are carried out using R software.
Akongo Accredited by the French State as a Research Organization
The Akongo research office has recently been accredited by the French Ministry of Research and is now officially recognized as a research organization. This step is a formal recognition of our expertise in research and development.
It opens new opportunities and benefits for our partners, particularly in terms of the French Research Tax Credit (RTC). Now anyone or company that entrusts us with a research service, related to ethology and/or animal welfare, can benefit from the RTC for the expenses they incur in these operations. (Note: the RTC is a fiscal support mechanism that encourages innovation and research by offering significant tax benefits to companies investing in these areas.)
This accreditation reinforces our commitment and our desire to bring innovative solutions in the field of animal welfare and to contribute to the success of research projects!
If you have projects in ethology, animal welfare, or related fields, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to discuss how Akongo can help you achieve your goals.
Scientific Support for Zoological Parks
Thanks to the diversity of species they host, zoos and aquariums are particularly well-placed to contribute to scientific research, related to species conservation and captive management.
Scientific studies conducted in parks have an impact both on the management and welfare of the animals in the park (diet, social group, enclosure designs, etc.) but also on conservation actions in the wild (data accessible only in captivity, equipment testing before use on wild fauna, population genetics, etc.).
The summary of research activities carried out within the establishment also meets a regulatory requirement (Article 53 of the decree of August 25, 2004).
Our team assists you in:
- Setting up a research strategy and an action plan that fits within the research policy of EAZA, adapted to the size of the establishment and available human resources.
- Establishing collaborations (as a host site for scientific data collection but also as an initiator of research projects, notably in animal welfare and the conservation of endangered species).
- Scientific monitoring to keep the team's knowledge up to date.
- Preparing an annual report of the research and conservation activities conducted by the park.
