We are pleased to announce the 22nd Congress of the Portuguese Ethological Society, taking place on October 30–31, 2025, at the University of Algarve (Penha Campus), in sunny southern Portugal.
This year’s congress is jointly organized by the Portuguese Ethological Society, the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) of the University of Algarve, and the FishEthoGroup Association with the support and sponsorship of Star-Oddi.
The congress will bring together researchers, scholars, and professionals working in the field of ethology, providing a platform for the presentation of cutting-edge research, scientific exchange, and networking. From aquatic to terrestrial species, from behaviour to welfare, the event aims to foster a multidisciplinary and collaborative scientific community, including plenary talks, oral presentations, posters exhibition, and opportunities for academic exchange and collaboration.
We look forward to welcoming the scientific community to Faro for two days of engaging presentations, insightful dialogue and knowledge sharing.
We’re excited to share a rich and engaging programme of talks, posters, and activities at SPE 2025 — you can explore the full schedule [here].
For more information please contact: mail@fishethogroup.net
Book of Abstracts Now Available
The abstract book is now online! You can access it [here]. We hope it proves to be a useful resource throughout the congress.
WORKSHOP (optional and upon registration, limited to 10 participants):
Birding and bird identification
Participants will be guided through the Ria Formosa lagoon to learn how to observe and identify the beautiful avifauna of this Natural Park.
Date: November 1 (weather permitting)
Duration: 8:30am to 12:00
Price per participant: 20€ (to be paid on site)
Guide: João Tiago Tavares (ornithologist, biologist, illustrator)
Workshop with Star-Oddi (limitaded to 20 participants)
Hands-on workshop exploring high-performance mini data loggers and sensors for animal and environmental monitoring in aquatic and wildlife research.
Date: October 29
Duration: 14h00 – 17h00
Price: Free
Expert: Ásgeir Bjarnason
Register here for the workshops!
Registrations will be closed for new submissions on the 17th of October.
Registrations
Presenting authors need to be registered as participants.
Registrations are now closed.
Type of Registration | EARLY BIRD PRICES (until July 18th) | LATE REGISTRATION PRICES |
| SPE Associate Member - Graduate (e.g. Master or PhD student) | €25 | €35 |
| SPE Associate Member - Undergraduate (Bachelor) | €15 | €20 |
| Student (Non-SPE member) | €55 | €65 |
| SPE Effective Member | €55 | €65 |
| Other researchers / Participants | €105 | €115 |
Become a new SPE member
Consider joining SPE and have access to reduced congress registration fee. To join SPE, complete the membership form and pay the membership fee for the current year.
Members EN | Sociedade Portuguesa de Etologia
INVITED SPEAKERS
Melissa Bateson (Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University)
Melissa Bateson is a Professor of Ethology at Newcastle University and President of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. She completed her undergraduate and doctoral studies in Zoology at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on how stressful experiences, particularly food insecurity and early-life adversity, influence cognition, behaviour and health in both humans and animals. She has a strong interest in improving reproducibility in behavioural science and is co-author of the textbook Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide.
Sandra Trigo (CIBIO, Portugal)
Sandra Trigo is a Behavioural Ecologist with interests in animal social behavior. She mostly works on the mechanisms of social behavior, ornamentation and neurobiological factors that regulate and modulate complex behaviors. She's currently the principal investigator of an ongoing project investigating the interaction of neurobiology and social behavior in a gregarious avian model species. She's investigating how monoamine and nonapeptide pathways influence individual behavior, and how these behavioral effects scale up to influence social network structure and dynamics.
José Ricardo Paula (MARE / Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal)
José Ricardo Paula is a behavioural biologist fascinated by the intricacies of social interactions in nature. He is a LaCaixa Junior Group Leader at MARE-Lisbon. Much of his research has focused on cleaner fish, which provide a valuable service to other species by removing parasites and dead tissue from their skin. He is particularly interested in the relevance of animal cognition at the ecosystem level, how species interact and how their behaviour and cognition evolve.
Social Dinner - October 30 - 8pm (optional)
Come enjoy a relaxed evening at Tertúlia Algarvia, in the heart of Faro’s old town, and discover some delicious Algarvian specialities!
Date: October 30
Location: Tertúlia Algarvia, Faro Old Town
Price: €28.50 per person
Menu: [Click here to view the menu]
We’ve partnered with several local accommodations in Faro to offer you convenient and affordable options during the congress:
Faro Boutique Hotel – 3-star hotel
Stay in comfort right in the city centre.
Voucher code: CSPE2025
Use this code when booking to access special congress rates.
Hostellicious – Modern hostel with private and shared rooms
A relaxed and budget-friendly option in the heart of Faro.
Voucher code: SPE10OFF2025
Grants 10% off your preferred rate (Flexible, Semi-Flexible or Non-Refundable).
To book: visit farohostel.com/hostellicious and enter the code under promotion code.
Ti Maria Guest House – Charming hostel with individual rooms and shared bathrooms
Fixed rate of €25/night for congress attendees.
Book via email: timariaguesthouse@gmail.com – just mention you’re attending the SPE Congress.
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