4^th International Symposium „Behavioural mechanisms in animals and options of their modelling” took place at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences on 15^th May 2015. The Symposium was organized by several institutions from Wrocław and Warsaw: the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Department of Reproductive and Clinic of Farm Animals and Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive Medicine), the Lower Silesian Chamber of Medical and Veterinary, and Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS. Dr Michał Dzięcioł from the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences acted as the Head of the Organizing Committee, and Professor Ewa J. Godzińska from the Nencki Institute was the Head of the Scientifc Committee. Scientific patronage was granted by the Polish Ethological Society.

The Symposium was attended by more than 230 participants, including 13 foreign ones. Comprehensive plenary lectures were held by Professor Adam Miklosi (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary) (2 lectures), dr Martin Dehnhard (Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany), dr Manuel Mengoli (Institut de Recherche en Sémiochimie et Ethologie Appliquée (IRSEA), Quartier Salignan, France) and dr Maciej Trojan (Department of Animal Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Warsaw University). Animal communication systems (including olfactory communication and communication with humans), the role of emotions in the mediation of animal behaviour (mostly in dogs and horses), and evolution of pro-social behaviour were the most important issues discussed in these lectures . The programme of the Symposium also included 12 short oral communications and 14 posters.

The award for the best short oral communication was won by Paweł J. Mazurkiewicz, a Ph. D. student preparing an interdyscyplinary Ph. D. thesis in the Department of Animal Physiology of the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw and in the Laboratory of Ethology of the Nencki Institute (P. J. Mazurkiewicz and E. J. Godzińska „Quantification and analysis of behaviour: alternative options and difficult decisions”).

More details about the Symposium can be found at the following www addresses: http://www.zachowaniazwierzat.pl/ and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mechanizmy-Zachowa%C5%84-Zwierz%C4%85t/114651541973479?fref=ts