The 43^rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Queensland, Australia from 6^th to 10^th July 2009.

The theme of the congress will be Applied Ethology for Contemporary Animal Issues and the sub-themes planned are:

• animal welfare assessment and enhancement
• management of unwanted animals
• animal emotion and cognition
• animals in extensive and natural environments
• animal-human interactions.

This will be the first time the ISAE congress has been held in the Australia/New Zealand region and our aim is to make this congress memorable: there will be presentations of high quality ethological science, ample opportunities to network and discuss presentations, an exciting social program - and all in the stunning location of tropical, north Queensland. Cairns is the gateway to The Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforest and the "Outback".

The congress has something to offer all those involved in applied ethology and animal behaviour and we look forward to giving you a warm Aussie & Kiwi welcome Down-under!

Carol Petherick
on behalf of the local organising committee