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Bob Smith

@anotherbobsmith.bsky.social
1.6K followers 620 following 10 posts

Director of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology @dice-kent.bsky.social at the University of Kent and Founder of the Izele online conservation social network.

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Reposted by Bob Smith
Rosaleen Duffy @rosaleenduffy.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
📆 interested in #AnimalPolitics & #mutualisms? Check out this exciting conference in Sheffield 8-9 Sept - with a really fascinating set of papers ⬇️ multispeciesmutualisms.org/event-social...
Pink background - event: Social ties in animal politics in black working. the further text is on the weblink. 
photo of a metal birdbath with three birds on it
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Theo Priestley @theopriestley.net · 22/07/2026
Writers
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Nature Ecology & Evolution @natecoevo.nature.com · 22/05/2026
Quasi-experimental analysis of the effects of Ethiopia’s protected areas on environmental and human wellbeing is combined with surveys of conservation professionals to explore why improving protected area effectiveness may be prioritized over network expansion 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Trade-offs between nature and people in Ethiopia’s protected areas demonstrate challenges in translating global conservation targets into national realities - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Quasi-experimental analysis of the effects of Ethiopia’s protected areas on environmental and human wellbeing is combined with surveys of conservation professionals to explore why improving protected ...
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Neal Hockley @nealhockley.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
This, by @timharford.ft.com feels right on LLMs. One problem with the Turing Test of AI is that convincingly imitating a human doesn't require competence (because humans are often not competent). timharford.com/2026/06/chat...
timharford.com
Chatbots make stuff up. Why do we believe them anyway?
Marathon day. An early train into London, then an unfamiliar journey across a race-disrupted city from Paddington to Blackheath, all in good time for the start of the race. I was nervous, of course…
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Mark Avery @markavery.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Congratulations to @stubutchart.bsky.social of @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social on his election as FRS @royalsociety.org markavery.info/2026/05/28/s... @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @bou.org.uk @btobirds.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social @britishbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
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Street Art Utopia @streetartutopia.com · 23/05/2026
🦊 “Longbridge Foxes” — By Annatomix in Longbridge, Birmingham, UK 🇬🇧 Underpasses That Became Secret Art Worlds (12 Photos): streetartutopia.com/2026/05/23/u...
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Wisse van Engelen @wissevanengelen.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Then there is this study on the national level by @sophiejago.bsky.social and colleagues, including @joelangley9.bsky.social @juliajones.bsky.social @jamesborrell.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Trade-offs between nature and people in Ethiopia’s protected areas demonstrate challenges in translating global conservation targets into national realities - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Quasi-experimental analysis of the effects of Ethiopia’s protected areas on environmental and human wellbeing is combined with surveys of conservation professionals to explore why improving protected ...
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Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
In fisheries models, natural mortality (M) is often set to 0.2 per year. A detailed derivation of this result was provided by John Pope in 1975, see below:
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Sophie Jago @sophiejago.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Ethiopia’s protected areas are working — and that is worth celebrating. Our new paper in @natecoevo.nature.com looks at what Ethiopia’s experience can teach us about the challenges in turning global conservation targets into effective and equitable national action. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Trade-offs between nature and people in Ethiopia’s protected areas demonstrate challenges in translating global conservation targets into national realities - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Quasi-experimental analysis of the effects of Ethiopia’s protected areas on environmental and human wellbeing is combined with surveys of conservation professionals to explore why improving protected ...
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David Roberts @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
🚨FUNDED PHD🚨'Economic carrying capacity & the future of rhinos in privately governed OECMs' @dice-kent.bsky.social, UK & International applications welcome - closing date 14th May🦏 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Male White rhinoceros walking in the Kalahari Desert of Namibia Photo by Giles Laurent
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Jules Skotnes-Brown @julesskotnesbrown.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
JOB ALERT: Two 4.5 year postdoctoral positions to work on my Wellcome-funded project 'Conserving Global Health: Biodiversity Protection and the Prehistory of Planetary Health'. Please share widely! CLOSING DATE: 23 April (the date on Jobs.ac.uk is apparently incorrect)
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Neal Hockley @nealhockley.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
We're recruiting a fully-funded #PhD using behavioural sci approaches in community conservation in #Madagascar. Open to international students - #Malagasy speakers especially welcome! Led by @wouterpoortinga.bsky.social Based @ Cardiff School of Psychology www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
A Behavioural Science Approach to Community-Led Conservation at Lake Alaotra, Madagascar at Cardiff University on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - A Behavioural Science Approach to Community-Led Conservation at Lake Alaotra, Madagascar at Cardiff University, listed on FindAPhD.com
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Julia PG Jones @juliajones.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Fully-funded PhD with me in beautiful North Wales (field work in Sumatra). From conflict to coexistence: how can new biodiversity finance approaches promote elephants and humans living in harmony? With @wwf.org.uk, @bangoruniversity.bsky.social www.bangor.ac.uk/conservation...
bangor.ac.uk
PhD project: From conflict to coexistence - How can new biodiversity finance approaches promote elephants and humans living in harmony? | Bangor University
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Dr Helen O'Neill @hmkoneill.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
📖 New paper 📖 #Elephant 🐘 barrier behaviors in response to conflict mitigation fences 🐝 Led by Dominique Gonçalves @anotherbobsmith.bsky.social @dice-kent.bsky.social #conservation doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
doi.org
Elephant barrier behaviors in response to conflict mitigation fences
Human–wildlife conflict is a major conservation issue, particularly in lower income countries, where it affects marginalized people and leads to the extirpation of threatened species. Managers increa...
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David Roberts @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
🚨New Paper🚨'Conservation Rangers Urgently Need Mental Health Provision' in @consletters.bsky.social by Soofi et al. inc @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social @dice-kent.bsky.social Great work by Soofi bringing this paper together!!! doi.org/10.1111/con4...
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George Holmes @georgeholmes.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
This instance hasn't been discussed much in the European sphere, but it is pretty wild - a group of scientists write a unassuming exploration of some issues around rewilding in Argentina, and get sued by a very large and influential NGO. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Threatened conservation scientists: The aftermath of an eye-opening publication on rewilding
‘Rewilding’ is a nature conservation strategy gaining prominence worldwide. Established in the Northern Hemisphere, rewilding initiatives have increas…
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Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
How do you know whether or not your conservation monitoring program is helping you to deliver outcomes? We have made a checklist of 15 distinct reasons - some more directly connected to outcomes than others.
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Mike Mascia, Ph.D. @mikemascia.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Conservation abandonment is a policy blind spot. #ICYMI, read the article here: rdcu.be/eQpdN #OpenAccess #nature #climate @catalyzconserv.bsky.social
rdcu.be
Conservation abandonment is a policy blind spot
Nature Ecology & Evolution - Amidst the collective push to establish nature conservation initiatives, little attention has been paid to ensuring that they persist over time. The abandonment of...
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Natalia (Nat) Zielonka @natbzielonka.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Excited to be trailing FreeStations - accessible environmental pollution equipment - at our @dice-kent.bsky.social campus next week Huge thanks for Prof Mark Mulligan from @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social for building them with us! Read more here: blogs.kent.ac.uk/dice/2025/09...
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William (Bill) Sutherland @billsutherland.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Excellent advice from Hugh Possingham on monitoring conservation projects and why most Monitoring and Evaluation is flawed. youtu.be/qa6Ewt-W5mU?...
youtu.be
Why most conservation projects fail to learn
YouTube video by Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts
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Kate Jeffery @katejj.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
The University of Glasgow groundspeople are going to be quite annoyed when they come in to work tomorrow...
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IPBES @ipbes.net · 26/09/2025
And that’s a wrap! This week, authors of the #SpatialPlanningConnectivity Assessment met for the first time to explore biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning and ecological connectivity.🌍 Thank you to @iiasa.ac.at 🇦🇹 for being excellent hosts! 🧪 www.ipbes.net/spatial-plan...
Photos of the first Author Meeting of the Spatial Planning and Ecological Connectivity Assessment hosted by IIASA in Laxenburg, AustriaPhotos of the first Author Meeting of the Spatial Planning and Ecological Connectivity Assessment hosted by IIASA in Laxenburg, AustriaPhotos of the first Author Meeting of the Spatial Planning and Ecological Connectivity Assessment hosted by IIASA in Laxenburg, AustriaPhotos of the first Author Meeting of the Spatial Planning and Ecological Connectivity Assessment hosted by IIASA in Laxenburg, Austria
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Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
There are over 18,000 types of lichen in existence. My personal favourite is ‘village bench lichen’, which devotes its entire existence selflessly to gradually making communal public seating more furry and comfortable.
A lichen-covered bench in Manaton, Devon.
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James Harding-Morris @jameshardingmorris.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
This feels like the perfect post to reply to and announce this - but my book, Endemic: Exploring the wildlife unique to Britain, which includes a chapter on the No Parking Whitebeam, comes out a week today. share.google/Rgyzzyr777Hi...
share.google
Endemic
Meet the rare, obscure and utterly British species found nowhere else on earth.Around 70,000 species call Britain home, but how many of them can be found here a…
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Steph Brittain @stephaniebrittain.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
📣📣📣 Fully funded MSc scholarships available for this Sept. Short deadline: 21st July Kent are offering fully funded taught MSc in Conservation Science #scholarships @dice-kent.bsky.social For more info: lnkd.in/eiPJG8uE Any questions, then please email: lhscholars@kent.ac.uk #phdchat #funding
lnkd.in
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
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Matthew Holden 🏳️‍🌈 @matthholden.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Job alert: 2.75 -3 yr postdoc in Mathematical ecology/epidemiology or Decision Sci at the University of Queensland on the value of information for decisions with @hugepossum.bsky.social @katehelmstedt.bsky.social Katriona Shea & myself #MathSky 🌍 uq.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/uqcareers/jo... please share
uq.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Mathematical Ecology and Environmental Decision Science
School of Mathematics and Physics Full-time, fixed-term position for up to 2 years and 9 months with the possibility up to 3 years, depending on funding availability. Base salary will be in the range ...
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Matthew Holden 🏳️‍🌈 @matthholden.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Please share: PhD scholarship opportunity in mathematical ecology on the value of information for improving ecological management, open to international students, with a great team @hugepossum.bsky.social, Katriona Shea, Kate Helmstedt, & me at UQ, Australia 🌍 🧮, study.uq.edu.au/study-option...
study.uq.edu.au
The value of information for ecological management
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DICE Kent @dice-kent.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
*New postgraduate studentship*! ⚠️⬇️ We are now offering fully funded taught MSc in Conservation Science studentships at the University of Kent, particularly targeted towards individuals from underserved backgrounds. Apply here: ➡️ www.kent.ac.uk/durrell-inst... #postgraduatescholarships
kent.ac.uk
Leverhulme ‘Space for Nature’ MSc Scholarship
Join the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology as a Leverhulme 'Space for Nature' scholar.
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Steph Brittain @stephaniebrittain.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
👋 Hello BlueSky! I’m Dr Stephanie Brittain, a Lecturer in Conservation Science at @dice-kent.bsky.social & a Research Fellow @iccs.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk. I’m also President of the SCB SSWG (Social Science Working Group) @society4conbio.bsky.social scbsocialscience.org #ConSocSci
scbsocialscience.org
SCB Social Science Working Group – Strengthen conservation social science and its application to conservation practice
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Bob Smith @anotherbobsmith.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Please come along to our #ICCB2025 symposium on "Future pathways for area-based conservation" tomorrow, Tues 17, from 3:15 to 4:15 pm in Mezzanine Level Meeting Room M3. We have a set of excellent speakers talking about how and whether different types of conservation areas fit within GBF Target 3.
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Tobias Kuemmerle @tkuemmerle.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
Come join us at the Conservation Biogeography Lab @biogeoberlin.bsky.social @humboldtuni.bsky.social and carry out work on megafauna in Europe pages.cms.hu-berlin.de/biogeo/websi...
pages.cms.hu-berlin.de
New PhD position on large mammals and land-use change in Europe | Conservation Biogeography Lab
We are excited to invite applications for a new PhD position on large mammals and land-use change in Europe. Join us at the Conservation and Biogeography Lab at Humboldt University Berlin!
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Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
Rebuilding Nature launched today and aims to create a UK Strategic Nature Network by 2030. The group includes National Highways, Network Rail and more. Its key focus is re-connecting fragmented landscapes to allow the free movement of plants & wildlife and provide resilience against climate change.
rebuildingnature.com
Strategic Nature Network
Rebuilding Nature has the vision to create a Strategic Nature Network by restoring dynamic ecosystems that protect society, delivering 30|30|30
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Tim Kuiper @timkuiper.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
Still can't believe we got onto the cover of Science! Across 11 reserves and 7 years, we found that dehorning achieved large reductions in poaching, but it's not a magic bullet Full article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... Popular version: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...
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Natalia (Nat) Zielonka @natbzielonka.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Really looking forward to #BioBlitz 2025 at @dice-kent.bsky.social tomorrow! There’s still time to book yourself onto free walks and surveys that are running all day tomorrow 👇 🦅 🦇 🐞 🐝 🌱 🌻 🦔
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Bob Smith @anotherbobsmith.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
DEADLINE APPROACHING. There are only 5 days left to apply for a fully-funded PhD on "Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England". The project is open to home students and the deadline is this Sunday (May 11th). More details are here: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England at University of Kent on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England at University of Kent, listed on FindAPhD.com
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Natalia (Nat) Zielonka @natbzielonka.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Join @dice-kent.bsky.social for #BioBlitz 2025 on the 17th May 🌱 🪲 🐸 🐝 🦡 🌺 This is a family friendly event where we try to record as many species as possible! We’ve lots of free events! Find them all and sign up here 👉 lnkd.in/e5kjJRmd Why not join me for a walk to learn about #soundscapes? 🐦🔉
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Julia PG Jones @juliajones.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
Two fully-funded PhD scholarships @BangorUni in conservation social science. Deadline 5th May. If you have conservation scientists, geographers, economists, sociologists in your network do share. Details in thread below (1/3) www.bangor.ac.uk/conservation...
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Tobias Kuemmerle @tkuemmerle.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
Different land uses often overlap, but we often ignore this in #conservation planning. Here is how we can change that --> paper in One Earth by Marie Pratzer and #SystemShift team doi.org/10.1016/j.on... @oneearthofficial.bsky.social @biogeoberlin.bsky.social @humboldtuni.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu
Forest-dependent smallholder homestead inside a larger, industrialized cattle ranch in the South American Gran Chaco.
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Bob Smith @anotherbobsmith.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
I am advertising two PhD studentships (part of the six that DICE is currently advertising). PhD 1: Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England. Deadline 11/05/25. www.findaphd.com/phds/project... Supervised by Bob Smith and Zoe Davies, funded by UKRI E3.
findaphd.com
Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England at University of Kent on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England at University of Kent, listed on FindAPhD.com
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Neal Hockley @nealhockley.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
👆 Fully-funded #PhD opportunity as part of the @WGSSSDTP researching the social and economic aspects of restoring the Celtic rainforests. Would particularly suit a Welsh-speaking researcher! bangor.ac.uk/conservation...
bangor.ac.uk
New PhD project: Restoring the Celtic Rainforest for Net Zero – A Just Land Use Transition?  | Bangor University
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Abhishek Behl 🫵🏼 @abehl.net · 07/04/2025
April's DICE Talk was from Dr Gail Austen, the Leverhulme Support Officer for DICE. Dr Austen started at DICE in 2013 as a PhD student researching accuracy, error and bias in species identification. youtube.com/watch?v=MVBp...
youtube.com
Citizen Science: Experts and Expertise in Species Identification | Dr Gail Austen | #DiceTalks
YouTube video by Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
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Alexander Müller @alexandermueller.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Congratulation @nevilleash.bsky.social and a lot of success in this „turbulent“ times!
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Shivira @shivira.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
📢 The Galapagos rail has been rediscovered on Floreana Island in the Galapagos after almost two centuries! Long-term monitoring programs are ESSENTIAL for the conservation and recovery of endangered species. 🌍🪶🧪 #ornithology @darwinfoundation.bsky.social www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
darwinfoundation.org
Galapagos Rail Rediscovered on Floreana - Charles Darwin Foundation
Scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation confirm the presence of the Galapagos Rail on Floreana Island for the first time in 190 years.
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Sylvaine Giakoumi @sylvainegiakoumi.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
New publication in TREE @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social Given the political momentum for greater nature protection and restoration articulated in the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework, we assessed the state-of-the-art of Systematic Conservation Planning. www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...
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Stelios Katsanevakis @skatsanevakis.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Just published in TREE! Advances in systematic #ConservationPlanning to meet global #biodiversity goals. 💡New tools improve resource allocation & decision-making, but trust-building is key for adoption. Future SCP must address trade-offs & uncertainties. www.cell.com/trends/ecolo... 🌍🌐🧪 #MarinePlan
cell.com
Advances in systematic conservation planning to meet global biodiversity goals
Systematic conservation planning (SCP) involves the cost-effective placement and application of management actions to achieve biodiversity conservation objectives. Given the political momentum for gre...
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Greg Jenner (Historian) @gregjenner.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
This story is well worth your time 👇
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IPBES @ipbes.net · 20/01/2025
Charismatic species get attention from the public and scientists alike. But what about less attractive species? In this episode Simon Watt and @anotherbobsmith.bsky.social explore the beauty of 'ugly’ species. Tune in: natureinsight.podbean.com
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Tobias Kuemmerle @tkuemmerle.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Interestingly, European #bison were positively associated with both, forests and openland – showing that we should move beyond debating whether they are a forest or grassland species (more analyses on this coming soon). #wisents
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IPBES @ipbes.net · 15/01/2025
Charismatic species like lions 🦁 steal the spotlight, but what about the underdogs of nature? Simon Watt & Prof. Bob Smith join #NatureInsight to discuss the “ugly” species we ignore—and why they deserve a second look. 🌍💔 🎙️ Episode 4 is NOW out: natureinsight.podbean.com
An image of a blobfish, with a screenshot featuring the Nature Insight logo and the following text: "IPBES Podcast. Nature Insight: Speed Dating with the Future. Season 4 Episode 4"
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DICE Kent @dice-kent.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
We are proud to announce the publication of a collaborative research project in Nature Sustainability. The paper used wildmeat.org to better understand the regional patterns of wild animal hunting in African tropical forests: doi.org/10.1038/s418... Congratulations to all parties involved!
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