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Dr Michelle LaRue

@drmichellelarue.bsky.social
18K followers 994 following 1.3K posts

Antarctic wildlife ecologist, Rutherford Discovery Fellow, Prof UCNZ, speaker, children’s book author @natgeo Secrets of the Penguins drmichellelarue.com

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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Weddell seal pups can be curious if you’re sitting next to them quietly. Here, we were collecting a scat sample and the little one leaned a bit closer to see what I was doing. Permit # ACA 2025-010, AMLR LARUE2025 🧪🌎🦑🦊
Weddell seal pup looks into the camera as it lays on the snow
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
We can track emperor penguins’ behavior… in the dark! During winter! When it’s just the males incubating eggs! This new tech gives us a leg up in understanding this iconic species 🌎🧪🦉🦑 Press release here: www.canterbury.ac.nz/news-and-eve...
Group of emperor penguins on the ice; photo taken under NZ permits to LaRue from a safe distance.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Once upon a time 3 wks ago we checked little penguin nest boxes & found a way-too-big egg inside one. Curious. Weird. Trickery? Who knows. Mystery didn’t last long - following week we found this paradise duck far too proud of herself AS SHE SHOULD BE but invading a penguin home nonetheless 🦉🌎🧪🦑
A paradise duck (brown body white head) inside a nest boxes intended for penguins.
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Alex Pritchard (he/him) @pritcharda.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Ooooo, thanks for sharing! Here are my votes!
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Not that anyone asked but here are my votes for NZ Bird Of The Year 🧪🦑🌎🦉
Bird of the year votes for Michelle: royal spoonbill, northern royal albatross, kea, kakapo, and blue duck
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
n_ootpinguwalda @nootpinguwalda.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Our kingdom likes this. Greetings, Ocean!
static.klipy.com
Pingu's Enthusiastic Applause
ALT: Pingu's Enthusiastic Applause
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Neil Lewis, Jr. @neillewisjr.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"By threatening to surveil scholars...detain scientists, and uproot scientists’ families, such policies chill speech, force conformity, and...disrupt the free exchange of ideas. Under these conditions, many scholars in the US have changed their research focus." www.science.org/eprint/CBDR2...
science.org
Free inquiry depends on freedom of movement
Starting in May 2025, the US government implemented an immigration policy that targeted noncitizen researchers for visa denials, visa revocations, detention, and deportation on the basis of the topics...
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
NZ PENGUIN OF THE YEAR IS HERE TEAM 🦉🌎🦑🧪 www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
rnz.co.nz
Meet the 2026 Penguin of the Year
Ocean is a one-eyed kororā, who's gone from rescue and rehabilitation, to taking out the National Aquarium's top penguin title.
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 14/09/2026
There's A LOT of ways the Trump admin is currently attacking & decimating American science. Here's a breakdown of what they are doing, and what you can do about it. 🧵
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Michael Plank @michaelplanknz.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
First H5 bird flu death of endangered Australian sea lion recorded amid fears for small population
South Australian authorities say case discovered on Kangaroo Island is first for species of which less than 12,000 animals remain
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
This represents a fun & serendipitous project about spy satellites, mutual friendship and penguins (1/n)… science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-... 🦉🌎🧪🦑
science.nasa.gov
A Changing World for Emperor Penguins - NASA Science
Experts are analyzing decades of images from Landsat satellites for clues about how the iconic birds have responded to sea ice disruptions in the past.
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Michelle Wille @duckswabber.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
New dashboard up for HPAI in Oceania and parts of SE Asia. 👉 avianfluwatch.org
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Very cool use of satellites to learn about penguin diet 🧪🌎🦑🦉 www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...
discoverwildlife.com
Scientists looked at Antarctica from the air. What they saw has them worried | Discover Wildlife
Using satellite and drone images to analyse Adélie penguin guano, researchers discovered that the seabirds eat more fish when there is more sea ice and more krill when there was less ice. Here's why t...
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Birds New Zealand (OSNZ) @birdsnewzealand.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
News just in: H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) has arrived in NZ. www.beehive.govt.nz/release/h5-b... We encourage you to look out for groups of sick/dead birds and report these to the MPI hotline ☎️ 0800 80 99 66. To keep safe and support detection: www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity-...
beehive.govt.nz
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
And there it is. HPAI in NZ. 🌎🧪🦉🦑 www.rnz.co.nz/news/environ...
rnz.co.nz
Seabird found on Wellington beach tests positive for H5 bird flu
Bird flu has been detected in New Zealand.
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚🇳🇿 @notjustdna.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
“We think about Antarctica and Antarctic research as happening in the continent itself, but we don't think about all the organisation, planning, preparation, training and education that has to happen before a single person goes south to work,” – nice article, incl. #Christchurch #NZ jobs and 💰
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Way to go, Gabriela! www.canterbury.ac.nz/news-and-eve... 🧪🌍
canterbury.ac.nz
UC research reveals scale of Christchurch's Antarctic workforce | UC
New research reveals the full scale of Christchurch's Antarctic workforce and the priorities needed to support its future as an Antarctic gateway city.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
🧪🌎
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
🌎🧪
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
This was a fun conversation - thanks so much, Andrew! 🌎🧪🦊🦉🦑 www.sierraclub.org/sierra/adven...
sierraclub.org
Adventures in Animal Miscasting
Researchers call out wildlife mistakes in movie magic
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Ok Dr Shiffman I need the back story
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
And here’s a direct link to our new work out in RSEC about tracking emperor penguins in the winter. Please check it out and spread the word! 🦑🦉🧪🌎 zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Tracking Wintertime Behaviour of Emperor Penguins Using High‐Resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery
Using 25–30 cm Umbra synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery combined with ground validation of our observations, we introduce a method to track the phenology of emperor penguins during the Antarctic ....
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
We can track emperor penguins’ behavior… in the dark! During winter! When it’s just the males incubating eggs! This new tech gives us a leg up in understanding this iconic species 🌎🧪🦉🦑 Press release here: www.canterbury.ac.nz/news-and-eve...
Group of emperor penguins on the ice; photo taken under NZ permits to LaRue from a safe distance.
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
happy Pride Eve to all the people who are about to paraphrase this tweet from 2022 or repost it with my name removed as if it’s a thought they just had themselves
a screencap of a 2023 Instagram post from Jamila Jameel with over 1500 likes (including Billy Porter!!) it has a progress Pride flag striped background behind a screencap of my old tweet which reads 

Claire Willett
@clairewillett
for pride month this year can straight people focus less on "love is love" and more on "queer and trans people are in danger"
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Can I just say how proud I am of amazing people I get to call my friends and colleagues who just won TWO EMMY AWARDS for Secrets of the Penguins. Here’s Sara being an award winning cinematographer. 🦑🦉🧪🌎
Filmmaker Sara Matasick with a camera filming penguins, which are in the background
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Noel Dickover @noeldickover.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
#academicsky
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Fantastic, you're hired
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Here's one for you: our paper has been sent to three journals over the course of nine months... without a full review. The first journal found ONE person. The last journal tried 15 times and no dice. What on earth. Anyone want to read a paper about emperor penguins? 🦉🦑🌍🧪
Emperor penguin close up
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
oceanographicmagazine.com/news/failure... 🧪🌎🦉🦑
oceanographicmagazine.com
Failure to act on Antarctica leaves Emperor penguin out in the cold - Oceanographic
Nations governing Antarctica met in Hiroshima but failed to grant the emperor penguin Specially Protected Species status.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
I squealed when I heard this yesterday 🌎🧪🦊
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
🧪🌎
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Reposted by Dr Michelle LaRue
Polar Geospatial Center @polargeospatial.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
🧊 PGC is currently seeking a University of Minnesota graduate student in GIS or related field to join our team starting this summer! Support polar science, build geospatial skills, and grow professionally. Position open until filled. 💼 $29.41, tuition benefits & more www.pgc.umn.edu/careers/stud...
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Cilla Wehi @cillaw.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
A great read on NZ’s current science strategy.
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Sarah Tuttle @niais.cryptoanarchy.network · 11/04/2026
Just a reminder that we can fund science, and save the earth, and feed everyone, and have health care and housing too. All those things are within our reach, together.
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Prof. Nicole Holliday @mixedlinguist.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Humanity did that. Science did that. Publicly-funded research did that. Excellent universities did that. Diversity did that. International cooperation did that. Artemis II is a perfect example of what we can do at our best. Welcome home, Integrity crew!
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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Science is good. We should fund it.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Unquestionably so 🧪🧪🧪
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Nicki Washington, Ph.D. @drnickiw.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
As the Integrity crew splashed down TO THE MINUTE of their estimated arrival and hit the BULLSEYE, this is a reminder that Katherine Johnson was an absolute genius. My God. #NASA #ArtemisII
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Paul Byrne @theplanetaryguy.com · 11/04/2026
Now that's a beautiful sight
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Amazing 🌎🦑🦊🧪
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
🌎🦑🦉🧪
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Awesome piece covering my great colleague, Dr Rachel Hickcox’s work on little penguins! 🌎🧪🦉🦑 oceanographicmagazine.com/features/lit...
oceanographicmagazine.com
Little birds, big fight: A tale of New Zealand's little blue penguins
The Edges of Earth team find themselves, this month, clinging to the edge of a cliff, counting New Zealand's little blue penguins.
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Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
🐧🌎🦉🧪💻 Tune in on Thursday, April 9th! Point Blue’s Chief Science Officer, Grant Ballard will be giving a virtual presentation on Adélie #Penguins: Their Past, Present and Future in a Changing #Antarctica. Learn more: shorturl.at/q7YkT
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Eos @eos.org · 24/03/2026
In new research, @ptfretwell.bsky.social @bas.ac.uk discovered emperor #penguin molting sites in satellite images—sites threatened by the disappearance of sea ice. 🐧🧊🧪 Comments from @drmichellelarue.bsky.social at Univ. of Canterbury; story by @andrewchapman.bsky.social. eos.org/articles/shr...
eos.org
Shrinking Sea Ice Is Ruffling Emperor Penguins’ Feathers - Eos
A scientist stumbled upon evidence of penguin molting sites in satellite data, but the sea ice these birds rely on is disappearing.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
🦑🦉🧪🌎
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Solomon @solomonrmissouri.com · 13/02/2026
Abolish ice www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/u...
nytimes.com
Agents Suspended After Their Story of Shooting an Immigrant Falls Apart
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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 28/01/2026
RALLY TO TAKE BACK SCIENCE! 🧪✊🔬 March 7th, 2026 in Washington, DC. We're mobilizing the fight for science and democracy. In the face of assaults on our families, freedoms, and futures, we're taking back science! Learn more at www.standupforscience.net/ma... (linked in bio)
We're back for round two. We're taking back our science. I am fighting for science and democracy. March 7th, 2025. Washington, DC. standupforscience.net/march7We're back for round two. We're taking back our science. I am fighting for science and democracy. March 7th, 2025. Washington, DC. standupforscience.net/march7We're back for round two. We're taking back our science. I am fighting for science and democracy. March 7th, 2025. Washington, DC. standupforscience.net/march7
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Jennifer Molidor @jennifermolidor.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
If you need good news: highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whales are having lots of babies suddenly. 21 mother-calf pairs have been recorded so far, double last season! Endangered by fishing lines and ship strikes, less than 400 remain. But this is hopeful news www.wired.com/story/a-nort...
wired.com
A North Atlantic Right Whale Baby Boom Is On—but the Species Remains at Risk
Researchers have documented the births of nearly two dozen North Atlantic right whale calves this season. It’s an encouraging sign for a species whose population is estimated to be below 400.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Senators Klobuchar and Smith need to sign on to this immediately.
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Dr Michelle LaRue @drmichellelarue.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
FIGHT. Show up in any way you can. Call senators. Call congresspeople. Send supplies, donate, protest, make signs, make food, do what you can when you can. Our rights are worth fighting for. #abolishice
Emperor penguin photo with link to donate to immigration defense network
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