Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 01/09/2026No prizes for guessing which approach a) employs more people and b) is more environmentally sustainable. 030
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 01/09/2026I‘m staying in Switzerland with family, and in my morning run, came past a council worker manually weeding between the tiles of a public walking path that connects two roads. In Australia, they would just throw on some weedkiller. 111
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 28/08/2026This seems like a big decision. Of course it is also important to document impact and conduct research to learn more about the disease. I wonder what sort of provisions there are for this. 020
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Southern bent-wing bat numbers may still be declining - a real concern in an already critically endangered mammal. www.theguardian.com/environment/...theguardian.comThe population of an endangered Australian bat suddenly dropped by up to 16%. No one knows whyExclusive: Scientists say about 5,000 fewer southern bent-wing bats have been recorded at a key maternity site for the species 041
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 14/07/2026My favourite Australian animal - great to see it edging back from the brink! 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 09/07/2026These findings add to our study published last year (www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...) which showed high PFAS levels in urban possums in the greater Melbourne area, with PFOS also being the most significant in these species.sciencedirect.com 010
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 09/07/2026🧪An excellent new study by Gillings et al. shows how PFAS affects house sparrows at urban sites near Melbourne with industrial contamination. Young birds were the most affected, and PFOS was the most dominant compound. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...pubs.acs.orgEarly Life Uptake and Elimination of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in a Seasonally Invertivorous BirdExposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) impairs avian reproduction and development, yet uptake and elimination pathways in birds remain poorly resolved. To better understand these proce... 193
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Nerves of steel from the Swiss Football team today. Hopp Schwiiz! Super gmacht. 🇨🇭⚽️🥳 It was worth getting up early for. 110
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Animal Emergency Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888. 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 24/06/2026www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-...agriculture.gov.au 100
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 24/06/2026wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Resource-Cen...wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au H5 bird flu 100
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Another case of H5N1 in a wild bird is really worrying. No major outbreak yet, but spill over into a susceptible native animal population becomes ever more likely. More details on avian influenza and what to do if you suspect a case see comments below. Do not touch! www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06...abc.net.auDeadly bird flu discovered in second Australian stateA third confirmed case of the deadly H5 bird flu has been found in a migratory bird on Australia's southern coast. 131
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 24/06/2026This is why vaccination saves lives. Not just yours, but also the life of others, including those more susceptible to severe disease and death. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06...abc.net.auAs Ebola spreads, Australia faces rise in 'biblical' disease risksThe bugs that cause Ebola, hantavirus and diphtheria are microscopic, but many of the barriers to controlling them are human-sized. 031
Reposted by Jasmin HufschmidMichelle Wille @duckswabber.bsky.social · 21/06/2026Until Friday, Australia was the only continent free from HPAI H5N1. Sadly, this is not the case - a 2344b confirmation in a Brown Skua, and a suspected case in a Northern Giant Petrel which turned up in WA. 👉 www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06... (1/x) 33529
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026If you suspect an animal could be infected, including mass mortalities, contact the Animal Emergency Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. 031
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026For more information, go to the Wildlife Health Australia H5N1 Resource Site wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Resource-Cen...wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au H5 bird flu 131
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026In particular, waterbirds, birds of prey, seabirds, marine mammals, scavengers are at risk of being exposed. But cases have also been reported in other species, including dairy cows. Impacts on the poultry industry could also be significant. 120
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026The impacts on our wildlife are also unclear. If this is the start of an outbreak, the impacts could be severe, based on what has been observed overseas. There have been mass mortalities in birds, but also in some marine mammals. A wide range of bird and mammal species can get infected. 210
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026You have probably heard that the first case of H5N1 avian influenza/bird flu has been reported from Australia. What does this mean? We don’t really no yet. It could be a single case, or it could be the first of many. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06...abc.net.auFirst case of deadly H5 bird flu confirmed in AustraliaThe virus, found in a migratory bird in Esperance, raises concerns for the poultry industry despite Australia having spent years preparing for such a biosecurity breach. 194
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026If you come across a bird or wildlife mass mortality, or are otherwise come across a wild animal you think may be infected with bird flu, ring the National Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. Don‘t touch the animal. 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 19/06/2026The way we change the world around us matters - for so many reasons, including health and disease. Our health, animal health and environmental health = One Health. Let's work towards reducing the likelihood of the next pandemic. Great article by Chris Walzer. news.mongabay.com/2026/06/we-m...news.mongabay.comWe must prevent the next pandemic, not build perfect conditions for it (commentary)In recent weeks, two outbreaks captured international attention: a hantavirus cluster linked to a cruise ship and an escalating outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in Central and Eastern Africa. How the... 021
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 16/06/2026This has been my philosophy for some time now :) 010
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 08/05/2026Happy birthday to a legend of nature and science communication! www.abc.net.au/news/science...abc.net.auSir David Attenborough turns 100: Celebrate his life in his wordsNatural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough turns 100 today. We look back at his work and interviews to capture some of his wisdom and endless sense of wonder. 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Also just clarifying, I’m sharing a story from the NYT. Not my own. 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Measles is one of the most infectious diseases we know of. One infected person on average infects between 12-18 people!!! This also means that 95% or more of the population have to be vaccinated to keep measles from circulating. Renea‘s story was entirely preventable. Vaccines work. 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/04/2026I think this story illustrates two things: vaccinating your child doesn’t only protect your child but also those too young or sick to be immunised. And secondly, even though most kids or people infected with measles will recover, some won’t. There is no way of knowing which category you‘re in. 100
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/04/2026The brain swelling kept getting worse. Eventually she was diagnosed with sclerosing panencephalitis, a rare but fatal long term consequence of measles. The virus had been hiding away in her body all these years. She kept deteriorating and died a couple of weeks before her 11th birthday. 100
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Renae got measles when she was 5 months old, too young to be vaccinated. She was hospitalised but survived. For the next 10 years all seemed well. She grew into a very smart and funny tween. Then she started to feel just a bit off, she got seizures. The doctors found brain swelling. 100
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/04/2026A heartbreaking story about the potential fatal long term impacts of measles, even if the initial infection is survived. Rare, but devastating and entirely preventable. Measles Took My Daughter. This Is What I Want Everyone to Know. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Measles Took My Daughter. This Is What I Want Everyone to Know. 201
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/04/2026There is currently no evidence of secondary poisoning of predators of aquatic organisms, but perhaps something to keep in mind. 000
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/04/2026It can be removed from waste water through special steps such as ozone treatment. But most water treatment facilities don’t have this. Incidentally, diclofenac poisoning was also a major issue on the subcontinent for vultures feeding on livestock treated with the drug. 100
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 20/04/2026Diclofenac (Voltaren) has been found in significant concentrations in rivers in Switzerland. The drug has negative health impacts on aquatic organisms. The gel enters waste water through hand washing, showers etc. www.srf.ch/news/schweiz...srf.chSchweizer Flüsse überschreiten häufig Grenzwerte für DiclofenacÜber das Abwasser gelangen Rückstände des Wirkstoffs Diclofenac in Gewässer – mit Folgen für die Lebewesen. 110
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 05/02/2026www.theguardian.com/environment/... Heat waves are devastating to flying fox colonies. The good news is that the sprinkler systems installed in some colonies anecdotally seem to help though.theguardian.comMore than 80% of flying fox colony wiped out as January heatwaves kill thousands of batsOnly 180 bats survived intense heat in South Australian town, including 34 babies that carers say face months of recovery 020
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 30/12/2025We have lost a wonderful scientist, and our much admired vice chancellor much too soon. My condolences especially to Prof Johnston‘s family. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...theage.com.au‘Unfathomable loss’: University of Melbourne’s vice chancellor dies at 52Professor Emma Johnston, the university’s first female vice chancellor, has died less than 12 months after taking up the role. 020
Reposted by Jasmin HufschmidTatiana Proboste @tatianaproboste.bsky.social · 31/10/2025Join our lab! The Disease Ecology Lab at the USYD is seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to explore drivers of infectious diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface 🌐 www.sydney.edu.au/scholarships... #PhD #Scholarship #DiseaseEcology #Epidemiology #WildlifeHealth #OneHealth #USYDsydney.edu.auPostgraduate Research Scholarship in Disease Ecology and Epidemiology 066
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 31/10/2025Definitely not the only possible sentinel, Eddy Cannella. But one of several potentials. 110
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 31/10/2025pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/our...pursuit.unimelb.edu.auOur world-first study found ‘forever chemicals’ in Australian possumsAustralian possums tested in Melbourne are the 'canaries in the coal mine' for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in our urban wildlife finds University of Melbourne research. 2159
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 30/10/2025Wildlife are telling us a lot about environmental pollution levels. One Health in action. 010
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 30/10/2025Urban possums in Melbourne, Victoria, have among the highest PFAS levels previously documented in terrestrial mammals anywhere in the world. Congratulations Ellis Mackay on your first paper! doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...doi.orgRedirecting 141
Reposted by Jasmin HufschmidWildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 29/10/2025🎓 Graduate opportunity! The University of Melbourne’s School of BioSciences is seeking MSc students for a funded One Health-inspired project on how the gut microbiome can boost conservation success in Australian mammals. Contact Dr. Ashley Dungan: ashley.dungan@unimelb.edu.au 001
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 30/10/2025🧪Great work by Jacinta Colvin and team from RMIT and our partners at Phillip Island Nature Park. 051
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 23/10/2025🧪🦇 Congratulations, @alangguth.bsky.social for publishing the first of her PhD papers. More to come! 090
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 21/10/2025Excellent work by our fabulous final year DVM student Bridget Graffeo - and the MVS Parasitology team around Prof Abdul Jabbar. 010
Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 06/10/2025Vote for your favourite Australian Bird of the Year! First round of voting closes tonight. A great opportunity to learn more about some of Australia's amazing avifauna. www.theguardian.com/environment/...theguardian.comAustralian bird of the year 2025: vote for your favourite #birdoftheyear in the Guardian / BirdLife Australia pollFrom little penguins to (very big) cassowaries, every bird has its fans. Vote for your favourite in the 2025 Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll 020
Reposted by Jasmin HufschmidWildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 03/10/2025Congratulations to Dr Anna Langguth, winner of the Student Award at this year‘s WDA-A conference for her presentation on zymosan challenge trials in eastern bent-wing bats. @alangguth.bsky.social #wdaa2025 043
Reposted by Jasmin HufschmidWildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 03/10/2025Congratulations to Dr Alison Peel, winner of this year‘s prestigious WDA-A Barry L Munday Award for her extraordinary and extensive contributions to the field of wildlife health. @alibat.bsky.social #wdaa2025 052