iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Do you study Urban Ecology and/or focus on conserving urban species? If so, please join this starter pack! 🌃🌆🏙️ go.bsky.app/29rs45P

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Happy #WorldTurtleDay! Did you know that many turtle species are at risk of extinction? In North America, turtle nesting season is almost here! Please be mindful when you see them on land and give nesting moms space. 🐢 Learn more on how to help your local turtles! 👇🏽

Snapping turtle sitting on brown coloured gravel to nest.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

I think it's been a while since I promoted this Starter Pack! Are you involved with Urban Ecology and Conservation? 🏙️🌃 Maybe you are a researcher or a conservation practitioner! If so, comment or DM me, and I will add you to the Starter Pack! It's a small community but we are steadily growing! 😄

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Finally got to see a Mink Frog! 🐸 They look similar to Green Frogs and young Bull Frogs. But they lack the dorsolateral folds, and have different webbing in the hind limbs and toes.

Mink frog in pond substrate. A red lily pad at the back. A green leaf at the front.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Accidentally packed the wrong lens today, because I was in a rush to catch the bus. 🚌 Photographing mammals with a macro lens was not something I had in mind! 🦝 Looks like a female!

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

It’s been a while since I got to see an Eastern Newt! Saw a few of them in a nearby pond too! 🦎 (There’s a real lack of emojis to represent herps! 😩)

Eastern Newt trying to hide under leaf litter.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Yes! They were icy cold and barely moved! Hoping the weather whiplash won’t get them.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Still waiting for spring flowers here! 😪☀️🌸🌻

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

So nice to see critters again! I really enjoyed seeing these Wood Frogs and Spring Peepers today! 🐸

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

First herp sighting of the year for me! A lovely Red-backed Salamander from the Greater Toronto Area. 🌆🦎

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Are you a researcher/practitioner working on urban ecology and conservation? 🌇🌆🏙️🌃 Please join our starter pack! go.bsky.app/29rs45P

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Haha oh gosh, I hope I didn’t make everyone suggest their favourite urban wildlife now. 😅 With or without turtles, I’d love to buy your book!

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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢

Deepak Veerappan🐢🦎🐍🐸🔬🧬🌳⛰️ 🐕🏃‍♂️✌️ @deepakveerappan.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

New species 🚨, not one, not two, 13 new bush frogs from Northeast India!!! One of the exciting revisions I've been involved in for a few years now is out today. It is led by @bitupan-herp.bsky.social, a PhD. student who will soon be a doctor.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Green Iguanas look so prehistoric! I’m glad they are mostly herbivorous! 😍🦎

Close up image of green iguana’s head next to a tree trunk.

Green iguana resting on a tree branch looking up.

Green iguana yawning. Photo captured through many branches so the full head is not visible.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

This is really cool! Bad day to be a frog. 😅

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

A tale in four photos… This Green Heron took about 5 minutes to swallow this poor little frog! 🐸 Interestingly, the heron kept dipping the frog in water and rotating it so that the frog was facing the throat before swallowing it whole 😱

Green Heron with open mouth while swallowing the frog

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Cool bird alert! Osprey flying away with a fish! Lunch must be delicious! 🐟🦅

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Ok weird, I didn’t get the alt-text reminder. 😞 Left photo is a close up of a Cuban anole and the right photo shows the anole resting on a branch.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Cuban Knight Anole! Largest anole in the Dactyloidae family. I really love their big heads! 🦎

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

I know otters gotta eat too, but it’s still heart-breaking. 😢

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

They were eating that shell like it was a ripe fruit 😰

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

The audacity of this otter to munch on the baby turtle next to me, a conservation biologist working on protecting turtles. 😭 Feels like a big F U to me! 😂

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

What is a turtle biologist’s worst nightmare? 🤔 I present an example here! 🐢🦦 A baby turtle was devoured by these two otters! 🥹

An otter eating a turtle while another otter watches.

Two otters in water. One has a turtle in its mouth.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Lately, I am obsessed with lizards! I mean, look at their adorable curly tails! 😍🦎 And, of course, they are called Curly-tailed Lizards! 🤭

Curly tail lizard on a rock facing right.

A curly tailed lizard with a nubby tail.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

Cute frog alert! I don’t know what species this is or whether it’s even native to Florida, but I really like how this photo turned out! 🐸

Treefrog hanging on to leaf. Water droplet on its butt.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

Green Herons are such beautiful birds! And I love this photograph I took in Florida couple of days ago. Could have been a delicious snack if the dragonfly was caught. 🤭

Green Heron staring at dragonfly on the end of the branch.

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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢

N. Joris Fleck @njorisfleck.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

+++ Hissscord🐍 NEWS +++ Our new server is live! 🐍 A free space for young and experienced herpetologists to connect, collaborate, and get quick help. 💬 DM me here on Bluesky or elsewhere for an invite to the Discord channel! Please feel free to share and repost! #Herpetology #SEH2025 #Hissscord

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

I believe they are called barbels. Probably have a similar function to that of cat fish barbels?

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

And I just learned two cool facts about them. Despite their appearance, the adult wasps actually drink nectar. And females can reproduce via parthenogenesis because males are rare. 🤯

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Love it!! 😍🐢 Also makes me feel sneezy. 🤧

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Sneaky Snapper! 🐢 Super exciting to see a snapper basking in the local city pond! 🌆 They have become very used to human presence.

Snapping turtle floating and basking in a pond. The pond is covered in lily pads.

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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢

Jen Cross @jencross.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Oak Treehopper Mama Update! Here she is with entire brood. They're getting big! So, why is it nice to leave some leaves around? These kids will hibernate over winter as adult females in leaf litter. (Platycotis vittata) PA

A thin branch with a herd of small insects that have black and white stripes with red patches on their backs. As the far end, the mother treehopper watches over the youngsters. She is green with yellow spots and clear wings. There are green leaves in the background.

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Not gonna lie, gars are cool! But it’s turtles for life for me. 😄

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Does anyone know of any workshops for Bayesian population viability analysis? Other resources are welcome too! I am starting a new project and wanted to learn new skills! #PopulationModelling #Bayesian #PVA

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Turtle alert! 🐢 Look at this Blanding’s Turtle walking all over a poor Painted Turtle. 🤭🙊😅

Blanding’s Turtle walking over Painted Turtles on a log.

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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢

Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

Are you a researcher/practitioner working on urban ecology and conservation? We still have space in the starter pack! go.bsky.app/29rs45P 🌆🌇

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

I know! I was so thrilled to have witnessed it. I almost wonder if the damselfly also mistook the mantis for a blade of grass! 🤭

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Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

I almost got a super cool shot! A damselfly on a praying mantis.

A blue damselfly landed on a praying mantis on the ground.

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