School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University’s Post

Completed my Nptel course on wildlife ecology

Development of applied ecology of fear tools that introduce predator cues to reduce human-wildlife conflicts

A conference that delves into the science of wildlife ecology - https://lnkd.in/gNkvnFAq, For the best experience read this on The Hindu App. https://bit.ly/THNewsApp

"A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution lifts the veil on what happens when octopuses and fish hunt together. As it turns out, this cross-species relationship is more complex than anyone expected. Animals of the same species often cooperate—work together to reach some kind of goal. But it's relatively rare to find cooperation between individuals from different species. A classic example you'll be familiar with is the close relationship between dogs and humans, whether in the context of herding sheep or hunting. In these situations, the dog and the human work together to achieve a goal." #octopuses #teamwork

#poaching #extinction #trafficking #birds #rewilding #habitaloss #commoditization #anthropocentrism #life #love #reverenceforlife #loveofJesus The Situation: "These two great-billed seed finches are part of a decades-long conservation project that aims to reintroduce one of Brazil’s most endangered species into a part of the Cerrado grassland that used to be its home before poaching for trade wiped out the birds." The Cause: "While habitat loss and fragmentation resulting from agricultural conversion are believed to have impacted the great-billed seed finch, its greatest threat comes from its popularity as a caged bird. Traffickers employ networks of poachers to locate and trap males in the wild in Brazil and, increasingly, in neighboring Bolivia, then sell them illegally in rural towns and cities across the country." The Fix: "To achieve this aim [rewilding] , a captive-breeding center has been established within the park, expediting breeding and releases. Every month, an average of three breeding pairs are reintroduced into the reserve after a period spent in an enclosure to adapt them to the sights and sounds of their natural habitat." The Problem: Until the poaching and trafficking are eliminated, these efforts, while well intentioned, cannot stem the tide of extinction currently faced by this species. Trafficking and poaching cannot be eradicated by law enforcement; they can only be eliminated by a conscious human choice, a choice to permit these creatures to exist as God and nature intended, not as humans might wish. Only when humanity adopts a reverence or life as our ethos, the ethos that places upon us the solemn duty to act as stewards of God's creation, not its usurpers and perverters, will articles such as this one become a memory of what we were, rather than a depiction of who we are.

Some interesting findings on shared-ecological system management from Andrew Houldcroft from University of Exeter. Well worth the read for anyone working on these systems, with socially flexible primates, or simply interested in heterogeneous landscape dynamics.

Evaluating Ecological Impact and Conserving Species of Concern CES recently completed a comprehensive review to evaluate the Ecological Impact Report (EIA) and Rehabilitation Plan requirements for a sensitive ecological site at Matjiesfontein. This project, categorized under Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation Studies, aimed to safeguard vulnerable species and ensure sustainable site rehabilitation. Led by Wendy Maiwashe, an Ecologist specializing in Botany from our Biodiversity unit, the project focused on relocating Species of Conservation Concern (SCC). The team identified and physically relocated these species, ensuring their survival by recording GPS coordinates for precise tracking and documentation. The project not only addressed the immediate need for species conservation and site rehabilitation but also provided invaluable hands-on experience in ecological monitoring, data collection, and environmental management. The comprehensive Search and Rescue report was submitted to CapeNature, aiding long-term conservation efforts. Photo by Wendy Maiwashe, Ecologist: Botany. #Ecology #Conservation #Biodiversity #EnvironmentalManagement #CES #Sustainability

🌿 Thrilled to share that my master's thesis has been published in the Journal of Landscape Ecology! Interested in understanding how road-crossing behavior is related to where wildlife collisions occur? Check out this new paper about how roe deer navigate the road network: 🔍 https://lnkd.in/eAuNNenq Let's keep exploring ways to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and promote sustainable coexistence! 🦌🛣️ #WildlifeConservation #LandscapeEcology #ResearchPublication

I am so excited I have finished this course, it gave me a comprehensive understanding of wildlife conservation including the need for preservation and the various threats that wild animals and their habitats face.It demonstrated how to safely capture wild animals, how to treat them when necessary and how to manage their habitats and populations .I learned using some case studies approach with real life examples to get a better understanding of this field and its uses .The course explained the capturing and restraining of wild animals and I also got to learn some capture and restrain situations .I also learned about conservation genetics and Mendel's law of genetics before being introduced to in-situ and ex-situ conservation and the concept of zoos. I recommend this course for learners who would like to venture into ecology and explore new and novel approaches to conserving wildlife. #wildlifemanagement #wildlifeecology #ecosystemrestoratio #biodiversity

Our apologies for the hiatus on social media. Lots going on - including last week’s Conservation Optimism Summit (@conservationoptimism - definitely check out this awesome and uplifting conservation movement if you haven’t already) and prepping for the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress in Cape Town, South Africa in a few weeks. Anyone attending? But don’t worry, today we’re highlighting a new study about one of our favorites - the octopus. Although often known to hunt alone, recent video footage (see link below) and later described in a recent Nature Ecology & Evolution publication showcases octopuses and fishes working in cahoots to find dinner! Researchers deployed underwater cameras to capture 120 hours of footage within the Red Sea and found 13 occasions of cross-species group hunting, with octopus and fish adopting various hunting roles. For example, goatfish (Parupeneus spp) have been found to persuade other fishes to explore new areas and directions. At the same time, octopuses acted as the ‘decider’ of which direction or course of action to take, exemplifying shared leadership. But, if something went awry and fish (e.g., the blacktip grouper) acted opportunistically and mooching off the group, octopuses were caught punching them as a, sort of, punishment or to persuade them to leave! Although more studies are needed to understand these group dynamics, the video is something to definitely check out. https://lnkd.in/euVMtU8F https://lnkd.in/giP4_3J6 Sampaio, E., Sridhar, V.H., Francisco, F.A. et al. Multidimensional social influence drives leadership and composition-dependent success in octopus–fish hunting groups. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://lnkd.in/gvYEQnVr Photo credit: Eduardo Sampaio and Simon Gingins via https://lnkd.in/giP4_3J6