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Ricardo Rocha

Ricardo Rocha

@ricardonature.bsky.social

2.6K followers 1.9K following 23 posts

Assoc. Prof. in Conservation Science @biology.ox.ac.uk
Advocate for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
2020 National Geographic Explorer.
🦇🏝️🦎🐈‍⬛ // @iccs.bsky.social

https://iccs.org.uk/author/ricardo-rocha/

Environmental science 48%

Biology 16%

more

Posts Replies Media Videos

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 7h

Weighing up the wild-meat harvest in Amazonia www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Weighing up the wild-meat harvest in Amazonia

An assessment of the food hunted across the Amazon rainforest reveals its crucial role and how human pressures, particularly deforestation, threaten the resource.

Reposted by Joanna Brück, Naomi Sykes, Ricardo Rocha

Science Magazine @science.org · 17h

The domestic cat may be a far more recent arrival to Europe than previously thought, a new Science study. finds. The results offer new insight into one of humanity’s most enigmatic animal companions and identify North Africa as the cradle of the modern housecat.

Learn more: https://scim.ag/44kov1S

A shorthair domestic cat gazes upward.

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 23h

🦇Interested in a bat-related PhD? 👇

Using genomics to understand bat population declines under global environmental change with @orlyrazgour.bsky.social , @bfraser.bsky.social and BCT, based at the University of Exeter.

Application deadline 8 January 2026: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Applying genomic approaches to understand bat population declines. NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2026 Entry at University of Exeter on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Applying genomic approaches to understand bat population declines. NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2026 Entry at University of Exeter, listed on FindAPhD.com

www.findaphd.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 1d

🦇 Following an enthusiastic reception at the National Bat Conference, Paola Reason is back with an extended online talk on 2 December (2:00 - 3:15pm) to share her reflections on 30 years of bat work and consultancy.

Book today: www.bats.org.uk/events/voice...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 1d

@natreswales.bsky.social published the first Species in Peril report.

It outlines species at risk in Wales which includes six mammal species, five of which are bat species: greater horseshoe bat, Bechstein’s bat, Leisler’s bat, barbastelle and serotine.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...?

The species at risk of extinction in Wales named in first of its kind report

Species in Peril identifies thousands of at-risk species in Wales based on geographical restriction.

Reposted by Graeme S. Cumming, Joseph A. Tobias, Juan Rocha , and 3 more Graeme S. Cumming, Joseph A. Tobias, Juan Rocha, David Leclère, Ricardo Rocha, Tommaso Jucker

Andy Purvis @andypurvisnhm.bsky.social · 1d

Land-use change undermines the stability of avian functional diversity - new #OA @nature.com paper with @patrickawalkden.bsky.social @josephtobias.bsky.social, combining #PredictsProject with #Avonet doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Land-use change undermines the stability of avian functional diversity - Nature

Large-scale analyses of bird species traits reveal that land-use change reduces resilience of key ecological functions more than previously thought.

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 1d

Fascinating story about evidence that #H5N1 #birdflu infected vampire bats in South America, raising the prospect of a potential new & dangerous host for the virus. Some good news: The virus didn't appear to spread well among the bats. By @martinenserink.bsky.social. www.science.org/content/arti...

Vampire bats may have contracted H5N1 bird flu in Peru, raising worries about further spread

Bats could form a bridge between marine and terrestrial mammals, scientists say

www.science.org

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 2d

@conservationsp.bsky.social

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 2d

"What research does exist on island-restricted #reptiles tends to focus on large, more widespread species, while smaller, more recently described and high-altitude species remain largely unstudied, the review (conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...) found." @iccs.bsky.social

Island‐restricted reptiles are more threatened but less studied than their mainland counterparts

Reptiles are highly diverse on islands, yet there is no comprehensive overview of island-restricted reptiles (IRRs) regarding their distribution, threat status, and research efforts. Our assessment r...

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Glenn H. Shepard

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 2d

About 30% of island-restricted reptiles are currently threatened with extinction (vs 12% of mainland reptile species). Yet, just 6.7% of the published research from 1960-2021 is devoted to island species @mongabay.com

@biology.ox.ac.uk @jesusoxford.bsky.social

news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

Island-confined reptiles face high extinction risk, but low research interest

Reptile species found only on islands are significantly more vulnerable to extinction than their mainland counterparts, yet remain vastly overlooked by researchers, according to a recent study. “Repti...

news.mongabay.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Azul @publicoazul.bsky.social · 3d

Estarão em debate questões como o comércio ilegal de chitas, o comércio de cágados e tartarugas de água doce ou a conservação de abutres, elefantes, leões africanos, leopardos e rinocerontes.

Conferência mundial sobre vida selvagem começa em Samarcanda com ocapis, iguanas e tubarões na agenda

Estarão em debate questões como o comércio ilegal de chitas, o comércio de cágados e tartarugas de água doce ou a conservação de abutres, elefantes, leões africanos, leopardos e rinocerontes.

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 3d

Pangolins, the scaly anteaters that are the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, face a host of challenges throughout their range, including South Asia.

The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group is working on a global action plan to conserve the species, with subgroups working on regional plans.

Protecting pangolins IRL, not just on paper: Interview with conservationist Kumar Paudel

KATHMANDU — Of the eight known species of pangolins found in Asia and Africa, three are listed as critically endangered on the Red List that’s maintained by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation…

news.mongabay.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Conservation Science and Practice @conservationsp.bsky.social · 6d

New study by Williamson et al. (2025) finds that boat use during an acoustic telemetry study for European eel didn’t disturb sensitive waterbirds in a UK Special Protection Area-thanks to low speeds + strong mitigation. 🛥️
doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70181
#ConservationScience

Reposted by Garry Peterson, Anthony Ricciardi, Ricardo Rocha , and 1 more Garry Peterson, Anthony Ricciardi, Ricardo Rocha, Simon Harold

Nature Ecology & Evolution @natecoevo.nature.com · 10d

Safeguarding long-term research in ecology and evolution www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Q&A with Stéphane Blanc, research director at CNRS, about the Long-term Studies in Ecology and Evolution programme and its priorities for supporting long-term monitoring and research

Free to read: rdcu.be/eQltU

Safeguarding long-term research in ecology and evolution - Nature Ecology & Evolution

Long-term research projects are essential for predicting the ecological and evolutionary responses of species to global change, yet their continuity is often threatened by uncertainties over funding. ...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Natural History Museum, London @nhm-london.bsky.social · 10d

When you think of bats, you probably don’t think of pollination - but bats are crucial pollinators, and the key to creating a certain drink! 🍸

See an (adorable) bat covered in pollen and learn why a world without bats would be a world without tequila in this week’s Surprising Science. 🦇

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 12d

#Bats in Churches research reveals ancient buildings as vital wildlife refuges. Crucially, the research also found that 90% of church communities feel positively about their resident bats. ⛪🦇 #naturepositive

www.bats.org.uk/news/2025/10...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 13d

There are 1500 described species of bat in the world with more being added all the time. Each species is unique in its requirements and the role they play in the ecosystem. In the UK we have 18 resident species www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/w...

Reposted by Juan Cole, Bessma Momani, Ricardo Rocha , and 1 more Juan Cole, Bessma Momani, Ricardo Rocha, Alan McNally

Martin A. Nuñez @martin-nunez.bsky.social · 14d

I just got an email from a former mentee telling me that one dinner conversation changed how he writes papers♥️

I told him: “just write the paper, get it out—the next one will be better, and the next even better.”

Perfectionism is a trap (and a way to procrastinate...:))

comic of a happy person with a shitty 1st draft

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 14d

When beavers build dams and reshape streams, they generate habitats for #bats and other species:

phys.org/news/2025-11...

A new study from Switzerland showed at activity at beaver‐dammed stream sections was 2.3 times higher than at comparable stream sections without beaver influence.

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 14d

Six new species of tube-nosed #bats (genus Murina) in the Philippines. The Philippines already had ~79 known bat species - now six more are added, underlining how much biodiversity still remains undocumented. scitechdaily.com/scientists-d...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · 15d

From trade offs to synergies: Aligning climate and biodiversity policies.

Reps from Oxford Biology joined experts from government, academia and NGOs at COP30 at this side event.

With Greenpeace, SOS Atlantic Forest foundation, WWF and @oxfordgeography.bsky.social.

📸 L.Jardim & A.Vasconcelos

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Jack Hooker @jackhooker.bsky.social · 17d

New OA 🦇 research 📄

Testing a bat fatality detection system at wind turbines

journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Testing a bat fatality detection system at wind turbines

To understand conditions associated with bat fatalities at wind turbines for informing reduction strategies, researchers began using thermal camera video monitoring with a field of view (FOV) focused ...

journals.plos.org

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 17d

Our new study shows that island populations of grey long-eared #bats have distinct DNA haplotypes compared to mainland populations, reflecting long-term isolation & independent evolutionary trajectories: link.springer.com/article/10.1... @iccs.bsky.social @jesusoxford.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 19d

link para o estudo: conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

@cienciasulisboa.bsky.social #SPECO

Island‐restricted reptiles are more threatened but less studied than their mainland counterparts

Reptiles are highly diverse on islands, yet there is no comprehensive overview of island-restricted reptiles (IRRs) regarding their distribution, threat status, and research efforts. Our assessment r...

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 19d

🦎 Quase 30% dos répteis insulares estão ameaçados - mais do dobro da média global.
E muitos correm risco antes mesmo de serem estudados.
Sem investigação podemos perder espécies únicas para sempre.
👉 wilder.pt/historias/repteis-das-ilhas-correm-mais-risco-de-extincao-mesmo-antes-de-serem-estudados

Répteis das ilhas correm mais risco de extinção, mesmo antes de serem estudados - Wilder

Um novo estudo liderado pela Universidade de Oxford concluiu que 30% das espécies de répteis confinadas em ilhas estão hoje ameaçadas, mas estes animais recebem muito menos atenção dos cientistas do q...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · 21d

NEW: An Oxford-led study has found that reptiles confined to islands face double jeopardy - they’re more likely to go extinct than mainland species, yet remain largely overlooked by researchers.

Read more ⬇️

Island reptiles face extinction before they are even studied, warns

A new study led by the University of Oxford has revealed that reptiles confined to islands are facing a double jeopardy. Despite being more likely to go extinct than mainland species, they remain

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Ricardo Rocha

Conservation Science and Practice @conservationsp.bsky.social · 21d

Did you know that #island‐restricted #reptiles are more threatened but less studied than their mainland counterparts?🦎 Interested in learning why?🧐 Find out in Nunes et al's #recentlypublished article!
doi.org/10.1111/csp2...

Island‐restricted reptiles are more threatened but less studied than their mainland counterparts

Reptiles are highly diverse on islands, yet there is no comprehensive overview of island-restricted reptiles (IRRs) regarding their distribution, threat status, and research efforts. Our assessment r...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · 22d

Reptiles confined to islands are facing a double jeopardy 🦎

New research from @ricardonature.bsky.social shows that 30% of island reptiles are threatened with extinction (compared to 12.1% of reptiles overall) - but only 6.7% of reptile-focused research since 1960 has studied them 👇
bit.ly/3LqQo1F

Island reptiles face extinction before they are even studied

Reposted by Travis Longcore

Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 24d

In 2010-2013, conservation teams on #Chichijima - 1 of the main islands in the #Ogasawara chain - captured & removed 131 feral cats. The goal was to reduce predation pressure on an endangered pigeon. The results were immediate: adult pigeon numbers rose from 111 to 966 www.nature.com/articles/s42...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Dominic Martin @dominic-martin.bsky.social · 24d

How do large native trees and leaf litter promote amphibian diversity in Malagasy agroforests?

See the first PhD chapter of Lovasoa Rakotozafy, just out in @jappliedecology.bsky.social!

doi.org/10.1111/1365...

Screenshot of Title "Lurking in the leaves: How large native trees and leaf litter promote amphibian diversity in Malagasy agroforests", Authors "Lovasoa Manuelle Sylviane Rakotozafy, Ursina Tobler, Romual Randriamanantena, Kiady Sedera Rasataharifaly, Aristide Andrianarimisa, Dominic Andreas Martin", and Abstract of the Journal of Applied Ecology paper linked here: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70191