Ricardo Rocha
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ricardonature.bsky.social
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.
๐Ÿฆ‡๐Ÿ๏ธ๐ŸฆŽ๐Ÿˆโ€โฌ› // @iccs.bsky.social

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

Videos
Environmental science 48%
Biology 16%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social ยท 3h
Urban bats avoid street lights when commuting between their roosts and foraging grounds idw-online.de/de/news862413 #ALAN #Wildlife

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 10h
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.
www.nature.com

Reposted by Joanna Brรผck, Naomi Sykes, Ricardo Rocha

science.org
Science Magazine @science.org ยท 21h
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 humanityโ€™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

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social ยท 1d
๐Ÿฆ‡Interested in a bat-related PhD? ๐Ÿ‘‡

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

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social ยท 1d
๐Ÿฆ‡ 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

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social ยท 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, Bechsteinโ€™s bat, Leislerโ€™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.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Graeme S. Cumming, Joseph A. Tobias, Juan Rocha , and 3 more

andypurvisnhm.bsky.social
Andy Purvis @andypurvisnhm.bsky.social ยท 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.
doi.org

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

helenbranswell.bsky.social
Helen Branswell ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ @helenbranswell.bsky.social ยท 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

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 2d
@conservationsp.bsky.social

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 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
Islandโ€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

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 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. โ€œRepti...
news.mongabay.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

publicoazul.bsky.social
Azul @publicoazul.bsky.social ยท 3d
Estarรฃo em debate questรตes como o comรฉrcio ilegal de chitas, o comรฉrcio de cรกgados e tartarugas de รกgua doce ou a conservaรงรฃo de abutres, elefantes, leรตes africanos, leopardos e rinocerontes.
Conferรชncia mundial sobre vida selvagem comeรงa em Samarcanda com ocapis, iguanas e tubarรตes na agenda
Estarรฃo em debate questรตes como o comรฉrcio ilegal de chitas, o comรฉrcio de cรกgados e tartarugas de รกgua doce ou a conservaรงรฃo de abutres, elefantes, leรตes africanos, leopardos e rinocerontes.
www.publico.pt

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

mongabay.com
Mongabay @mongabay.com ยท 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 โ€” Of the eight known species of pangolins found in Asia and Africa, three are listed as critically endangered on the Red List thatโ€™s maintained by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservationโ€ฆ
news.mongabay.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

conservationsp.bsky.social
Conservation Science and Practice @conservationsp.bsky.social ยท 6d
New study by Williamson et al. (2025) finds that boat use during an acoustic telemetry study for European eel didnโ€™t disturb sensitive waterbirds in a UK Special Protection Area-thanks to low speeds + strong mitigation. ๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธ
doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70181
#ConservationScience

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

natecoevo.nature.com
Nature Ecology & Evolution @natecoevo.nature.com ยท 11d
Safeguarding long-term research in ecology and evolution www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Q&A with Stรฉphane 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. ...
www.nature.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

nhm-london.bsky.social
Natural History Museum, London @nhm-london.bsky.social ยท 11d
When you think of bats, you probably donโ€™t think of pollination - but bats are crucial pollinators, and the key to creating a certain drink! ๐Ÿธ

See an (adorable) bat covered in pollen and learn why a world without bats would be a world without tequila in this weekโ€™s Surprising Science. ๐Ÿฆ‡

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social ยท 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. โ›ช๐Ÿฆ‡ #naturepositive

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

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social ยท 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

martin-nunez.bsky.social
Martin A. Nuรฑez @martin-nunez.bsky.social ยท 14d
I just got an email from a former mentee telling me that one dinner conversation changed how he writes papersโ™ฅ๏ธ

I told him: โ€œjust write the paper, get it outโ€”the next one will be better, and the next even better.โ€

Perfectionism is a trap (and a way to procrastinate...:))
comic of a happy person with a shitty 1st draft

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 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 beaverโ€dammed stream sections was 2.3 times higher than at comparable stream sections without beaver influence.

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 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

biology.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk ยท 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.

๐Ÿ“ธ L.Jardim & A.Vasconcelos

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

jackhooker.bsky.social
Jack Hooker @jackhooker.bsky.social ยท 17d
New OA ๐Ÿฆ‡ research ๐Ÿ“„

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

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 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

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 19d
link para o estudo: conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

@cienciasulisboa.bsky.social #SPECO
Islandโ€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

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 20d
๐ŸฆŽ Quase 30% dos rรฉpteis insulares estรฃo ameaรงados - mais do dobro da mรฉdia global.
E muitos correm risco antes mesmo de serem estudados.
Sem investigaรงรฃo podemos perder espรฉcies รบnicas para sempre.
๐Ÿ‘‰ wilder.pt/historias/repteis-das-ilhas-correm-mais-risco-de-extincao-mesmo-antes-de-serem-estudados
Rรฉpteis das ilhas correm mais risco de extinรงรฃo, mesmo antes de serem estudados - Wilder
Um novo estudo liderado pela Universidade de Oxford concluiu que 30% das espรฉcies de rรฉpteis confinadas em ilhas estรฃo hoje ameaรงadas, mas estes animais recebem muito menos atenรงรฃo dos cientistas do q...
wilder.pt

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

ox.ac.uk
University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk ยท 21d
NEW: An Oxford-led study has found that reptiles confined to islands face double jeopardy - theyโ€™re more likely to go extinct than mainland species, yet remain largely overlooked by researchers.

Read more โฌ‡๏ธ
Island reptiles face extinction before they are even studied, warns
A new study led by the University of Oxford has revealed that reptiles confinedย to islands are facing a double jeopardy. Despite being more likely to go extinct than mainland species, they remain
www.ox.ac.uk

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Ricardo Rocha

conservationsp.bsky.social
Conservation Science and Practice @conservationsp.bsky.social ยท 21d
Did you know that #islandโ€restricted #reptiles are more threatened but less studied than their mainland counterparts?๐ŸฆŽ Interested in learning why?๐Ÿง Find out in Nunes et al's #recentlypublished article!
doi.org/10.1111/csp2...
Islandโ€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...
doi.org

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

biology.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk ยท 22d
Reptiles confined to islands are facing a double jeopardy ๐ŸฆŽ

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 ๐Ÿ‘‡
bit.ly/3LqQo1F
Island reptiles face extinction before they are even studied
bit.ly

Reposted by Travis Longcore

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social ยท 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...