Valeria Mazza

@valmazza.bsky.social

190 followers 200 following 12 posts

Behavioural biologist interested in all things animal cognition. Senior lecturer @UniTuscia. Proud citizen of Humboldt's Republic of the Letters.📖🐛She/her
https://valeriamazza.net

Videos

Environmental science 51%

Agriculture 20%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Steven French, Samantha Brennan, Anthony Burke , and 1 more Steven French, Samantha Brennan, Anthony Burke, Valeria Mazza

Jonathan Birch @birchlse.bsky.social · 3d

Alexander Pope decried the cruelty of cooking lobsters alive in 1713. 313 years later the practice will finally be banned. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

Boiling lobsters alive to be banned in UK animal cruelty crackdown

Move is part of a long-awaited Labour strategy including outlawing hen cages and ending puppy farming

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ingolf Kühn, Arthur Geßler, Christian Hof , and 3 more Ingolf Kühn, Arthur Geßler, Christian Hof, Valeria Mazza, Samuele Ramellini, Benjamin Wildermuth

Christoph Grüter @chrisleduck.bsky.social · 6d

🚨 Tenure-track professorship at Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany, with a focus on evolutionary ecology of social hymenoptera 🐝🐜

Initially for 6 years:
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/pr...

Goethe University Frankfurt hiring Professur (W1 mit Tenure Track) für Evolutionäre Ökologie der Hymenopteren in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany | LinkedIn

Posted 11:13:19 PM. Die Professur wird zunächst auf sechs Jahre befristet besetzt, nach erfolgreicher Evaluation…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.

www.linkedin.com

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Martin Whiting @lizardlab.bsky.social · 6d

Our recent paper on lizard societies now online in a special issue of Animal Behaviour. DM if you want me to send you a PDF.

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Christian Nawroth @goatswhostare.bsky.social · 9d

ManyFishes: a big team science collaboration on fish comparative cognition

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

ManyFishes: a big team science collaboration on fish comparative cognition - Animal Cognition

Fishes are among the oldest and most diverse groups of vertebrates, encompassing a vast array of species that differ in morphology, ecology, and behavior. While such diversity can pose challenges to c...

link.springer.com

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

ASAB Spring 2026 @asab-meetings.bsky.social · 10d

Note that there’s a PhD position on this topic, if you found this interesting! #ASABWinter2025

Conclusion:
Fully funded PhD position is available. Octopus photo

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Denis REALE 🇨🇦 @denisreale.bsky.social · 12d

Congratulations to Hélène Dion-Phénix and Gabrielle Gingras for publishing this new paper studying why female blue tits add aromatic plants to their nest. @oikosjournal.bsky.social @nordicoikos.bsky.social

Title, authors' names and abstract of the paper.

Reposted by Michael G. Bertram, Valeria Mazza, Arman Pili , and 2 more Michael G. Bertram, Valeria Mazza, Arman Pili, Tiziana A. Gelmi‐Candusso, Samuele Ramellini

Bob Wong @bbmwong.bsky.social · 16d

What are the causes & consequences of behavioural diversity loss in a changing world? And how do we harness this knowledge for conservation? New open access paper led by @odedberger-tal.bsky.social with David Saltz and @mrmic1.bsky.social

#BobWongLab

royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...

Anthropogenic change and the loss of behavioural diversity

Abstract. Behavioural diversity is an important but understudied facet of biodiversity that enables wildlife populations to cope with rapidly changing envi

royalsocietypublishing.org

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Carsten Schradin @carsten-schradin.bsky.social · 16d

Adaptation to harshness is fundamentally different from the adaptive stress response: Results from a 20 years long case study in African striped mice
zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Adaptation to harshness is fundamentally different from the adaptive stress response: Results from a 20‐year‐long case study in African striped mice

Animals in harsh environments rely on specialised adaptations. Two decades of field research on African striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) in the Succulent Karoo semi-desert reveal a distinct ‘harshnes...

zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Andy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 21d

⏰ 1 month left to apply for these fully-funded #PhD opportunities with us investigating social monitoring & manipulation. #bioacoustics #mammals

UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6

NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp

DM or email me if you have questions.
Please spread the word. ☺️

Funded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage - Biological market monitoring and manipulation in social animals at Unive...

PhD Project - Funded PhD open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage - Biological market monitoring and manipulation in social an...

tinyurl.com

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

michael chimento @mchimento.bsky.social · 22d

New paper out today w @dalmaijer.bsky.social @barbaraklump.bsky.social and @lucymaplin.bsky.social as part of the Phil Trans special issue doi.org/10.1098/rstb.... Over 2 years, we studied a population of cockatoos thought to be the source of the innovation of bin-opening.

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Janire Castellano Bueno, PhD @janirecas.bsky.social · 23d

As a follow up, we are now focusing on language barriers. To make conferences inclusive for everyone, we need to understand peoples experiences with language at academic events. Please take a moment to fill in our survey and help shape more accessible conferences 🌍✍️

forms.gle/u8ESktcJP8Y6...

Amplifying global voices: Removing language barriers in academic conferences

We invite you to share your experiences with language barriers at academic conferences. Your insights will help shape more inclusive and multilingual events across disciplines and formats. This survey...

forms.gle

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Vedrana Šlipogor @vedranaslipogor.bsky.social · 25d

📢 Our new article entitled “With or without you: common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, personality expression is mediated by social setting” has just come out *open access* in #AnimalBehaviourJournal! ✨ 🥰🥳🐒 @asab.org

doi.org/10.1016/j.an...

A thread. 😊

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

CristinaTuni @cristinatuni.bsky.social · Nov 26

New study from @michellebeyer.bsky.social published in Animal Behaviour: Silk of females performing maternal care elicits reduced courtship responses in male spiders.

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Pia Marlena Böhm @piamarlena.bsky.social · Nov 24

Affenberg Research Station is looking for motivated students ready for their master internship! Want to work with Japanese macaques in Austria? Write to us at aﬀenberg.lewi@univie.ac.at and apply! affenberg.univie.ac.at

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Vedrana Šlipogor @vedranaslipogor.bsky.social · Nov 24

📢 Our new article, co-first authored by Dr. Huimin Ye and myself, entitled “Associations between gut microbiota and personality traits: insights from a captive common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) colony” has just come out in Microbiology Spectrum. 🥳

journals.asm.org/doi/full/10....

A thread.

Associations between gut microbiota and personality traits: insights from a captive common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) colony | Microbiology Spectrum

This study provides valuable insights into the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and host personality traits, using captive common marmosets as a model. By controlling for diet and housing conditions, it probes key host factors such as personality, age, sex, and social group membership, offering a robust framework for understanding microbiome-host interactions. The discovery of specific microbial taxa associated with personality traits, particularly the enrichment of sulfite-reducing genera in more avoidant individuals, underscores the potential of the gut microbiome to reflect or be associated with personality differences. These findings advance our understanding of microbiome-host dynamics and pave the way for future research on the mechanistic links between behavior and gut microbiota in other animal models and across broader ecological contexts.

journals.asm.org

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

GriffinBandida @griffinbandida.bsky.social · Nov 24

Thankfully my parents absolutely supported me because their own parents never did, and chose their careers for them instead. My parents knew I was an animal nerd since ever and did not want me to grow up with regrets in a job I would hate. And it's true, I have no regrets and love my job. 🦊

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

GriffinBandida @griffinbandida.bsky.social · Nov 24

Then sexism appeared as she said "well, but you are equally good in creative skills, so you should choose arts because science is difficult for girls".

I thought "I'm not a girl" and continued in science.

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Andy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · Nov 21

📢Two fully-funded #PhD opportunities to work with us:

Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation

UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6

NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp

Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork

Meerkat pups in the Kalahari, South Africa

Dwarf mongoose staring at a camera, South Africa.

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Tomer J. Czaczkes @tomerczaczkes.bsky.social · Nov 21

PhD position - How jumping spiders see

- Put cute spiders on trackballs!
- Program fancy automated experiments!
- Do cutting edge research!
- Hang out in beautiful Italian cities!
- Be supervised by a super nice chap!

Like invertebrate behaviour and computation stuff? You'll love this.

Link in 🧵

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · Nov 21

Beyond criterion: cognitive flexibility in wild striated caracaras: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... | #BiologyLetters #Behaviour #Cognition #Ecology

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Behavioral Ecology @behavecol.bsky.social · Nov 21

Complex dynamics of social learning in groups of wild Arabian babblers
#Bird #SocialCognition

doi.org/10.1093/behe...

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Andy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · Nov 20

🌟Fully funded #PhD🌟
Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges.
#NERC funding
With @ljnbrent.bsky.social, #PatrickKennedy & me.
Based in @bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#LongtermData #Fieldwork
#Mongooses #Macaques
Deadline: 8th Jan 2026

Please share!

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Funded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Funded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol, listed on FindAPhD.com

www.findaphd.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Valeria Mazza, Tiziana A. Gelmi‐Candusso , and 1 more Nicholas A. Christakis, Valeria Mazza, Tiziana A. Gelmi‐Candusso, Samuele Ramellini

Andrew King @shoalgroup.bsky.social · Nov 20

PhD opportunity: MOVE
Details: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/c...
Deadline: 12/01/26
Supervisors: @shoalgroup.bsky.social, @inesfuertbauer.bsky.social, @wlallen.bsky.social, @nhcooper123.bsky.social, @marinapapa.bsky.social
Apply: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/p...

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Andrea Sommese @asommese.bsky.social · Nov 19

Just posted a new preprint!

Our project builds on @maleenthiele.bsky.social's earlier work and came together through a collaboration with her and @christophvoelter.bsky.social

Preprint link: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Rachel Dale @drracheldale.bsky.social · Nov 18

While I wouldn't go as far as calling this tool use, it's certainly a clever way of acquiring food (check out the video in the article) 🐺
#wolf

Have wild wolves learned to use tools?

Video captures a lone female pulling crab traps out of the water, but does it count as tool use?

www.science.org

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Rachael Shaw @wild-minds.bsky.social · Nov 17

PhD scholarship alert! Are you interested in cognitive evolution? Do you want to know how development influences cognitive traits? Do you love hanging out with birds in the forest? If the answer to these questions is yes, please apply to work with us! 1/2 🧪
www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships...

Ella holds a fluffy and sleepy looking toutouwai chick during banding and fits an orange band to its leg

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · Nov 15

Rising global temperatures could impair both learning and antipredator behaviour in wild birds. New research looks into the relationship between heat- mediated cognitive impairment and the antipredator response in wild pied babblers: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... #RSOS #AnimalBehaviour

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Max Mühlenhaupt @maxmuehlenhaupt.bsky.social · Nov 14

New study out: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We studied Fire Salamander colouration using data gatehred by citizen scientists. Males have a higher proportion of yellow than females: is this due to mate chaoice or differential predation threat?

Citizen science data reveals widespread sexual dichromatism in the European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) - BMC Ecology and Evolution

Background Conspicuous color patterns are traditionally believed to advertise the toxicity of prey to potential predators. However, many aposematic species show drastic variation in coloration, indica...

link.springer.com

Reposted by Valeria Mazza

Alison Hewitt @ahewitt.bsky.social · Nov 13

New climate-change side effect: People clash more with wildlife in drought years, says UCLA & UCDavis ecologist @kendallcalhoun.bsky.social. For each inch decrease in annual rainfall, the UCLA study finds a 2-3% jump in conflicts with pumas, bobcats, bears & coyotes newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/cli...

How climate change brings wildlife to the yard

A new UCLA study finds people clash more with wildlife in drought years.

newsroom.ucla.edu

Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill, Martin Lang, Larry W. Hunter , and 1 more Simon J. Greenhill, Martin Lang, Larry W. Hunter, Valeria Mazza

Christoph Völter @christophvoelter.bsky.social · Nov 13

Fully funded #PhDposition in Comparative Cultural Psychology @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social.
We will use touchscreen experiments & eyetracking to study mental simulations in nonhuman apes & human children across different cultures.

All info here: www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...
Please share / apply!🙏

Positions available - Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

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