Bruce Webber
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drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Bruce Webber
@drbrucewebber.bsky.social
4.3K followers 870 following 220 posts
Global change ecologist: conservation, bioinvasions & climate change 🌳🐜🐈🐊 | adventurer | coffee enthusiast | photographer (views my own)
https://linktr.ee/drbrucewebber
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drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Bruce Webber @drbrucewebber.bsky.social · Nov 11
I'm in! A #globalchange #ecologist focusing on #conservation solutions at the nexus of landscape change, species #invasions and native species resilience - 🌱🐜🐈🐊. Mostly in 🇦🇺 and a thing for the tropics.
Reposted by Bruce Webber
rgleadow.bsky.social
“the last heatwave between January 5 to 10 was made over 5 times more likely due to global heating”
#ClimateEmergency #HeatWaves

theconversation.com/where-did-so...
Where did southern Australia’s record-breaking heatwave come from?
Australia’s northwest is well known for its heat. But this furnace-like area can deliver heatwaves to the southeast, thousands of kilometres away.
theconversation.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:24 PM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
An avoidable cat-astrophe in Western Australia. Every month ~800 pet cats and ~4M birds, mammals & reptiles die because current policy prevents pet cats from being contained. This paper reveals broad support for change: 78% of local govts want containment laws. Let's get this done.
#bioinvasions 🌐🌏
pacificconsbio.bsky.social Pacific Conservation Biology @pacificconsbio.bsky.social · 17d
Time to paws and reflect: Responsible cat care is the purr-fect move

Gillian Bryant and @drbrucewebber.bsky.social from @wafcwg.bsky.social looked at past, current and planned efforts in Western Australia to improve responsible cat ownership

#OpenAccess in #PacificConsBio

buff.ly/p4chswW
January 27, 2026 at 11:19 PM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
A new paper in @pacificconsbio.bsky.social reveals that preventing pet cats from roaming remains a significant but important challenge. Our findings reveal that change is long overdue for Western Australians to rethink what it means to be a responsible pet cat owner.

OA: doi.org/10.1071/PC25...
A content cat lies in a hammock in an enclosed catio to protect it and wildlife from the dangers of roaming. This photo accompanies a new publication in the journal Pacific Conservation Biology on the benefits of cat containment.
January 27, 2026 at 8:36 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Feral cats and foxes really have driven many Australian mammals to extinction. Claims these introduced predators aren't responsible don't stack up. Protecting our unique species will be even harder if feral cats and foxes are given a free pass to keep killing. 🌐🌎
theconversation.com/yes-feral-ca...
Yes, feral cats and foxes really have driven many Australian mammals to extinction
Decades of evidence link foxes and feral cats with extinctions of Australian mammals. Claims these introduced predators aren’t responsible don’t stack up.
theconversation.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:15 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Introduced foxes and cats have had a devastating impact on Australia's mammals. This threat to biodiversity has been widely recognised, documented and acted upon by scientists, policy makers and land managers. Here we refute recent assertions to the contrary.

Read more (OA): doi.org/10.1093/bios...
Timing of extirpation of a native mammal population from a location relative to the time of arrival of feral cats at that location. Data are taken directly from Supplement 1 in Wallach and Lundgren (2025), using the last record of the native species, and the earliest arrival date from the range of arrival dates of cats to that location. Based on this information, extirpation of a native mammal occurs before cats arrive in only two cases, and these are where Wallach and Lundgren (2025) arbitrarily give the last record dates of 1788 and 1789 (i.e., time of European colonization, in 1788) for undated subfossil material. Of the 178 cases given in the Supplement, eight are omitted from this graph because: they were repeats of another row (n=4), there is no date for the last record of the species (n=1), the species is still present at the location (n=2), or the species never occurred at the location (n=1).
January 22, 2026 at 12:02 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
"Too frequently, leaders are chosen not because they exhibit the right qualities for successful leadership but because they are willing to say and do whatever it takes to get to the top." - Paul Hardisty. What are your inspiring leadership lessons?

paulhardistyauthor.substack.com/p/leadership...
Leadership Matters
Now more than ever, the world needs good leaders. So why are there so many bad ones? My ten rules of leadership.
paulhardistyauthor.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:39 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Extinction rarely departs with drama, it slips out the back door while we’re still debating the guest list. These records are made official on the Red List. "Conservation failures are often recognised only once they can no longer be reversed."
via @mongabay.com: news.mongabay.com/short-articl...
December 29, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Reposted by Bruce Webber
hollykirk.bsky.social
"Ferocious love" of the places & things we care about

@drphilmccormack.bsky.social frames her work in environmental law and climate justice through her love of nature, which we share @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 🌏
Phil on stage in front of her title slide 'Laws that take us somewhere... good?' Good law is at least little subjective
November 26, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Reposted by Bruce Webber
judydunlop.bsky.social
The motto of #ESA2025 this year is "Biodiversity on the brink – BOLD ACTIONS for a resilient future"

On Thu I'm presenting on a super bold, landscape-scale biodiversity project that will keep 10-25 species from being added to Threatened species list.

Thu 1030!
Big room!
Comfy chairs!
Great photos!
November 25, 2025 at 10:45 PM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Bush Heritage Australia are purchasing Avocet Nature Refuge in Queensland! This is one of only two sites where Bridled Nailtail Wallabies still live wild. We're raising $1.4M to help us manage this remnant Brigalow reserve. Can you help us with a donation?

secure.bushheritage.org.au/donations
Bridled Nailtail Wallaby. Photo: Grassland Films. Bush Heritage Australia are purchasing the 1,207-hectare Avocet Nature Refuge! We're raising $1.4 million to help us manage this reserve and others just like it around the country. Donate NOW and your gift will be doubled! Avocet Nature Refuge is one of only two sites where Bridled Nailtail Wallabies still live wild in Queensland. Once thought extinct, the species was rediscovered in central Queensland decades after vanishing from sight. Today, only some 1,500 of these beautiful wallabies remain in the wild. Buying Avocet Nature Refuge also gives us a real chance to learn more and strengthen Koala populations in the region. Koala in a tree. Photo: Grassland Films. Bush Heritage Australia are purchasing the 1,207-hectare Avocet Nature Refuge! We're raising $1.4 million to help us manage this reserve and others just like it around the country. Donate NOW and your gift will be doubled! Avocet Nature Refuge is one of only two sites where Bridled Nailtail Wallabies still live wild in Queensland. Once thought extinct, the species was rediscovered in central Queensland decades after vanishing from sight. Today, only some 1,500 of these beautiful wallabies remain in the wild. Buying Avocet Nature Refuge also gives us a real chance to learn more and strengthen Koala populations in the region.
November 20, 2025 at 9:58 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
The aurora australis dances over the peaks of the Freycinet National Park peninsula and Schouten Island.
...
...
#auroraaustralis #aurora #freycinetnationalpark #freycinet
The aurora australis dances over the peaks of the Freycinet National Park peninsula and Schouten Island.
November 18, 2025 at 9:08 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Brad Bowden and I caught up on Ep 5 of the RTRFM podcast This Changes Everything. We discuss tree diversity in WA, the benefits they provide, and the myriad threats they face. We also cover what we can be doing to be good custodians of trees for future generations. 🌐🌏

rtrfm.com.au/podcasts/thi...
In Episode 5 of the This Changes Everything Podcast, Brad Bowden talks with Bruce Webber and Keith Bradbury about the wonders of trees in Western Australia and what we can be doing to ensure we are responsible custodians to manage the conservation threats they face.
November 4, 2025 at 12:57 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Today is world numbat day. The numbat is our state animal emblem in WA, yet it is threatened with extinction by predation from introduced cats and foxes. It is now restricted to only a few small unfenced areas in WA, after being once found across southern Australia.
A numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) pauses its morning foraging for ants on a log in the sun.
November 1, 2025 at 9:17 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
"...we have to do everything in our power to make the world a better place for the children alive today, and for those that will follow. You have it in your power to make a difference. Don’t give up." - Jane Goodall on Famous Last Words for @netflix.com

www.netflix.com/tudum/articl...
In an Exclusive Interview, Dr. Jane Goodall Leaves Behind Her Last Words
“In the place where I am now, I look back over my life. What message do I want to leave?”
www.netflix.com
October 6, 2025 at 10:46 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
"The greatest danger to our future is apathy. ... What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." - Vale Jane Goodall (1934-2025).
Jane Goodall in a tall rainforest looking up into the canopy with binoculars in her hands.
October 1, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Reposted by Bruce Webber
joshlukedavis.com
Only known from a single plant growing in the botanic gardens in Sri Lanka, the endemic Pini-Beraliya was declared Extinct in the Wild.

But a post on social media about the tree has now led to the discovery of three wild populations and a recovery programme! 🌱🧪🙌🏻
news.mongabay.com/2025/08/soci...
Social media post sparks rediscovery of endemic Sri Lanka rainforest plant
COLOMBO — In 2012, Sri Lanka’s National Red List delivered a grim verdict on endemic Pini- Beraliya, the towering dipterocarp Doona ovalifolia (syn. Shorea ovalifolia) tree by categorizing it as “exti...
news.mongabay.com
September 25, 2025 at 9:10 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
The Building Private Land Conservation Symposium, held in Fremantle, was an outstanding opportunity to hear updates and share Bush Heritage Australia's latest on covenanting, stewardship and co-investment opportunities to secure the future of Western Australia's unique landscapes.
🌏 #scicomm
Bruce Webber from Bush Heritage Australia, speaking at the Building Private Land Conservation Symposium in Fremantle, Western Australia. Photo: Miles Noel Studio Minister Matthew Swinbourn attending the Building Private Land Conservation Symposium in Fremantle, Western Australia. Photo: Miles Noel Studio Bruce Webber from Bush Heritage Australia, speaking on a panel at the Building Private Land Conservation Symposium in Fremantle, Western Australia. Photo: Miles Noel Studio Bruce Webber from Bush Heritage Australia, speaking on a panel at the Building Private Land Conservation Symposium in Fremantle, Western Australia. Photo: Miles Noel Studio
September 23, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Reposted by Bruce Webber
gbif.org
🚨Have your say on the new conceptual model and Data Package Guide for #DarwinCore

The @tdwg.org Darwin Core Maintenance Group has opened a 90-day public review and comment period for the new conceptual model and Data Package Guide.

🗓️ 17 September – 16 December 2025
🔗 www.tdwg.org/news/20...
Cream coloured background with a rainbow colour wheel and various biological drawings surrounding it
September 18, 2025 at 7:35 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Australia's 2035 climate targets are difficult to achieve, and even if they are, we won't be fine. A sobering assessment from @alankohler.bsky.social via ABC News.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Can the Albanese government's new climate targets lower the risk of a catastrophic fire season like 2019/20 happening in the future? (ABCMyPhoto: Martin Von Stoll)
September 22, 2025 at 1:46 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Addressing the connection between animal biodiversity declines and the carbon stored in our ecosystems can help to make smarter decisions about aligning responses to the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis.
🌐🌏 via @mongabay.com
news.mongabay.com/2025/09/anim...
Animals that spread seeds are critical for climate solutions
When a toucan plucks fruit from a tree in the Amazon Rainforest, it’s doing more than just finding lunch. Moving to a new location and depositing seeds via its droppings could be crucial in addressing...
news.mongabay.com
September 21, 2025 at 11:46 PM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
It's not all about PFAS: metal(loid)s are associated with physiological and metabolic changes in motorbike frogs (Ranoidea moorei) from conservation significant wetlands in Perth WA. Great to see this paper out, a big effort led by @lettsgetsnakes.bsky.social.
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
🌐🌏
Urban wetlands provide essential habitats for wildlife but face increasing contamination from anthropogenic sources, including but not limited to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and metal(loid)s. Accumulation of these contaminants are known to impair organism biological functions. This study quantified PFAS and metal(loid) concentrations in liver tissue of motorbike frogs (Ranoidea moorei) along a contamination gradient of conservation significant urban wetlands in Perth, Western Australia, and assessed relationships of liver concentrations with whole-organism health metrics and metabolomic profiles in four tissues to evaluate biological effects.
September 20, 2025 at 5:43 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
This week we saw solutions announced in Western Australia to improve responsible pet cat ownership. Hannah Beazley MLA announced (1) an amendment to the Cat Act that will allow for local governments to prevent pet cats from roaming, & (2) a broader review of the Cat Act.
A🧵
#wildoz
The Cook Labor Government has announced that it intends to amend the Cat Act to prevent pet cats from roaming.
September 18, 2025 at 5:55 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
Can Australia really be a responsible climate actor if it keeps developing major new gas projects as global emissions continue to rise?
🌐
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
What Woodside's gas project extension means for Australia's climate record
Seven years after it was first mooted, the extension of Australia's biggest gas project could not have landed at a more critical juncture for the nation's climate credentials.
www.abc.net.au
September 13, 2025 at 12:19 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
There are so many aspects of the shot-hole borer #eradication campaign that are worth reflecting on to inform how to do better with future #biosecurity threats. We really need to rethink the entire framework that deploys ineffective biosecurity in #Australia.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Australia on alert as shot-hole borer wipes out thousands of trees
It's barely the size of a sesame seed, but the shot-hole borer has quickly devastated Western Australia's tree canopy. Experts are warning other states and territories to take action now to avoid a si...
www.abc.net.au
September 12, 2025 at 4:40 AM
drbrucewebber.bsky.social
A sold out screening of Wilding this week shared the benefits of helping nature recover with almost 500 people. These events energise me and give me hope that while we have an enormous challenge ahead of us, we have plenty of people wanting to make a difference to biodiversity conservation outcomes.
Bush Heritage Australia hosted a sold out screening of the film Wilding at the Luna Palace Cinemas in Leederville, Western Australia. As the sun sets in the west, the exterior lights of the cinema announced that the screening, with an exclusive Q&A session, was sold out.
September 6, 2025 at 2:30 AM