Dylan Westaway
@dylanwestaway.bsky.social
Wildlife ecologist @ Australian Wildlife Conservancy. Interested in ecological modelling, reptiles and understanding the effects of large disturbances like land clearing, invasive species, fire and climate change on wildlife. Views are my own.
🚨 New research
🦉 Using citizen science data, we created a regional SDM for the cryptic sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa). We then used field surveys and occupancy modelling to validate the SDM.
🌳 We discuss factors driving habitat suitability and conservation implications for this apex predator
🦉 Using citizen science data, we created a regional SDM for the cryptic sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa). We then used field surveys and occupancy modelling to validate the SDM.
🌳 We discuss factors driving habitat suitability and conservation implications for this apex predator
Developing a regional species distribution model and validating with independent survey data: a case study of an avian apex predator, the greater sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa)
Context Comprehensive understanding of the distribution and habitat requirements of wildlife species is crucial for the development of effective conservation strategies. For cryptic predators, such as...
www.publish.csiro.au
October 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
🚨 New research
🦉 Using citizen science data, we created a regional SDM for the cryptic sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa). We then used field surveys and occupancy modelling to validate the SDM.
🌳 We discuss factors driving habitat suitability and conservation implications for this apex predator
🦉 Using citizen science data, we created a regional SDM for the cryptic sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa). We then used field surveys and occupancy modelling to validate the SDM.
🌳 We discuss factors driving habitat suitability and conservation implications for this apex predator
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Areas of ocean that are cooler than average are shown in BLUE.
I've been working on story about the toxic algal bloom spreading off the South Australian coast. I just went back and looked at how hot the waters off the coast of Australia were getting starting in September 2024. Here's the visual:
July 30, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Areas of ocean that are cooler than average are shown in BLUE.
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Is there a potential to strengthen ecological processes as a way to restore fire regimes?
🔥 🔥 New Paper Out! 🔥 🔥
@adrianregos.bsky.social @bakxbakx.bsky.social @fmoreira65.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social and our other co-authors explore this
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🔥 🔥 New Paper Out! 🔥 🔥
@adrianregos.bsky.social @bakxbakx.bsky.social @fmoreira65.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social and our other co-authors explore this
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
July 8, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Is there a potential to strengthen ecological processes as a way to restore fire regimes?
🔥 🔥 New Paper Out! 🔥 🔥
@adrianregos.bsky.social @bakxbakx.bsky.social @fmoreira65.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social and our other co-authors explore this
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🔥 🔥 New Paper Out! 🔥 🔥
@adrianregos.bsky.social @bakxbakx.bsky.social @fmoreira65.bsky.social @lluisbrotons.bsky.social and our other co-authors explore this
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
I am happy to share my final PhD chapter in @oikosjournal.bsky.social
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
July 2, 2025 at 4:53 AM
I am happy to share my final PhD chapter in @oikosjournal.bsky.social
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Mr Dutton appears to have very little understanding of the broad functioning of the CSIRO and its achievements. WiFi anyone?
www.csiro.au/en/research/...
www.csiro.au/en/research/...
April 16, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Mr Dutton appears to have very little understanding of the broad functioning of the CSIRO and its achievements. WiFi anyone?
www.csiro.au/en/research/...
www.csiro.au/en/research/...
Some pics from helping Josh Fastuca, set up field sites for his honours research. Josh will be using a variety of methods to assess the effect of cats, foxes and rabbits on herpetofauna.
Carrying around tin and tiles brought back repressed memories from my PhD 😆 Excited to see what Josh finds!
Carrying around tin and tiles brought back repressed memories from my PhD 😆 Excited to see what Josh finds!
April 3, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Some pics from helping Josh Fastuca, set up field sites for his honours research. Josh will be using a variety of methods to assess the effect of cats, foxes and rabbits on herpetofauna.
Carrying around tin and tiles brought back repressed memories from my PhD 😆 Excited to see what Josh finds!
Carrying around tin and tiles brought back repressed memories from my PhD 😆 Excited to see what Josh finds!
🚨 New research out today from my PhD exploring population genetics of 3 lizard species across fragmented and continuous habitat.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
March 15, 2025 at 1:01 AM
🚨 New research out today from my PhD exploring population genetics of 3 lizard species across fragmented and continuous habitat.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
An important bit of detail in this story:
“They also lower the intensity of bushfires by burying leaves & branches that fuel fires, thereby shaping whole ecosystems.”
“They also lower the intensity of bushfires by burying leaves & branches that fuel fires, thereby shaping whole ecosystems.”
March 9, 2025 at 11:32 PM
An important bit of detail in this story:
“They also lower the intensity of bushfires by burying leaves & branches that fuel fires, thereby shaping whole ecosystems.”
“They also lower the intensity of bushfires by burying leaves & branches that fuel fires, thereby shaping whole ecosystems.”
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
“South Australian scientists have demonstrated a clear link between the proximity of native vegetation (which attracts pollinators) and higher crop yields, showing why widespread clearance of native vegetation is not a good idea.”
theaimn.net/dont-clear-n...
theaimn.net/dont-clear-n...
Don’t clear native vegetation if you want high crop yields
South Australian ecologists have provided irrevocable proof why native vegetation is critical for healthy crop yield.
theaimn.net
February 4, 2025 at 4:01 AM
“South Australian scientists have demonstrated a clear link between the proximity of native vegetation (which attracts pollinators) and higher crop yields, showing why widespread clearance of native vegetation is not a good idea.”
theaimn.net/dont-clear-n...
theaimn.net/dont-clear-n...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
🚨 EXPOSED: The Truth About Regenerative Grazing 🚨 Environmental experts @jennifermolidor.bsky.social and Ashley Capps reveal why this "sustainable" beef trend is pure greenwashing. Must-listen episode with @jasminsinger.com & @marisul.bsky.social! 🎧 ourhenhouse.org/ep786
January 31, 2025 at 5:39 PM
🚨 EXPOSED: The Truth About Regenerative Grazing 🚨 Environmental experts @jennifermolidor.bsky.social and Ashley Capps reveal why this "sustainable" beef trend is pure greenwashing. Must-listen episode with @jasminsinger.com & @marisul.bsky.social! 🎧 ourhenhouse.org/ep786
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Accused by a whistleblower of covering up an oil spill that killed dolphins and sea snakes, Santos get fined just $10k 🤯
Santos spends up to $US3.3m per year on a private jet for their executives so I don’t think AUD10k is going to hurt them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
Santos spends up to $US3.3m per year on a private jet for their executives so I don’t think AUD10k is going to hurt them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
Gas giant Santos fined $10,000 for 25,000-litre oil spill off Pilbara coast
The energy giant has pleaded guilty to causing an oil spill in 2022, that leaked 25,000 litres of oil off WA's north-west coast. Santos will pay a $10,000 fine and $9,700 in court costs for failing to...
www.abc.net.au
January 7, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Accused by a whistleblower of covering up an oil spill that killed dolphins and sea snakes, Santos get fined just $10k 🤯
Santos spends up to $US3.3m per year on a private jet for their executives so I don’t think AUD10k is going to hurt them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
Santos spends up to $US3.3m per year on a private jet for their executives so I don’t think AUD10k is going to hurt them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Here's my #EmotionalSupportSpood, a Pellenes bitaeniata from the north-west slopes of NSW Australia. #Spiders #OzNature #Cute #Salticidae
January 6, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Here's my #EmotionalSupportSpood, a Pellenes bitaeniata from the north-west slopes of NSW Australia. #Spiders #OzNature #Cute #Salticidae
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
I've recently been trialling some thermal binoculars to help with creature tracking. Pretty impressed so far, picking up lots of things that are often tough to get eye shine out of, like this chuditch (western quoll) #WildOz
January 3, 2025 at 3:20 AM
I've recently been trialling some thermal binoculars to help with creature tracking. Pretty impressed so far, picking up lots of things that are often tough to get eye shine out of, like this chuditch (western quoll) #WildOz
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Restored vs Near-natural #wetlands: lower plant diversity incl rare species - but #grazing had positive effect as did available species pool size, prior presence of near-natural habitat & restored #hydrology; high soil Fe+N had negative effects🌿🐂💦 besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Nutrients, isolation and lack of grazing limit plant diversity in restored wetlands
Restoration of plant diversity in wetlands is challenging, but our results point to potential remedies: plan restoration areas near colonisation sources of the target biota, restore hydrology to near...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 6, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Restored vs Near-natural #wetlands: lower plant diversity incl rare species - but #grazing had positive effect as did available species pool size, prior presence of near-natural habitat & restored #hydrology; high soil Fe+N had negative effects🌿🐂💦 besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
#YearInReview: Animal agriculture harms the environment and is a major driver of the climate crisis.
Novel meat & dairy alternatives can provide more sustainable ways for humanity to source its protein, according to a UNEP report issued earlier this year: www.unep.org/resources/wh...
Novel meat & dairy alternatives can provide more sustainable ways for humanity to source its protein, according to a UNEP report issued earlier this year: www.unep.org/resources/wh...
December 30, 2024 at 9:05 AM
#YearInReview: Animal agriculture harms the environment and is a major driver of the climate crisis.
Novel meat & dairy alternatives can provide more sustainable ways for humanity to source its protein, according to a UNEP report issued earlier this year: www.unep.org/resources/wh...
Novel meat & dairy alternatives can provide more sustainable ways for humanity to source its protein, according to a UNEP report issued earlier this year: www.unep.org/resources/wh...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Hey All, plz repost, and share with grads, post-docs and disease folks! We are hiring a post-doc to work on mechanisms of immune responses of frog hosts to Bd infections. Deadline is February 1, 2025. Details for the position can be found at the link below. 🐸🐸🐸
zamudiolab.org/2024/12/17/p...
zamudiolab.org/2024/12/17/p...
Post-Doc position in the KZLab! Immune responses to pathogen infections in frogs
We are looking for an NSF-funded post-doc in our lab in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at Austin. The work will examine immune mechanisms that potentially underlie…
zamudiolab.org
December 18, 2024 at 2:07 AM
Hey All, plz repost, and share with grads, post-docs and disease folks! We are hiring a post-doc to work on mechanisms of immune responses of frog hosts to Bd infections. Deadline is February 1, 2025. Details for the position can be found at the link below. 🐸🐸🐸
zamudiolab.org/2024/12/17/p...
zamudiolab.org/2024/12/17/p...
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Wildlife restoration in fragmented agricultural landscapes: trialling wild-to-wild translocation with two common reptiles #ESAus2024
December 12, 2024 at 5:15 AM
Wildlife restoration in fragmented agricultural landscapes: trialling wild-to-wild translocation with two common reptiles #ESAus2024
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Dylan Westaway’s PhD work w/ @biodiversityguy.bsky.social, finding 84% survival rate of translocated dragon lizards to isolated habitat patches in highly fragmented landscapes. And no sign of ⬆️ post-translocation movement rate. Hope for ⬆️ resilience of our rad reptiles❤️. So good! #ESAus2024
December 12, 2024 at 12:57 AM
Dylan Westaway’s PhD work w/ @biodiversityguy.bsky.social, finding 84% survival rate of translocated dragon lizards to isolated habitat patches in highly fragmented landscapes. And no sign of ⬆️ post-translocation movement rate. Hope for ⬆️ resilience of our rad reptiles❤️. So good! #ESAus2024
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Overall, the global food system does more damage to the planet than anything else we do, even burning fossil fuels.
drawdown.org/insights/how...
drawdown.org/insights/how...
How food and farming will determine the fate of planet Earth
Agriculture has disrupted the planet more than anything we have ever done, including burning fossil fuels. A sustainable future depends on recognizing this fact – and radically changing how we farm an...
drawdown.org
November 28, 2024 at 4:22 PM
Overall, the global food system does more damage to the planet than anything else we do, even burning fossil fuels.
drawdown.org/insights/how...
drawdown.org/insights/how...
1 of 6 reticulated pythons (Malayopython reticulatus) we saw taking advantage of the smorgasbord of bats roosting in this Balinese cave
November 24, 2024 at 8:19 AM
1 of 6 reticulated pythons (Malayopython reticulatus) we saw taking advantage of the smorgasbord of bats roosting in this Balinese cave
Some holiday herping in Bali:
- Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus)
- White-lipped put viper (Trimeresurus albolabris)
- Mangrove cat snake (Boiga dendrophila)
- Oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina)
- Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus)
- White-lipped put viper (Trimeresurus albolabris)
- Mangrove cat snake (Boiga dendrophila)
- Oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina)
November 24, 2024 at 8:14 AM
Some holiday herping in Bali:
- Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus)
- White-lipped put viper (Trimeresurus albolabris)
- Mangrove cat snake (Boiga dendrophila)
- Oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina)
- Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus)
- White-lipped put viper (Trimeresurus albolabris)
- Mangrove cat snake (Boiga dendrophila)
- Oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina)
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
Our new paper, led by PhD student Luke Bonifacio, demonstrating that the Data Deficient Ravensthorpe Range slider qualifies for listing as Critically Endangered. @monashbiol.bsky.social. www.publish.csiro.au/PC/PC24048
A noodle in a haystack: determining the conservation status of the rare and Data Deficient Ravensthorpe Range slider, Lerista viduata
Context One-seventh of the ~157,000 species assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are Data Deficient (DD), with insufficient information to assess their extinction risk. Such a statistic...
www.publish.csiro.au
November 21, 2024 at 6:13 AM
Our new paper, led by PhD student Luke Bonifacio, demonstrating that the Data Deficient Ravensthorpe Range slider qualifies for listing as Critically Endangered. @monashbiol.bsky.social. www.publish.csiro.au/PC/PC24048
Reposted by Dylan Westaway
November 22, 2024 at 2:48 AM