Rochelle Constantine
@rconstantine.bsky.social
Always about the ocean, Professor, solutions focused, Aotearoa New Zealand is home
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Environmental defenders & conservationists who died in 2025
Environmental defenders & conservationists who died in 2025
I write short obituaries for people who spent their lives protecting parts of the natural world. I work on them in the margins of other responsibilities, yet they have become a constant. In 2025, I…
news.mongabay.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Environmental defenders & conservationists who died in 2025
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
"Assumption of at least a moderate El Nino beginning in 2026 leads us to the projection in Fig. 5, with global temperature reaching a minimum at or above +1.4°C within several months and then rising to a record global temperature of about +1.7°C in 2027."
mailchi.mp/caa/global-t...
mailchi.mp/caa/global-t...
December 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
"Assumption of at least a moderate El Nino beginning in 2026 leads us to the projection in Fig. 5, with global temperature reaching a minimum at or above +1.4°C within several months and then rising to a record global temperature of about +1.7°C in 2027."
mailchi.mp/caa/global-t...
mailchi.mp/caa/global-t...
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
It looks like 2025 will end up at about 1.47°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline, making it likely the third hottest year in the last 120,000+ years.
Meanwhile, the 3-year running average is going to end the year above 1.50°C for the first time.
Meanwhile, the 3-year running average is going to end the year above 1.50°C for the first time.
December 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
It looks like 2025 will end up at about 1.47°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline, making it likely the third hottest year in the last 120,000+ years.
Meanwhile, the 3-year running average is going to end the year above 1.50°C for the first time.
Meanwhile, the 3-year running average is going to end the year above 1.50°C for the first time.
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Since the deep-sea accounts for over half the surface of the planet and more than 90% of this world's biosphere, in a very really and quantified way, the unknowable wonders of the deep are the normal ones and us terrestrial outliers are the weird ones.
November 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Since the deep-sea accounts for over half the surface of the planet and more than 90% of this world's biosphere, in a very really and quantified way, the unknowable wonders of the deep are the normal ones and us terrestrial outliers are the weird ones.
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
New episode!! 🎙️🎉
A chat w/ @pbrakes.bsky.social about animal cultures and animal conservation.
Culture was once thought to be uniquely human. No longer. We now know culture is found throughout the natural world. How does this complicate conservation?
Listen: disi.org/the-value-of...
A chat w/ @pbrakes.bsky.social about animal cultures and animal conservation.
Culture was once thought to be uniquely human. No longer. We now know culture is found throughout the natural world. How does this complicate conservation?
Listen: disi.org/the-value-of...
December 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM
New episode!! 🎙️🎉
A chat w/ @pbrakes.bsky.social about animal cultures and animal conservation.
Culture was once thought to be uniquely human. No longer. We now know culture is found throughout the natural world. How does this complicate conservation?
Listen: disi.org/the-value-of...
A chat w/ @pbrakes.bsky.social about animal cultures and animal conservation.
Culture was once thought to be uniquely human. No longer. We now know culture is found throughout the natural world. How does this complicate conservation?
Listen: disi.org/the-value-of...
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
This graph shows the average November volume of Arctic sea-ice. As you can see, November, 2025, set a new record low for sea-ice volume.
Volume, thickness and extent are all at record lows right now for the date. The Climate 8-ball is chanting, "Ice free by twenty-fifty."
Volume, thickness and extent are all at record lows right now for the date. The Climate 8-ball is chanting, "Ice free by twenty-fifty."
December 13, 2025 at 2:36 PM
This graph shows the average November volume of Arctic sea-ice. As you can see, November, 2025, set a new record low for sea-ice volume.
Volume, thickness and extent are all at record lows right now for the date. The Climate 8-ball is chanting, "Ice free by twenty-fifty."
Volume, thickness and extent are all at record lows right now for the date. The Climate 8-ball is chanting, "Ice free by twenty-fifty."
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Northern bottlenose whales have struggled to rebound even decades after whaling bans.
But a population off Canada’s east coast is finally recovering after the Gully submarine canyon became a Marine Protected Area in 2004 — a rare marine conservation success.
But a population off Canada’s east coast is finally recovering after the Gully submarine canyon became a Marine Protected Area in 2004 — a rare marine conservation success.
A rare bright spot for whales: Decades of conservation pay off for endangered population in Canada
Populations of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus), playful animals that resemble large dolphins, stretch across the Atlantic Ocean, with each group of whales living year-round in a…
news.mongabay.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Northern bottlenose whales have struggled to rebound even decades after whaling bans.
But a population off Canada’s east coast is finally recovering after the Gully submarine canyon became a Marine Protected Area in 2004 — a rare marine conservation success.
But a population off Canada’s east coast is finally recovering after the Gully submarine canyon became a Marine Protected Area in 2004 — a rare marine conservation success.
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
“Silence fell across the court as the death of yet another hoiho was announced. It was a potent reminder of why we are here. We want to see hoiho stand a chance of surviving,”
-- ELI’s Senior Legal Advisor Megan Cornforth-Camden.
#hoiho #penguins #conservation
-- ELI’s Senior Legal Advisor Megan Cornforth-Camden.
#hoiho #penguins #conservation
December 1, 2025 at 3:33 AM
“Silence fell across the court as the death of yet another hoiho was announced. It was a potent reminder of why we are here. We want to see hoiho stand a chance of surviving,”
-- ELI’s Senior Legal Advisor Megan Cornforth-Camden.
#hoiho #penguins #conservation
-- ELI’s Senior Legal Advisor Megan Cornforth-Camden.
#hoiho #penguins #conservation
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Oceanic whitetip sharks are now listed under Appendix I, the highest level of protection offered by CITES, banning all trade. A victory for one of the most imperiled shark species on the planet newsroom.wcs.org/News-Release...
Historic Victory for Sharks as Oceanic Whitetips Upgraded to Appendix I at CITES Banning International Trade
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Nov. 27, 2025 – CITES CoP20 Parties voted to list oceanic whitetip sharks on Appendix I, the highest level of protection offered by CITES. The vote marks a major victory for one...
newsroom.wcs.org
November 28, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Oceanic whitetip sharks are now listed under Appendix I, the highest level of protection offered by CITES, banning all trade. A victory for one of the most imperiled shark species on the planet newsroom.wcs.org/News-Release...
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
On Monday, we begin our urgent hearing in the Wellington High Court, where we will be challenging the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries’ emergency set-net fishing closure. Why? We argue that the closure is inadequate to protect the critically endangered northern hoiho population.
#hoiho #penguins
#hoiho #penguins
November 26, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
1/3: Help us welcome Jelly to the world — a newly hatched endangered zebra shark pup in Indonesia! 🦈💙
Thanks to parents Peanut and Butter at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and our partnership with the global coalition ReShark, this tiny pup represents real hope for her species.
Thanks to parents Peanut and Butter at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and our partnership with the global coalition ReShark, this tiny pup represents real hope for her species.
November 27, 2025 at 2:43 AM
1/3: Help us welcome Jelly to the world — a newly hatched endangered zebra shark pup in Indonesia! 🦈💙
Thanks to parents Peanut and Butter at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and our partnership with the global coalition ReShark, this tiny pup represents real hope for her species.
Thanks to parents Peanut and Butter at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and our partnership with the global coalition ReShark, this tiny pup represents real hope for her species.
Beautiful ♥️
Moving, warm, rich, desperately sad but also, in a way that only death achieves, an uplifting insight into Rachel Cooke’s life as a writer, by her husband Anthony, in today’s Observer. Like a loving blanket thrown over her to warm all our hearts. RIP and respect
observer.co.uk/style/featur...
observer.co.uk/style/featur...
‘Her amazing smile was undimmed, and I would try anything to summon it’ | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Beautiful ♥️
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
New paper on dolphin motor synchrony led by master's student Sam Hill-Cousins with a fantastic team of co-authors @danaipapageorgiou.bsky.social @emmachereskin.bsky.social @researchdolphin.bsky.social 🐬🐬🐬: Male dolphins use synchrony to both maintain and strengthen their social bonds
rdcu.be/eQ543
rdcu.be/eQ543
Allied male dolphins use synchronous displays to strengthen social bonds in a cooperative context
rdcu.be
November 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
New paper on dolphin motor synchrony led by master's student Sam Hill-Cousins with a fantastic team of co-authors @danaipapageorgiou.bsky.social @emmachereskin.bsky.social @researchdolphin.bsky.social 🐬🐬🐬: Male dolphins use synchrony to both maintain and strengthen their social bonds
rdcu.be/eQ543
rdcu.be/eQ543
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
South Georgia’s breeding population of female southern elephant seals may have been halved by highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, according to research in Communications Biology. go.nature.com/4hWKRMF 🧪
November 14, 2025 at 2:29 PM
South Georgia’s breeding population of female southern elephant seals may have been halved by highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, according to research in Communications Biology. go.nature.com/4hWKRMF 🧪
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Bad news in from South Georgia - the population of breeding female elephant seals has nearly halved following a bird flu outbreak on the sub-Antarctic island.
Here's what we know so far...
📸 Connor Bamford
Here's what we know so far...
📸 Connor Bamford
November 14, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Bad news in from South Georgia - the population of breeding female elephant seals has nearly halved following a bird flu outbreak on the sub-Antarctic island.
Here's what we know so far...
📸 Connor Bamford
Here's what we know so far...
📸 Connor Bamford
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
What would New Zealand be without kiwi? Without Fiordland rainforest, or the haunting call of kōkako? If we run down our ecosystems, and thin out the ocean, is the weight of that loss not greater than the commodity value of the timber or tonnage of fish?
Measuring impact: Here’s the difference NZGeo makes
What would New Zealand be without kiwi? Without Fiordland rainforest, or the haunting call of kōkako? If we run down our ecosystems, and thin out the ocean, is the weight of that loss not greater than...
www.nzgeo.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM
What would New Zealand be without kiwi? Without Fiordland rainforest, or the haunting call of kōkako? If we run down our ecosystems, and thin out the ocean, is the weight of that loss not greater than the commodity value of the timber or tonnage of fish?
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
one reason it will be hard for academics to take back uk/aus/nz universities from the business-brained folk who are in charge is that it's basically impossible to speak to them without going insane
September 9, 2025 at 4:27 AM
one reason it will be hard for academics to take back uk/aus/nz universities from the business-brained folk who are in charge is that it's basically impossible to speak to them without going insane
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Important new paper by Allison Cluett highlighting what has happened to the PDO. It's still there, it's just swamped by the global warming signal since 2024.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Pan-basin warming now overshadows robust Pacific Decadal Oscillation - Nature Climate Change
Natural patterns of climate variability, such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), strongly influence regional climate. This study shows that anthropogenic warming now has greater influence than ...
www.nature.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Important new paper by Allison Cluett highlighting what has happened to the PDO. It's still there, it's just swamped by the global warming signal since 2024.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Rosalind Franklin and the damage of gender harassment
Spurred by a recent report on sexual harassment in academia, our columnist revisits a historical case and reflects on what has changed—and what hasn’t
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Real action requires looking forward, not back
The world is changing at pace – a pace that requires approaches that are anticipatory, not reactionary
Some thoughts on a recent call for a more anticipatory approach to the Global Biodiversity Framework.
The world is changing at pace – a pace that requires approaches that are anticipatory, not reactionary
Some thoughts on a recent call for a more anticipatory approach to the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Real action requires looking forward, not back
The world is changing at pace – a pace that requires approaches that are anticipatory, not reactionary
predirections.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Real action requires looking forward, not back
The world is changing at pace – a pace that requires approaches that are anticipatory, not reactionary
Some thoughts on a recent call for a more anticipatory approach to the Global Biodiversity Framework.
The world is changing at pace – a pace that requires approaches that are anticipatory, not reactionary
Some thoughts on a recent call for a more anticipatory approach to the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
The Hektoria Glacier on the Antarctic Peninsula retreated by at least 8 km in two months, a rate nearly 10 times faster than previously measured for a grounded glacier, according to a study in Nature Geoscience. go.nature.com/4nETBYJ ⚒️ 🧪
November 4, 2025 at 2:19 PM
The Hektoria Glacier on the Antarctic Peninsula retreated by at least 8 km in two months, a rate nearly 10 times faster than previously measured for a grounded glacier, according to a study in Nature Geoscience. go.nature.com/4nETBYJ ⚒️ 🧪
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Our 2025 State of the Climate Report was just published in BioScience by scientists from around the world including @michaelemann.bsky.social @petergleick.bsky.social This video (2 minutes) shows the key highlights: doi.org/10.1093/bios...
November 2, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Our 2025 State of the Climate Report was just published in BioScience by scientists from around the world including @michaelemann.bsky.social @petergleick.bsky.social This video (2 minutes) shows the key highlights: doi.org/10.1093/bios...
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Scientists point to a long list of findings that emerged out of fundamental research, the type of studies the US government is cutting, and went on to change the world. Nature lists a few of their examples. 🧪
7 basic science discoveries that changed the world
Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government.
go.nature.com
November 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Scientists point to a long list of findings that emerged out of fundamental research, the type of studies the US government is cutting, and went on to change the world. Nature lists a few of their examples. 🧪
Reposted by Rochelle Constantine
Sharks absolutely get cancer, and people claiming otherwise are pseudoscientific grifters preying on the desperate.
Even if sharks did not get cancer, eating shark would not cure your cancer any more than eating LeBron James would make you better at basketball.
Even if sharks did not get cancer, eating shark would not cure your cancer any more than eating LeBron James would make you better at basketball.
October 30, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Sharks absolutely get cancer, and people claiming otherwise are pseudoscientific grifters preying on the desperate.
Even if sharks did not get cancer, eating shark would not cure your cancer any more than eating LeBron James would make you better at basketball.
Even if sharks did not get cancer, eating shark would not cure your cancer any more than eating LeBron James would make you better at basketball.
🐬 Want to be part of a most excellent research team? See @stephanielking.bsky.social post 👇🏻 for a ⭐️ post-doc
Excited to share that we have just been awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to work on between-group cooperation in the Shark Bay dolphins. We will soon advertise a 3 year post-doc to join the team - drop me an email if you might be interested! Pls share widely 🙏🏻
October 30, 2025 at 4:40 PM
🐬 Want to be part of a most excellent research team? See @stephanielking.bsky.social post 👇🏻 for a ⭐️ post-doc