Ricardo Rocha
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ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha
@ricardonature.bsky.social
2.6K followers 1.9K following 17 posts

Assoc. Prof. in Conservation Science @biology.ox.ac.uk
Advocate for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
2020 National Geographic Explorer.
🦇🏝️🦎🐈‍⬛ // @iccs.bsky.social

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

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

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 13h
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 · 2d
link para o estudo: conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

@cienciasulisboa.bsky.social #SPECO
Island‐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 · 2d
🦎 Quase 30% dos répteis insulares estão ameaçados - mais do dobro da média global.
E muitos correm risco antes mesmo de serem estudados.
Sem investigação podemos perder espécies únicas para sempre.
👉 wilder.pt/historias/repteis-das-ilhas-correm-mais-risco-de-extincao-mesmo-antes-de-serem-estudados
Répteis das ilhas correm mais risco de extinção, mesmo antes de serem estudados - Wilder
Um novo estudo liderado pela Universidade de Oxford concluiu que 30% das espécies de répteis confinadas em ilhas estão hoje ameaçadas, mas estes animais recebem muito menos atenção dos cientistas do q...
wilder.pt

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

ox.ac.uk
University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · 4d
NEW: An Oxford-led study has found that reptiles confined to islands face double jeopardy - they’re more likely to go extinct than mainland species, yet remain largely overlooked by researchers.

Read more ⬇️
Island reptiles face extinction before they are even studied, warns
A new study led by the University of Oxford has revealed that reptiles confined 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 · 4d
Did you know that #island‐restricted #reptiles are more threatened but less studied than their mainland counterparts?🦎 Interested in learning why?🧐 Find out in Nunes et al's #recentlypublished article!
doi.org/10.1111/csp2...
Island‐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 · 5d
Reptiles confined to islands are facing a double jeopardy 🦎

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 👇
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 · 7d
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...

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

dominic-martin.bsky.social
Dominic Martin @dominic-martin.bsky.social · 7d
How do large native trees and leaf litter promote amphibian diversity in Malagasy agroforests?

See the first PhD chapter of Lovasoa Rakotozafy, just out in @jappliedecology.bsky.social!

doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Screenshot of Title "Lurking in the leaves: How large native trees and leaf litter promote amphibian diversity in Malagasy agroforests", Authors "Lovasoa Manuelle Sylviane Rakotozafy, Ursina Tobler, Romual Randriamanantena, Kiady Sedera Rasataharifaly, Aristide Andrianarimisa, Dominic Andreas Martin", and Abstract of the Journal of Applied Ecology paper linked here: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70191

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

battysarah.bsky.social
Sarah Jo 🦇 @battysarah.bsky.social · 8d
'Six important Mexican long-nosed bat roosts are now actively protected by local communities across Mexico, and the initiative's education programme has reached over 1.5 million people.'

🦇🖤🦇

www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...
Why tequila depends on Mexico's bats
Conservationists and communities are planting thousands of agave plants to protect endangered bats, and the future of Mexico's tequila production.
www.bbc.co.uk

ricardonature.bsky.social
Ricardo Rocha @ricardonature.bsky.social · 9d
Our new paper (brilliantly led by @theflyingpat.bsky.social) shows that birds & bats can naturally suppress rice pests in West African rice landscapes - offering a sustainable solution as global rice demand grows. www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/research-rev... @jesusoxford.bsky.social @iccs.bsky.social

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 9d
🦇 There are more than 80 bat groups in the UK, all run by volunteers and all on the front line of bat conservation. To find your local bat group and get involved see:
Contact your local bat group - Support Bats - Bat Conservation Trust
There are more than 80 bat groups in the UK. They are made up of many dedicated volunteers and are the mainstay of bat conservation across the country, ...
buff.ly

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

biology.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · 12d
On Tuesday a special pre-COP30 event was held in Oxford, co-hosted by Aline Soterroni from Biology and @erikaberenguer.bsky.social from @ecioxford.bsky.social

Brazil’s Ambassador to the UK, Antonio Patriota, opened the event, Forests and the Future: Brazil’s Path to Climate Solutions
bit.ly/3JbgqW5
Pre-COP dialogue cements Oxford and Brazil partnership in forest conservation and climate finance innovation
bit.ly

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

ox.ac.uk
University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · 12d
The UK Government has vowed to ‘build, baby, build’ to deliver 1.5 million homes across the country by 2029.

Can this be achieved without worsening the biodiversity and nature crises?

Dame E.J. Milner-Gulland, Professor of Biodiversity @biology.ox.ac.uk explains ⬇️
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-10...
Expert Comment: Building faster, building fairer: can we make growth
Dame E.J. Milner-Gulland, Professor of Biodiversity in Oxford University’s Department of Biology, explains why conservationists and researchers are concerned about the proposed Planning &
www.ox.ac.uk

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

Aidan Keane @aidankeane.bsky.social · 14d
PhD opportunity: Examining the role of public acceptance on the success of island restoration initiatives 🏝️🐀🤝 w. @rspb.bsky.social

* Project outline: e5-dtp.ed.ac.uk/project?item...
* Deadline: Sunday 14th December 2025
* How to apply: e5-dtp.ed.ac.uk/applications...

Happy to answer questions!

Reposted by Brian J. Enquist, Julie L. Lockwood, Mark N. Maunder , and 7 more

afredston.bsky.social
Alexa Fredston @afredston.bsky.social · 19d
POSTDOC JOB AD: I'm hiring a Bayesian ecologist to build a (IMO, extremely fun) model of humpback whale spatiotemporal dynamics in California

2-year position starting fall 2026. in-person in Santa Cruz; collab w with Mevin Hooten's lab at UT Austin.

ask me Qs or apply: recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF02003
Fredston Lab: Postdoctoral Scholar
University of California, Santa Cruz is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ucsc.edu

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

batconservation.bsky.social
Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · 19d
🦇 We are recruiting:
(1/3) Project Officer to deliver the Protecting Scotland’s Island Wonders project, part of the Species on the Edge project!

Part-time + fixed term contract. Home based in the Inner Hebrides with regular field work on Skye. Apply by 9am, 28 Oct:
www.bats.org.uk/the-trust/jo...
Species on the Edge Project Officer (Argyll and Inner Hebrides) - Jobs / Contracts - Bat Conservation Trust
Part-time (30 hours per week) fixed term contract until January 2027This role is home based in the Inner Hebrides with regular field work on Skye.£29,88...
www.bats.org.uk

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

biology.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · 21d
"Illegal wildlife trade affects thousands of species of wild plants, animals and fungi, and has been reported in 162 countries, including Canada, which is far from a passive bystander."

Michelle Anagnostou @oxmartinschool.bsky.social in @uk.theconversation.com 👇
theconversation.com/new-study-re...
New study reveals how illegal wildlife trade intersects with organized crime in Canada
Illegal wildlife trade is one of the largest criminal activities in the world and some black markets are growing each year. Canada’s response remains inadequately prioritized and under-resourced.
theconversation.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha, Celesté Maré

iccs.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science @iccs.bsky.social · 21d
Great blog to start the week: reflections from @sonakshis.bsky.social on the 2025 Interdisciplinary Conservation Network.

"The highlight of ICN for me was the people. Their presence reminded me of what interdisciplinarity truly looks like and what it takes to build it."

iccs.org.uk/what-interdi...
What Interdisciplinarity Feels Like in Practice - ICCS
By Sonakshi Srivastava, a participant in the Interdisciplinary Conservation Network 2025.   I am not going to lie: as a social scientist, I am still a little scared of natural scientists. It is hard t...
iccs.org.uk

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

oxfordbiologylgbtq.bsky.social
Biology LGBTQ+ Journal Club @oxfordbiologylgbtq.bsky.social · 27d
Hello bluesky! We are an LGBTQ+ Biology Journal Club at Uni of Oxford 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️. We are interested in topics relevant to queer ecology and amplifying queer voices in academia 🪲🌱.

For those in Oxford, we meet every 2 weeks - get in touch for more details! 🥳
A cartoon of 2 rhinocerous beetles clashing. One beetle is saying "I'm just trying to kiss you!" and the other beetle is saying "I'm just trying to kiss you too!". Above them is text reading LGBTQ+ Journal Club in the colours of the progress pride flag.

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

theflyingpat.bsky.social
Patrícia Chaves @theflyingpat.bsky.social · 28d
It’s finally out! The result of a huge team effort! ✨

We combined DNA metabarcoding and network analysis to uncover the diets and pest control potential of birds and bats in the rice fields of northern Guinea-Bissau!

Check it out!

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Ecological networks reveal strong pest suppression complementarity between birds and bats within rice-dominated agroecosystems in West Africa
The growing demand for rice across West African countries requires urgent pest control strategies that are cost-effective and ecologically sustainable…
www.sciencedirect.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

iccs.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science @iccs.bsky.social · 28d
Applications are still open for the next Masterclass on Mitigating Illegal Wildlife Trade. Find out more about the course and apply here.
https://ow.ly/qxGK50XaJM8
Feel free to ask any questions via the comments below or email (see address in the link above)
#masterclass #westafrica

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

biology.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · Oct 10
📢Closing on Monday: Associate Professor of Molecular Cell Biology

But if you thought you had missed out...

🎉Extended till 22nd October: Associate Professor of Animal Behaviour

Join us in the new state-of-the-art Life and Mind Building 👇

bit.ly/488CNW3

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

sheldonbirds.bsky.social
Ben Sheldon @sheldonbirds.bsky.social · Oct 10
Honouring the life of Sir John Gurdon, who died earlier this week: awarded the Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine for seminal work carried out in Oxford Zoology (now @biology.ox.ac.uk) showing that mature cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.

www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012 was awarded jointly to Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent"
www.nobelprize.org

Reposted by Ana Nuño, Ricardo Rocha

patriciaguedes.bsky.social
Patrícia Guedes @patriciaguedes.bsky.social · Oct 6
Out last friday 📣 want to learn more about habitat use and diel activity of insectivorous bats 🦇 in different land-covers🏝️? Check our study in the endemic-rich Princípe Island, Central West Africa👇:
@ricardonature.bsky.social @tallyyoh.bsky.social

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Habitat use and diel activity of insectivorous bats across land‐cover types on an Afrotropical oceanic island
Using acoustic surveys, we investigated habitat use and diel activity patterns of insectivorous bats across the main land-use types of the endemic-rich Príncipe Island, in Central West Africa. We sam...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

tallyyoh.bsky.social
Tally Yoh @tallyyoh.bsky.social · Oct 6
🌱🕥🦇 Interested to know more about the habitat use & daily activity patterns of African island bats?

New paper led by Ana Filipa Palmeirim conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @ricardonature.bsky.social @anasofiabiology.bsky.social

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

iccs.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science @iccs.bsky.social · Oct 3
A great example from earlier this year of research carried out by the Masterclass on Mitigating Illegal Wildlife Trade course co-leader, Dan Challender, and colleagues, exposed a disconnect between the media and public perceptions of wild meat in the wake of COVID-19
https://ow.ly/F1Zt50X3mnX
Media–public disconnect on wild meat narratives in central Africa during COVID-19
ow.ly

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Ricardo Rocha

iccs.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science @iccs.bsky.social · Oct 1
"We often focus on hunters... But there's a whole range of other people involved."

Hear about the complexities of the #wildlifetrade from the course leaders of the Masterclass on Mitigating Wildlife, Amy Hinsley and Dan Challender, alongside E.J. Milner-Gulland https://ow.ly/tAHV50X3mql
- YouTube
Delivering a better-informed wildlife trade
ow.ly

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

iccs.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science @iccs.bsky.social · Sep 30
🚨Women are central to tropical wild meat systems, yet too often overlooked🚨

A new paper led by @jasminwillis.bsky.social, Dr Lauren Coad, @orchiddelirium.bsky.social & @ejmilnergulland.bsky.social reviewed 334 studies across 54 countries, finding women occupy 36 roles, from harvesting to trade.

Reposted by Ricardo Rocha

janenapier1960.bsky.social
Jane Caroline Napier @janenapier1960.bsky.social · Sep 18
Hmm I don't know. Some cat owners get really hysterical about people feeding their cats but yeah - it must be hungry, although it looks well cared for and has a tracker on its collar!! I'm not touching it though. It yowled at me when I took this picture

Reposted by Martin Jung, Ricardo Rocha

society4conbio.bsky.social
Society for Conservation Biology @society4conbio.bsky.social · Sep 15
The 8th European Congress for Conservation Biology will take place in Leiden, NL! They will explore how #biodiversity can be safeguarded effectively in the long term. First call is open now! Check out: eccb26leiden.eu/calls/ for more info, we are looking forward to your contributions!