Rebecca Meagher
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rkmeagher.bsky.social
Rebecca Meagher
@rkmeagher.bsky.social
Animal behaviour and welfare researcher. Assoc Prof at Dalhousie. Fond of cows, mustelids, cats and nerdy humour.
Great scientists are people too.
Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin
February 12, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
On this day that supports inclusive futures for women and girls in science, let's not forget all the women that were sidelined, ignored, or forced out of science because they:
- had children
- prioritised family/caring
- did science differently
- questioned boundaries & norms
- fought the patriarchy
February 11, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
Is it possible to experience disgust fatigue? Because I feel like I'm there.
February 5, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
The absolute state of academic spam
February 3, 2026 at 6:48 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
Applications are now open for Mahouts Elephant Foundation's Asian Elephant Behavior and Community-Driven Conservation field-course!

Join PAN Works' own Dr. Liv Baker in Thailand to explore the science of animal behaviour and well-being in conservation.

#animals #wellbeing #conservation #elephants
Mahouts Elephant Foundation: 2026 Field Course
Applications are now open!
medium.com
January 29, 2026 at 5:12 PM
😂
Canadians you are not prepared for the temperature he tells you he is experiencing here.
January 22, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Really nice clear explanations of why boredom is still a problem in our times and why a one-time "do nothing for 8 hours" isn't going to fix it from @jamesdanckert.bsky.social here:
nautil.us/why-the-do-n... (Thanks for the shout out, as always!)
Why the Do Nothing Challenge Doesn’t Do Much for You
Why the Do Nothing Challenge Doesn’t Do Much for You: Boredom lab researcher James Danckert says our collective obsession is misplaced.
nautil.us
January 19, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
A big opportunity for researchers thinking about what’s next. Dalhousie University is recruiting up to 30 tenure and tenure-track faculty supported by the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative. Strong support, big ambition.

Apply by Jan 23: buff.ly/tfhDaUS
January 5, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Personally, I think a country having a history of harming people doesn't mean they should not try to be humane and kind in the present. Growth and learning is also part of being human. www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
PNI Atlantic News
Home page for Home
www.saltwire.com
December 31, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.
August 13, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
You are ABSOLUTELY NOT going to regret listening to this bird:
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.

Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.

A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
December 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
This article suggests the possibility of training AI on pre-existing proposals and their review reports, scores and related decisions. I.e. training them on a system which is known to preferentially award larger amounts of money to white men. What could possibly go wrong?
December 4, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
New research reports that cats meow more frequently when greeting male owners. It’s hypothesized that men “require more explicit vocalizations to notice and respond to the needs of their cats.” In other words, the researchers are suggesting that many cats have concluded that men don’t always listen
To Get a Man’s Attention, Meow Harder
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.

www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Is this the moment Canada gets serious about science and the economy?
The federal budget includes $1.7-billion to attract international researchers and support Canadian R&D and IP protections
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
I just love science people.
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
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
November 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Yes please, Outlook, could you cancel some meetings for me?
November 3, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
The Canadian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Research is launching a US-style attack on EDI in Tri-Council funding.

As part of this attack, they are demanding disclosure of confidential demographic info + reviewer comments of all Canadian researchers who have applied b/w 2000-2025.
October 31, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
October 31, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻

Enter if you dare...🚪
October 31, 2025 at 9:24 AM
This particular part of the article is my current life. (And yes I teach about cat behaviour.)
Stereo chooses to vocalize her concerns at inconvenient times in a baffling manner (yowling). Paired with inconsistent behavior, such as marching back and forth on management’s head at night, this communication is far from adequate, as management has no fucking clue what she wants.
Cat Performance Review
1. Skill and proficiency in carrying out assignments Inconsistent. When asked to come sit on the couch or get down off the kitchen table, Stereo’s ...
buff.ly
October 29, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
How your email finds me. Photo from my collection, no date/info.
October 28, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Really hope no dairy calves ever get loose in this airport.
I have been traveling and today I present to you...the thing I saw in the Frankfurt airport.

Is it efficient? Undeniably. Does it probably work better than the normal way? Oh certainly. Produce less of a mess? Probably?

But the existence of Condiment Udders gives me a deep, aghast disquiet.
October 22, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Meagher
📣 Are you interested in applied animal ethology and perceptual abilities of animals? Do you want to help us disentangle how animal emotions are modulated by their sensory environment? Then, you might be the postdoc we are looking for🌠

More info: www.slu.se/en/about-slu...

#appliedethology #postcoc
Postdoctoral position in Applied animal ethology and animal perception | slu.se
SLU - Science and Education for Sustainable Life
www.slu.se
October 15, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Opportunity in animal welfare with a great supervisor:
I’m looking for a PhD student, please share!
#PhDPositionAlert
PhD on Advancing the welfare of dairy ruminant youngstock through a social science or multi-disciplinary lens
Michigan State University, USA

More information: www.applied-ethology.org/PhD_USA.html
October 8, 2025 at 3:13 PM