Davide Bottacini
@davidebottacini.bsky.social
PhD candidate at Wageningen University and Research - Interested in fish ecology, behaviour and biodiversity
The other day I thought I lost a few thousand flamingo pictures due to sloppiness during a back-up. It took me a while to find them back, but they are safe now. I think this beautiful youngster is happy too...
December 8, 2025 at 8:20 PM
The other day I thought I lost a few thousand flamingo pictures due to sloppiness during a back-up. It took me a while to find them back, but they are safe now. I think this beautiful youngster is happy too...
Yes, peer-reviewing can take a while...
December 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Yes, peer-reviewing can take a while...
Two shots, just 180° apart. About a year ago, after a long day out in the field, we found ourselves in a very privileged position: right between the Moon rising and the Sun setting.
November 26, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Two shots, just 180° apart. About a year ago, after a long day out in the field, we found ourselves in a very privileged position: right between the Moon rising and the Sun setting.
I've recently been at a large aquarium event and it was very cool to see four-eyed fish there. I had seen them before, but only from above. They actually have two eyes, but they are shaped in a way that allows them to see above and below the water surface without changing position.
November 13, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I've recently been at a large aquarium event and it was very cool to see four-eyed fish there. I had seen them before, but only from above. They actually have two eyes, but they are shaped in a way that allows them to see above and below the water surface without changing position.
I am in Monaco for a meeting on lionfish and I had to visit the local public aquarium. Seeing a live nautilus was a treat! It might be the first in my life.
October 15, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I am in Monaco for a meeting on lionfish and I had to visit the local public aquarium. Seeing a live nautilus was a treat! It might be the first in my life.
Predator and prey. A common buzzard showing us her nictitating membrane, a structure that birds of prey use to protect and moisturise their eyes.
September 2, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Predator and prey. A common buzzard showing us her nictitating membrane, a structure that birds of prey use to protect and moisturise their eyes.
From a rice paddy in... Greece! The last place where I was expecting rice paddies...
August 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
From a rice paddy in... Greece! The last place where I was expecting rice paddies...
Unusual friendships at the water surface.
July 25, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Unusual friendships at the water surface.
A memory from last year in Santorini, Greece. Not much wildlife over there, but I could entertain myself watching a group of chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar) feeding at sunset.
July 17, 2025 at 6:50 PM
A memory from last year in Santorini, Greece. Not much wildlife over there, but I could entertain myself watching a group of chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar) feeding at sunset.
By far, my favourite grouper in the Mediterranean Sea: Mycteroperca rubra. I hadn't seen them in a decent size for a while and the other day we had three checking us out from the blue, as they usually do.
July 11, 2025 at 5:27 AM
By far, my favourite grouper in the Mediterranean Sea: Mycteroperca rubra. I hadn't seen them in a decent size for a while and the other day we had three checking us out from the blue, as they usually do.
An Eleonora's falcon from my last trip to Crete; a common sighting there in the right season.
June 27, 2025 at 9:00 AM
An Eleonora's falcon from my last trip to Crete; a common sighting there in the right season.
A (sleeping) Mediterranean parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense). This species is typical of the warm waters of the southern and eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea but has been expanding its distribution to more northern locations as part of a phenomenon called 'meridionalisation'.
June 4, 2025 at 4:21 PM
A (sleeping) Mediterranean parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense). This species is typical of the warm waters of the southern and eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea but has been expanding its distribution to more northern locations as part of a phenomenon called 'meridionalisation'.
A sea becoming tropical: we are used to seeing more non-native fishes than native ones here in the eastern Mediterranean, but the yellow bar angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus) is a first for me too. Kudos to our students that spotted it first.
May 22, 2025 at 5:19 PM
A sea becoming tropical: we are used to seeing more non-native fishes than native ones here in the eastern Mediterranean, but the yellow bar angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus) is a first for me too. Kudos to our students that spotted it first.
A very, very special encounter the other day, one that I was not hoping for anymore...
Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
May 19, 2025 at 7:40 AM
A very, very special encounter the other day, one that I was not hoping for anymore...
Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
I like diving the most when it gets sciency...
May 13, 2025 at 7:35 PM
I like diving the most when it gets sciency...
Pretty cool animals, these garganeys! When their head is not underwater looking for food...
April 13, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Pretty cool animals, these garganeys! When their head is not underwater looking for food...
The largest magnolia tree in the Netherlands is blooming!
April 8, 2025 at 3:13 PM
The largest magnolia tree in the Netherlands is blooming!
I was looking for ducks the other day, but I found someone else...
April 3, 2025 at 9:56 AM
I was looking for ducks the other day, but I found someone else...
Twig catfish feeling very... twig during a water change.
March 22, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Twig catfish feeling very... twig during a water change.
Fresh back from Athens, where we had interesting discussions on lionfish in the Mediterranean with various experts and stakeholders.
March 15, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Fresh back from Athens, where we had interesting discussions on lionfish in the Mediterranean with various experts and stakeholders.
Last night was fermentation night.
March 10, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Last night was fermentation night.
A tribute to our only natural satellite.
February 1, 2025 at 9:51 AM
A tribute to our only natural satellite.
Reposted by Davide Bottacini
We are organizing the 1st European Lionfish Conference in Crete 15.-17. May 2025.
Join us! Everybody working on or interested in lionfish is most welcome.
A joint effort of Wageningen University and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research:
www.wur.nl/en/research-...
Join us! Everybody working on or interested in lionfish is most welcome.
A joint effort of Wageningen University and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research:
www.wur.nl/en/research-...
January 22, 2025 at 8:53 AM
We are organizing the 1st European Lionfish Conference in Crete 15.-17. May 2025.
Join us! Everybody working on or interested in lionfish is most welcome.
A joint effort of Wageningen University and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research:
www.wur.nl/en/research-...
Join us! Everybody working on or interested in lionfish is most welcome.
A joint effort of Wageningen University and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research:
www.wur.nl/en/research-...
'Dory' (actually, two Dories...) was found in the Western Mediterranean Sea. A good reminder to never release our pets into the wild, regardless of whether we have them in an aquarium at home or on a super mega yacht of whatever sort...
A Sighting of the Indian Ocean Surgeon Fish Paracanthurus hepatus in Eastern Provence (North-Western Mediterranean Sea)
Two Indian Ocean surgeon fish Paracanthurus hepatus individuals were observed near Saint-Raphaël (Provence, France, north-western Mediterranean Sea) in the late summer of 2024 in Posidonia oceanica se...
www.mdpi.com
January 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
'Dory' (actually, two Dories...) was found in the Western Mediterranean Sea. A good reminder to never release our pets into the wild, regardless of whether we have them in an aquarium at home or on a super mega yacht of whatever sort...
A lovely surprise from my twig catfish (Farlowella vittata) this morning.
January 19, 2025 at 11:15 AM
A lovely surprise from my twig catfish (Farlowella vittata) this morning.