🏆 #Animalwelfare Award for my continued commitment to improving welfare for our #fattaileddunnarts. #Captivemanagement of animals is a privilege, and every animal life is valued and respected. My efforts are supported by my incredible manager Andrew Pask and Colossal Biosciences.

Years ago a couple of our #dunnarts got #trichobezoars (hairballs) so preventative protocols were developed. 2000+ animals later, we haven't seen any more hairballs, so I helped #veterinarians publish this result, highlighting our commitment to our animals' health and #welfare 🙏

First ever poster #presentation at #ICCB2025! Fat-tailed #dunnarts of the Victorian #grasslands are #threatened with #extinction
Sheep farming landscapes ✅️ Cropped landscapes ❌️
#climatechange is forcing Victorian farmers toward cropping = less #habitat for #native #fauna

Recent #research we #published! In non-fancy terms, this represents the first step for developing #marsupial IVF; working out how to collect high-quality eggs from female fat-tailed #dunnarts ✅
#assistedreproduction #reproduction

Fresh #research paper out today! Long-term impacts of #captivity on #skull #morphology and #endocranial volume in fat-tailed #dunnarts 💀🐭
Captive skulls = significantly shorter basal + upper molar lengths, broader zygomatic widths and longer palate and toothrow lengths, compared with wild dunnarts.

Calperum Station #floodplains; "dig in" day is done!
Fingers crossed for dunnarts, planigale and amazing reptiles 🤞 #pitfalls #pitfalltrapping #surveying #ecology

FRONT COVER of February Dev. Dynamics! 📸Caleb McElrea
"Breeding fat-tailed #dunnarts in #captivity: Revised practices to minimize stress whilst maintaining considerations of wild biology": anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
#scientist #research #wildlife #womeninstem

Nice size #easternbrownsnake skin in my tile grid today. Did you know you can sometimes identify a #snake to species based on its shed? EBs have 17 dorsal rows and a divided anal scale. Though I wouldn't suggest counting the anal scales on a live one 🤷‍♀️ 🐍
#fieldwork #ecology #grassland #womeninSTEM

Forgot to get a card? I got you covered! Show your loved one you care with one of my widely applicable and not-at-all-niche Valentine's messages 🥰💝💘

#fattaileddunnart #dunnart #marsupial #threatenedspecies #ValentinesDay #Valentines

Today is International Day of Women and Girls in #Science; adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to promote equal participation of #womeninSTEM. Grateful for my manager Prof. Andrew Pask, and all other mentors who provide a supportive and inclusive workplace for ALL #scientists.

Fresh publication alert! 🔥
"Breeding #fattaileddunnarts in #captivity: revised practices to minimise #stress whilst maintaining considerations of wild #biology".
#glucocorticoids #endocrinology #captivemanagement #marsupials doi.org/10.1002/dvdy...

In a lab of ~70 people, I was absolutely chuffed to be voted 'Most Likely to Brighten your Day' and in recognition of my 'Ethical Compliance' 🥹🙏

#ethics #ethical #science #research

In absolute awe of my little brother Lockie, who is about to set sail on a ~45 day trip to #Antarctica. He'll be working for 12+ months at Mawson #Scientific #Research Station, with the Australian #Antarctic Division.
Follow him on insta and tiktok! (@scic.travels)

Slender-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis murina)

#science #ecology #fieldwork #dunnart #calperum #carnivorousmarsupial #dasyurids #WildOz #ausmammals #research #womeninstem #womeninwildlife #womeninscience

A couple gems of the #mallee.

#spinytailedgecko #growlinggrassfrog #commonscalyfoot #redtailedwormlizard #coralsnake
#snake #gecko #herpetology #WildOz #WomenInSTEM #fieldwork #ecology #science

Today's #dasyurids...
Southern #ningaui (Ningaui yvonneae) and slender-tailed #dunnart (Sminthopsis murina)

#womeninscience #ecology #fieldwork #science
@heatherneilly.bsky.social

Common dunnart (Sminthopsis murina)
Bolam's mouse (Pseudomys bolami)
Desert skink (Liopholis inornata)

#dunnart #skink #calperum @heatherneilly.bsky.social
#science #ecology #fieldwork #reptiles #WildOz #ausmammals #womeninstem #womeninscience #research