Wildlife Conservation Society’s Post

🦌 We care deer-ly about this research! Learn more about current Global Change Research Fellow, Mikiah Carver's study of urban white-tailed deer populations in her researcher spotlight. https://lnkd.in/gnSnQhEd

For her PhD, Deja Perkins is studying datasets generated by the public, also known as participatory science projects. These projects include eBird, a site where anyone can upload bird observations. And they’re essential to conservation efforts. But Deja says that not every area is well represented in eBird, because right now the participants are predominantly white and affluent, leading to a gap in what we know about the diversity of birds in many low-income and minority areas. Involving a wide variety of people in reporting bird observations where they live could help close the data gaps and reveal where to put new green spaces for both birds and people. https://lnkd.in/guGMNS9g

💡 READ: New research, supported by data Global Fishing Watch provided on the positions of large shipping vessels, identifies priority sites for whale shark ship-collision management. 👥 The study was carried out by researchers from The Marine Biological Association, the University of Southampton, the Marine Research and Conservation Foundation and the Marine Megafauna Foundation. It underlines how heavily used shipping lanes pass through crucial whale shark feeding grounds, posing a threat to the endangered species. 🌐 Unpack full details on the study published in Science of the Total Environment: bit.ly/4arPOHJ

[PDF] Becoming Good Ancestors: How We Balance Nature, Community, and Technology David Ehrenfeld digsell https://lnkd.in/egtqQyCc A brilliant writer and gifted “big picture” thinker, David Ehrenfeld is one of America’s leading conservation biologists. Becoming Good Ancestors unites in a single, up-to-date framework pieces written over two decades, spanning politics, ecology, and culture, and illuminating the forces in modern society that thwart our efforts to solve today’s hard questions about society and the environment. The book focuses on our present-day retreat from reality, our alienation from nature, our unthinking acceptance of new technology and rejection of the old, the loss of our ability to discriminate between events we can control and those we cannot, the denial of … Read More » https://lnkd.in/eu_N6TCT

🌊 Ever wondered about the delicate dance between scientific surveys and marine protected areas? Dive into this fascinating read from ICES Journal of Marine Science, exploring the conundrum of survey methods vs. conservation goals. 🐟 The article delves into the impact of excluding surveys from MPAs on fish populations, painting a vivid picture of the potential consequences of such decisions. 🌍 Just like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, balancing the needs of scientific data collection and marine conservation within MPAs presents its own set of challenges and compromises. 🔍 This study brings to light the intricate balance between accurate population monitoring and the preservation of sensitive marine habitats - a must-read for anyone interested in marine conservation and research. https://lnkd.in/e6ZRTjua

Through the work I do capturing, collaring, and tracking fishers in Minnesota, as part of a team based out of the Natural Resources Research Institute at University of Minnesota Duluth, I'm generally not permitted to share photos or video of our target species. However, on this occasion, while we trapped in the University's Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve back in Dec, the University posted this video that I took of us releasing a collared fisher. Enjoy a glimpse at these beautiful and elusive denisons of the forest. I can't believe this video of mine went viral. This is a perfect example of how I would like to accompany my skills as a photographer with my work as a wildlife researcher. I hope this video gives people an opportunity to see these majestic and sorely misunderstood beings. I want to take a minute to dispel some rumors. Fishers, also referred to as fisher cats in New England - to my chagrin - , are commonly blamed for terrorizing the nocturnal woodland world with their shrieks. This is completely misplaced. The vocalizations people associate with fishers are actually those of a red fox. Having now handled and been around about 20 fishers, and having now worked with experts who have studied fishers for years, I can say that fishers are one of the most quiet creatures I've seen. The most common sound I've heard them make is a very low pitched gurlging. Secondly, fishers are not a threat to people, children, or cats. There is a huge misunderstanding that fishers are one of the leading predators of outdoor domestic cats. This was shown to be false by a study of over 226 fisher scats and stomachs in Massachusetts. That same study did note two instances of fishers eating a cat. Fishers only weigh, on average, 5-14 pounds. It doesn't make sense for fishers to pursue a prey item that is as large as themselves and as well armed as a cat. For their own self-preservation, fishers focus their attention on rodents (mice to squirrels to porcupines), lagomorphs (rabbits and hares), carrion, fruits, and seeds (the proportion of which depends on the region and season). If you're ever lucky enough to see one of these magnificent critters, savor the moment. https://lnkd.in/dezs6x8z

“How, in our age, do we overcome this competition between ecology and economy, which is leading us to so many destructive and ultimately, increasingly catastrophic realities around the world?”   In this episode of #AwakeAtNight, Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), reflects on the challenges facing humanity.   Listen: https://lnkd.in/gDN9diCz

Our recent article published in EPW challenges the notion of human-nature dualism and hierarchy within. It says "the stratification one sees in human–animal interactions and in our differing attitudes to different animals is not only a sociological concern but also an ecological one. The concept and dimensions of ecological justice and equity need to be re-examined to include justice for non-human actors too." https://lnkd.in/gsWCqNks

I'm happy to share with you my most recent publication! 🦊 🐾 🌳 In this study, we demonstrated the importance of landscape characteristics in the composition of the mesocarnivores community, showing that the increasing homogeneity of Mediterranean landscapes limits the co‐occurrence of mesocarnivores in space and time. Click here to access the full article 👇 https://lnkd.in/dXZQbxbV

🌊 Dive into the latest Editor’s Choice from ICES Journal of Marine Science, exploring the delicate balance between scientific surveys and marine protected areas (MPAs) - akin to navigating through uncharted waters. 🐟 Scientific surveys are vital for sustainable fishing limits, yet their impact within MPAs sparks debate as conservation goals clash with data collection methods. 🦑 This study unveils a novel method to assess abundance indices in proposed MPAs, shedding light on potential biases and uncertainties in fish population trends. 🐠 Exclusion of surveys from MPAs could skew population assessments, revealing the intricate dance between conservation efforts and scientific accuracy. 🌍 As MPAs expand and survey areas face limitations, the integrity of data indices hangs in the balance, calling for nuanced solutions to safeguard marine populations. 📚 Delve deeper into the complexities of survey accuracy within MPAs in the full article from ICES Journal of Marine Science. https://lnkd.in/e6ZRTjua