Aldina Franco

Looking forward to the 2026 CEEC Rebellion conference. Fantastic programme ahead. Thanks to all organisers! @ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social @biouea.bsky.social

Ga

Next up for #CEECRebellion2026: Our Chairs! 🌿

We are thankful to Prof. Aldina Franco and Dr. Gabrielle Davidson for their advice and guidance to the organizing committee.

Stay tuned for more 🦋

@aldinafranco.bsky.social @drgdavidson.bsky.social
@ueaenv.bsky.social
@biouea.bsky.social

Mexico considers shrinking protected areas for endangered vaquita porpoise MEXICO CITY — Mexican officials have proposed scaling back fishing regulations meant to protect a narrow stretch of ocean home to the last 10 remaining vaquitas, the world’s smallest species of…

Mexico is considering shrinking a protected area in the Gulf of California — home to the critically endangered vaquita, with an estimated 10 individuals left.

A draft proposal would reduce the gillnet ban zone and allow vessel traffic in a zero-tolerance area now fully closed to boats.

Raeshaw Estate claims General Licence restriction “wholly unjustified” & intends to appeal Following yesterday’s news that NatureScot has imposed a(nother) three-year General Licence restriction on Raeshaw Estate in south Scotland (here), based on evidence provided by Police Scotla…

General Licence restriction imposed in relation to shooting of Golden Eagle 'Merrick'. Raeshaw Estate claims this is "wholly unjustified" & says it will appeal the decision.

Statement from estate & commentary from me 🔽

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/02/11/r...

Illustrations of 10 less common garden birds: Tree Sparrow (brown with a black cheek spot), Pied Wagtail (black and white with a long tail), Rook (glossy black with a pale beak), Fieldfare (grey head, brown back, speckled chest), Blackcap (male: grey with a black cap, female: brown with a chestnut cap), Common Gull (grey wings, white body), Stock Dove (blue-grey), Jay (pinkish with blue wing patch

Ready to level up your birdwatching? 😎

Here’s another 10 birds to keep an eye out for this #BigGardenBirdwatch...

From colourful Jays to stealthy Sparrowhawks, who have you spotted on your patch before?

PS - Don't forget to sign up: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Looking for a PhD project in Movement Ecology or animal migration? This is an exciting project with an experienced team. #migration #Ornithology #GPStracking

Tracking Social Lapwings, to understand hunting pressures on this critically endangered wader:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2021/01/03/f...
(WaderTales blog from 3 Jan 2021)
More about tracking waders:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/05/06/m...
#ornithology

Conservation Scientist - Island Restoration The removal of invasive predators from island ecosystems delivers major conservation benefits. We are looking for an island restoration scientist to help realise these benefits by joining our ...

Conservation Scientist - Island Restoration - RSPB - environmentjob.co.uk/jobs/108572-...

Engagement Assistant We are looking for an enthusiastic Engagement Assistant to support our team in delivering our public engagement and project work. You’ll be helping our team deliver an ambitious events schedule ...

We're recruiting!
BoPH are looking for a part-time Engagement Assistant to join our team. This role would be well-suited to an enthusiastic ornithologist with great communication skills & good knowledge of British birds. Full details: environmentjob.co.uk/posts/108499...
Closes: 30th Jan 2026

I like this idea.

Two funded PhD projects with @marius-somveille.bsky.social, myself and collaborators. Examining migratory connectivity for seabirds www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d... and and the dynamics of seasonal migration www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK742/p...
#ornithology
@ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social

Vorläufige Ergebnisse des 8. Internationalen Weißstorchzensus 2024 Der 8. Internationale Weißstorchzensus fand 2024 wieder als ein gemeinsames Projekt von NABU (BirdLife Germany) und BirdLife International statt. Der NABU koordiniert die länderübergreifenden Zählunge...

New funded PhD projects with @marius-somveille.bsky.social, myself and collaborators. Examining migratory connectivity for seabirds www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d... and and the dynamics of seasonal migration www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK742/p...
#ornithology
@ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social

UK rejects total ban on bottom trawling in offshore marine protected areas The U.K. government has rejected calls to fully ban bottom trawling in its offshore marine protected areas, despite evidence that the fishing practice tears up seabed habitats and releases large…

The U.K. government has rejected calls to fully ban bottom trawling in its offshore marine protected areas, despite evidence that the fishing practice tears up seabed habitats and releases large amounts of carbon.

Map of DucklingWatch 2025 records

Young mallard duckling

A huge thanks to everyone involved in #DucklingWatch this year - we received over 950 brood records from across Britain.
See our end of season report at www.essex.ac.uk/research-projects/ducklingwatch for more info.
DucklingWatch will return in 2026 - stay tuned!

Early mornings at @kneppwilding.bsky.social

Thank you to photographer, Ian Brierley, for this fantastic photo from his recent visit to Knepp! ☀️

Jane Goodall reaching out to a baby chimpanzee, with the chimp reaching back. Hands are on the verge of touching.

“Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, we will help. Only if we help, we shall be saved”

- Jane Goodall

'An extraordinary legacy': Tributes after chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall dies age 91 The primatologist was a

Jane Goodall's work was inspirational. She was an amazing person and a pioneer in animal behaviour research. Amazing work. Sad to see her go. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c9...

One month to go until the UKBMS 50th Anniversary Conference!

Are you joining us?

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uk-butterf...

#UKBMS50

Our answers to climate change are damaging nature As the extinction of plants and animals accelerates, our dependence on the natural world is deepening

Excellent article from the FT on the need to consider climate change and biodiversity conservation together and tackle both challenges together. www.ft.com/content/f84d...

Bottom trawling to continue in English protected waters, government rules Defra says blanket ban on ‘destructive’ fishing practice disproportionate as MPs urge minister to reconsider

This is infuriating. What is the point of a Marine Protected Area if trawlers are allowed to keep ploughing it?
Yet again, the government has succumbed to commercial lobbying.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Spectacular migration for the UK white storks this year! This stork, born at Knepp this year, is offspring of flightless parents and migrated around the Alps following a Southeastern migration route @ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social

The UK white storks don't stop surprising us. This year some went around the Alps and are migrating through Italy: wsp.acenature.org/flight2.html

Last week to register to attend the BES Movement Ecology SIG annual meeting @britishecologicalsociety.org, deadline 27th of August. Come and join us in Norwich @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social @ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social

Bring back the ancient woodlands smothered beneath your timber plantations Ancient woodlands are vanishing – and with them, some of our most loved and endangered wildlife. Forestry England manages over 100,000 acres of land that used to be ancient woodland - that’s bigger th...

🌳Vast areas of our most vital habitat are at risk of being lost forever.

Will you join Dame Judi Dench and @wildcard.land in calling for Forestry England to restore their Ancient Woodlands lost under timber plantations? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/br...

Killer in the nest: how young storks are being strangled by plastic Researchers in Europe found everyday plastics, especially farmers’ baler twine, being used by the birds as a building material and entangling their young. It is a problem that affects other species to...

We found that plastic materials left in the environment are carried by white storks to their nests and then cause chick mortality due to entanglements www.theguardian.com/environment/... link to paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @ueaenv.bsky.social @ueaceec.bsky.social

We recently tagged @whitestorkproject.bsky.social juveniles to enable us to determine their movements and migration. These are offspring of flightless white storks that build ground nests @kneppwilding.bsky.social. Looking forward to following their movements whitestorkproject.org/our-storks/.

An initial look at butterfly numbers for this spring show an upturn compared to a very poor 2024. Orange tip are up 29.5% & Swallowtail 22.6%. We will be crunching the full numbers at the end of year. #savebutterflies

Final week to submit your abstract to the 2025 BES Movement Ecology SIG. @britishecologicalsociety.org the meeting will be held in Norwich 2-3 September @ueaenv.bsky.social @ueaceec.bsky.social