Interested in the evolutionary genomics of host-pathogen interactions or the evolutionary ecology of senescence? 1 week left to apply for the two postdoc positions in our badger - bovine TB project🦡🦠🧪🧬👇

NOTE - this badger is anaesthetised (under licence) not dead!! She never left the capture site during the procedure, and was released within an hour of taking this photo

Apparently a pink nose indicates an albino rather than a leucistic badger

After over 30 years of working on badgers, yesterday for the first time I finally got to see an albino (trapped, vaccinated, and sampled under licence)

You can read the new bTB strategy for yourself here eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

Cattle to get TB vaccine from 2030 under ‘game-changing’ strategy as badger cull nears ends - Eradication attempts have seen many thousands of cattle and badgers killed but the new strategy is a step change, says the government www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Scientists have known for years that most TB transmission occurs between cattle, but the idea was hard to mainstream because news coverage kept focusing on badgers. So it’s a big win to so far see no pictures of badgers in today’s press

The new bTB strategy is published! Key points: (1) most cattle get TB from other cattle, so most recommendations target cattle; (2) cattle vaccine rollout by 2030; (3) farmers & vets empowered to improve cattle testing; (4) badger vaccination in priority areas & an end to badger culling

Here is something I’m proud of: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Audience at Andrew George MP’s constituency meeting about his private members bill seems split between local housing issues and nature & climate issues… I wonder what he will choose

Look!!

1 May means the start of the badger vaccination and sampling season - great to be out this morning training two @zslscience.bsky.social colleagues. Hoping for a record year this year!

Just heard my first blackcap of 2026 🤩

Hey that’s me!

This is the best Valentines thread ever

Well here is some exciting news! Well done Cornwall Wildlife Trust!! 🤩🦫

Our first event on 3rd Feb, Trailblazers & Pioneers, will explore historical insights from ZSL’s rich scientific heritage, and showcase the groundbreaking achievements of today. Hosted by none other than @adamrutherford.bsky.social. Book your free ticket now! www.zsl.org/news-and-eve...

Fantastic opportunity for a PhD in #TeamWildDog, please share widely www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/man...

I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...

Can anyone tell me what’s wrong with these beetles? Six dead or moribund beetles in a small stretch of footpath

💉 Farmer-led project on badger vaccinations begins 🐄 A new project to understand the next steps towards the eradication of a devastating cattle disease is underway, led by farmers and supported by our scientists Learn more about the work here 👉 www.zsl.org/news-and-eve...

I’m so proud of this new project! (Yes I’m the headless person holding the badger, anaesthetised under licence)

We are hiring x3! As well as 2 seasonal fiekd technicians we are looking for a postdoc to join our Cornwall Badger Project team! Please share widely! careers.zsl.org/vacancies/41...

We are hiring!!! Please share widely careers.zsl.org/vacancies/42...

Fellow Mammalogists. As many of you are aware, science is in a state of turmoil in the United States. Recent efforts to drastically reduce government workforces and research funding for science will lead to many adverse consequences for Earth’s remaining natural ecosystems.

Sad to only now find out about this. Our team has modelled the (scary) projected impact of climate change on African wild dogs, a CMS-listed species

Hooray!!!