Meet Diploma student Emmanuel Kutiote! 🦁 Sparked by a childhood love of South Sudan’s wilderness, Emmanuel now aims to protect his home country’s wildlife and support local communities to conserve natural resources. Find out more about his work 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/emma... @biology.ox.ac.uk

How should protected areas be designed to best safeguard wildlife on Borneo? A study by Ewan Macdonald, David Macdonald & Sam Cushman explored the potential impacts of 28 landscape designs on Sunda clouded leopard population size and genetic diversity. 👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Meet Diploma student Trevor Balone! 🦁 With an interest in blending traditional tracking and modern technology, Trevor enjoys trekking through the bush to monitor wildlife populations and better understand how they interact with local communities. 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/trev...

What are the ecological and socio-economic factors influencing wire snare poaching? A review of over 300 studies, led by Dylan Feldmeier and coauthored by Amy Dickman, sheds light on local issues that drive the practice and threaten biodiversity. 👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Meet Diploma student Matilde (Tilly) Sant’Ana! 🐆 Working on diverse conservation projects across Africa, Tilly has gained experience in species monitoring, and undertaking both ecological research and conservation management. Discover Tilly's work www.wildcru.org/members/mati... @biology.ox.ac.uk

From reforestation at Mar Lodge Estate and Scottish Wildcat reintroduction, to species recovery challenges and dolphin spotting, our Diploma students' trip to the Scottish Highlands provided insights into the possibilities and challenges of protecting nature. 👉 bit.ly/3UY73LE @biology.ox.ac.uk

UPCOMING EVENT: Join us online for our first Ecological Survey Techniques lecture of the year, 'Wildlife, Warriors and Women: Big Cat Conservation in Tanzania and Beyond' with Professor Amy Dickman, Joint CEO of Lion Landscapes. 🔗Find out more: buff.ly/RuUmuJw #OxfordLifelongLearning #FreeLecture

What shapes scientific bias? A new study led by Allison Shaw, and co-authored by WildCRU’s @sandralai.bsky.social, investigates how bias is perceived and observed in movement ecology, highlighting disparities in authorship, geography, and representation. doi.org/10.1098/rspb... @biology.ox.ac.uk

Meet Diploma student Mariana Almaraz! 🐻 With a particular interest in Bolivia’s wildlife, Mariana enjoys going out into the field to help research and conserve a broad number of species in her home country. 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/mari... @biology.ox.ac.uk

Each year, WildCRU recognises the brilliant research our Diploma students undertake. From the 2024 cohort, we are delighted to award Darya Assil the Kennedy Kariuki Prize for Best Research Project and Melisa Lera the Meshach Pierre Prize for Outstanding Student. 👉 www.wildcru.org/.../diploma-...

Meet Diploma student Eva Johnson Ayaro! 🐸 Focussing on Tanzania’s chameleons & frogs, Eva’s work includes species conservation, habitat management, ecological monitoring & advocating for conservation driven by science & community engagement. 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/eva-... @biology.ox.ac.uk

The booming global trade in ornamental plants is boosting economies, but brings hidden risks. A new review shows that plant supply chains can spread pests, diseases and contaminants, while also threatening biodiversity, water supplies and food security. bit.ly/4mxW0oI @orchiddelirium.bsky.social

Have you ever wondered how lions have been shaped by climate change — both today and over thousands of years? 🦁 @tompavey.bsky.social shared results from novel modelling techniques, predicting how future climate change may affect lions & using palaeontological records to uncover past distributions

Conservation work is often measured using numbers, but gathering real life stories from people who have different experiences and values can shape conservation efforts to make them more effective and fair. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... Co-authored by @diogoverissimo.bsky.social

Meet Diploma student Maitland Ely! 🐢 Growing up in Western Australia, he developed a passion for the environment and diversity of native flora and fauna. Now he educates others on the importance of having plans in place to protect and restore nature. 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/mait...

Meet Diploma student Romaric Tegang! 🦁 Romaric’s work often takes him into the field, collecting data, capacity building and raising awareness of threatened species in his home country of Cameroon. 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/roma... @biology.ox.ac.uk @romarictegang.bsky.social

As part of the IUCN’s Behaviour Change Task Force, @diogoverissimo.bsky.social led an assessment of challenges, opportunities, and actionable recommendations to integrate behavioural sciences into conservation strategies. 👉 portals.iucn.org/library/node... @biology.ox.ac.uk

Mozambique is a crucial stronghold for mature African lions, but they are threatened by unsustainable levels of anthropogenic threats including indiscriminate poaching and targeted poaching for parts. Read more 👉 doi.org/10.1371/jour... @biology.ox.ac.uk [1/2]

EWCP, in partnership with EWCA, is leading the first large-scale preventive vaccination of Ethiopian wolves in the Bale Mountains. Combining vaccination and GPS collaring, we aim to protect the world’s rarest canid and the Afroalpine ecosystem they call home. @biology.ox.ac.uk @sandralai.bsky.social

Meet Diploma student Esme Stewart! 🦍 With a passion for nature and wildlife from a young age, Esme’s background in zoology has taken her across Africa, working with ecotourism companies to balance wildlife protection with sustainable tourism. 👉 www.wildcru.org/members/esme... @biology.ox.ac.uk

Have you heard of strawberry leopards? These animals have an extremely rare colouration caused by a mutation in their DNA. Find out more from Charlotte Searle in BBC Discovery’s latest Tooth and Claw episode. Listen here 👉 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w... @biology.ox.ac.uk

Meet Postdoctoral Research Associate @sandralai.bsky.social! 🦊 As an ecologist and carnivore researcher, Sandra’s work investigates the behavioural adaptations of mammals in extreme environments, from Arctic foxes in the High Arctic to the endangered Ethiopian wolf. [1/2] @biology.ox.ac.uk

How can lidar technology track animal movements? Researchers studied geospatial data to understand the likely occurrence of 47 mammal species in Borneo and Sumatra's forests. How well could forest structure predict where some animals lived in the past? 👉 tinyurl.com/phbjkdwf @biology.ox.ac.uk

How do weather and seasons affect European badger activity? By studying movement patterns, researchers identified variability with sex, age and body condition. Learn more👉 tinyurl.com/36aufmn9 Coauthored by Julius Bright Ross, David Macdonald, Chris Newman & Christina Buesching. @biology.ox.ac.uk

Amy Dickman, from @wildcru.bsky.social, is one of the researchers behind the recent @uk.theconversation.com article exploring how upgraded fencing in Tanzania is helping to reduce conflict between people, livestock and large carnivores. ➡️ Read the article at: theconversation.com/livestock-an...

Where are Southeast Asia’s tigers? Researchers modelled tiger movement across landscapes to identify where habitat conservation should be targeted to reconnect isolated populations. 👉 bit.ly/4lIMVJb Coauthored by Eric Ash, Sam Cushman, Żaneta Kaszta & David Macdonald. @biology.ox.ac.uk

Meet WildCRU's Director, Professor Amy Dickman. Amy has worked in conservation for nearly 30 years, with a particular focus on community-based carnivore conservation in Africa and a passion for big cats! Discover more about her research👉 bit.ly/AmyDickman @amydickman.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk

A new study, harnessing a decade of work by citizen scientists, reveals the importance of farmland hedgerows, small woodlands and ancient trees for wider countryside butterflies. 🦋 More diverse landscapes lead to richer butterfly communities. Learn more 👉 bit.ly/3U5wU3C @biology.ox.ac.uk

WildCRU researchers shared their work at @iccb2025.bsky.social. From jaguars (Gui) and African wild dogs (Jenny) to animal welfare (Lauren), wild meat research (Jasmin) and a decision support system workshop (Carol), WildCRU was proud to be part of the global conservation conversation!

What can conservation learn from Indigenous knowledge systems? Here, @helinajolly.bsky.social explores how Indigenous worldviews can challenge dominant models of conservation & biodiversity management, where wild animals are seen not as resources to manage, but as kin, teachers & spiritual beings.

Today marks 10 years since the death of Cecil, an event which brought global attention to WildCRU's work with lions. Here, we share our work since 2015, collaborating with many partners in Africa and beyond, to improve understanding of and reducing key threats to lions. [1/2] @biology.ox.ac.uk

🔥 I am thrilled to have been chosen as a 2025 Flag Carrier by WINGS Women of Discovery! With their support, I’ll join the team in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains to vaccinate and GPS-collar endangered Ethiopian wolves. ➡️ wingswomenofdiscovery.org/explorer/san... @wildcru.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk

How do people across Europe perceive their interactions with wildlife? A new study, led by @ckiffner.bsky.social and co-authored by WildCRU’s Emu-Felicitas Ostermann-Miyashita, reveals how people's views about wildlife vary across roles, regions, and species. 👉 bit.ly/44cDav2 @biology.ox.ac.uk

Can sports logos support conservation? A new paper led by Ugo Arbieu and co-authored by WildCRU’s @diogoverissimo.bsky.social discusses the potential of sports organisations as champions of biodiversity. Read more 👉 bit.ly/3ZLT26u @biology.ox.ac.uk @mplsoxford.bsky.social

WildCRU is relocating to the new Life and Mind Building. The move brings some changes to our Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation Practice. Starting from 2026, our course will begin in late September and run until May, with applications for our next course expected to open in early 2026.

What happens if you cross conservation with space technology? Tyler Murray-Ramcharan trained with the European Space Agency's Academy, developing skills to apply novel technology to wildlife research. Find out more about Tyler's research👉 www.wildcru.org/members/tyle... @biology.ox.ac.uk @esa.int

The Selous-Nyerere ecosystem in southern Tanzania is one of Africa's largest wilderness areas - and one of the last remaining strongholds for lions 🦁 Researchers @wildcru.bsky.social have now studied this critical population's status over an area that's larger than Switzerland 👇 bit.ly/3HT5Rpy

How does it feel to see a lioness in the wild for the first time? PhD researcher @jonathan-growcott.bsky.social shared his experience and what it's like to study big cats on BBC Radio Devon and Cornwall. Catch up on 'When I grow up' here (3:23): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... @biology.ox.ac.uk

Bison and moose are returning to Central Europe, but are we ready to coexist with them? A new study analyses stakeholder perspectives to identify key priorities for fostering sustainable coexistence. 👉 bit.ly/40bmXVI @biology.ox.ac.uk @skcdelrio.bsky.social

In our latest Researchers Stories, @drhedgehog.bsky.social explains how her academic contributions to the conservation of the European hedgehog have been strengthened by her policy, media & public engagement. Be prepare to be charmed! @wildcru.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk youtu.be/tVzgN6cmDi4?...

'This is the story of how I discovered that hedgehog droppings are gold.' Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen is using hedgehog droppings to track local biodiversity - revealing a surprisingly powerful way to monitor insects, plants, and environmental change. #OxfordClimate 🦔

What if wild animals were not managed, but listened to? Join Helina Jolly on 4th July to discuss human-nature relations. Register for the event below 👇

Congratulations to @Dr_Pindsvin, Berg, T. B., Martens, H. J., & Jones for the Best Paper Award from the journal Animals 👏 'Anyone can get old – all you have to do is live long enough: Understanding mortality and life expectancy in European hedgehogs' ➡️ Read the paper: www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13...

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, is a diverse ecosystem where artificial water provision is the only water available for wildlife in the dry season. Elisa Sandoval-Seres presented research supporting the development of a science-based water management policy to benefit biodiversity and people.

We're really looking forward to hosting ‪‪‪Helina Jolly‬ on July 4th, join us in person or online. More info, and to register: ‪https://bookwhen.com/oxfordbiodiversitynetwork ‪@ecioxford.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk ‪@helinajolly.bsky.social @wildcru.bsky.social @oxfordgeography.bsky.social

Discriminating between strangers and neighbours is widespread among territorial mammals and is not associated with social system, suggesting even highly solitary species can develop advanced individual recognition. Learn more👉 bit.ly/3H0E7yN @biology.ox.ac.uk

New research investigates the Himalayan wolf, one of Eurasia’s oldest wolf lineages. Genomic data and skull shape analysis shows subtle traits, eg. shorter muzzle and wider cheekbones, that set this elusive wolf apart. 👉 tinyurl.com/m3u9eprd @himalayanwolvespro.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk

How can we monitor biodiversity loss? 🦔 Field radio-tracking European hedgehogs and eDNA analysis of hedgehog droppings provides insights into their diets and, in turn, the local biodiversity. Hear from @drhedgehog.bsky.social in a new TEDx talk 👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKfE... @biology.ox.ac.uk

We're really looking forward to this seminar next week. More info and to register here: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/c1b... @amydickman.bsky.social @wildcru.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk

Why are iconic trees so important to us? 🌳 As the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree reappears in the news, @ewanamacdonald.bsky.social and Helen Parish reshare their thoughts on why the felling of trees can be an emotive topic. Read more 👉 bit.ly/3Z3MMqz @biology.ox.ac.uk