Holly Kirk
Ecologist/ornithologist/naturalist. Not necessarily in that order.
🌿🦜She/Her🪲🗺️
Researcher in urban ecology & conservation.
Follow for map mumblings, urban nature-based solutions & natural history nerdery.
Check the alt text!
📍Whadjuk Noongar Country, WA
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- Reposted by Holly KirkAre green firebreaks a useful fire management tool under climate change in southeastern Australia? TLDR: yes, in many scenarios, especially when used in conjunction with other fire mitigation measures by @ericamarshall.bsky.social @trentpenman.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- Reposted by Holly KirkNative predators like owls and goannas are dying from eating poisoned rats and mice. Wildlife experts are shocked the government won’t ban these toxic compounds. 👉 Read the full story: theconversation.com/househo...
- Reposted by Holly KirkFeral cats and foxes really have driven many Australian mammals to extinction. Claims these introduced predators aren't responsible don't stack up. Protecting our unique species will be even harder if feral cats and foxes are given a free pass to keep killing. 🌐🌎 theconversation.com/yes-feral-ca...
- Reposted by Holly KirkNew paper!🖥️ Tracking terrestrial wildlife with environmental DNA: Methods designed by and for Indigenous organizations🧬 🏔️ This research provides a robust and unique comparison of eDNA sampling methods for the detection of terrestrial species 🦌 Read more: buff.ly/D7iwFqJ
- Reposted by Holly KirkCame across this Orange Spider Wasp (Heterodontonyx bicolor) just as she was paralysing this unfortunate Huntsman spider, who she’ll now seal into a nest along with an egg that she lays. Nature can seem brutal at times! #ausinverts #wildoz #spider #arachnid #wasp #Hymenoptera #nature #inaturalist
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- Reposted by Holly KirkOur new review lays out a framework for understanding the social-ecological benefits of protected areas to their surroundings - just published in One Earth: www.cell.com/one-earth/ab... doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101462
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- Once a seabirder always a seabirder 😊 It was such a pleasure (and a privilege) to contribute to this episode on pelagic #seabird trips. I think lots of beginner birders are pelagic-curious so hopefully this encourages some folks give it a go! 🪶🌏 www.weekendbirder.com/podcast/127-...
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- It's been one of those "eat my breakfast at 12pm, eat my lunch at 4pm" kind of days...
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- Reposted by Holly KirkOur rapid assessment of the #EPBC Act reform package that's set to pass the senate theconversation.com/long-sought-... - Led by Justine Bell-James, with @drphilmccormack.bsky.social @yungenchee.bsky.social and me. #ESA2025 @aunz.theconversation.com @biodivcouncil.bsky.social @ecolsocaus.bsky.social
- Cane toads are advancing on WA's unique Pilbara region. @judydunlop.bsky.social and her team have a plan to stop them! @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 🌏 we're hearing about the Toad Containment Zone - creating a waterless barrier across the Pilbara to stop the invasion. 🐸
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- "Ferocious love" of the places & things we care about @drphilmccormack.bsky.social frames her work in environmental law and climate justice through her love of nature, which we share @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 🌏
- @drphilmccormack.bsky.social unpacks environmental legal instruments, recent law reforms & highlights opportunities. We need to be ambitious, especially in the face of climate change. She describes the process of creating the new SA Biodiversity Act, including new key terms and definitions! 🍄🌱🦠
- This morning @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 James Brazill-Boast shares the impact that private land conservation can have. 60% of Australia = privately owned! 🌏 He highlights we need to move away from the idea that conservation only protects 'jewels', to one where we also restore the shabby bits.
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- Reposted by Holly KirkIf you missed my talk but still want some tips for writing good code for scientists, my slides are here: daxkellie.quarto.pub/a-guide-to-w... All the links and references are there too in case you want to see more! 😀🧪🌏 #ESA2025 #rstats #quartopub
- Reposted by Holly KirkThe motto of #ESA2025 this year is "Biodiversity on the brink – BOLD ACTIONS for a resilient future" On Thu I'm presenting on a super bold, landscape-scale biodiversity project that will keep 10-25 species from being added to Threatened species list. Thu 1030! Big room! Comfy chairs! Great photos!
- Stop the press, @judydunlop.bsky.social will be speaking on the Toad Containment Zone tomorrow morning! @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 🌏
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- Reposted by Holly KirkLeading conservation, environmental, policy, economic, and legal experts speak up and out about the Group of Eight's position on #EPBC Act reforms. Thank you to all involved! Full statement www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... #ESA2025
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- Congrats to @predator-smarts.bsky.social on winning the @ecolsocaus.bsky.social Next Gen award! #ESA2025 🌏 Exploring landscape of fear, Eamonn looked at fox, dingo & human interaction. Humans + dingos = terrified foxes Levels of human disturbance change predator-prey interactions & animal traits!
- What a treat @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2024 to hear from @lilyvaneeden.bsky.social and @megcevans.bsky.social about pathways to impact for your research, especially how to inform policy. 🌏 - get to know how the government works, the mess and mechanisms!
- Some fantastic tips on engaging with the media coming from hugely experienced @biodivcouncil.bsky.social Jaana Dielenberg and Claire Peddie @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 - short, clear and fun pitches - prep photos/videos ahead of time - say yes to radio & tv to expand your audience
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- Reposted by Holly KirkRather excited to share that i've been awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award!! Time to start working on uncovering how predation shaped the evolution of intelligence and how we can use that knowledge for conservation.
- Very excited to be speaking in the Nature Positive Cities symposium @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 In a last minute change to advertised content, I'll be talking about the super cool Superb City Wrens project! 🐦🪶🌏 Riverbank Room 3-4, 1:45pm is where it's at!
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- Who's seen a grey Falcon in three states simultaneously? @ecosystemunraveller.com of course! Love hearing how Dave has developed an awesome undergrad ecology field course. Sharing all the adventures of the Aussie outback with students means lessons in both life and biodiversity. #ESA2025
- Tiahni Adamson's keynote is speaking to how cultural capability can be deepened in ecological orgs. @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 Begin by looking at this paper link.springer.com/article/10.1... which looks at how western and Traditional knowledge overlaps but also does not!
- Phenomenal Welcome to Kaurna Country @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 from Katrina Karlapina Power. Incredible Indigenous and feminist energy, both a wake up call and call to action, to connect with the land our Mother. "Curiosity and Courage!"
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- If you're at @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 and feeling interactive, I'm chairing the Hot Topics Symposium on Weds morning! Come along to hear some of the "hottest" topics in Ecology, stay for a faciliatated discussion on the what you think are the next "need-to-knows" for government and industry.
- I'm excited to be on the early career Mentor Booth @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025, but there are also heaps of other interesting folks volunteering their time for one-to-one chats! Book in with me if you are interested in how to link in with industry and government!
- Reposted by Holly KirkI really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
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- Small conference grumble: A panel where the only woman is the facilitator is still a manel. And in some ways it actually looks worse.
- Reposted by Holly Kirkif you see this post, your actions are: - if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this - if you don't have a spare buck, just repost your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
- www.theguardian.com/environment/... Everyone deserves to see this beautiful piece of science communication. 🌏🧪🪶 There are many things I love about this, but I think number one is that it features the story a little known, but amazing seabird species, the Desertas Petrel.
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- Yesterday I got to work early for a campus @birdlifeoz.bsky.social #AussieBirdCount in one of my favourite spots. Turns out it was Red Wattlebird and New Holland Honeyeater central, with some kind of inter and intra-species conflict playing out for banksia access rights! #wildOz 🪶🌏
- Reposted by Holly KirkStill want to make cleaning biodiversity data shrimp-ler? 🦐 Good news: We just updated our Cleaning Biodiversity Data in R book, so you still can! We've updated data for 2025, added new content & fixed lots of silly typos 😀 Live the shrimp-le life: cleaning-data-r.ala.org.au #rstats #ecology 🧪🌏
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- Introducing the Nature Design Guide! An industry-led resource to support nature-based design in the built environment. 🌏🏙️ Developed collaboratively, it covers ecological concepts, provides design actions and real-world examples. More here: natureonthebrain.wordpress.com/nature-desig... #urbanDesign
- Day 1 of @birdlifeoz.bsky.social #AussieBirdCount was pretty soggy here on Whadjuk Noongar Country (Perth, Western Australia). Luckily I got up early to get a courtyard count in with a cup of coffee! The rainbow lorikeets* were up to their usual mischief in the red bottlebrush. 🌏🪶 #wildOz
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