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Rebecca Meagher

@rkmeagher.bsky.social

Animal behaviour and welfare researcher. Assoc Prof at Dalhousie. Fond of cows, mustelids, cats and nerdy humour.

199 Posts572 Follower308 Folgt
Elodie Mandel-Briefer@ebriefer.bsky.social · yesterday

Mason, Nielsen and Mendl’s great textbook on animal emotions is out, with a chapter on vocal indicators by former postdoc A. Villain & me. We follow the book’s format, exploring responsiveness & selectivity of vocalisations as indicators (3 years In press but hopefully still up to date).

Vocal Signals

This chapter analyses if, based on current evidence, vocalisations have construct validity as indicators of emotional valence across species. It then explores the responsiveness and selectivity of vo...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Rebecca Meagher@rkmeagher.bsky.social · 2d ago

I wrote a chapter for this with my excellent colleague Carole Fureix at University of Bristol, on reward sensitivity and affect (particularly boredom and depression). I think it's a very useful book.

Science for Animal Welfare@scifaw.bsky.social · 3d ago

We are delighted to announce the publication of Assessing Animal Welfare. Edited by Georgia Mason, Birte Nielsen and Michael Mendl, the book provides a practical guide to validating and using indicators of animal welfare. 🔗 Purchase the book: https://ow.ly/een550ZqRos #AffectiveStates

Book cover for Assessing Animal Welfare: A Guide to the Valid Use of Indicators of Affective States, edited by Georgia Mason, Birte Nielsen and Michael Mendl. The cover features a valence–arousal diagram with illustrations of animals in different affective states, including a parrot, cat, lambs, pig, ferret in a hammock, and a small rodent. Science for Animal Welfare logo appears at the bottom left.
Rebecca Meagher@rkmeagher.bsky.social · 3w ago

I love raptors, but disappointed the suggested names of Donair Force One and of course Choppy McChopface didn't make it... too unserious for this role? www.facebook.com/watch/?v=878... #novascotia

14K views · 136 reactions | 🚁 The names are in! 🚁 After nearly 10,000 suggestions and a province-wide vote, Nova Scotians have chosen the names of our four new helicopters: Spirit of the Eagle Spirit of the Hawk Spirit of the Falcon Spirit of the Osprey These aircraft will support wildfire response, search and rescue, emergency operations, scientific research and more, helping keep Nova Scotians safe from coast to coast. Thank you to everyone who submitted ideas and cast a vote. Your new fleet is ready for takeoff. | Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources

🚁 The names are in! 🚁 After nearly 10,000 suggestions and a province-wide vote, Nova Scotians have chosen the names of our four new helicopters: Spirit of the Eagle Spirit of the Hawk Spirit of the...

facebook.com

Julie Blommaert@drjulieb.bsky.social · last mo.

I mean I know I’m biased as a weird little nerd with her own weird little niche interests but this is factually correct There’s literally other weird little nerds who studied this stuff

Stephanie Rodgers 🍉@bootstheory.bsky.social · last mo.

You just gotta let scientists be weird little nerds in their weird little niche interest areas and accept that the benefits to the wider community, and thus to The Economy, will flow naturally from that

Rebecca Meagher@rkmeagher.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Worrying example of what's going on in higher ed. I noted lots of the comments are supportive of the prof - I'm not sure university leadership are reading people's feeling about new tech or even education correctly.

Toronto Star@thestar.com · 3mo ago

The professor said there were noticeable discrepancies in the results: students who performed exceptionally on the multiple-choice section were unable to apply that knowledge in the long answer. There were also references to legal precedents that had never been mentioned in class.

COST Action - Positive animal welfare (LIFT)@liftcostaction.bsky.social · 3mo ago

📢 We’ve launched a LIFT survey to support the development of Positive Animal Welfare (PAW) indicators for farm animals. We are requesting input from farm managers and farmers’ associations, working with dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, layer poultry, broiler poultry, sheep and goats.

Surveys - LIFT - COST ACTION CA21124

COST Action LIFT 1st Round Stakeholder Consultation (until 31st of July 2026). Positive animal welfare is beyond good physical health and without animal

liftanimalwelfare.eu

McSweeney's@mcsweeneys.net · 5mo ago

"While this hippo-centric challenge is unique to our university, we have long prided ourselves on being trailblazers in academia, and I hope you will join me in applauding our incredible institution and its recent stewardship of the world’s third-largest land mammal."

A Message from Your University President on the Recent Hippopotamus Attacks

Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, and AI Summarization Tools, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your patience as we explore innovative soluti...

buff.ly

Jess Calarco@jessicacalarco.com · 5mo ago

When academia's stars mistreat people, they're "punished" with relief from teaching, mentoring, and service responsibilities. This frees them to spend more time on the more valued work of research. And dumps less valued responsibilities onto colleagues, making it harder for them to become stars.

In a statement to The Crimson, Summers wrote that the decision to leave was “difficult” and that he remained “grateful to the thousands of students and colleagues I have been privileged to teach and work with since coming to Harvard as a graduate student 50 years ago.” “Free of formal responsibility, as President Emeritus and a retired professor, I look forward in time to engaging in research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues,” he added.
Scott Forbes🇨🇦@theecologyprof.bsky.social · 5mo ago

I've been a wildlife biologist for more than 4 decades and I can't tell the difference between tundra and trumpeter swans (with confidence) on the wing. We brought back trumpeter swans from the brink: this could put all that work at risk. I too oppose a swan hunt in MB. 🪶🦢 www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Group of Manitoba wildlife experts, hunters urge public to oppose proposed swan, dove hunts | CBC News

Six Manitoba hunters and wildlife experts have grouped together to voice their opposition to proposed hunting seasons for two migratory birds in Manitoba, and they're asking other concerned members of...

cbc.ca

Dr Manu Saunders FRES@manusaunders.bsky.social · 6mo ago

On this day that supports inclusive futures for women and girls in science, let's not forget all the women that were sidelined, ignored, or forced out of science because they: - had children - prioritised family/caring - did science differently - questioned boundaries & norms - fought the patriarchy