Wildlife Wire
@wildlifewire.bsky.social
Wildlife biologists sharing and educating the public on wildlife ecology and conservation. https://youtube.com/@wildlifewire_scicomm?si=CzoEkhuKKknyBK1E
Some young wolves disperse from their natal territories. Researchers in Idaho used genetics to determine some of the factors that pushed these youngsters to leave their home packs.
Young wolves disperse more when well fed
Social conditions and prey availability may be the most important factors pushing individuals to leave their natal packs
wildlife.org
The U.S. is a massive funder of science. Canada does not come anywhere close. Stories about a handful of scientists get attention, but rather than "brain drain," the likely outcome if the U.S. continues its path is that there will simply be fewer scientists and less science getting done in the world
Sarah J. Jackson@sjjphd.bsky.social · 5d agoMore brain drain: “Twenty-one universities in Canada announced on Thursday the hiring of dozens of researchers to join their top academic ranks, poaching the majority of the recruits from the United States. Of the incoming 64 researchers, 48 will leave American campuses…”
Nothing about Colossal was brought up when putting that document together. However, I became increasingly irritated with the Galveston “ghost wolf” stuff. Calling these coyotes “ghost wolves” is not something supported by USFWS, SAFE red wolf program, and anyone who works in red wolf conservation.
Ben Sacks led the other project. He sequenced old museum specimens to acquire the historical red wolf’s genome for comparison to modern red wolves. The purpose here is to see how much of the contemporary red wolf’s genome is similar to the historical red wolf genome. He's work is under review.
Yes. This is mostly correct. There was one research team down there, now there are two. Everything is straightforward and linear, but it'll be a lengthy thread. To entice people to read through it, I've included images and stuff. Here we go...
Vincent J Lynch 🐘🦣🦥 🦇🐋🐢🐍@devoevomed.bsky.social · 6d agoMy understanding was there is an admixed population in Texas with varying degrees of red wolf ancestry (aka the "ghost" ones), but there is only a "real" (tiny) wild population of reds in North Carolina. I've got lots of questions about this and their methods...
One of the disappointing things about this article is how none of the photos of the coyotes are from those in SWLA. Everything was laundered through the Galvenston Island project which is the population the Colossal promotes. I have actual footage of the coyotes that Colossal cloned. If I recall...
Longreads@longreads.com · 4w ago"Perhaps the most curious question, though, was whether the company had cloned red wolves at all." @boyceupholt.bsky.social for @technologyreview.com www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/20/1...
They claimed to have blood cloned these coyotes, which I don't believe they did. K&B rerouted my ear punches to Colossal after I sent them to SCBI. Recently, I was told no blood clones were done. So, I have no idea what's going on with this information. Blood clones -> colossal.com/how-dire-wol...
How Dire Wolf De‑Extinction Tech Could Boost Red Wolf Conservation - Colossal
In this SYFY WIRE feature, researchers explain how Colossal Biosciences is repurposing technology from its dire wolf de-extinction project to […]
colossal.com
In the MIT article, Colossal said I was panicked about being outpaced by their awesome research. Sure man, I'm always panicked when I'm outpaced in feeding “study animals” birthday cake, cloning Tom Brady’s dog, and promoting Jurassic Park 9 and The Paws Patrol movie.
Vincent J Lynch 🐘🦣🦥 🦇🐋🐢🐍@devoevomed.bsky.social · last wk.A new story about me, @nicrawlencenz.bsky.social, and H. Wolinsky, on the NPR @outsideinradio.bsky.social podcast about the #ColossalBio (@itiscolossal.bsky.social?) deëxtinction #Disinformation campaign against its critics #ExtinctionIsForever outsideinradio.org/shows/scient...
Glad you guys had Ellen talk about her PhD research on Katmai wolf diets for your audience in this video!
WolfQuest@wolfquest.bsky.social · 6d agoHow do we know what wolves on the Katmai coast eat? In today's devblog, our science advisor Ellen Dymit explains her research! youtu.be/iXuU3DSSe5E
Professors need to drag and shame their colleagues for serving as advisors to Colossal. This grift isn't possible without laundering it through their expertise. Gullible investors are why so much real estate was allocate to selling ideas, because Colossal won't deliver on their promised products.
Dr. Katharine Dickson@metaomicsnerd.bsky.social · last wk.I found some professors dragging Colossal Biosciences through the mud on LinkedIn. I googled what their office looks like and am still gobsmacked that Dallas allocated that much real estate to “what if we revived woolly mammoths, bro.”
Comparing activity patterns of the Himalayan wolf with Himalayan marmots and Kiang in a high-altitude landscape: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
this video shows how difficult it can be for tigers to hunt - wild boar are big & suffer no fools! This is a captive-bred tiger in an enclosure in Kazakhstan & will not be released into the wild as part of the Ile-Balkhash reintroduction plan (its offspring will) 🌍 en.tengrinews.kz/my-country/w...
Wild boar vs. tiger: unexpected hunt outcome captured in “Ile-Balkhash”
An encounter between a tiger and a wild boar in a nature reserve in Kazakhstan was caught on video. Kazakhstanis suggested that the tigress Umit was captured in the frame. The situation was commented ...
en.tengrinews.kz
We tested a simple screening tool to identify release candidates in the red wolf captive-breeding program. Using only routine husbandry observations, we observed wolves grouping into “human-avoidant” and “human-tolerant” profiles. Tolerance, unsurprisingly, rose with age of captive-born wolves. 1/2
Road mortality mitigation for red wolves requires a landscape approach: nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Road mortality mitigation for red wolves requires a landscape approach
In 1980, the red wolf Canis rufus was declared extinct in the wild. However, starting in 1987, a captive breeding program allowed for a reintroduction effort in and around Alligator River National Wi...
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Red-winged blackbirds are aggressive nest defenders, but they still have respect for the dangers posed by rattlesnakes, even though the venomous serpents have been extirpated from western Oregon since the 1800s.
Blackbirds harbor deep fear of rattlesnakes
In tests, red-winged avians would swoop in but almost never strike venomous reptiles
wildlife.org
Wolves in Bhutan Are Part of the Ancient Himalayan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco) Lineage: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Wolves in Bhutan Are Part of the Ancient Himalayan Wolf (<fi>Canis lupus chanco</fi>) Lineage
During Bhutan's nationwide snow leopard survey (2022–2023), putative snow leopard scat samples were collected, of which some were genetically identified as belonging to the wolf. Mitochondrial DNA an...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
"How is it possible that scientists are saying that shark populations have declined by a lot, but fishermen are saying they've never seen so many sharks?" Part of the answer is called "shifting baselines," which means how much something changes depends on when you start counting! 🧪🌍🦑🦈🐟
Wolf recovery in the Southeast hasn’t seen the success of other projects across the country. Researchers argue that taking advantage of military lands might hold the key to a healthy wolf population without the conflict.
Q&A: Can red wolves thrive on military lands?
Bases with lots of land could be the key to the endangered canid’s recovery
wildlife.org
The dingo is often blamed for the extirpation of a few species from the Australian mainland: the thylacine, Tasmanian devil, and Tasmanian native hen. But how true is this? Let’s analyze the literature🧵
Researchers set out to confirm ringtail sightings in Idaho. These small, nocturnal mammals may be taking advantage of decades of fire suppression to push their distribution northward.
Ringtails expand into Idaho
Cryptic nocturnal mammal may be taking advantage of decades of fire suppression to spread northward
wildlife.org
DingoFest is coming soon! For those of us outside of Australia, you can still celebrate by picking up a copy of Canis dingo by @howlingdingo.bsky.social. Dominic just finished his copy, and it’s an excellent comprehensive text, dispelling major myths in a digestible manner for general audiences.
Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS@euanritchie.bsky.social · last mo.This is going to be great. Don't miss out! "DingoFest is a one-of-a-kind celebration of Australia's iconic dingo, bringing together world-leading scientists, conservationists, Traditional Owners and passionate wildlife advocates for an unforgettable experience." Details/tickets 👉 dingofest.info
Latest paper on Svalbard polar bears. Take home: "sea-ice loss exerts an energetic constraint on denning females, forcing them to depart from dens early, which jeopardizes their cubs, ultimately reducing maternal fitness." Open access paper. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
1/2 The Eastern Wolf is one of Canada's rarest and most unique species, and it's only found here 🐺 Genetically distinct from the Gray Wolf and more closely related to coyotes, the Eastern Wolf (Canis sp. cf. lycaon) has a global population of fewer than 1,000 individuals, most of them in Ontario.
Comparative foraging ecology of lynx and coyotes in three Gulf of Alaska national parks: esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Comparative foraging ecology of lynx and coyotes in three Gulf of Alaska national parks
Consumers exhibit varying degrees of dietary specialization, with foraging strategies shaped by both evolutionary history and local food availability. In boreal systems, Canada lynx are considered sn...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Although polar bears spend much of their lives on the sea ice, most spend time on land — and a small number build their dens in areas at risk from wildfires. Learn how the growing risk of wildfires in a warming world may affect polar bears: pbears.org/4qbM1YI
Are polar bears affected by wildfires? | Polar Bears International
Although polar bears spend much of their lives on the sea ice, most spend time on land — and a small number build their dens in areas at risk from wildfires
pbears.org
Why it is easier to date Quaternary extinctions than human colonizations under conditions of overkill www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Why it is easier to date Quaternary extinctions than human colonizations under conditions of overkill | Cambridge Prisms: Extinction | Cambridge Core
Why it is easier to date Quaternary extinctions than human colonizations under conditions of overkill - Volume 4
cambridge.org
A 10-million-year biogeographic holding pen primed the Great American Biotic Interchange: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A 10-million-year biogeographic holding pen primed the Great American Biotic Interchange
The movement of taxa between North and South America across the Panamanian land bridge, known as the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI), established modern-day mammal assemblages in the Americas...
science.org