Dr. Catherine Macdonald

Dr. Catherine Macdonald

@drcatmac.bsky.social

Marine scientist and teacher Field School & University of Miami. Director of sharktagging. NatGeo Explorer. Shark & ray ecology, biology, conservation. She/her.

10,034 Followers 561 Following 483 Posts Joined May 2023
1 week ago

Y’all, I am out living my marine biologist child dreams here with Field School and @drcatmac.bsky.social and @whysharksmatter.bsky.social ! If you have always to get out and see a shark in the wild and get to help researchers, I can’t recommend this crew enough for their accessibility and teaching

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1 week ago
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Christmas Cookie Cutter Shark - Tim Andraka

www.timandraka.com/christmas-co...

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1 week ago
This Brazilian frog might be the first pollinating amphibian known to science
Nectar-loving tree frog likely moves pollen from flower to flower

It’s the first time a frog—or any amphibian—has been observed pollinating a plant, researchers reported in 2023.

Learn more on #WorldWildlifeDay: https://scim.ag/4riUU1G

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1 week ago

Painful unforced error for cookie cutters here. No one was ever going to put the demon whale biter on a cutesy Christmas card.

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2 weeks ago

I think it’s also helpful to recognize that it’s not a long leap from the militarized discourse about “combatting invasive species” to horrific nativist and anti-immigrant ideas. The first time I taught this in a graduate class, around 2018, students were skeptical. Today, it feels obvious to them.

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2 weeks ago

Reminder that the role and effects of non-native species will vary across ecological contexts. Non-natives can create habitat, support and stabilize food webs, and fill the niches of depleted natives in ways that benefit biodiversity of native species.

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3 weeks ago
composite satellite image of Antarctica, the snow & ice appearing as different shades of blue and beige, the sea is black. following three images are variations of this theme. Post image Post image Post image

GUYS have you seen this. antarctica on google maps. go look at it. this is tech struggling to process the Sublime

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3 weeks ago

I wrote a paper with @ecoandrew.bsky.social
that included some of the policy changes around this and we ended up developing a grad student drinking game around assertions that shark feeding and freedom were synonyms.

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3 weeks ago
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Algae Living inside Salamanders Aren't Happy about the Situation The world’s only known vertebrate–microbe symbiosis appears to be good for the salamander, but stressful for the alga. So why do they put up with it?

How come none of you have ever informed me that Spotted Salamanders have a symbiotic relationship with algae that grow in their eggs (algae supply larvae with oxygen and sugar)? That algae may live within them and pass to future generations?

www.scientificamerican.com/blog/artful-...

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3 weeks ago

Valid and fair!

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3 weeks ago

Yes but the question of the traits or beliefs of scientists is separate from the question of the bias (if any) of the science itself.

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3 weeks ago
Four heart cockles in different hues from ofange to yellow to purple. Photo by Tim Pierce, Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Happy Bivalventines 💗
Heart cockles are the flatfish of bivalves, opening on their sides. They partner with symbiotic algae to get part of their nutrition! (327) photo source: carnegiemnh.org/warm-those-h...

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3 weeks ago

This argument conflates science and scientists. A person can have an opinion and still conduct unbiased research; that’s essentially what science is for. Both of the statements here can be true, and are not mutually incompatible.

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1 month ago

Darwin also famously had beef with the marine iguanas of the Galapagos, writing "The black lava rocks on the beach are frequented by large, most disgusting, clumsy lizards" and calling them "imps of darkness"

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1 month ago
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This female lemon shark graced us with three great passes this afternoon. We couldn’t figure out which to feature, so here’s all three. What other city but Miami can serve megafauna serving like this?? 🙌🍋🦈🍋🦈🍋🦈 #lemonshark #shark #catwalkswim #coralcity #coralcitycamera #miami #portmiami #biscaynebay

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1 month ago

It’s a striking headline given the…backstory

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1 month ago
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“That’s When the Nightmare Started” The 106-page report, “‘That’s When the Nightmare Started:’ UK and US Forced Displacement of the Chagossians and Ongoing Colonial Crimes,” documents the treatment of the Chagossians, an Indigenous peop...

You can read the (pretty damning) report from Human Rights Watch here:

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1 month ago

That MPA creation was probably the best way to continue forcibly excluding the people of Chagos from their former homes because “the environmental lobby is far more powerful than the Chagossians’ advocates.”

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1 month ago

Important PSA: do not let powerful interests use your love of the planet and desire to conserve it as a bludgeon against marginalized people.

Doubt that’s a risk? Well, in a leaked diplomatic cable, the US State Department noted …

1/3

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1 month ago
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Marine Biology Career Advice You asked us questions about marine biology careers, and our panel of experts answered them! In April, I solicited your questions about careers in marine biology, and we received nearly 100 questio…

Last year we published the longest post in the more than 17 year history of our science blog.

It contains a panel of experts (including me) responding to nearly 50 common questions that people have about marine biology career advice.

Please read and share! I'm happy to answer any questions.
🧪🦑🌍

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1 month ago
First dance Book with paper roses Laughing during a toast

You nerds will appreciate this.

I got married on Saturday! It was wonderful.

It was at a rare and historic book library, and we leaned into the theme.

Table centerpieces were books checked out of our library based on our interests, themed to that tables’ guests.

And Eileen made paper roses.

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1 month ago

I’ve gotta tell you, we’re having the best time at @whysharksmatter.bsky.social ‘s wedding this weekend!

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1 month ago

We volunteer more chondrichthyans, anytime.

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1 month ago

This actually sounds heavenly. Oh, to be a Greenland shark, and partake of the peace of their dark slowness.

Every moment like:

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1 month ago

Neither would work in the slightest, but I’m confident injections would taste better.

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1 month ago

Nightmare fuel.

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1 month ago

Stingrays feel like wet mushrooms.

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1 month ago

100%

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1 month ago

“Some kind of flavor” — you are a born diplomat.

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1 month ago

Trying to do my part, but it’s a product that un-sells itself.

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