Dr Christina N. Zdenek

Palm Cockatoo Project | People For Wildlife People For Wildlife are working to save the Palm Cockatoo bird in Apudthama Cape York.

Thanks to: Qld Dept of Environment…, People for Wildlife, Birds Qld, Birdlife Australia, and Greenhoose for various forms of support to make it all happen! Our grant ends soon, but u can support us! Google ‘Palm Cockatoos People for Wildlife’ or Check out: www.peopleforwildlife.org/theapudthama...

I have been leading loads of Palm Cockatoo conservation research and management up Cape York way this past month! Doing everything we can (given financial constraints) to save this endangered species. #PalmCockatooProject

Omg yes! Delma torquata are the cUtest! So handsome 🤤. Happy to help photograph one with u someday 🤓. Here’s Delma plebia 🥹 we found in Whiterock last summer that I photographed.

This detailed study, led by Lachlan Bourke, builds a foundation for future characterisation of their unique pitviper venom activities & phylogenetic placement of Bothrocophias species. We hope our work is utilised for evidence-based design of clinical management strategies for the envenomed patient.

Here are some sneak peaks of the results and figures from the paper, which we think provides evolutionary insights into the phylogenetic position of the procoagulant venom trait seen in Bothrops (lance-head pit vipers)

The Ecuadorian Bothrocophias venoms (B. campbelli, B. lojanus, and B. microphthalmus) were compared to Bothrops pictus regarding their coagulotoxic nature and neutralisation by two antivenoms (PoliVal-ICP (Instituto Clodomiro Picado) and Soro Antibotr opico (Instituto Butantan)). (2/4…👇)

New paper! We studied venom coagulation of 🐍 from the understudied pit viper genus Bothrocophias. This genus of pit-vipers, sister genus to the more well-known Bothrops, has 9 recognised species, & are relatively restricted in range, occupying Andean South America & equatorial Brazil…(1/4 posts 👇)

A room of 15-yr olds on zoom with an ecologist. Everyone happy.

#PalmCockatooProject conservation work is ramping up again this year 🥹🤓.

Woogaroo Forest in SE Qld a case study by Margaret Castles of UniAdelaide for: “Native veg never intrinsically valued in Australia. It’s been viewed as a resource to be exploited & used to progress human interests, regardless of the real cost. Our legislation ❌ make net ➕ve 4nature. #ICCB2025

This morning near Springfield Central Station (far south side). A good reason to write to local councils to pressure them to plant shrubs for shelter for these poor buggers that enrich our lives 🥹

A new sustainability standard has been set for conference lanyards! This #ICCB2025 one is compostable & plantable! Native seeds r embedded into the name tag so local delegates encouraged to plant it for habitat. How good?! As paying delegates, we can and should ask for sustainability like this 😎💃

Wow. In USA, 1.5 Billion birds are killed by cats 😳😡. Up to 2 Billion birds r killed by building strike 😭 (there are window solutions to this). Of 92,000 records of building strikes: 56% die by Low Rises; 44% Residential; High Rises <1%. Presented by Nicholas Liadis @iccb2025.bsky.social #ICCB2025

Liz Gould of Connect4Conservation and Birdlife demonstrates the power of community engagement, intel, and private properties for the conservation of a threatened (and adorable), legless lizard in SEQueensland: Delma torquata 🥹. @iccb2025.bsky.social #ICCB2025

Haha. Nooiiiice 🙌💚

Good one! @martinemaron.bsky.social , good shout re Woogaroo Forest image as the lead 🙌

Hope to catch up soon! I got swooped away at the plenary 😅

A/Prof Dominique Potvin presented her work on Greater Glider diet today @iccb2025.bsky.social via analysing their 💩. They ate 18 species of eucalyptus and casuarina! ‘It’s 2025 and we still don’t know basic biology of large, charismatic Australian species’. #ICCB2025

Dr April Reside convinces us at #ICCB2025 that microbats are the best crop-pest eaters! Eating their body weight in insects every night 😳. They indeed forage in veggie crop farms, but can we do better to lure more microbat species to do more crop-protecting help? @iccb2025.bsky.social

Plenary III @iccb2025.bsky.social today: Deborah Tabart of Aus Koala Foundation: “This planet is in trouble, and if we can’t save the koala, you can’t save anything.” We need to be better than great scientists; we need to be great communicators.“

Plenary II today @iccb2025.bsky.social : A/Prof Binbin Li. “Are protected areas prohibiting local progress?” ‘No’ b/c of co-benefits (eg reduced landslides & more flavourful tea). For effective conservation, enter community via the community, not via the elite. & ensure a return on time investment.

Plenary @iccb2025.bsky.social : Ricky Archer, Director of Nat’l Parks (based in Northern Territory). “Dept.s come and go, but Traditional Owners remain the same: looking after Country into the future.” #ICCB2025

Excited for the start of the @iccb2025.bsky.social conservation biology conference in #Brisbane this week! Hoping us delegates, by the end, can all become more effective in our well-needed conservation efforts around the world. #ICCB2025

Our #SaveWoogarooForest booth @iccb2025.bsky.social in conjunction with @scboceania.org is set up for this week’s conservation biology conference! Come learn about the Brisbane region’s largest, remnant threatened-species habitat forest on the chopping block. Www.SaveWoogarooForest.com.au for more 💚

Looking forward to presenting some of my #PalmCockatooProject conservation work @iccb2025.bsky.social (just 2 weeks ahead of going back up Cape York for more palmy work)! If you're an ICCB delegate, do come along to my 5min speed talk (self-chosen format)- I'd love to see you there 💃.

Schedule of events. Looking forward to contributing my bit at 11am 💃. What will you do for the environment this World Environment Day? Options:
- have fewer/no kids
- keep your cat indoors
- eat less/no red meat
- use public transport/bike where possible
- plant locally-native plants (no lawn)

Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay (5June)! To celebrate & boost community momentum for the environment, I’ve joined the line-up for this event in the Redland City Council. Schedule👇.
Time to stand up & fight for smart development (build apartments on already-cleared land) and rewilding cities & suburbs.

Another example of impressive intelligence in the bird world. I provide some expert comment for @newscientist.com

Beautiful. Nailed the jizz 🙌

Appeal to quarantine koala habitat in south-east Queensland Australia's iconic marsupial is up against a chlamydia epidemic, vehicle strikes and feral animal attacks. It is also under threat from the creep of urban development into its habitat.

The fed gov’t has a choice: koalas in SE Qld or not. Frilled Lizards here or ⛔️. Collared Delmas (Vulnerable Legless Lizard) here or ⛔️. Woodland birds here or ⛔️. An incredible opportunity to create an eco-tourism gem in Ipswich. Apt’s can go on already cleared land.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05...

Thanks, Dr Nick! At least there were 5hrs of practice and incremental level increases b/w the pythons and brown snakes 😜😅. It’s not for the faint-hearted though, for sure!