Becky Thomas

What impact does walking a dog have on nature? Read about new field study by @beckythomas.bsky.social at Chobham Common aimed to find out how frequently birds’ nests get disturbed by dogs off-lead www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/sto... 🐕🐣

11.08.2025 09:23 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Toad stands on a paving slab with grass surrounding

Helping the toad cross the road 🐸

Sharing a seasonal article by Dr @beckythomas.bsky.social, Senior Lecturer in Ecology with @rhulbiology.bsky.social.

In @uk.theconversation.com, she shares how Toad Patrollers protect toads on dangerous journeys during mating season.

More: ow.ly/gN7t50VjK5g

20.03.2025 14:18 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Toad patrol volunteers are ensuring frisky amphibians can cross the road to reach their mating grounds Despite dutiful toad patrols, evidence suggests that the amphibians are declining in the UK.

New article by @beckythomas.bsky.social in @uk.theconversation.com on role of toad patrol volunteers in helping the amphibians to reach the ponds during the spring migration theconversation.com/toad-patrol-...

15.03.2025 11:52 — 👍 6    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

I couldn’t not photograph that adorably grumpy face!!!

13.03.2025 14:43 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Lovely to see work by @beckythomas.bsky.social, @sarahpapworth.bsky.social and @mdef.bsky.social covered by @britishecologicalsociety.org Niche magazine. Special prize to Becky for a photo of the grumpiest dog wearing GPS tracker! 🤣 🐶

Link to paper: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

11.03.2025 14:04 — 👍 6    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0

Dogs walked off-lead cause 20% more disturbance to protected lowland heaths - British Ecological Society Resarch reveals how dogs walked off-lead access more areas of protected lowland heaths, causing more disturbance to rare ground nesting birds.

Recent study by @beckythomas.bsky.social, @sarahpapworth.bsky.social and Mark Fellowes showed that walking dogs off the lead greatly increases habitat disturbance in UK lowland heathlands
#OA paper: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
www.britishecologicalsociety.org/dogs-walked-...

17.01.2025 08:46 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

If you are at the #BES2024 conference and interested in teaching & learning - join the T&L group social event this evening! Details below ⬇️

11.12.2024 07:23 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

A person attaching a GPS tracker to a young golden retriever and their owner, who were both tracked to see where they walked through a lowland heath habitat.

Great time to introduce myself as I’m attending #BES2024. I’m interested in teaching and urban ecology. My research focuses on how people's decisions affect the ecology of wild species and I’m presenting tomorrow about how walking dogs off the lead increases disturbance in UK lowland heaths.

11.12.2024 09:38 — 👍 10    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0