Dr. Catherine Macdonald
@drcatmac.bsky.social
9.6K followers 500 following 390 posts
Marine scientist and teacher Field School & University of Miami. Director of sharktagging. NatGeo Explorer. Shark & ray ecology, biology, conservation. She/her.
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Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
geoliminal.bsky.social
years ago heard an interview w/ a biologist who worked on interspecies comm and identified the ways birds and monkeys share info, including the way they announced the presence of a jaguar. one day in the jungle he heard the jaguar call, wondered who was getting hunted, and realized "oh, it's me."
drcatmac.bsky.social
FWIW I don’t know anyone who feels like they’re peak brain right now.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
coralcitycamera.bsky.social
🏁🐡🚁🐡🚁🏁🐡🚁🏁🐡🚁🏁 Huffle SZN is in full swing! Where do all these checkered pufferfish go in Autumn? What are they up to?? #checkeredpuffer #pufferfish #pufferfishofcoralcity #huffle #huffleofpuffers #school #coral #coralhead #coralcitycamera #miami #portmiami #biscaynebay #coralcity
drcatmac.bsky.social
At least on me, it would work better as clickbait
drcatmac.bsky.social
Maybe it wouldn’t (though I’m not necessarily convinced that’s true).

Even if it is—I suppose the NYT cares about that, but I don’t have to. 🤷‍♀️
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
coralcitycamera.bsky.social
A great hammerhead fin-bumped the Cam to enter the Coral City Catalog of Fishes at species #219; our 17th species of shark and ray! 🔨🦈 #greathammerhead #hammerheadshark #sharksofcoralcity #coralcitycatalogoffishes #shark #coral #coralhead #coralcitycamera #miami #portmiami #biscaynebay #coralcity
drcatmac.bsky.social
I wish they had used this beautiful quote he offered in the story as the headline instead:

“She was scared also. It was not her fault.”
‘She Could Have Killed Me’: Scientist Survives Shark Bite to His Head
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
omearabrian.bsky.social
Webpage on the hidden curriculum of applying to ecology and evolution grad programs in the US (a lot of the info applies to other fields too, but perhaps less well): applyingtoeeb.info

#AcademicSky 🧪
Applying to US Graduate School in Ecology, Evolution, and Related Fields
applyingtoeeb.info
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
ryanmarino.bsky.social
This is why we fund scientists to study things like oyster slobber even if you don’t think it sounds important
leahmcelrath.bsky.social
⚠️ Chinese researchers have invented bone glue that mimics how oysters stick to surfaces underwater.

The adhesive can reportedly repair orthopedic fractures in 2-3 minutes, even in blood-rich environments, and is bioabsorbable.

interestingengineering.com/science/chin...
China's oyster-inspired 'bone glue' bonds fractures in minutes
A new oyster-inspired Bone-02 adhesive can revolutionize bone repair without metal fasteners.
interestingengineering.com
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
giantmolecular.cloud
It seems the GRFP solicitation is FINALLY released (like 5 minutes ago)! Due dates have also been pushed back, thankfully! 🧪 🔭

www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
drcatmac.bsky.social
Also this really isn’t super-esoteric information available only to experts. There are details about sharks that media gets wrong that are genuinely nuanced or obscure, but this is literally the first result if you google “hammerhead shark catch and release”:
A headline reads “hammerhead sharks vulnerable to catch and release fishing”
drcatmac.bsky.social
Feels like “Salmon Murder Week” would be more accurate?
bengoldfarb.bsky.social
Petition to rechristen Fat Bear Week “Salmon Abundance Week.” The fish are the ones who endure the trials of migration and suffer the misery of getting chomped! The bears just stand in the chow line and wait for sockeye to deliver themselves. #SalmonAbundanceWeek
a brown bear is walking across a waterfall with netflix written on the bottom
ALT: a brown bear is walking across a waterfall with netflix written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
drandrewthaler.bsky.social
A good, short primer on what the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction means and what comes next.

The US has signed, but yet ratified the treaty. Ratification requires a 2/3 votes in the to the US Senate. Add ratification of the High Seas Treaty to your regular constituent call.
A primer on what the high seas treaty is and how it will work
The approval of a high seas treaty means new protections will be possible for international waters for the first time.
apnews.com
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
rachelcraves.bsky.social
Ah yes, the three primary colors
Amazon options to buy a notebook in Green, Purple, or Shark.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
deepseadawn.bsky.social
At yesterday's 80th @UN General Assembly, the High Seas Treaty was FINALLY ratified! 🌊 🦑

Aka the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) Agreement, it now officially enters into force in 120 days, becoming international law in Jan 2026.

highseasalliance.org/treaty-ratif...
High Seas Treaty Ratification Tracker
At least 60 countries must sign and ratify the High Seas Treaty for it to become international law. Join the #RaceForRatification. Ask leaders to ratify the Treaty Now!
highseasalliance.org
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
coralcitycamera.bsky.social
Hope you’re cruising into the weekend like these sleek and shimmering silver kings ✌️🪙👑🐟✨🐟✨🐟✨ #tarpon #silverking #silver #sleek #shimmer #cruising #weekend #tgif #coral #coralhead #coralcitycamera #miami #portmiami #biscaynebay #coralcity
drcatmac.bsky.social
Fair! Although I think in the right sketchy circumstances I’d find them pretty equally terrifying.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
whysharksmatter.bsky.social
An amazing day on the water with the The Natural History Society of Maryland- we caught, sampled, tagged, and released a big tiger shark and two nurse sharks!
drcatmac.bsky.social
I don’t think I described bears as carnivores?
drcatmac.bsky.social
They only work when the shark breaks the surface of the water (so the tag can talk to the satellite) and the location data is…generally not all that precise.
drcatmac.bsky.social
Thanks for taking a live and let live approach to that fear—I find it really admirable!
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald
whysharksmatter.bsky.social
I spent a whole miserable day trying to find a detached satellite tag that was broadcasting its location constantly. I was supposedly within a couple hundred yards of it all day. We never found it.