Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 3d

Vote for your favourite Australian Bird of the Year! First round of voting closes tonight. A great opportunity to learn more about some of Australia's amazing avifauna.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Australian bird of the year 2025: vote for your favourite #birdoftheyear in the Guardian / BirdLife Australia poll

From little penguins to (very big) cassowaries, every bird has its fans. Vote for your favourite in the 2025 Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 6d

Congratulations to Dr Anna Langguth, winner of the Student Award at this year‘s WDA-A conference for her presentation on zymosan challenge trials in eastern bent-wing bats. @alangguth.bsky.social #wdaa2025

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 6d

Congratulations to Dr Alison Peel, winner of this year‘s prestigious WDA-A Barry L Munday Award for her extraordinary and extensive contributions to the field of wildlife health. @alibat.bsky.social #wdaa2025

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 7d

We in WDA-A are deeply saddened to hear of Jane Goodall’s passing earlier today. Our thoughts and condolences go out to her family and friends.

Her legacy in wildlife conservation, empathetic science, and inspiring generations will forever ripple across the world.

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 9d

My student Anna presenting some of her PhD work at this year‘s Wildlife Disease Association Australasian meeting. Always a great bunch of people passionate about wildlife health to hang out with.

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 9d

PhD student Anna Langguth presenting on immune responses to challenge with Zymosan in eastern bent-wing bats at #WDAA2025

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 10d

Brett Gartrell speaking about off-target anticoagulant toxicity in Tuatara and short-tailed bats in NZ

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 10d

Julien Grosmaire @WDAA2025 speaking about methods for koala monitoring including different tag and collar designs.

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 10d

The 2025 WDAA is officially underway! Some fantastic talks by Chris Daniels from Green Adelaide, David Paton from BioR and Claire Hartvigsen-Power from Marna Banggara telling us about biodiversity needs and projects in the Adelaide region and beyond.

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 29d

Ha ha, today definitely #9

Bat Conservation International 🦇 @batcon.org · Sep 4

Which bat are you today? There's a strong case to be made for #3 🤪

📸 Jennifer Barros

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 29d

This work underlines the importance of doctors communicating effectively and evidence based with their patients.

Michelle Wille @duckswabber.bsky.social · Sep 5

survey of U.S. adults: trusted sources of health information and preferred vaccine advisors? Physicians most trusted, followed by personal "research", with only 30% trust in health departments.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · 29d

Keep an eye on these WDAA member spotlights. Showcasing the breadth and depth of expertise in wildlife health in Australasia!

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · Jul 10

Meet Michelle Campbell-Ward

Michelle co-authored the first book chapter on the topic of welfare of Australian mammals in human care, a milestone that reflects decades of dedication across clinical practice, wildlife rehabilitation, regulation, and ethics🐨

www.wda-a.org/post/member-...

Member spotlight! Michelle Campbell-Ward!

This month we spotlight the work of our member Michelle Campbell-Ward, who has just had a new book chapter come out! Congratulations Michelle!Congratulations on your new publication, can you give us s...

www.wda-a.org

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Reposted by Jasmin Hufschmid

Wildlife Disease Association - Australasian Section @wdaa.bsky.social · 29d

A vaccine against chlamydia in koalas will be rolled out. This is possible through exciting research led by Prof Peter Timms and Sam Phillips at University of Sunshine Coast. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

First vaccine against deadly koala chlamydia green-lit for rollout

Australia's vet regulator approves a koala chlamydia vaccine for nationwide rollout, offering new hope in the fight against the potentially fatal sexually transmitted disease.

www.abc.net.au

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Aug 22

One hour delay getting into Canberra on Thursday night and 1.5 hour delay getting out of Canberra last night with Qantas.

Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Aug 6

My student Anna Langguth presenting her work on microbat immunology at the International Bat Conference in Cairns

Anna Langguth @alangguth.bsky.social · Aug 5

Very excited to be able to present a summary of my PhD research at the #ibrc2025
My research on the immune systems of Australian bats at risk of white-nose syndrome suggests our native species may be vulnerable to this devastating pathogen - as always, more research is needed!

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 19

And Wildlife Health Starter Pack: go.bsky.app/6T9kYR2

Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 19

Re-sharing the links to my wildlife health list (bsky.app/profile/did:...)

Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 19

🧪Congratulations, Jacinta Colvin, on an important publication showing some of the impacts of plastic ingestion in short-tailed shearwater fledglings. An decline in body condition since 2018 and an increase in plastic part size poses a potential threat to this species. doi.org/10.1007/s113...

Alterations in characteristics of plastic ingestion and decreasing body condition in beachcast fledgling short-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) at Phillip Island, Australia - Environmental Sc...

Plastic pollution in the marine environment is a major concern for short-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) through high levels of plastic ingestion. Using analysis of gastrointestinal tract co...

doi.org

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 16

Joining one of our conferences is a great way to network with and meet people working in the wildlife health field, including academics/researchers, clinical practitioners, rehabilitators, government etc. Join the WDA (wildlifedisease.org) for a reduced conference registration.

Wildlife Disease Association

A discussion on emerging infectious diseases and the anthropogenic factors that predispose them by Dr Kevin Keel, veterinary anatomic pathologist and Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immuniology at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Register today via the link in The Transmission.

wildlifedisease.org

Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 16

The Wildlife Disease Association has members working across many disciplines associated with wildlife health (veterinary, disease ecology, conservation, rehabilitation etc.). Our conferences are usually held outside major population centres, in low-key, natural environments.

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 16

Join us at the Wildlife Disease Association Australasian Section conference in beautiful South Australia, from the 28 Sept - 3 Oct this year. www.wda-a.org/upcoming-wda.... Registrations are now open at wdaa2025.exordo.com/login.

Conferences | Wildlife Disease Association Australasia

A highlight of the Australasian section is its Annual Conference. These are typically held away from capital cities, at wilderness locations of major interest to members. Biologists and conservationis...

www.wda-a.org

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 7

Given we have never had an HPAI virus in wildlife (bird or mammal) in Australia - as far as we know - we have grave concerns for our immunologically naive wildlife communities. Proactive approaches, including research on vaccine effectiveness in particularly sensitive species, are needed.

Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 7

🧪 Fantastic work, including Melbourne Uni (Doherty Institute)'s Michelle Wille, documenting the devastating impacts of HPAI H5 strains in wildlife. Australia is not affected yet - but with the virus now in sub-Antarctic islands, that may not be the case for much longer.

Thijs Kuiken @thijskuiken.bsky.social · Jun 4

Online and open access in @conbiology.bsky.social since 1 June 2025: Emergence, spread, and impact of high-pathogenicity avian influenza H5 in wild birds and mammals of South America and Antarctica. doi.org/10.1111/cobi.... Many thanks to all involved! A thread 🧵 (1/25)

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 7

🧪 White nose syndrome in North American bats appears to have been introduced from a cave system in the Ukraine back in 2006. Fantastic new research shows that European bats are affected by two separate clads of the fungus, but only one clade has (so far) been introduced to N-America: rdcu.be/epN7x

Two distinct host-specialized fungal species cause white-nose disease in bats

Nature - The identification of two cryptic species of the fungal pathogen that causes white-nose disease in bats highlights the need to integrate studies of genetic variability in pathogens into...

rdcu.be

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Jasmin Hufschmid @jhufschmid.bsky.social · Jun 7

🧪 Great work by my One Health Research Group colleagues showing that some frog species manage to persist in the face of the catastrophic amphibian disease chytridiomycosis by breeding earlier and more efficiently. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Australia’s critically endangered alpine tree frogs use sex to fight killer fungus

Infected males produce higher-quality sperm, display brighter throat patches and sire nearly a third more offspring

www.theguardian.com

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