Michele Thums

Research Scientist @aims_gov_au researching movement & distribution of marine megafauna (big critters like sharks, sea turtles and whales). Views are my own.

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Hopefully more to come once we get some better weather!

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

It’s pygmy blue whale tagging season at Ningaloo as the endangered species migrates north. Track first tagged ‘Nyinggulu’ ➡️ https://t.co/xo1ZPboZrY

Learn more: https://t.co/xPwY7KWGM7

📷 @m_thumsy T. Klein, M. Jenner

#CentreforWhaleResearch @CMST_oceans @LuOceano

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Hey all you budding PhD students! Don’t forget to apply, closing date is only a few days away - 30th Sept 2024!

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Interested in a cool ecology/oceanography PhD project with field work in beautiful sites in the Northern Territory, working with marine turtles using satellite telemetry? Then look no further! Check out the add attached! @IMOSAnimalTrack @LuOceano @RobHarcourt @IanJonsen

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Interested in a cool ecology/oceanography PhD project with field work in beautiful sites in the Northern Territory, working with marine turtles using satellite telemetry? Then look no further! Check out the add attached! @IMOSAnimalTrack @LuOceano @RobHarcourt @IanJonsen

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

We got some great data from Mariner, Explorer and the others and Voyager’s tag is still transmitting in the eastern Banda Sea. Can’t wait to get stuck in with @LuOceano to analyse the data!

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

Hats off to researchers who managed to tag 6⃣ fast-moving #PygmyBlueWhales offshore from Ningaloo. The tags provide knowledge on migratory routes and feeding areas. #CentreforWhaleResearch

Learn more: https://t.co/lSfyBJnhrc

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Was super exciting to see this calf, and while the mother was feeding and adds some info to the mystery of where these giants give birth

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

This big bundle of joy was spotted in waters off Ningaloo swimming with its #PygmyBlueWhale mum during an AIMS research trip. It’s thought to be the youngest ever seen in Aussie waters. #CentreforWhaleResearch

Learn more: https://t.co/lSfyBJnhrc

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

So great to have @_danielgomez94 on the @aims_gov_au team working on threatened marine megafauna

[Daniel Gomez Isaza @_danielgomez94]

Excited to join @aims_gov_au as a postdoc! I’ll be working with @m_thumsy @LuOceano and many others to identify light intensity threshold for dispersing marine turtle hatchlings 🐢

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Congrats to all of us especially our lead author @LuOceano, an important paper for the management of this threatened species 🐋

[Luciana Ferreira @LuOceano]

Our new paper @m_thumsy @aims_gov_au @AusAntarctic @CEBELresearch @CWR_WA We used tracking data+machine learning+SDMs to predict foraging and migration habitat suitability for pygmy blue whales in Australia and Southeast Asia https://t.co/j2Sd8X0AQi

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Congrats @laurenrpeel and all! Super useful for the conservation management of this Australian endemic species

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Thanks @LilianLieber (and Andy Brierley from Uni of St Andrews), was great to have your expertise on the project!

[MBA - Marine Biological Association @thembauk]

📝 MBA Research Fellow, Dr Lilian Lieber, teamed up with marine scientists from Australia & the UK on a multi-disciplinary mission to decipher the mysteries of whale shark movement in relation to prey distribution at Ningaloo Reef.

Read more here ➡️ https://t.co/53V2xnMsME

[Luciana Ferreira @LuOceano]

New postdoctoral position in our team at @aims_gov_au with @m_thumsy and many collaborators. We are looking for a postdoc to work on the impact of artificial light on marine turtle hatchlings to inform management. More details here: https://t.co/Ef5FxPRUbe
📷P.Wilson

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

A pleasure @BenDantonio and congrats for your first paper! A great piece of science- check it out!

[Ben D’Antonio (He/him) @BenDantonio]

@Tags4Wildlife @LilianLieber A huge thanks to my incredible supervisors @LuOceano,@m_thumsy, @MarkMeekan, @AnaMMSequeira and Charitha Pattiaratchi for the support, patience and guidance throughout this process. This team of supervisors are the best in the business ! 🧵(6/7).

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

@aims_gov_au @Science_DBCA @SantosLtd A heap of work here, thanks to all our collaborators and data providers, and of course main thanks to @LuOceano for all the heavy lifting!

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Wow great job here!

[Sydney Institute of Marine Science @SIMS_Australia]

🚨 SIMS is hiring 🚨

We are currently looking for a science professional with acoustic telemetry experience to join the national Animal Tracking Facility @IMOSAnimalTrack of @IMOS_AUS at SIMS.

More details & applications: https://t.co/205cseuFTf

Apply by November 22nd!

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Hot off the press! We have just advertised a permanent full-time position on the AIMS Website: https://t.co/tfKavOBe0C if you have experience and passion in threatened marine megafauna ecology and want to work with a committed, dynamic and fun team then check it out!

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Exciting PhD opportunity on the at sea behaviour and habitat use of marine turtles across Northern Australia in relation to in-situ oceanography collected with CTD tag data at the @IOMRC_Science, @aims_gov_au and @SydneyMarine using @IMOSAnimalTrack data @clive_mcmahon

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

So great to see this in the field but the drone footage from Grace Russell provides the best vantage point of this rarely seen (by people) behaviour

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

That's quite a mouthful! This pygmy blue #whale ‘lunge feeding’ on krill was captured during a field trip to #Ningaloo by @m_thumsy @lu_oceano & the Centre for Whale Research. @WoodsideEnergy

🐳Learn More: https://t.co/ACDTho0980
📽️Filmed under scientific permit

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

The sat tags also collect temperature & salinity data as the turtles dive, helping to unlock the mysteries of the Arafura Sea & beyond.

More ➡️https://t.co/R2q95IsPVU

@M_thumsy @VinayUdyawer @luoceano @clive_mcmahon @RobHarcourt

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

Happy #WorldWhaleDay 🐳

The elusive pygmy blue whale feeds in Perth Canyon where @m_thumsy and Centre for Whale Research satellite tag them. The whales are tracked on their northerly migration to uncover other important feeding areas & areas that overlap with human activity.

[IMOS Animal Tracking @IMOSAnimalTrack]

NEW PAPER in @ASNAmNat led by @VinayUdyawer & 51 collaborators. We tracked 1596 individuals across 79 marine species using the @IMOSAnimalTrack acoustic telemetry network to address fundamental questions about the scaling of space use in marine animals https://t.co/JoxVzwqiem

[Michele Thums @m_thumsy]

Good luck @VinayUdyawer and team!

[Australian Institute of Marine Science @aims_gov_au]

This #InternationalSawfishDay @VinayUdyawer is steaming in NT waters with @NTSCouncil @RIELresearch & barramundi fishers to locate, tag & release up to 6⃣ adult sawfish.

The data collected will inform management decisions to help conserve these endangered & protected species.