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Social media conversations about invasive species are driven more by charismatic animals, emotional appeal and celebrity influencers than ecological urgency, an international team of researchers has revealed. An analysis of more than half a million posts over 15 years identified a striking concentration of influence on the platform then known as Twitter - just 1% of users (362 accounts) generated 60% of all retweeted content about invasive species. They showed that charismatic animals, combined with dramatic human stories, generated the highest engagement. The research, published in the journal Ecology and Society, was carried out by analysing posts through then-free API tool for academic research. The focus on social media on megafauna, charming creatures, striking appearances, or unique behaviours and more familiar animals, reflects what ecologists label as "plant blindness." Despite plants comprising 57% of endangered species* and including many highly destructive invasive organisms, they received disproportionately limited attention in online discourse. The research showed that invasive plants are not among the top 15 species mentioned in tweets. The research team, led by Dr Susan Canavan, Honorary Researcher at the School of Natural Sciences at University of Galway, noted that this pattern reflects a broader disparity in conservation. Plants receive less than 4% of conservation funding*, an imbalance that social media trends both reflect and may even reinforce. Dr Canavan said: "Some of our most damaging invasive species are plants, but they don't capture public imagination the way animals do. And when invasive plants are invisible in public discourse, building support for their management becomes exponentially more difficult.” The social media accounts, which drove so much engagement on issues related to animals, included major news outlets such as The New York Times and CNN as well as government agencies, and invasion biology experts, along with celebrity and social media influencers with little or no expertise in conservation science. YouTuber Logan Paul’s viral video about spearfishing for lionfish in Belize was a perfect illustration of how a celebrity influencer can sway public understanding and interest in ecological issues, despite a perceived lack of scientific credentials. The team also noted it has potential benefits and risks for accurate information dissemination. Dr Canavan said: "We had a unique opportunity with Twitter's free academic access to understand what drives public attention to invasive species at a scale that had not been done before and where the gaps lie relative to scientific priorities. The patterns we found have important implications for conservation communication and policy. The concentration of influence is significant with a small number of voices shape how millions of people understand invasive species.” The research team included Dr Canavan and Dr Kevin Healy from University of Galway; Newcastle University and University of Sterling in the UK; the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University in the Czech Republic; Rhodes University and University of the Free State in South Africa; Université Paris-Saclay, France; Pennsylvania State University, U.S.; and Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Spain. What gets attention and what doesn't? The researchers tracked spikes in tweet activity to see what people actually talked about: Cats topped the list of most-mentioned species. Despite being beloved pets, the researchers noted that cats have contributed to 63 species’ extinctions globally** and kill more than 1 billion birds in the US each year***. Managing cat populations remains deeply contentious, balancing wildlife conservation with ethical questions about the cats themselves. Other mammals followed a similar pattern. Dogs, squirrels, goats, rats and horses were frequently mentioned, as were pigs, with domestic pigs that have gone feral being an alien species in the US and a particular economic and environmental issue. Charismatic animals combined with dramatic human stories generated the highest engagement – a prime example being hippos in Colombia, which were imported illegally by the late drug cartel boss Pablo Escobar for his private zoo in 1980s. Following his death, the population bred freely in Rio Magdalena waterways. Media coverage of the animals spread widely across social media, and public opposition to culling the creatures proved so strong the plan was abandoned. In 2020 the "mystery seeds" issue went viral, in which thousands of Americans received unsolicited seed packages, apparently from China, sparking widespread biosecurity concerns. The U.S. Department of Agriculture ultimately identified the shipments as a "brushing scam", a practice where vendors send inexpensive items to generate fraudulent reviews. Nevertheless, the episode generated substantial public engagement and prompted Amazon to prohibit imported plant and seed sales in the US. The research team said the findings quantify previously anecdotal observations about which species and narratives resonate with non-specialist audiences. They noted concerns about social media data and how losing it could leave scientists blind to public perceptions in the future. They researchers stated: “We appeal to social media platforms to maintain accessible data policies for academic researchers, as the insights gained from such analyses can benefit both conservation efforts and public understanding of environmental issues. As the landscape of social media platforms evolves, it is imperative that researchers remain adaptive to these changes to ensure the continued progress of research and knowledge in our field.” The full study, published in Ecology and Society, is available at https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-16508-300413. Ends * https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/endangered-species-expenditures-report-fiscal-year-2011.pdf ** https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Doherty-et-al.-2016-Invasive-predators-and-global-biodiversity-loss.pdf *** https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380

University of Galway has celebrated the next generation of Irish sporting talent, awarding 22 prestigious sport scholarships to standout athletes. A further 66 athletes from previous years were also recognised at the special ceremony on campus. The University’s sport scholarship programme was developed to recognise students’ past achievements as well as to aid the development of their sporting talent alongside academic progress. The scheme offers a special subsistence grant, coaching, medical and physiotherapy support, performance nutrition and psychology, mentoring and performance planning and career development assistance. The awards night was marked by a presentation by ex-international soccer player and former University of Galway scholarship student, Niamh Fahey. Niamh Fahey said: “It was a pleasure to be at University of Galway and share experiences with the sports scholars, with the hope of passing on some of the learnings from my career, which combined elite sport with education. As a past student of the University, I know the importance of the sport scholarship programme, which provides support structures to create a positive learning environment where you can fulfil your potential in all aspects of your life.” Capped 115 times for Ireland, including three appearances at the 2023 World Cup, Niamh Fahey shared her journey from a scholarship student to her current role as Technical Coordinator for Liverpool Women. Her professional career has included stints at Arsenal, Chelsea, Bordeaux and Liverpool. Niamh Fahey was also an accomplished Gaelic footballer, winning an All-Ireland with Galway in 2005. During her time at Arsenal, she balanced semi-professional play, studies and working in the men’s team laundry. Earlier this year, she graduated with an MBA from Liverpool John Moores University. The awards night also featured successful student athletes who discussed balancing academic careers with sporting ambitions, including Fortune Igbokwe - Ireland U20 Basketball; Donagh Claffey – Bronze medallist in Rowing’s World U23; Sam O’Farrell - All-Ireland Hurling Winner with Tipperary; and Amy O'Sullivan, Irish Women’s Volleyball.             Des Ryan, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing at University of Galway, said: “It was energising to see so many talented players and athletes from the University in one room. Our mission is to be the most progressive and caring University sports programme on the island of Ireland. Our scholars will benefit from high-level challenge and support, led by our experienced High-Performance Lead, Feargal O’Callaghan. It was fantastic to have Niamh Fahey share her experiences and advice, alongside our other athletes. Niamh Fahey is one of Galway’s greatest sportspeople, and we are very proud she is part of our alumni.” University of Galway 2025 Sports Scholarships awardees:Athletics – Caitlin Hughes, Holly O’Boyle, Oisín DavisBasketball – Aoibhín Connolly, Nathan GbinigieCamogie – Olwen Rabbitte, Leah Gallagher, Caoimhe KellyGaelic Football – Maryanne Jordan, Eabha Smith, Shay McGlinchy, Cillian Ó Curraoin, Conor Corcoran, Rio MortimerHurling – Aaron Nyland, Sean Murphy, Edward O'ReillyRowing – Michael McGrath, Dominic CaseySoccer – Grace Gleeson, Jasmine Greaney, Brian Cunningham For more information on University of Galway’s sports scholarship programme, visit: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/sports/elitesport/ Ends

University of Galway has celebrated the achievements of more than 2,400 graduates during its autumn conferring ceremonies. Graduates, including 48 who qualified with a PhD, from across the University’s four Colleges were conferred with postgraduate and undergraduate degrees in a series of ceremonies on campus, joining the ranks of over 131,000 University of Galway alumni worldwide. The celebrations took place on campus from October 15th to 21st.             Professor David Burn, President of University of Galway, said: “Conferring week is one of the highlights of the University calendar, a time to recognise the hard work, dedication, and excellence of our students, and the commitment of our staff who have supported them along the way. We are very proud of our graduates as they embark on the next stage of their journey.” Ends