Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 18h

Big news! @IUCN members approve Motion 108 to set guardrails on the global wildlife pet trade. open.substack.com/pub/richardc...

The Wildlife Pet Trade is a Global Disaster

And it's going to keep wrecking the natural world--till we stop paying for it.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Richard Conniff

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 7d

It's never been legal to export Galapagos iguanas from Ecuador. But pet dealers still sell them "legally" in Europe. Time to crack down on the wildlife pet trade. richardconniff.substack.com/p/the-wildli...

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Reposted by Richard Conniff

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 2d

Some bats hunt and eat migrating songbirds at high altitude 🌿 richardconniff.substack.com/p/tally-ho-e...

Tally Ho! European Robin at Two O'Clock

Bats, the sonic masterminds of the skies, score an astonishing kill.

richardconniff.substack.com

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 1d

IUCN will likely vote Monday to set guardrails for the wildlife pet trade. Originally just for terrestrial wildlife but now extended to ALL wildlife. open.substack.com/pub/richardc...

The Wildlife Pet Trade is a Global Disaster

And it's going to keep wrecking the natural world--till we stop paying for it.

open.substack.com

1

Reposted by Richard Conniff

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 2d

Halfway in, it dawned on me that this is a Halloween story. I’d never previously thought of the world’s top science journals scheduling articles for a publicity boost from seasonal holidays. But, hey, Science, you got me! 🌿 richardconniff.substack.com/p/tally-ho-e...

Tally Ho! European Robin at Two O'Clock

Bats, the sonic masterminds of the skies, score an astonishing kill.

richardconniff.substack.com

3 1

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 2d

Some bats hunt and eat migrating songbirds at high altitude 🌿 richardconniff.substack.com/p/tally-ho-e...

Tally Ho! European Robin at Two O'Clock

Bats, the sonic masterminds of the skies, score an astonishing kill.

richardconniff.substack.com

2 1

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 2d

Halfway in, it dawned on me that this is a Halloween story. I’d never previously thought of the world’s top science journals scheduling articles for a publicity boost from seasonal holidays. But, hey, Science, you got me! 🌿 richardconniff.substack.com/p/tally-ho-e...

Tally Ho! European Robin at Two O'Clock

Bats, the sonic masterminds of the skies, score an astonishing kill.

richardconniff.substack.com

3 1

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 5d

Hey, #Connecticut residents, you can find your #vaccination record since 2020 here: ctwizpublicportal.dph.ct.gov

CT WiZ Public Portal

ctwizpublicportal.dph.ct.gov

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 6d

The shsssssssh-shsssssssh of boots walking through fallen leaves in the Connecticut woods

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Reposted by Richard Conniff

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 16d

Cartoon by @mluckovich.bsky.social.

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 7d

I haven’t noticed the decrease but yes people are afraid

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 7d

It's never been legal to export Galapagos iguanas from Ecuador. But pet dealers still sell them "legally" in Europe. Time to crack down on the wildlife pet trade. richardconniff.substack.com/p/the-wildli...

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 10d

The IUCN will consider the wildlife pet trade at its meeting next week in Abu Dhabi. Time to act on a wildlife pet trade that's gone off the rails. 🌿

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 10d

Stop buying wildlife pets—turtles, parrots, lizards, ferrets, even tropical fish—until the global pet industry gets serious about protecting and rebuilding species and habitats. richardconniff.substack.com/p/the-wildli...

The Wildlife Pet Trade is a Global Disaster

And it's going to keep wrecking the natural world--till we stop paying for it.

richardconniff.substack.com

2

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 10d

Stop buying wildlife pets—turtles, parrots, lizards, ferrets, even tropical fish—until the global pet industry gets serious about protecting and rebuilding species and habitats. richardconniff.substack.com/p/the-wildli...

The Wildlife Pet Trade is a Global Disaster

And it's going to keep wrecking the natural world--till we stop paying for it.

richardconniff.substack.com

2 6

Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 15d

The S. American nation of Suriname just pledged to preserve 90% of its forests in perpetuity. Congratulations to the Suriname people, to President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, & to Russ Mittermeier of Re:Wild who has worked for years to make this happen. www.rewild.org/press/surina...

Suriname pledges to permanently protect 90% of its forests, far exceeding the 30x30 global goal for climate and biodiversity protection

During NYC Climate Week, Suriname vowed to protect 90% of its forest cover in perpetuity, a historic pledge ahead of COP30 talks.

www.rewild.org

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Reposted by Richard Conniff

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 16d

Five corporations control 90% of the US media market.

Airlines merged from 12 major carriers in 1980 to 4 today.

Four giants control 80% of meat processing.

A handful of companies control the pharmaceutical industry.

The evidence of corporate concentration is everywhere.

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 16d

This is from back before the Jimmy Kimmel fracas, but it's just getting worse. richardconniff.substack.com/p/republican...

Republicans Move to Shut Down Dissent

It's not just Trump. The entire party is now out to kill free speech.

richardconniff.substack.com

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 17d

A kind word for rich folk on horseback and their packs of baying, slobbering hounds.
open.substack.com/pub/richardc...

Sound the Horn & Let the Hounds Hunt

Foxes may be off the menu, but some hunting is still bloody good fun.

open.substack.com

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 19d

It wasn't a secret, but Trump admits he's using the power of the presidency to fatten his own bank account.

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 23d

Border czar Tom Homan accepts bag stuffed w $50,000 cash, promises government contracts, gets recorded by FBI. Trump #DOJ says, "yeah, no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/u...

Trump Justice Dept. Closed Investigation Into Tom Homan for Accepting Bag of Cash

www.nytimes.com

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 24d

The first known U.S. dolphin-human fishing partnership has turned up in Florida. Plus: A tale of drunken monkeys. (Photo: Jefferee Woo) richardconniff.substack.com/p/when-dolph...

When Dolphins Partner with a Fisherman

On Florida's Gulf Coast, two very different mammals develop a mutual thing.

richardconniff.substack.com

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Reposted by Richard Conniff

UCL Department of Geography @uclgeography.bsky.social · 29d

Air pollution from oil & gas kills >91,000 Americans yearly, particularly poorer communities.

@richardconniff.bsky.social’s story highlights new research by @ucl.ac.uk Geography’s Prof. Eloise Marais & @kohrathefog.bsky.social.

#AirPollution #EnvironmentalJustice #UCLGeography @uclnews.bsky.social

Oil and Gas Air Pollution is a Killer

But we don't care because we think other people pay the price.

richardconniff.substack.com

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 27d

Also worth contemplating their handiwork, from an 1863 photo of escaped slave Peter Gordon. This photo is now deemed "corrosive ideology" by the Trump regime and banned from display in our National Parks.

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 27d

Haunting image of three southern slaveholders, c. 1850. The banal face of evil. Original daguerreotype in the Metropolitan Museum, colorized and restored by Frank Hellsten

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Richard Conniff @richardconniff.bsky.social · 27d

These Canada geese have an almost mathematical idea of acceptable social distance

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