Hugh Possingham
LightNews LightNews
banner
hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham
@hugepossum.bsky.social
2.9K followers 620 following 35 posts

Birdwatcher, conservation scientist and mathematician

Videos

Hugh Phillip Possingham, FAA, is the former Queensland Chief Scientist and is best known for his work in conservation biology, applied ecology, and basic ecological theory including population ecology. He is also a professor of mathematics, Professor of Zoology and an ARC Laureate Fellow in the Department of Mathematics and the School of the Environment at The University of Queensland. .. more

Environmental science 69%
Geography 17%
Posts Replies Media Videos

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 8h
“Bold actions for a resilient future” is the theme of the #ESA2025 conference @ecolsocaus.bsky.social . At 10:30am I will give my talk in the session on “extreme weather” and provide the answer to the question - it is 6, if you can’t get there or have better places to be.

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

angrywagtails.bsky.social
Bluesky Wagtail @angrywagtails.bsky.social · 9h
Spider expert reaches milestone of naming 1000 species

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Naming species is crucial to conserving them according to spider expert - ABC listen
Living scientist Dr Mark Harvey reaches rare milestone of naming 1000 species of invertebrates.
www.abc.net.au

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham, Euan G. Ritchie, Erin O’Donnell

judydunlop.bsky.social
Judy Dunlop @judydunlop.bsky.social · 15h
Fab talk from @megcevans.bsky.social about government trying to use capitalism (for profit model) to attempt to solve problems created by capitalism (environmental damage and biodiversity loss).
But $2bn to solve biodiversity crisis isn't much compared to many other publicly funded things.
#esa2025

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham, Catherine J. Frieman

nteuact.bsky.social
NTEU ACT @nteuact.bsky.social · 17h
Former #ANU Vice-Chancellor, Genevieve Bell, will receive remuneration of more than half a million a year for the next five years - despite taking 12 months off.

For context, that's more than ANU hoped to 'save' annually by disestablishing the School of Music. 🫠 @nteunion.bsky.social

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham, Stephen D. Murphy

euanritchie.bsky.social
Professor Euan Ritchie @euanritchie.bsky.social · 18h
Leading conservation, environmental, policy, economic, and legal experts speak up and out about the Group of Eight's position on #EPBC Act reforms.

Thank you to all involved!

Full statement www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

#ESA2025
Independent statement of the Go8's EPBC Act stance | Justine Bell-James
This week is critical, make-or-break for environmental law reform. As 90 of Australia's leading biodiversity and climate researchers at Group of Eight (Go8) institutions, we publicly disagree with Go8...
www.linkedin.com

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 1d
Do I see a tiny uptick in the TSX? Has the inexorable decline stopped, or is it just a wobble on the path to mass extinction? Www.tsx.org.au
aus-tsx.bsky.social Threatened Species Index @aus-tsx.bsky.social · 1d
We are thrilled to announce the release of the 2025 Threatened Species Index! The latest data indicate that threatened and near-threatened species in Australia have declined by an average of 75% since 1985. View the latest trends here: tsx.org.au/tsx2025
@tern-aus.bsky.social 🦎🐸🐦🌿🐨
A four-panel dashboard showing the Threatened Species Index 2025. Top-left: a line graph titled ‘Main index’ displaying a steady decline of 75% between 1985 and 2022. Top-right: a map of Australia with numerous points indicating spatial representativeness of monitoring sites. Bottom-left: a scatter plot titled ‘Monitoring consistency’ showing site-year observations over time. Bottom-right: a dual-axis chart showing growth in the number of taxa and number of time series per year from 1952 to 2022, both rising sharply before levelling off in more recent years.

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 1d
And this morning there was Peregrine Falcon at uni footbridge, Black Cockies are about, two Night Heron behind zoo
hugepossum.bsky.social Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 3d
Looking for a nice bird, flower, Rakali, reptile, frog walk at #ESA2025 this week - head to the St Peter’s billabong @ecolsocaus.bsky.social - darter, water skink, c30 bird species, and lots of native plants. Little grassbird and reed warbler nesting.
Map of billabong site Darter Eastern Water Skink, I think? I know nothing about reptiles The restoration of the billabong

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

aus-tsx.bsky.social
Threatened Species Index @aus-tsx.bsky.social · 1d
We are thrilled to announce the release of the 2025 Threatened Species Index! The latest data indicate that threatened and near-threatened species in Australia have declined by an average of 75% since 1985. View the latest trends here: tsx.org.au/tsx2025
@tern-aus.bsky.social 🦎🐸🐦🌿🐨
A four-panel dashboard showing the Threatened Species Index 2025. Top-left: a line graph titled ‘Main index’ displaying a steady decline of 75% between 1985 and 2022. Top-right: a map of Australia with numerous points indicating spatial representativeness of monitoring sites. Bottom-left: a scatter plot titled ‘Monitoring consistency’ showing site-year observations over time. Bottom-right: a dual-axis chart showing growth in the number of taxa and number of time series per year from 1952 to 2022, both rising sharply before levelling off in more recent years.

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 2d
I was going to call it Stipa elegantissima, but I knew that changing taxonomy would defeat me - we had one in our front garden in Marden.

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

wa-orchids.bsky.social
WA Orchids @wa-orchids.bsky.social · 2d
🌳🌿💚 Monday morning good news story!

Following strong opposition from local councils & residents, Alcoa has shelved its plans to explore the Perth Hills #jarrah #forests for its #bauxite mining expansion... for now at least.

#wildoz #conservation #ozflora #trees
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Alcoa shelves plans to explore Perth Hills for mining expansion
US mining giant Alcoa will withdraw part of its plans to expand its mining operations in the world's only jarrah forests, following community concerns around water security and environmental impacts.
www.abc.net.au

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham, Euan G. Ritchie

megcevans.bsky.social
Megan Evans @megcevans.bsky.social · 2d
#esa2025 Keynote presentation from Tiahni Adamson #BushHeritage speaking about #FirstNations governance and #RightWay science. First Nations leadership is not only the right thing to do but leads to more effective #ecological outcomes
A First Nations woman standing at the main stage at the Ecological Society of Australia Conference with a large screen in the background

Reposted by Euan G. Ritchie

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 2d
For those who love plants, many groups have been restoring the vegetation of the Adelaide Plains, once harbouring 750 species! Head east along the river towards the St Peter’s billabong. Some things in flower: Linum marginale, Goodenia amplexans (strong smell) and Malva #ESA2025
Native grasses at billabong Goodenia amplexans Native flax - Linum marginale Native hibiscus - once Lavatera, now Malva sp.

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

euanritchie.bsky.social
Professor Euan Ritchie @euanritchie.bsky.social · 2d
For attendees of #ESA2025 that might be interested.
euanritchie.bsky.social Professor Euan Ritchie @euanritchie.bsky.social · 2d
I love Northern Australia, and it breaks my heart what's happening and is planned for this region. More people need to know why this place is so special and what's at risk, so I wrote about it. My first article for @australiainstitute.org.au's The Point. thepoint.com.au/opinions/251...
Northern Australia is extraordinary, and it’s under severe threat
Right now, this region, is under siege, in large part due to insatiable corporate and government desires to ‘develop’ the North.
thepoint.com.au

Reposted by Euan G. Ritchie

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 3d
We donate $25,000 a year to Nature Glenelg Trust. They do remarkable on-ground work for biodiversity in the places that we love #ESA2025. Eaglehawk waterhole, an NGT property, south of Bordertown, probably has South Australia’s best woodland bird diversity.
ecolsocaus.bsky.social Ecological Society of Australia @ecolsocaus.bsky.social · 7d
💚 Huge thanks for helping bring ESA2025 to life. Nature Glenelg Trust – restoring ecosystems and supporting #ESA2025.⁠
⁠
natureglenelg.org.au/%E2%81%A0
⁠
#ecology #restoration

hugepossum.bsky.social
Hugh Possingham @hugepossum.bsky.social · 3d
Looking for a nice bird, flower, Rakali, reptile, frog walk at #ESA2025 this week - head to the St Peter’s billabong @ecolsocaus.bsky.social - darter, water skink, c30 bird species, and lots of native plants. Little grassbird and reed warbler nesting.
Map of billabong site Darter Eastern Water Skink, I think? I know nothing about reptiles The restoration of the billabong

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

ecolsocaus.bsky.social
Ecological Society of Australia @ecolsocaus.bsky.social · 7d
We're looking for volunteers to help Judge the 2025 Student Conference Awards! (Judges must have completed a PhD and not be a current student.)

Register here 👉 www.ecolsoc.org.au/volunteer-ju...

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

ecolsocaus.bsky.social
Ecological Society of Australia @ecolsocaus.bsky.social · 7d
💚 Huge thanks for helping bring ESA2025 to life. Nature Glenelg Trust – restoring ecosystems and supporting #ESA2025.⁠
⁠
natureglenelg.org.au/%E2%81%A0
⁠
#ecology #restoration

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

terngirl.bsky.social
Dr Maggie J Watson @terngirl.bsky.social · 7d
A few home truths about the orange-bellied parrot, an excellent #AOC2025 plenary from @teamswiftparrot.bsky.social

Reposted by Hugh P. Possingham

natforsdick.bsky.social
Nat Forsdick @natforsdick.bsky.social · 8d
Busting all our assumptions about sexual dimorphism, bird colour and song, Kristal Cain gets #AOC2025 off to a rollicking start!