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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · 2d

I will be giving an Animal History Group seminar on aspects of my forthcoming book Discovering the Okapi: Western Science, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Search for a Rainforest Enigma - online on 12 November at 8pm GMT.

Book for this free event here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ahg-semina...

AHG Seminar - 12 November: Book Talk - Discovering the Okapi

Join us for our monthly seminar series.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Reposted by Simon Pooley

Animal History Group @animalhistories.bsky.social · 13d

On the 12th of November 2025 @ 8pm (GMT/UTC +0) (note our clocks go back), Simon Pooley (@s-pooley.bsky.social) will be giving a book release talk on DISCOVERING THE OKAPI🦓📙
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ahg-semina...

AHG Seminar - 12 November: Book Talk - Discovering the Okapi

Join us for our monthly seminar series.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · 15d

I enjoyed participating in this #interdisciplinary podcast on #human-animal interactions, ethics, and research. Much to learn from this kind of interaction, here with Birkbeck colleagues Anna Richards (critical animal studies) and Sophia Connell (philosophy). Listen here youtu.be/GniKcOii0ws?...

Birkbeck Thinks: Exploring human-animal relations, ethics and research

YouTube video by Birkbeck, University of London

youtu.be

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Jul 9

It is great to get some critical responses to my okapi book. Both are from scholars I greatly respect.

I was nervous asking Jonathan Kingdon, as he is such an authority on African mammals - and has told me such interesting things about okapi!

Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Jul 6

I'll be launching my book Discovering the Okapi at ZSL / London Zoo on December 2nd.
This fascinating animal went from being an international sensation, with 15 seconds of fame in the 1980s, to vanishing from public attention. I hope to win back attention for #okapi

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Jun 22

Celebrating world giraffe day yesterday, it was good to learn from GCF that some are recovering, but worth remembering the baseline and how little of the original range survives.

Of course, their only living relative, the okapi, hangs on only in northeastern DRC.

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Jun 3

#Conservation beyond boundaries

Starts with my talk on the occupation of #Ndumo Game Reserve (05:30-13:20 mins), the long history of conservation in this region, revealing causes of a classic conservation conflict. Shows key challenges for PAs in S Africa, and beyond. youtu.be/iigNVcOctew?...

Tipping Points 31 - Conservation beyond boundaries

YouTube video by Oppenheimer Generations Research & Conservation

youtu.be

Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 28

Gloomyhere

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 24

Rainy day problem solved. What a beautiful book cover.
Wonderful clear writing on complex subjects, told with fascinating, emblematic case studies. Good stuff
@jackashby.bsky.social

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 21

Join me at Birkbeck University of London, in Bloomsbury, on Friday 6 June to discuss the future of human-wildlife coexistence, whether with badgers or beavers in the UK, or crocs, big cats or elephants in Australia, the Americas, Asia or Africa.

Details and booking link here
lnkd.in/enJHamNz

Mugger crocodile on a sandbank, with shepherds leading cattle across a river in the background. Artist: Athulya Pillai, 2021

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 14

This is such good news. I write about what happened to okapi at Epulu - since the early 20th century - and including the infamous attack and its aftermath in my book Discovering the Okapi, due out on November 11.
news.mongabay.com/2025/05/13-y...

13 years after deadly attack, an okapi returns to Epulu in DRC reserve

In February 2025, rangers at Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in partnership with the Okapi Conservation Project, successfully brought an okapi to Epulu, site of the reserve...

news.mongabay.com

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 9

Interested in human-wildlife #coexistence? Want to discuss the challenges of realising a positive vision for #wildlife conservation? Join us in Bloomsbury, London, for a free public workshop I'm giving on June 6, during Birkbeck's Social Science Week
www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...

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Reposted by Simon Pooley

Jack Ashby @jackdashby.bsky.social · May 5

When it comes to certain parts of anatomy, #museums have been deliberately teaching people the wrong thing.
Most #mammals have a bone in their penis but natural history museums usually remove them from display, as I told @iflscience.com (& wrote in #NaturesMemory):
www.iflscience.com/where-have-a...

The Surprising (And Very Unscientific) Reason Why Penis Bones Are So Rare In Natural History Museums

#NotAllMuseums (but a lot of them) seem have to banished the penis bone. Why?

www.iflscience.com

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 5

Enjoying reading my copy will finish before listening. Sorry to hear of your dengue fever, it flattened me for 6 months following fieldwork on human- croc coexistence in Gujarat. My recovery informs my book Discovering the Okapi

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · May 5

I had fun presenting my #okapi research at the
@nhm-london.bsky.social
cultures of collections showcase Isabel Davis last week. Hoping that some of their famous okapi remains may get exhibited again, even stories I've recorded in my book shared.

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Apr 29

First global #crocodiles attack prevention survey launched!
If you live or work in areas with croc attacks, especially if involved in attempts to prevent attacks, please complete this survey. #conservation
The link works on computers and mobile phones: ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/blvTJ6kg

Reposted by Simon Pooley

Simon Hedges @simonhedges.bsky.social · Apr 28

Want to help protect #tigers and #leopards?

Of course you do!

There are still 18 or so hours to go to double your donation! (To noon UK tomorrow.)

With your support, @zslofficial.bsky.social can give big #cats a safer future.

donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

Stop Big Cat Poaching: Prevent, Detect, Intercept – Big Give

Join us in protecting wild big cats by stopping wildlife trafficking at every stage. Together, we can prevent crimes before …

donate.biggive.org

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Apr 21

Delighted to have a cover for my okapi book

www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/...

Discovering the Okapi

Western Science, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Search for a Rainforest Enigma

www.press.jhu.edu

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Mar 28

So we finally got statements out of Ramsar and the S African gov on this - and look forward to publication of the assessment due by April 23, and Ramsar's response. Certainly in the public interest to share this. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Fate of KZN’s 100-old Ndumo wetland park in doubt, despite treaty

‘The Ndumo Game Reserve experience serves as a warning to other similar reserves, that even well-established protected areas such as (Ndumo)... could be lost to conservation within the next decade if ...

www.dailymaverick.co.za

Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Mar 24

So proud of my mum Elsa Pooley launching her latest book around S Africa at the moment. A labour of love over many years, the culmination of her passion and mission to persuade people to garden successfully with indigenous South African plants.
www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/book/south-a...

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Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Mar 23

Why history matters for conservation - Ndumo Game Reserve as case study - and the importance of celebrating the achievements as well as the challenges

Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Mar 23

Questions for the South African government, Questions for Ramsar the international wetlands convention
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Simon Pooley @s-pooley.bsky.social · Mar 16

www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Fate of KZN’s 100-old Ndumo wetland park in doubt, despite treaty

‘The Ndumo Game Reserve experience serves as a warning to other similar reserves, that even well-established protected areas such as (Ndumo)... could be lost to conservation within the next decade if ...

www.dailymaverick.co.za

Reposted by Simon Pooley

Robert Macfarlane @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social · Mar 9

Good river news: money in the Water Restoration Fund will, after all, be used for river restoration & water-quality amelioration rather than dissolved into the wider Treasury spend.
Less good: only £11m was imposed in fines by Ofwat on water companies in 22-23.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘The sewage scandal ends now’: UK water company fines to be used to clean up rivers

After fears £11m would be diverted to Treasury, money will be spent on restoring areas where penalties issued

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Simon Pooley

E.J. Milner-Gulland @ejmilnergulland.bsky.social · Mar 9

Great new paper from Alyona Kashkina from @acbk.bsky.social and colleagues, on the (relatively positive) view that people across Kazakhstan have of wolves, and their suggestions towards coexistence besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1... @peopleandnature.bsky.social

Drivers of human attitudes towards wolves Canis lupus in Kazakhstan

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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