Amy Hinsley

Famous monkey-face ‘Dracula’ orchids are vanishing in the wild How the threatened monkey-face orchids could become icons for plant conservation.

"A new global assessment has, for the first time, revealed the conservation status of all known Dracula orchids. The findings are dire."

New from researchers including @orchiddelirium.bsky.social in @uk.theconversation.com 👇
theconversation.com/famous-monke...

Huge congratulations to @bashyalreshu.bsky.social on winning a #WhitleyAward!

Reshu is leading efforts to protect Nepal’s medicinal plants, focusing on the rare Maire’s yew and wild orchids, through her organisation Greenhood Nepal. She also collaborates with ICCS via @orchiddelirium.bsky.social

Wildlife trade researchers call for reforms to keep polarisation from… University of Oxford, Oxford Martin School Programme and global researchers, are calling for change to prevent polarization on trade regulations for…

“After half a century, CITES still plays a critical role in regulating wildlife trade, but growing polarisation over iconic species risks weakening its legitimacy and impact.”

@orchiddelirium.bsky.social @danchallender.bsky.social @michelleanagnostou.bsky.social

Out today! The new Guide to Building Ethical Orchid Collections and Societies has been developed by orchid societies and collectors in collaboration with our Global Trade Programme to promotes sustainable ornamental orchid collections. Please share! globalorchidtrade.wixsite.com/home/guide

The global plant trade is spreading invasive species to Europe Researchers have identified a series of risks linked to the ornamental plant trade.

New @theconversation.com piece by me and Silviu Petrovan on our latest paper, which focussed on the environmental and social risks of tbe ornamental plant trade theconversation.com/the-global-p...

Snakes in potted olive trees ‘tip of the iceberg’ of ornamental plant trade hazards

“Even with a global trade in cultivated ornamental plants, there is still a market for rare species taken from the wild + this can lead to rapid species declines, + risks that wild pests + plant diseases may enter supply chain"

@orchiddelirium.bsky.social

www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/snak...

Revolutionising conservation with AI

With biodiversity facing unprecedented challenges, @orchiddelirium.bsky.social has contributed to a study identifying key areas AI could transform existing conservation practices and reverse biodiversity loss 👇
bit.ly/4iIOjuk

@wildcru.bsky.social @oxmartinschool.bsky.social @iccs.bsky.social

I was part of this paper and it was great to spend a day with lots of experts talking about AI and conservation!

We are new to Bluesky but will posting more orchid things soon. In the meantime, you can find out more about the specialist group and our work on our website: www.orchidspecialistgroup.com #orchids

This is great!

A brilliant new paper on conservation patriarchy - must be widely read: ‘We conclude that patriarchal norms and structures within conservation must be questioned and dismantled to make conservation more effective and just’ www.nature.com/articles/s44...

‘It shouldn’t be that easy’: inside the illegal wildlife trade booming on social media Social media sites have become crucial tools for the sale of endangered species and platforms should do more to combat it, say experts

Unfortunately this is nothing new. I've worked on online IWT for 15yrs, others for 20yrs. I fear many 'initiatives' are treated as green washing by social media companies.

‘It shouldn’t be that easy’: inside the illegal wildlife trade booming on social media www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I’ve followed everyone in both - thanks! Please could you add me too?

Things have improved but there is much to do still at Oxford..

He said there was a “feeling of prestige” to being given a lectureship role for an Oxford college .... “But then the pay cheque comes, and you don’t have much to show for it.”

amp.theguardian.com/education/20...

This is great! I’m doing an AI and wildlife trade fellowship, and it would be great to be added!

This is so useful! It would be great to be added too!

New Oxford-led initiative launches to train future leaders in life and environmental sciences

Exciting new interdisciplinary Doctoral Training Programme launching with the October 2025 intake (ie recruiting now). Please spread the word to potential applicants, we are committed to an inclusive and welcoming experience for all! www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/new-...

We wrote an introductory Essay for the issue, which explores ways to make wildlife trade research and practice more inclusive. It includes this figure that took me ~3 hours, because there were so many great silhouettes of traded species to choose from conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Special Issue: Beyond Charismatic Megafauna in Illegal Wildlife Trade: Conservation Biology: Vol 38, No 5 <em>Conservation Biology</em> is the leading global journal in the field of conservation, publishing groundbreaking papers contributing to the conservation of biological diversity.

This Conservation Biology special issue is on #wildlifetrade beyond big grey/fluffy megafauna: conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15231739...

Papers on trade in cacti, carnivorous plants, birds, fungi, spiders, snails, crayfish, and more

Edited with Alice Hughes & @jaredmargulies.bsky.social

I joined a while ago but there was nothing happening, so I just gave up on social media. Seems to be the place to be now, so I’m back. Might post some papers that I haven’t told anyone about…