No. 129, April 23, 2020

Hello Revelator readers,

Our need for entertainment during the pandemic helped turn Netflix's Tiger King into a massive hit, but will the series do anything to help endangered cats? Our latest essay digs into the conservation lessons that Tiger King missed.

Yesterday was the 50th Earth Day, providing us with an opportunity to look to a more sustainable future. Can embracing the unifying concept of One Health help lead us to a green renaissance post-pandemic?

It's been 10 years since the Deepwater Horizon disaster spilled millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Here's what we've learned since then — and what we haven't.

Looking for more inspiration? We've got the word on 14 new environmental books for adults and kids, including important new titles from Carl Safina, Andrew Revkin, Kelly Brenner and other experts.

Subscriber bonus: The Wild 5

Here are five more stories we're watching this week.  

1. Oil prices plunged below zero dollars a barrel in the United States (yes, you read that right), but it's not clear yet if it will slow the transition to cleaner energy sources and electric vehicles.

2. Climate change is undercutting decades of work to reduce air pollution, as warmer weather and wildfires are increasing levels of ozone and particulates.

3. The number of industries violating environmental regulations has gone up across the Midwest, but enforcement against polluters has declined.

4. Australia's recent bushfires appeared to reduce the population of critically endangered Kangaroo Island dunnarts to just 50, but scientists say some newly discovered populations in unburned habitat are cause for optimism.

5. Milan, Italy, is hoping to avoid a spike in air pollution when residents return to work by designating 22 miles of streets for cycling and walking instead of cars.

In case you missed it:

You've probably seen stories about wildlife returning to city streets amid the pandemic. In the case of San Francisco's coyotes, they were already there — if you knew where to look.

What should we cover next?

Tell us about how the novel coronavirus has affected your community and what you're doing to stay connected to environmental causes while keeping your distance. We want to hear from you, so please drop us a line anytime.

Coming up:

We're getting ready to launch a new video series about wildlife diseases. You won't want to miss it.

Also coming soon: another Trump administration attack on environmental activism, a look at important issues affecting bats, news about a rediscovered species, and a whole lot more.

Look for our latest links in next Thursday's newsletter — or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the headlines as they go live.

As always, thank you for reading — and stay safe.