topic: Biodiversity

topic: Biodiversity

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Deforestation for soy continues in Brazilian Cerrado despite EUDR looming
- Some agricultural producers in the Brazilian Cerrado who indirectly supply soy to the European market still haven’t complied with the forthcoming European Union’s antideforestation regulation, or EUDR, an investigation has found.
- Two companies, Mizote Group and Franciosi Agro, have cleared 986 hectares (2,436 acres) since May 2024, advocacy group Earthsight found, including forested areas — meaning any of the soy grown isn’t EUDR-compliant.
- The Cerrado, a biodiverse savanna, is the Brazilian biome most vulnerable to deforestation driven by agricultural expansion, losing more than 652,000 ha (1.6 million acres) of native vegetation in 2024.
- The EUDR and voluntary certification schemes like the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS) aim to root out deforestation from supply chains — but the latter has limitations, while implementation of the former risks being delayed by another year.

West Africa’s leopards now officially endangered after 50% population crash
There are only about 350 mature leopards left in West Africa, according to the latest regional assessment by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. Leopards (Panthera pardus) in West Africa are thought to be genetically isolated from those in Central Africa, with little or no interbreeding between populations. They’re found in 11 countries: Benin, […]
In Nepal’s hills, a fight brews over the country’s biggest iron deposit
- Nepal’s government has granted a mining concession for what it calls the country’s biggest iron deposit in Jhumlabang, a remote farming community that could supply Nepal’s steel demand for years.
- Local residents say they were never properly consulted and fear displacement, water pollution, and destruction of forests and farmlands that sustain their livelihoods and cultural traditions.
- Community groups and Indigenous rights advocates argue the project violates Nepal’s obligations under international law guaranteeing the right to free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous peoples.
- Officials and the mining company insist due process will be followed, but villagers vow to resist the project, saying development should not come at the cost of their land, health and environment.

Green turtle rebounds, moving from ‘endangered’ to ‘least concern’
The green turtle, found across the world’s oceans, is recovering after decades of decline, according to the latest IUCN Red List assessment. The species has been reclassified from endangered to least concern. “I am delighted,” Brendan Godley, a turtle expert from the University of Exeter, U.K., told Mongabay. “It underlines that marine conservation can work, […]
State-NGO collaboration expands protection for Patagonia’s biodiversity hotspot
- A new provincial park in the province of Chubut aims to conserve one of Argentina’s most biodiverse stretches of coastline.
- The park is based on a conservation model that involves an NGO buying up private land and then donating it back to the provincial government in return for new legal protections.
- The park will complement existing legislation and the area’s existing status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- Sustainable, low-impact tourism and a no-take fishing zone, which will support the local shrimp industry, are both set to give the region an economic boost.

20 animal species on the road to recovery: IUCN Red List update
From three species of Arctic seals to more than half of all birds globally, several animals have slipped closer to extinction, according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List. However, 20 species have seen a positive change in their status: they’ve moved farther away from the threat of extinction, thanks to effective conservation […]
Nickel mining threatens Raja Ampat ecosystems, communities & conservation: Report
- A new environmental report warns that expanding nickel mining is placing Raja Ampat’s coral reefs, forests and Indigenous communities under intensifying threat.
- Using geospatial mapping and field evidence, researchers document how mining concessions overlap with critical ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots within the UNESCO-designated geopark.
- They also describe the industry’s deep colonial-era roots, its modern expansion under state and private control and its connections to global electric vehicle supply chains through companies like Tesla, Ford and Volkswagen.
- Activists are urging the Indonesian government to revoke all remaining mining permits, enforce no-go zones and shift toward sustainable economic alternatives that protect the archipelago’s ecological and cultural heritage.

Putumayo’s women guardians defend land and culture amid Colombia’s deforestation
- In Colombia southwest, Kamëntšá and Inga Indigenous women are at the forefront of the struggle to defend their territory, which provides water to the rest of the Putumayo. Through transmitting their language, cultivating traditional farms, sharing ayahuasca, and traveling the Sibundoy Valley, they keep their knowledge system alive: this is the basis of their defense of the territory.
- Although less than 30% of land in the region is suitable for cattle ranching, approximately 8,000 hectares (84%, 19,700 acres) are dedicated to this activity, impacting key ecosystems and water sources.
- At least 45 women have organized to resist the advance of monocultures and deforestation. They achieve this through their chagras, traditional growing spaces that contain hundreds of edible and medicinal plant species.
- Their knowledge and deep connection with the territory have enabled them to participate in the creation of Indigenous reserves and to oppose large-scale road-building projects on their land.

Microplastics found in the stomachs of Amazon tree-dwelling monkeys
Scientists have detected microplastics in the digestive systems of red howler monkeys living in protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon, marking the first evidence of plastic ingestion by a tree-dwelling primate, according to a recent study. The researchers evaluated 47 Juruá red howler monkeys (Alouatta juara) and found green-colored microplastic filaments, smaller than 5 millimeters […]
‘We can have abundant rivers and wildlife’: Director of ‘The American Southwest’ on new film
- “The American Southwest” is a new film that explores the importance of the Colorado River in western North America to people and to wildlife.
- Part natural history film, part social documentary, it explores the challenges the Colorado faces as its resources are stretched thin by the demands for cities, energy and agriculture.
- Negotiations over the river’s water after a current agreement expires at the end of 2026 offer an opportunity for more equitable sharing that includes the river itself and long-marginalized representation from the Native tribes who live along the river’s length.
- The film appeared in theaters beginning Sept. 5 and on streaming platforms Oct. 10.

An invite to the tapir toilet buffet (cartoon)
The tapir’s role as a keystone species includes seed dispersal, ecosystem engineering, and … feeding the forest with its poop! Tapirs have been found to defecate regularly in shared toilet spaces called “communal latrines”, which become important feeding sites for a myriad species like squirrel, tinamou, thrushes and wood quails.
Voices from the Land
Indigenous peoples are experiencing firsthand the impacts of the environmental and climate crises on their lands and communities. This commentary series, produced by the collective Passu Creativa with the support of Earth Alliance, is written by Indigenous leaders from around the world, including Goldman Prize winners, political officials, and representatives of grassroots movements. These leaders […]
Losing Nemo: In the Red Sea, clownfish vanish as anemones bleach
- A 2023 marine heat wave in the central Red Sea caused 100% of monitored sea anemones to bleach, followed by the death of 94-100% of clownfish and 66-94% of the anemones across three surveyed reefs.
- The findings challenge the belief that Red Sea marine life, already adapted to naturally hot water, would be protected from climate change, showing instead that rising temperatures are pushing even these heat-adapted organisms past their survival limits
- While six other Indo-Pacific regions experienced similar bleaching events with anemone deaths below 3%, the Red Sea’s 78% mortality rate reveals that 22 degree heating weeks marks a critical breaking point where these ancient partnerships fall apart.
- Researchers are calling for more monitoring of anemones worldwide while Saudi Arabia responds with expanded conservation efforts, including the world’s largest coral nursery and experimental probiotics to help reef organisms survive heat stress.

Voices from the land: As the Andes’ glaciers melt, our values can help (commentary)
- The snow-capped mountains in Colombia’s Andes range are rapidly melting due to climate change, says Yesid Achicue, an Indigenous mountain guide for local and international trekkers.
- He says this is extremely alarming, considering the role that snow-capped mountains play in various ecosystems and water sources, as well as the cultural and spiritual value nearby Indigenous communities have given them since time immemorial.
- “It is, in my opinion, our values, and how these belief systems manifest themselves in our societies and cultures, that help determine whether we can slow or cushion the impacts of these melting glaciers,” Achicue writes in this opinion piece. “Currently, treating the world and life as resources to be plundered is creating the climate crisis, and different values can change it.”
- This commentary is part of the Voices from the Land series, a compilation of Indigenous-led opinion pieces focusing on their lived experiences, land stewardship and visions for environmental justice. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily Mongabay.

Copper rush pushes Vale to ramp up mining near Amazonian protected areas
- Mining giant Vale has obtained a preliminary license for its Bacaba project, the first step toward doubling its copper production in the Brazilian Amazon over the next decade.
- Experts warn the expansion, near several conservation areas, will worsen deforestation, increase water stress and raise the risk of pollution.
- The global demand for copper is expected to rise by more than 40% by 2040, and almost all of Brazil’s known reserves are in the Amazon.

Biodiversity loss due to land use change could be highly underestimated: Study
- New research carried out in Colombia by the University of Cambridge suggests that local surveys assessing the effect of land clearances on biodiversity may be underestimating the impact by as much as 60%.
- To fully understand the effects of clearing forests for pastureland, much surveys of a much larger scale are required to reflect the different levels of biodiversity in regions and habitats and their resilience to change.
- More accurate species surveys, the authors say, could also support future programs such as biodiversity offsetting schemes as well as influencing farming policies.

World’s 1,500th known bat species confirmed from Equatorial Guinea
From Bioko Island in Equatorial Guinea, researchers have described what is officially recognized as the 1,500th bat species known to science, according to a recent study. The newly described bat is a species of pipistrelle, a group of tiny insect-eating bats, and scientists have named it Pipistrellus etula, with etula meaning “island” or “nation” in […]
Protecting Earth’s oldest data system: the case for biodiversity
- Razan Al Mubarak, president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, describes biodiversity as the planet’s original information network—an archive of genetic data refined over billions of years that encodes solutions to survival.
- Seeing extinction as data loss reframes the crisis: every vanished species deletes a chapter of evolutionary knowledge, erasing information that could inform medicine, technology, or climate resilience.
- The story of the Gila monster illustrates this vividly—its venom inspired the GLP-1 drugs now treating diabetes and obesity, showing how a single organism’s adaptation can unlock transformative human innovations.
- Al Mubarak argues that safeguarding biodiversity is not just an ethical imperative but an act of preserving intelligence itself; protecting this living knowledge system ensures the continuity of life’s most advanced and irreplaceable code.

First oarfish sighting in Sri Lanka highlights citizen science in marine protection
- Scientists have documented the first-ever record of an oarfish (Regalecus russellii) in Sri Lanka, a 2.6-meter (8.5-foot) specimen caught off the country’s western coast.
- The find expands the known distribution of oarfish into the Indian Ocean, offering a new baseline for studying this rarely seen deep-sea species.
- Meanwhile, another oarfish was recorded in India’s Tamil Nadu this year, while within 20 days, three oarfish have been recorded from Australia and New Zealand, puzzling naturalists.
- The importance of promoting citizen science and raising awareness among fishers is needed.

The bias in saving nature: How conservation funding favors the familiar
With the World Conservation Congress meeting this week, I thought it was useful to revisit a study published earlier this year on conservation funding. For decades, conservationists have warned that the planet’s attention—and its purse—are skewed toward the charismatic few. A sweeping analysis of some 14,600 conservation projects over 25 years confirms that bias […]
The hidden environmental cost of psychedelics
The world’s appetite for transcendence is endangering the very organisms that once mediated it. From the Sonoran Desert to the Amazon Basin, plants and animals that produce psychedelic compounds—peyote, ayahuasca vine, iboga, and even a toxin-oozing toad—are under pressure. As psychedelic therapies move from ritual to clinic, their biological sources are succumbing to overharvesting, habitat […]
IUCN downgrades guiña threat status, prompting conservation warning
- The guiña, a small wildcat, has been moved to least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Found only in Chile and Argentina, this small cat was previously listed as vulnerable.
- But the threat downgrade isn’t a sign of conservation success, researchers say. Rather, it reflects more in-depth knowledge of the species. Three out of six recognized subpopulations remain highly in danger of localized extinction and need special attention and urgent conservation action.
- Some conservationists see the downgrade in status as concerning (especially considering the daunting range of threats and number of imperiled populations) and they fear the improved listing may take attention away from the species and result in a decline in conservation funding.

In DRC’s Kivu region, the moringa tree offers valuable health benefits
- Moringa is a valuable plant, native to India but also found in the Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo; it plays a crucial role in treatments used in traditional, traditional-modern and modern medicine.
- All parts of the plant are used for their medicinal properties, and there are many testimonials from patients who have benefited from the advantages of moringa in the region.
- Healer Henry Tazama, who has been practicing his profession for 19 years, declares this plant a “legacy” for him; however, moringa has faced challenges locally amid recent conflict and logging.
- In a context where access to health care remains limited for a portion of the population, its cultivation and protection represent a valuable alternative.

Will California’s marine mammal conservation success come undone?
- With protection, many of California’s marine mammals — including whales, sea lions and seals — have made remarkable recoveries over the last half-century since bipartisan passage of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- However, climate-linked changes have now pushed the gray whale population into a state of collapse.
- Despite comebacks, marine mammals face a plethora of threats from pathogens, pollutants — including oil and plastic — disappearing food and more.
- In California, people and institutions are fighting for marine mammals and ocean biodiversity, but federal protections could be substantially weakened if proposed amendments to the Act move ahead.

Study busts big bad myth that wolves are growing fearless of humans
- As wolves return to parts of their historical ranges in Europe and North America, there’s growing concern that the predators are becoming less fearful of people.
- But a recent study from Poland shows that wolves still fully fear people, a finding that extends to other top predators and wildlife elsewhere around the world, where the fear of humans is “ingrained.”
- In May, wolves were moved to a lesser protected status in the EU, partly based on the argument that the canids are becoming fearless of humans.
- However, the study’s authors say that safety from wolves requires behavioral change on the part of humans, including keeping food and livestock secure and away from the canids.

Authorities in Vietnam bust wildlife smugglers with tons of rare animal parts
Vietnam’s border guard command has seized more than 7 metric tons of rare wildlife body parts from two wooden fishing boats moving goods from Indonesia to the southern Vietnamese province of Vinh Long. The boats were found on Oct. 3 and contained 4.2 metric tons of suspected pangolin scales, nearly 1.6 metric tons of fish […]
In Panama, poison dart frog move brings hope amid amphibians’ fight with fungus
- Twelve pairs of poison dart frogs were recently translocated in Panama in a bid to strengthen the species’ chances of survival and provide answers over a deadly fungal disease threatening amphibians worldwide.
- The effort hopes to boost the population of these frogs, which play a vital role in forest ecosystems and whose toxins could be important for human medicinal use.
- The amphibian chytrid fungus has affected hundreds of species of amphibians over the last decades, leading to the extinction in the wild of 90 species, estimates say.
- Apart from the fungal disease, amphibians are also at risk because of habitat loss driven by urban development and agriculture, experts warn.

Amazon Rainforest hits record carbon emissions from 2024 forest fires
In 2024, the Amazon Rainforest underwent its most devastating forest fire season in more than two decades. According to a new study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, the fire-driven forest degradation released an estimated 791 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2024, a sevenfold increase compared with the previous two years. The […]
Marine life are thriving on Nazi missile debris in the Baltic Sea: Study
As Germany demilitarized after World War II, it dumped massive amounts of its leftover munitions into the Baltic Sea. A recent study has found that some of those submerged weapons, which are still releasing toxic compounds, now host more marine organisms than the sediments around them. In October 2024, researchers used a remotely operated vehicle […]
Indochinese leopards face ‘bleak’ future, but hope persists
- The Indochinese leopard, a subspecies native to mainland Southeast Asia, has been driven to the edge of extinction by snaring and the wildlife trade.
- Population estimates for the species range from 77 to 766 individuals, highlighting both the cat’s rarity and the difficulty of studying it.
- Conservationists are working to safeguard the leopard’s last remaining strongholds in Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.

New global guidelines needed to rein in the wildlife pet trade (commentary)
- A key motion under consideration at the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress would create guidelines for managing the wildlife pet trade, and that’s key because across the world, millions of live animals — mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians — are taken from the wild every year.
- The illegal and unsustainable wildlife pet trade depends on the appeal of live animals whose capture leaves forests and grasslands silent, stripped of the pollinators, seed dispersers and predators that keep ecosystems functioning.
- “The IUCN congress offers a crucial chance to turn global attention toward the pet trade, and its illegality and unsustainability. If we fail to act, this commerce will continue hollowing out ecosystems, spreading invasive species, and endangering health,” a new op-ed argues.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Fears of major locust swarms wane in the Sahel but agencies step up monitoring
- Fears of major desert locust swarms in the Sahel in 2025 are receding, as authorities in the region continue to monitor breeding sites.
- The FAO says control measures were carried out by teams in Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria in response to earlier alerts.
- While field reporting has been hampered by limited resources and insecurity in many key parts of the region, improved remote surveillance and information-sharing tools have been strengthened.

Indonesia eyes seagrass zoning for blue carbon; experts urge community benefits
- Indonesia is moving to designate 17 seagrass habitats as national strategic areas for blue carbon, a plan that promises climate and community benefits but raises concerns over safeguards.
- The fisheries ministry says the zoning will help cut emissions, protect marine ecosystems and boost coastal livelihoods, with seagrass storing carbon far more effectively than rainforests.
- Experts welcome the initiative but warn it must avoid privatization, ensure fair benefit-sharing and guarantee transparent governance to prevent conflicts and elite capture.
- With Indonesia holding 11.5% of the world’s seagrass meadows, scientists stress the urgency of protection as the ecosystems vanish globally at alarming rates.

Massive fungus from India is newly described species
From the forests of northeast India’s Arunachal Pradesh state, researchers have described a new-to-science species of fungus with “exceptionally large” fruiting bodies that can hold the weight of a person. The species is named Bridgeoporus kanadii in honor of Indian mycologist Kanad Das for his contributions to Indian macrofungi. The researchers led by Arvind Parihar, […]
Australia to create a national park for 12,000 koalas
- The New South Wales government has unveiled plans for the Great Koala National Park, a 475,000-hectare reserve that combines existing protected areas with 176,000 hectares of state forest to safeguard an estimated 12,000 koalas and dozens of other threatened species.
- The move comes with a moratorium on native forest logging, $140 million in funding, and promises of new tourism infrastructure, though legislation to finalize the park is not expected until 2026 and is contingent on approval of a carbon credit scheme.
- Supporters hail the plan as a landmark conservation step that could boost biodiversity, generate carbon revenue, and create more sustainable jobs through ecotourism, while critics argue it sacrifices timber workers and delays certainty for communities.
- The decision reflects broader shifts in Australian forest policy, as states retreat from native forest logging, balancing ecological imperatives with political pressures from unions, industry, and rural constituencies.

Study warns up to a quarter of Philippine vertebrates risk extinction
- A new study warns that 15-23% of the Philippines’ 1,294 terrestrial vertebrates face extinction, with amphibians and mammals at highest risk.
- Endemic species are most vulnerable, yet many lesser-known taxa like flying foxes, Cebu flowerpeckers and island frogs receive little research or funding compared to charismatic species such as the Philippine eagle and tamaraw dwarf buffalo.
- Habitat loss, overhunting and the wildlife trade remain the leading threats, while research gaps and bureaucratic hurdles hinder effective conservation planning.
- Experts say the findings should guide the updated Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, prioritizing poorly studied species and high-risk sites not yet covered by protected areas.

There’s far less land available for reforestation than we think, study finds
- In recent years, policymakers have made pledges for huge tree-planting projects a cornerstone for meeting national carbon reduction goals, while doing little to seriously cut fossil fuel emissions. But a new study shows the carbon sequestration estimates made for those forestation projects may be wildly optimistic.
- The new research determined that land found suitable for forestation in past studies — an area about the size of India — shrank by as much as two-thirds when adverse impacts on biodiversity, food security and water resources were taken into account.
- When the new study figured in environmental and social constraints, the potential for existing tree-planting pledges to store a promised 40 gigatons of carbon by 2050, was reduced to just 12.5 gigatons — a significant sum, but far from what’s needed to offset continued fossil fuel use.
- The new study urges policymakers to be more pragmatic in their planting strategies, and prioritize lands best slated for permanent reforestation. Other researchers urge decision-makers to put more effort and money into protecting already existing biodiverse forests, which hold high carbon storage potential.

Biodiversity is our most sophisticated information network and must be protected (commentary)
- Each species represents a unique library of evolutionary wisdom, encoded in DNA and refined over millions of years.
- In a new commentary prior to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) quadrennial conference this month, IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak argues that biodiversity represents the most ancient and sophisticated information network our planet has ever known.
- “As the world gathers in Abu Dhabi for the IUCN World Conservation Congress, let us safeguard this living network with vigilance, investment and care — ensuring that nature’s silent information exchange endures as our shared inheritance for generations to come,” she writes.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Just as Raja Ampat fetches UNESCO Biosphere Reserve title, nickel mining looms
- On Sept. 27, UNESCO designated 26 new biosphere reserves, including Indonesia’s Raja Ampat, which is also recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark; the two designations make it one of few places on Earth honored for both geological heritage and biodiversity.
- Yet nickel mining threatens to carve up the region’s forests and coral reefs; a new report finds that nickel concessions in Raja Ampat cover 22,000 hectares, including zones that overlap with coral reefs and marine habitats.
- This raises questions about whether international recognition alone can safeguard Raja Ampat against the growing pressure of nickel extraction, driven by global demand for batteries in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

New conservation panel to focus on microorganisms crucial for human and planet health
The IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, has established a new expert group that will help shape conservation priorities for a previously overlooked but vital group of organisms: microbes. In a recent commentary, the Microbial Conservation Specialist Group (MCSG), formed in July, announced that it will look at the status and threats to various beneficial […]
Jaguar in Brazil swims 2.3 km in longest recorded distance for the species
Biologists in Brazil have documented a jaguar swimming an estimated 2.3 kilometers, or 1.4 miles, across an artificial reservoir in the Cerrado savanna, the longest confirmed swim by the species to date. The previous scientific record, published in 1932, was of a jaguar swimming 200 m (660 ft). “We knew that jaguars might have this […]
DJs inspired by nature
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. The music began long before humans arrived. Rivers carried their basslines downstream, insects beat time in the dusk, and birds poured their arias into the dawn. For Dominik Eulberg, who grew up without radio or television, this was […]
Consider the scorpions
- Scorpions have survived for more than 400 million years and endured five mass extinctions, but habitat destruction, climate change and overharvesting now pose significant threats to their survival.
- Scorpions give birth to live young that cling to their backs, the young of some species live with the mother for years, and only about 25 to 30 out of nearly 2,900 known species have venom potent enough to be dangerous to humans.
- Only five scorpion species have international trade protection, despite 350 being sold in the pet trade.
- Scientists are calling for improved conservation assessments, stricter trade regulations, and increased local community involvement to protect scorpions and harness their potential medical benefits.

From South America to Asia, seahorses vanish into trafficking pipeline
- In June 2025, Ecuadorian police seized a package containing almost 3,000 seahorses that were likely destined for Colombia.
- Most seahorses are caught in industrial and artisanal trawl nets as bycatch, but they are then funneled into a lucrative illegal trade.
- Researchers have identified the busiest trafficking routes: Peru to China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
- Seahorses are in high demand for use in traditional Chinese medicine, and are also sold as trinkets and as exotic additions to aquariums.

The Indigenous tradition sustaining Nepal’s alpine pastures amid climate change
- The Gurung people of Nepal’s Himalayas manage fragile alpine pastures through the ‘thiti’ system, which sets annual guidelines for rotational grazing, forest use and herb collection.
- Livestock owners pay small per-animal fees that finance habitat protection and support herders, ensuring resources are used fairly.
- Conservationists view thiti as a proven Indigenous approach to protecting high-altitude grasslands threatened by climate change.
- Out-migration, shrinking pasturelands, tourism growth and lack of legal recognition are weakening the tradition.

Indonesia aims to redraw UNESCO site boundaries to allow geothermal projects
- Indonesia is proposing to redraw the boundaries of a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest, excluding two degraded areas, in order to free up geothermal potential in the region.
- Geothermal, which draws from the country’s volcanic geography, is an energy technology the government is aggressively promoting as the country moves away from fossil fuels.
- The area was declared a World Heritage Site in 2004 for its immense biodiversity: more than 10,000 plant species, 200 mammals and 580 birds, including critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, tigers, rhinos and elephants.
- The site is already on UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list due to deforestation, illegal logging, encroachment and road building; environmentalists warn that geothermal development risks worsening pressures on a forest ecosystem already in decline.

Northeast Pacific endures fourth-largest marine heat wave on record
The Northeast Pacific ocean, off the U.S. West Coast, is experiencing its fourth-largest marine heat wave since record-keeping began in 1982. “The extent of the current Pacific marine heatwave should be surprising … but unfortunately, record breaking heat is our new norm,” Chris Free, a marine scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told […]
Egyptian activists rally to halt hotel project at pristine protected beach
- The Egyptian government opened up Ras Hankorab, a near-pristine beach inside a protected area along Egypt’s Red Sea coastline, to an investor to develop tourism facilities.
- Environmentalists launched a campaign to “save Ras Hankorab,” which succeeded in temporarily halting development activities at the site, and which critics say is aimed at foreign tourists.
- The beach is a nesting ground for endangered turtles, and the waters are home to a variety of coral and fish species and seagrass meadows.
- Ras Hankorab is one of several sites in Egypt where the government’s push to develop tourism in protected areas is facing opposition.

To track a unicorn: Laos team goes all out to find the last saolas
- An intensive search is underway in Laos to find perhaps the most threatened large mammal on the planet: the saola ox.
- Sniffer dogs, local and international wildlife tracking experts, and a state-of-the-art DNA kit have all been deployed to try to home in on any unknown individuals of the species so elusive conservationists once dubbed it the “Asian unicorn.”
- Last documented in 2013, when a camera trap photographed an adult in central Vietnam, previous attempts to study the saola have been stymied by a lack of sightings.
- Conservationists are aware of the ever-ticking clock, however, and warn that extinction is “inevitable” without a dedicated and intensive push to study remaining individuals and safely bring them into captivity to start a conservation breeding program to revive the species.

First review of Amazon plastic pollution finds widespread contamination
Plastic pollution is widespread across the Amazon Rainforest’s rivers, plants and animals, according to a recent study. Previous research suggests up to 10% of total plastics in the ocean arrive there via the vast network of waterways that’s the Amazon Basin. To understand how and where plastic pollution is present within the basin itself, researchers […]
California’s kelp forests struggle to recover a decade after collapse
More than 10 years after unusually high water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean killed off Northern California’s aquatic kelp forests, the region has still not recovered, reports David Helvarg, executive director of ocean conservation group Blue Frontier, for Mongabay. From 2013 to 2017, a mass of unusually warm water nicknamed “the Blob” hugged California’s coast, […]
New deal pushes Amazon’s controversial ‘tipping point road’ ahead
- Brazil’s President Lula has personally cemented his support for the project and set his cabinet to work out a deal to renew the BR-319 highway, which passes through one of the most preserved areas of the Amazon.
- Scientists warn the highway will create a “fishbone effect” of illegal side roads, fueling deforestation that could push the Amazon past a critical tipping point and trigger its irreversible conversion into a savanna.
- A recent congressional reform, labeled the “Devastation Bill” by activists, allows strategic projects like BR-319 to bypass full environmental reviews and shifts approval authority to a politically appointed council.

Hope for the iconic Yangtze sturgeon (cartoon)
After losing two of the Yangtze River’s native wildlife icons — the baiji (a river dolphin) and the Chinese paddlefish — to dams and overfishing, and almost losing the Yangtze sturgeon, China seems to be taking measures to correct the course. The demolition of dams along the Chishui He, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, […]
Rare photos capture fishing cat preying on monitor lizard in the Sundarbans
In July, naturalist Soumyadip Santra was on a trip to the Indian Sundarbans, part of the world’s largest mangrove forest, when he witnessed an unusual scene: a fishing cat jumped on an adult monitor lizard and dragged it away toward some bushes. Santra’s photographs of the fishing cat in action captured a rare bit of […]
Counting kings: How annual lion surveys reveal the health of Africa’s protected areas (commentary)
- Lions are more than charismatic megafauna shaping the balance of species in the savannah food web. As such, their presence or absence can tell us a lot about the health of an ecosystem.
- Annual lion surveys offer a disciplined way to pair concern with action, writes Jon Ayers, board chair of wild cat conservation group Panthera and major supporter of lion conservation.
- Such surveys do not guarantee recovery. They make it possible to know, sooner and more accurately, whether recovery is under way.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Study spotlights West Papua habitat as whale sharks face increased pressures
- A new study shows the Bird’s Head Seascape in West Papua is a crucial nursery for juvenile whale sharks, where most sightings involved young males feeding around fishing platforms.
- Researchers documented 268 individuals over 13 years, with more than half showing injuries tied to human activity, raising concerns about fisheries, tourism and emerging mining pressures.
- Scientists warn that protecting these habitats with stricter rules and better management is essential for the survival and recovery of the endangered species.

Arturo Gómez-Pompa, biologist who revealed the human history in “virgin” forests, has died, aged 90
In the steaming lowlands of Veracruz and the Yucatán, where strangler figs knot the canopy and howler monkeys bellow at dawn, a man with a field notebook kept noticing what others overlooked. Arturo Gómez-Pompa believed tropical forests were not untouched wilderness but “landscapes of memory,” shaped for millennia by Indigenous hands. Long before “biodiversity” became […]
Brazil leads push for novel forest finance mechanism ahead of COP30 summit
- The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) — a proposed $125 billion fund to conserve tropical forests worldwide — was developed by Brazil in 2023, and pushed forward in 2024 at the UN biodiversity summit in Colombia. Since then, momentum has built in support of this market-driven approach to conserving tropical forests.
- Once fully established, the $125 billion fund would spin off as much a $4 billion in interest annually (above what is paid to investors), potentially going to more than 70 TFFF-eligible developing nations, which collectively hold more than one billion hectares of tropical forests. The fund could be operational before 2030.
- At Climate Week in New York City on Sept 23, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that his country will invest the first $1 billion in the fund. Other nations, including China, Norway, the UK, Germany, Japan and Canada seem poised to contribute. Even oil producing nations like Saudi Arabia have shown interest.
- But hurdles lie ahead: TIFFF needs $25 billion from sovereign nations and $100 billion from private investors before a full launch, with Indigenous and local communities (IPLCs) to be major benefactors. The make-or-break moment for TIFFF is expected to occur at the UN climate summit (COP30) in Belém, Brazil Nov. 10-21.

Long-lost white shark tag traces remarkable journey from South Africa to SE Asia
- The discovery of a satellite tag from a subadult female white shark in Indonesia marks the first recorded connectivity of white shark movement between South Africa and Southeast Asia.
- The white sharks found in South Africa and Australia belong to different genetic pools, which makes the two populations distinct from one another, even though they share the same migratory route.
- The biggest threats facing white sharks in South Africa and Indonesia are unsustainable fishing, where the sharks become both the bycatch and main catch.
- While there are attempts to support local fishers to pioneer shark conservation instead of hunting them, such efforts are thwarted by lack of funding.

How we probed a maze of websites to tally Brazilian government shark meat orders
- A recent Mongabay investigation found widespread government purchases of shark meat in Brazil to serve in thousands of public institutions.
- The series has generated public debate, with a lawmaker calling for a parliamentary hearing to discuss the findings.
- Here, Mongabay’s Philip Jacobson and the Pulitzer Center’s Kuang Keng Kuek Ser explain how we built a database of shark meat procurements.

Grue jay or Bleen jay? Researchers confirm hybrid between blue and green jays
Researchers have for the first time confirmed that a blue jay and a green jay have mated in the wild to produce a rare hybrid with mixed features. Spotted by a birder named Donna in her backyard in San Antonio in the U.S. state of Texas, this hybrid may have resulted from the two jay […]
Ethnologist Martín von Hildebrand awarded Lovejoy Prize for Amazon conservation
The second recipient of the Thomas E. Lovejoy Prize, launched in 2024, was announced Sept. 23 at the Central Park Zoo in New York City, during New York’s climate week. Martín von Hildebrand, an ethnologist and anthropologist, won the award for his decades of work with Indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon, helping them secure […]
Alaskan rivers turn orange as permafrost thaws, threatening fish and communities
- A new study found that 75 streams in Alaska’s Brooks Range have turned orange due to thawing permafrost, which releases metals like iron, aluminum and cadmium that exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency safety thresholds for aquatic life.
- The contamination threatens fish populations, with aluminum concentrations at one location reaching nearly five times the safe limit, and the study suggests this may help explain recent crashes in chum salmon returns that Indigenous communities depend on for food and income.
- The pollution flows hundreds of miles downstream to coastal communities like Kivalina, where residents who rely on traditional fishing face threats to food security as some tributaries of rivers like the Wulik have begun turning orange.
- Scientists warn that this climate change impact is irreversible and spreading across the Arctic, with no cleanup options, as these remote watersheds contain hundreds of contamination sources.

Turning camera traps into real-time sentinels: Interview with Conservation X Lab’s Dante Wasmuht
- Wildlife technology nonprofit Conservation X Labs has developed and deployed an AI-powered device to make real-time monitoring of camera-trap images easier and more seamless.
- The Sentinel device can be attached to camera traps and serves as a minicomputer with built-in AI models.
- The device has been deployed around the world, and has found applications in detecting invasive species in New Zealand and in the Florida Everglades.
- While camera traps are widely used in conservation, it’s often a challenge to retrieve the data from remote locations, often leading to a delay in conservation action and management.

A dancing lemur could help save one of Madagascar’s most endangered ecosystems
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Madagascar’s rainforests often steal the spotlight, with their flamboyant biodiversity and familiar lemur mascots. Less noticed are the country’s dry forests in the west and southwest, which shelter equally remarkable life yet have been steadily eroded by agriculture, […]
Ocean acidification threatens planetary health: Interview with Johan Rockström
- The newly published 2025 Planetary Health Check report confirms transgression of the ocean acidification planetary boundary — the seventh Earth system threshold crossed, putting a “safe operating space for humanity” at risk. Oceans act as a key climate stabilizer, resilience builder and Earth life-support system.
- Marking the launch of the 2025 Planetary Health Check, Mongabay speaks with report co-author and renowned Earth system scientist Johan Rockström about how the transgression of planetary boundaries is eroding environmental justice — the right of every human being to life on a stable, healthy planet.
- Rockström, who led the international team of scientists who originated the 2009 planetary boundary framework, also speaks about the failure to achieve a U.N. plastics treaty in August and the challenge of accomplishing planetwide sustainability in a time of widespread armed conflict and political instability.
- He likewise emphasizes the need to bring the U.S. back to the negotiating table at COP30, the U.N. climate summit scheduled for November, in Belém, Brazil, and addresses the importance of inserting the planetary boundaries framework into those talks.

Permaculture promises peace, food, increased equality in Kenyan county
- In Kenya’s semiarid Baringo county, Indigenous pastoralists like Salina Chepsat are moving from herding to diversified organic crop farming.
- They benefit from training by the Indigenous Women and Girls Initiative in permaculture and seed saving, but male control of land still restrains how much they can do.
- Boreholes and a shared irrigation scheme enable year-round crops and foster cooperation among different ethnic communities with a history of hostilities.
- Experts call for co-designed strategies combining water access, land restoration and inclusive decision-making to secure food and peace.

New species of gecko described from Madagascar’s sacred forests
- An international team of biologists has discovered a new species of gecko in small forest fragments in southeastern Madagascar.
- Due to its extremely limited range, researchers say it should be classified as critically endangered.
- The management of these forests by local communities offers a significant advantage for the species’ conservation, according to the research team.

World Gorilla Day: What imperils our powerful cousins, and what brings hope
They’re powerful, intelligent and majestic, yet increasingly imperiled. Today, on World Gorilla Day, we recap recent Mongabay reporting that highlights both the threats facing gorillas, our great ape cousins, and some signs of hope. Emerging threats The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) continues to be one of the world’s top 25 most endangered primates, […]
‘Super big deal’: High seas treaty reaches enough ratifications to become law
- The agreement on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, also known as the high seas treaty, was reached in 2023 with much fanfare in marine conservation circles, partly because it sets up a system for establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters.
- On Sept. 19, Morocco became the 60th country to ratify the deal, which means it will become binding international law in January 2026.
- Experts and advocates celebrated the milestone, calling it a win for conservation and international cooperation.
- Uncertainty remains in how the treaty will interact with other regulatory regimes for fishing and mining, among other activities.

When does beaver reintroduction make sense?
- California has recently relocated beavers from spots where they were causing problems, like flooding, to tribal lands in Northern and Southern California.
- Many advocates say that relocating beavers to areas where they once existed brings back “ecosystem engineering” benefits to the landscapes they live in.
- But experts also caution that while beavers can help with fire resilience and improve water quality, they are only part of broader solutions to climate change and watershed restoration.
- Beaver advocates also note that learning to coexist peacefully with beavers is critical, both for the recovery of the species and for the ecosystem services they provide.

Gray wolves’ return to California tests human tolerance for coexistence
Gray wolves are making a comeback in the western U.S. state of California after a century-long absence. Conservationists say their return is a success, but it’s putting pressure on ranchers and rural communities as wolf attacks on livestock mount, Mongabay wildlife staff writer Spoorthy Raman reported. The state’s last wild wolf (Canis lupus) was shot […]
Mongabay shark investigation cited in motion to ban Brazil fin exports
Brazil’s top environment council cited a recent Mongabay investigation as it weighed a ban on shark fin exports and the use of wire leaders, a type of industrial fishing gear, within marine protected areas, Mongabay staff writer Karla Mendes reported. Brazil’s National Environmental Council, known as CONAMA, voted in favor of recommending a ban for […]
DRC finally moves to protect African gray parrots from unsustainable trade
- Over the past decade, thousands of African gray parrots have been exported from the Democratic Republic of Congo despite a ban on their international trade.
- The endangered species, Psittacus erithacus, was listed under Appendix I of CITES, the global wildlife trade convention, in 2016, which would have prohibited its commercial trade, but the DRC government resisted the move.
- Kinshasa was asked to conduct a comprehensive species’ population survey to justify continued trade of the birds, but to date still hasn’t carried one out.
- Meanwhile, the wholesale capture and export of birds has continued, and the DRC government has finally taken action to prohibit the capture and sale of this iconic species.

In the Andean Amazon, countries struggle to fight deforestation
- Goals to reduce deforestation by 2030 set by Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia have been undermined by policies that drive deforestation.
- In Colombia, the Petro administration aims to reduce land inequality by redistributing confiscated land, while investing in rural infrastructure with the hope of motivating individuals to stay in previously deforested landscapes.
- In Ecuador, although illegal deforestation is subject to criminal prosecution, infringers are seldom prosecuted and the permitting system is largely used to manage the timber trade.
- Despite its conservation policies, Peru has no coherent, integrated policy to fight illegal deforestation, while many local public officials are compromised by their participation in the illegal land market.

Timing, not traits, helps California’s jewelflowers adapt to diverse landscapes
- California’s native jewelflowers, a group of plants that belong to the mustard family, grow in widely diverse landscapes and microclimates across the state. But until now, scientists didn’t understand what allowed their wide distribution.
- To understand this, researchers analyzed information from nearly 2,000 specimens; dug into climate and geological databases; and amassed field observations to understand the climatic conditions that 14 species of jewelflowers need to grow and reproduce.
- Their study found that, despite living in different landscapes, from desert to valleys and mountains, jewelflowers prefer hotter and drier climates, timing their sprouting and flowering accordingly. Even those species growing in colder regions adjust their life cycle to flower later in the summer and seek drought-prone soils.
- The research shows how plants distributed across vast geographies may require specific microclimates and habitats to survive, which are potentially at risk in a warming world.

Protecting Indigenous Amazon lands may also protect public health, study says
- Healthy forests in protected Indigenous territories could help reduce the risk of certain illnesses for humans, a new study shows.
- Different factors influence how effective Indigenous territories are at protecting health, including whether a territory has legal protected status and the type of landscape surrounding it.
- Researchers found that Indigenous territories can effectively reduce the risk of vector-borne or zoonotic diseases if they’re located in municipalities with at least 40% forest cover.
- The study used a data set of respiratory, cardiovascular, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases recorded across the Amazon region between 2001 and 2019 to understand how pollution from forest fires, forest cover and fragmentation, and Indigenous territories impacted the risk from 21 different diseases.

Iberian orcas sink sailboat in latest ramming ‘game’ in Portugal
Five people were rescued after a pod of critically endangered Iberian orcas rammed into a sailboat several times, causing it to sink off Portugal’s Costa do Caparica, near the nation’s capital, Lisbon, on Sept. 13. None of the people on board suffered any injuries, according to the Portuguese maritime authority. The boat, owned by yacht […]
Animals that spread seeds are critical for climate solutions
- New research analyzing more than 3,000 tropical forest sites reveals that areas with fewer seed-dispersing animals store up to four times less carbon than forests with healthy wildlife populations.
- The study found that 81% of tropical trees rely on animals to disperse their seeds, establishing an ancient partnership now threatened by human activities such as deforestation, road construction, and hunting.
- Researchers mapped global “seed dispersal disruption” and found it explains a 57% reduction in carbon storage potential across proposed forest restoration areas.
- The findings demonstrate that protecting wildlife and addressing climate change are interconnected challenges, with conservation strategies like wildlife corridors and species reintroduction offering approaches that serve both biodiversity and climate stability.

The formula that reduced deforestation in Brazil in the 21st century
- In 2009, the Brazilian government made a commitment to the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to decrease deforestation by 80% by 2020, but exceeded that target in 2012, when the annual deforestation rate was only 20% of its twenty-year historical mean.
- The Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm) is considered one of Lula da Silva’s major wins during his first two terms as president. Although the initiative did not eliminate deforestation, its policies succeeded in changing human behavior and business models on the forest frontier.
- In 2019, president Jair Bolsonaro defunded the programme’s law-and-order components and dissolved the PPCDAm, while running limited activities to combat deforestation.
- Once Lula de Silva got re-elected in 2023, he revived the program, which now focuses less on command-and-control measures like deforestation fines and land-use planning, and more on promoting sustainable livelihoods.

Most Caribbean coral reefs to stop growing by 2040, study warns
Most coral reefs in the Caribbean could stop growing, and even start eroding away, by 2040 if global warming continues unchecked, a new study finds. Coral reefs, especially those near shores, protect valuable coastlines from flooding during cyclones and storm surges by breaking up wave energy. For the reefs to continue to act as natural […]
Pet sharks have become cool, but is owning them ethical?
- Owning a shark and keeping it in a home aquarium has become cool — and it’s no longer just the province of tech bros and celebrities.
- But experts note that most home aquariums are inadequate and can lead to stunted growth, deformities and early death.
- Yet sharks are often easy to buy, with some selling for as little as $90 online; zebra sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum), which are endangered, go for around $6,000.

In Guatemala, young Kaqchikel Maya protect their sacred forest with open mapping
- The Indigenous community of San José Poaquil is using technology to monitor the health and integrity of their ancestral forest.
- As a result of an open mapping project started in 2022, locals have created online maps for their forest, which have allowed them to keep track of wildfires, deforestation and other illicit activities that threaten the area.
- The Kaqchikel Maya have long fought to own the title of their communal forest, which was finally granted by the Constitutional Court in 2016, yet tensions persist.
- The community has obtained payments for the ecosystem services they provide through forest monitoring and restoration; these will allow them to further invest in protecting their territory.

Mozambican reserve harbors largest documented breeding population of rare falcon
- A new study estimates Niassa Special Reserve in Mozambique hosts 68–76 breeding pairs of Taita falcons, likely the world’s biggest population of the rare raptor.
- Niassa’s granite inselbergs provide hunting advantages over larger falcons, allowing the Taitas to thrive.
- Woodland clearance, charcoal production, agriculture and domestic fowl could shift the balance in favor of peregrines and lanners, but conservation measures and the resilience of miombo woodlands offer hope.
- Once-healthy populations in South Africa and Zimbabwe have collapsed, underscoring Niassa’s importance for the species’ survival.

Nepal’s Himalayan biodiversity struggles with new herds and highways (commentary)
- Nepal’s Limi Valley near the Tibetan border is a high-altitude landscape with immense cultural and natural value, providing both pasture for traditional yak herders and habitat for wildlife ranging from snow leopards to lynx, bears, and a range of wild grazing animals like Tibetan gazelles and blue sheep.
- Recently, though, the building of a road coupled with outmigration and depopulation have led to an influx of herders and hunters that threaten to reduce the area’s high biodiversity richness.
- “Limi Valley and its high alpine pasturelands represent a unique high-altitude ecosystem where rich biodiversity intersects with centuries-old cultural traditions. Yet, the rapid introduction of large goat and sheep herds, coupled with the expansion of roads into previously undisturbed wildlife habitats, places the ecosystem under unprecedented strain,” a new op-ed warns.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Growing trees on farms boosts nutrition in rural Malawi
- Malawian households with fruit trees on their farms consumed more vegetables, and each additional tree species increased fruit consumption by 5% over a 10-year study period.
- Trees improve nutrition through direct consumption of fruits, ecosystem services that boost other crop production and potential income from sales, and they provide cooking fuel.
- Despite trees’ benefits, fruit and vegetable intake dropped 42% and 25%, respectively, due to rising food prices, currency devaluation and climate change.
- Researchers recommend including food-producing trees in Africa’s reforestation programs and shifting agricultural policies from focusing solely on staple grains to supporting diverse, nutritious crops.

From shamba to PELIS: Kenyan farmers derive livelihoods from government timber plantations
- Under the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) enlists communities living near timber plantations to support replanting of trees in exchange for temporary access to land to grow crops.
- A successor to the widely-criticised “shamba system”, PELIS relies on leaders of community forest associations to curb previous problems such as farmers overstaying on plantation land and and corrupt forest officers allocating large pieces of land to themselves and others.
- KFS is satisfied that the revamped scheme provides a cheap, effective way to restore tree cover, but some environmentalists want further changes to improve the ecological impact of PELIS.

Satellite images reveal oil project surge in Ugandan park and wetland
New satellite analysis shows that wells and roads for a project in Uganda feeding Africa’s longest heated oil pipeline have progressed significantly within a protected area and near a critical wetland. The Tilenga oil field marks the starting point of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, currently under construction by the French multinational TotalEnergies. The […]
Grassroots community seeds sorghum in eastern Indonesia to adapt to climate change
- In 2022, Ambrosia Ero and Hendrikus Bua Kilok joined forces in Lembata Island to boost locally grown food staples, including persuading a junior high school to plant a field of sorghum on the school estate.
- They helped establish a village organization, Gebetan, which began by documenting nutritious crops grown by past generations of Indigenous farmers on the island. They then conducted outreach to farmers on the resilience of sorghum to drought.
- The grass roots organization has won 84 million rupiah ($5,000) in funding to expand on this work with crops that are better able to withstand the increasingly adverse growing conditions in East Nusa Tenggara province owing to climate change.

The return of the axolotl (cartoon)
Axolotls may enjoy celebrity status among pet owners, but their wild populations have been dealt huge blows by habitat loss, water pollution, invasive species and the pet trade. Now, the success of reintroduction programs in their native ranges in Mexico — where they have tremendous cultural significance — brings new hope for their comeback.
Norway fund drops Eramet over Indonesia mine threatening forests, Indigenous tribe
- Norway’s $1.6 trillion government pension fund is divesting its $6.8 million stake in French miner Eramet after its ethics council found “unacceptable risk” of severe environmental damage and human rights violations at the PT Weda Bay Nickel mine the company operates in Halmahera, Indonesia.
- Weda Bay Nickel sits in the Wallacea Biodiversity Hotspot and has already cleared about 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) of rainforest since 2019, far exceeding its plan, threatening endemic species and risking extinctions before they’re documented.
- Weda Bay Nickel sits in the Wallacea Biodiversity Hotspot and has already cleared about 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) of rainforest since 2019, far exceeding its plan, threatening endemic species and risking extinctions before they’re documented.
- The case highlights growing investor scrutiny over whether nickel for electric vehicle batteries and other clean-energy technologies can be sourced without destroying tropical forests or violating Indigenous rights.

Warming triggers unprecedented carbon loss from tropical soils, study finds
- Tropical forests exchange more CO2 with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome, meaning that even a relatively small shift in the balance of carbon uptake and release there could have a big impact on global climate. Despite this, research on tropical soil responses to warming has lagged behind.
- In a field experiment in Puerto Rico, researchers used infrared heaters to warm understory plants and topsoil by 4° Celsius. Warming significantly increased soil carbon emissions, but terrain also had a major impact: A warmed plot at the top of a slope showed an unprecedented 204% increase in CO2 emissions after one year.
- Carbon emissions from plots lower on the slope increased between 42% and 59% in response to warming — in line with the results from the only other long-term tropical soil warming experiment to date. However, the upper-slope response represents the largest change in any soil warming experiment conducted globally.
- The new study results add to a growing body of evidence that tropical soils are far more sensitive to warming than previously thought. If elevated tropical soil CO2 releases persist in the long term, it could have dire consequences for Earth’s climate. But the soil biome may adjust over time, so future effects remain unclear.

Wild horses return to Spain’s Iberian highlands after 10,000 years
For the first time in more than 10,000 years, wild horses once again roam Spain’s northwestern highlands. The 35 horses introduced by Rewilding Spain are bringing renewed resilience to the land, Mongabay senior editor Jeremy Hance reported. In 2023, an initial 16 Przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przewalskii), the world’s last fully wild horse, were introduced […]
Poisoning crisis could drive vulture extinction in South Africa’s Kruger region
- More than 400 vultures died in a spate of poisoning events in and near South Africa’s Kruger National Park in May and June this year.
- André Botha, co-chair of the Vulture Specialist Group at the IUCN, says more than 2,000 vultures have been poisoned in the wider Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) since 2015, and other raptors and predators have also died.
- Observers have noted an increase in hunting and snaring of species such as impala for the bushmeat trade, with poachers frequently leaving poison-laced carcasses behind to deliberately kill carnivores or vultures.
- Botha and others stress that urgent action is needed to rein in poisoning and wildlife crime in the GLTFCA, particularly preventative engagement with communities.

A nest with a chick brings rare hope for hooded vultures in South Africa
In rare good news for vultures in Africa, conservationists have confirmed the first-ever nest of a hooded vulture containing a chick in KwaZulu-Natal, a province in southeast South Africa. That marks the southernmost recorded nesting site of the critically endangered vulture species, according to KwaZulu-Natal-based nonprofit Wildlife ACT. “It gives us as conservationists some new […]
How AI helps conservationists better understand and protect giraffes
- Scientists have deployed artificial intelligence models to identify and re-identify endangered giraffes in Tanzania.
- The Wild Nature Institute partnered with Microsoft’s AI For Good Lab to launch Project GIRAFFE which uses open-source AI tools to identify and re-identify individual giraffes based on spot patterns on their bodies.
- The data has helped scientists come up with estimates on survival and reproduction rates, movements, and behavior of the animals.

Women-led patrols and fire prevention restore forests in northern Thailand
- Each year, northern Thailand struggles with choking haze caused by crop burning and forest fires, taking a severe toll on human health.
- Over the past two decades, a group of women in Lampang province have taken action to improve their local environment and curb sources of haze by restoring their local community forest.
- Their bold approach to fire prevention — combining regular patrols, check dams and fire breaks, as well as an innovative wildfire alert system — has earned them a reputation as a regional model for other communities.
- Now thriving, the community forest also yields wild mushrooms, leafy vegetables and other marketable produce that support local livelihoods.

Meet the DJs of nature, inspired by biodiversity
- Technology has allowed electronic music artists endless possibilities for mixing and creating sounds.
- Some of these artists draw inspiration from nature and biodiversity, incorporating birdsong, rainforest soundscapes and the sounds of plant and animal species into their work.
- From Frankfurt, Germany, to the Peruvian Amazon, musicians are creating music that raises awareness about the beauty of biodiversity and how it is nowadays threatened.

Beavers restored to tribal lands in California benefit ecosystems
- In 2023, California relocated beavers for the first time in more than seven decades.
- The state’s wildlife agency partnered with Native American tribes to move beavers from places where they were causing problems, such as flooding, to parts of their former range.
- The moves and the state’s broader beaver restoration program are the result of decades of advocacy to change an adversarial relationship to one focused on beaver conservation and the benefits beavers can provide, from increased fire resilience to more consistent water supplies.
- The change in mindset involved education and coexistence campaigns, as well as correcting long-held misconceptions about the limited extent of the beaver’s former range in California.

Brazil weighs new measures to manage shark trade, fishing
- The Brazilian government is reviewing its legal framework for the trade in sharks, including fin exports and management of the fishery for blue sharks (Prionace glauca), the only species allowed to be caught in the country.
- At a Sept. 3 meeting, the National Environmental Council (CONAMA), a government advisory body, recommended the government ban shark fin exports and restrict the use of shark-fishing gear known as wire leaders.
- At the same meeting, the Ministry of Environment announced the suspension of an ordinance regulating blue shark fishing, including quotas, due to “increased pressure” on endangered species and flaws in monitoring and enforcement.
- The moves follow a recent Mongabay investigation revealing that government agencies sought to procure thousands of tons of shark meat for meals at public institutions including schools, hospitals and prisons. The exposé was cited at the Sept. 3 CONAMA meeting as well as in a class-action civil suit filed by conservation NGO Sea Shepherd Brasil seeking to ban federal public institutions from issuing tenders for shark meat.

Conservationists oppose Peru’s plans to build prison in sensitive ecosystem
- A high-security prison planned on El Frontón Island, off the coast of Lima, Peru, would interfere with the movement of threatened marine species, experts say.
- The project is part of a larger government plan to address overcrowding and organized crime in the country’s prison system.
- The planned island prison will cover 5.7 hectares out of El Frontón’s total area of 100 hectares (14 out of 250 acres) and house approximately 2,000 inmates.
- Conservationists have called for a formal environmental impact assessment for the project, citing multiple threatened species in the greater Humboldt Current ecosystem where the island sits.

Madagascar’s dry forests need attention, and Verreaux’s sifakas could help
- Western Madagascar is home to some of the country’s poorest communities and its most endangered wildlife, presenting intertwined challenges for conservation.
- The region’s characteristic dry forests have been badly damaged by clearing of land for shifting agriculture — and for mining, plantations and timber harvesting — over the past 50 years: Across Madagascar, nearly 60% of dry forest species are classed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
- NGO leaders, scientists and government representatives are forming a dry forest alliance to better coordinate efforts to protect this valuable biome.
- Among the new alliance’s first actions was pushing for the inclusion of the critically-endangered Verreaux’s sifaka on the latest list of the World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, which alliance members hope will attract greater attention to this primate’s threatened habitat.

Australia approves the world’s first chlamydia vaccine for koalas
Australia’s veterinary medicine regulator has approved a vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia, one of the leading causes of koala infertility and death. Researchers found the single-dose vaccine reduced mortality in wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) by at least 65%. In some cases, it even reversed existing symptoms in koalas that were already infected. “Koalas are […]
How to smuggle a wild Galápagos iguana? Pretend it was bred in Africa
At least 60 wild iguanas have been captured, sold and exported from the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador under permits that shouldn’t have been recognized since Ecuador doesn’t allow the export of live iguanas, Mongabay’s Ana Cristina Alvarado reported. Researchers behind a recent study found that traffickers smuggle the iguanas out of the archipelago, then declare […]
Overcrowding threatens sustainability of jaguar ecotourism in Brazil’s Pantanal
The Brazilian Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland and home to the highest density of jaguars anywhere. Thousands of tourists arrive every year to see the animals in their natural habitat But the boom in tourism has created new problems, Mongabay contributor Francesco Schneider-Eicke reported from Porto Jofre, a jaguar hotspot in the northern Pantanal. […]
Indonesia reopens Raja Ampat nickel mine despite reef damage concerns
- Indonesia has allowed state-owned PT Gag Nikel to resume mining operations on Gag Island in Raja Ampat, despite a ban on mining small islands and a previous suspension imposed in June.
- A 2024 survey commissioned by Gag Nikel reported widespread community complaints of dust, health issues, sedimentation, and coral damage from barges — contradicting the government’s claims of minimal impact.
- NGOs say the “green” rating cited by the government to justify the resumption masks real destruction in Raja Ampat, one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems, and note the government has revoked other mining concessions in the area for similar impacts but not Gag Nikel’s.
- More than 60,000 people have signed a Greenpeace petition opposing mining in Raja Ampat, warning sedimentation could destroy coral reefs and threaten local livelihoods even as the nickel feeds Indonesia’s EV battery supply chain.

On World Dolphin Day, spotlight falls on threats to dolphins worldwide
September 12 is World Dolphin Day. Marine conservation and advocacy nonprofit Sea Shepherd created the day in 2022 to remember that dolphins, among the most intelligent animals on Earth, are under threat and need protection. That date, Sept. 12, was chosen to memorialize the massacre of 1,428 Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Leucopleurus acutus) on the Faroe […]
Photos: Indigenous elders push for comeback of the revered Philippine crocodile
- The critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) embodies strength and protective spirits for Indigenous Agta elders who are involved in efforts to rebrand the image of the predator.
- Thanks to conservation efforts led by the Mabuwaya Foundation in partnership with local and Indigenous communities, the wild crocodile population in a region of the northern Philippines increased from one adult in 1999 to 125 individuals by 2024.
- Community sanctuary guards, known as Bantay Sanktuwaryo, play a significant role in safeguarding the crocodiles and their habitat despite ongoing challenges posed by illegal fishing, agricultural encroachment and inadequate law enforcement.
- Conservationists warn that without stable funding and stronger government support, even successful grassroots efforts may not ensure the species’ long-term survival.

Park guardians or destroyers? Study dissects 2 narratives of DRC’s Indigenous Batwa
- A recent study looks at two polarized characterizations of Indigenous people in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo: forest guardians vs. forest destroyers.
- The two narratives are rooted in colonial perspectives on the Batwa people who had lived inside the park until they were evicted in the 20th century; today, some Batwa populations have returned in an effort to try to rebuild their lives.
- Tensions remain between Batwa members who say they have faced broken promises and insufficient support from park management, but the park management team says it prioritizes Indigenous rights and efforts to improve livelihoods; meanwhile, the situation on the ground is changing amid renewed M23 rebel violence.
- Researchers say the overall situation is much more nuanced than the two narratives of forest guardians vs. destroyers allow for.

More than half the world’s forests fragmented in 20 years — but protection works: Study
- Large intact forests and connected landscapes support biodiversity and ecosystem processes.
- Globally, more than half of the world’s forests became more fragmented between 2000 and 2020, according to a new Science study, with the highest rates in the tropics.
- The study used new measures of fragmentation that more closely align with ecological functions and is higher than previous estimates of fragmentation rates.
- The study also finds that in the tropical forests, protected areas experienced much lower rates of fragmentation than similar unprotected forests.

Largest turtle nest in the world revealed in drone study
Scientists studying the world’s largest river turtles, a South American species that grows to a length of nearly a meter, or 3 feet, have found the largest nesting aggregation ever recorded. Using drones to conduct a population survey in the western Brazilian Amazon, researchers recorded a nesting area of the endangered giant South American river […]
An indestructible invasive anemone threatens Chilean Patagonia’s seas
- Native to the northern hemisphere, plumose anemones have spread across Chilean Patagonia.
- Scientists estimate that it was likely introduced in the late 20th century via ship ballast water.
- The exotic species occupies the seabed and displaces native communities of shellfish, mollusks and corals.
- The anemone’s presence is associated with a decline in biodiversity, and artisanal fishers are concerned.

An elusive deer species clings to survival in Sri Lanka’s south
- The hog deer (Axis porcinus), Sri Lanka’s most threatened deer species, is classified as critically endangered in the country and survives only in fragmented habitats in the island’s southwest.
- A year-long survey recorded 306 adults and 22 fawns, showing a modest increase in their numbers, but an array of threats continues to put pressure on the species’ survival.
- Conservationists warn against major threats including attacks by feral dogs and water monitors, road accidents and habitat loss, while garbage dumping alters predator dynamics, adding a fresh threat.
- Debate continues over whether Sri Lanka’s hog deer is native or introduced, with fossil evidence hinting at an ancient presence but some theories indicating colonial-era introductions.

Researchers describe three new-to-science snailfish species off California coast
In 2019, researchers surveying the seafloor off the coast of California came upon three unusual species of small fishes with large heads: one with bumpy pink skin, and the other two both black in color. The team collected the fish using underwater research vehicles and later analyzed their DNA and bodies. Their analysis showed that […]
Brazil’s market-based forest fund gets new endorsers ahead of COP30 debut
- The Tropical Forest Finance Facility (TFFF) initiative is expected to be launched at Brazil’s COP30, in November, and has received attention due to potential financial support from China.
- In July and August this year, BRICS leaders and Amazonian cooperating countries endorsed a Brazil-led initiative that seeks to reward states and investors in exchange for tropical forest preservation.
- Despite bringing a new formula for a much-awaited solution to climate financing, the TFFF was criticized in a recent report as being a market-based approach that could monetize ecosystem services, ignoring the intrinsic value of forests and biodiversity.

African wildlife conservation is local communities’ burden (commentary)
- Africa is home to a large portion of the world’s biodiversity, and while much is known about its wildlife, the human dimensions of conservation are still not well understood or appreciated.
- In many places, African people have been excluded from their traditional lands by protected areas, often by force, and yet these same people carry the burden of conservation on multiple fronts.
- “Instead of investing more money in militarization, we must invest resources into reconciliation with African peoples across time and scale to build new visions of conservation that are anchored in their diversity and knowledge,” a new op-ed argues.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Fear & uncertainty grip Nigerian community after fatal elephant attack
- A 50-year-old farmer, Yaya Musa, popularly known as Kala, was attacked and killed by an elephant in the Itasin-Imobi community, in Nigeria’s Ogun state, in late July.
- Villagers say they live in constant fear of elephant attacks, with two previous incidents reported in recent years, including an assault on Badmus Kazeem, a chainsaw operator in 2024, who spent seven months in the hospital recovering from injuries.
- The Ogun state commissioner for forestry reportedly says the incident occurred in a designated wildlife area, but community members reject this claim, insisting their ancestral lands predate the elephant reserve and that their livelihoods depend on farming and fishing in the area.

Yellow fever deaths reported among threatened captive monkeys in Colombia
An ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Colombia is sickening and killing rare and threatened monkey species in captivity, a new study shows. Between February and May 2025, authorities reported eight deaths among four monkey species in southern Colombia’s Putumayo department, researchers note. Six of the individuals were in captivity: one white-fronted capuchin (Cebus albifrons), […]
Americans’ love of RVs tied to destruction of orangutan habitat: Investigation
- Investigations by the NGOs Earthsight, Auriga Nusantara and Mighty Earth have found that plywood from forests cleared in Indonesian Borneo — including critical orangutan habitat — is ending up in U.S. RVs made by brands like Jayco, Winnebago and Forest River.
- Logs from a concession held by PT Indosubur Sukses Makmur were traced to plywood giant KLAM, then exported via U.S. intermediaries (MJB Wood, Tumac Lumber and Patrick Industries) into RV manufacturing supply chains.
- Indonesia allows legal clearing of natural forests, while the U.S. bans only illegal logging under the Lacey Act — creating a loophole that lets deforestation-linked wood enter supply chains unchecked.
- FSC-certified sustainable alternatives exist and would add as little as $20 to an RV’s price, but RV makers prioritize low costs, critics say; experts call for stronger Indonesian protections and U.S. deforestation-free import laws.

Kenya’s PELIS trades biodiversity for livelihoods and tree cover gains
- Kenya’s forest plantations and livelihoods scheme (PELIS) allows communities to farm plots in plantations while helping replant trees, aiming to increase tree cover and support rural incomes.
- The system, a successor to the shamba scheme, has shown mixed results: boosting seedling survival and community cooperation in some areas, but also enabling corruption, encroachment and biodiversity loss where mismanaged.
- Critics, especially Indigenous groups like the Ogiek, argue PELIS replaces diverse natural forests with exotic monocultures that harm ecosystems and undermine traditional forest-based livelihoods.
- Despite past suspensions, President William Ruto revived PELIS in 2022 to support Kenya’s ambitious target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, intensifying debate over whether plantation forestry can truly substitute for natural forest restoration.

Collaboration key to lemur survival: Interview with primatologist Jonah Ratsimbazafy
- Primatologist Jonah Ratsimbazafy has warned that primate conservation is at critical juncture, and success will depends on collective effort.
- As he concluded his term as president of the International Primatological Society, he urged its members to work collaboratively and inclusively.
- Mongabay interviewed Ratsimbazafy about the state of research and protection for the Madagascar’s iconic lemurs on the sidelines of the 30th congress of the IPS in Antananarivo in July.

Tropical bird numbers plummet due to more days of extreme heat, study finds
Tropical bird populations are crashing as temperatures soar. That’s according to a new study that found abundances of tropical birds were 25-38% lower than they would be without human-driven climate change and the rising temperatures it has caused. This temperature impact on birds is greater than declines attributed to deforestation. “It’s a staggering decrease. Birds […]
Where life has found its richest expression – Amazon Rainforest Day
Amazon Rainforest Day, first celebrated in 2008, aims to raise awareness about the importance of Earth’s largest rainforest. There is a place where the Amazon meets the Andes, where forests climb the lower slopes of mountains before giving way to the mists of the cloud forests. To stand there is to feel the weight of […]
How do we perceive biodiversity? We can see it & hear it
- A recent study shows that people are able to perceive biodiversity through sights and sounds, and those perceptions correlate with the actual biodiversity of a natural place.
- Indigenous community members in the Democratic Republic of Congo share their experiences that affirm what the researchers found.
- The study adds to a growing body of research on biodiversity perception and its connections to human mental health and well-being.

New gecko species findings highlight threats to Cambodia’s limestone hills
- Researchers have described three new gecko species in northwestern Cambodia’s limestone hills and are eager to conduct further research, but recent border clashes with Thailand have disrupted their studies.
- The region’s limestone karst landscape is a biodiversity hotspot that could harbor many species yet unknown to science.
- These areas are also threatened by the growing demand for cement, made from limestone.

Elephant culling plan in South Africa faces backlash over welfare concerns
Animal welfare groups in South Africa are pushing back against a local government plan to allow culling and trophy hunting to reduce elephant numbers in Madikwe Game Reserve. According to the North West Parks and Tourism Board, which oversees the 75,000-hectare (185,000-acre) wildlife conservation area in the country’s north, the elephant herd has grown […]
Philippines protects huge coral hotspot off the coast of Panaon Island
The corals around Panaon Island in the southeastern Philippines form some of the healthiest and most climate-resilient reefs in the world, and they’re now a legally protected seascape. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the Panaon Island Protected Seascape law on Aug. 29. It creates a 61,204-hectare (151,200-acre) marine protected area within the Pacific Coral […]
New study pinpoints tree-planting hotspots for climate and biodiversity gains
- Reforestation is gaining global momentum as a climate solution, but its success depends on how and where it’s done.
- A new study mapped locations where tree planting and forest regrowth are most likely to deliver climate, biodiversity and community benefits, while avoiding negative trade-offs. It identified 195 million hectares (482 million acres) of reforestation hotspots, a figure significantly smaller than previous estimates.
- Previous studies have been criticized for including grasslands and drylands, where planting trees may harm biodiversity and compromise ecosystem services. Some experts, however, argue that restrictive approaches risk excluding important ecosystems from restoration agendas.
- Scientists caution that tree planting alone won’t solve climate change, and that protecting existing forests while cutting emissions would provide greater climate benefits.

Last chance to save Europe’s greatest old-growth forest? (commentary)
- You don’t need to travel to the Amazon to experience the essence of a primeval forest, a new op-ed argues: Poland’s Białowieża Forest harbors the best-preserved fragments of lowland deciduous and mixed forests in the European Lowlands, where natural processes have unfolded undisturbed for more than 12,000 years.
- But the forest’s location on the Polish-Belarusian border, coupled with the ongoing geopolitical crisis and attitudes of populist politicians towards nature conservation, poses a significant threat to its survival.
- The current Polish government has a unique opportunity to place the Białowieża Forest under permanent protection, with consultations now underway regarding an Integrated Management Plan for this UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the key question is whether the government will seize this opportunity or bow to commercial interests, again.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Why are wild horses returning to Spain?
GUADALAJARA, Spain — The impact of human beings on different ecosystems is huge. Throughout our history, we have changed ecosystems in ways that have led to biodiversity loss, increased the chances of natural disasters such as fires or disconnected humankind from nature. Diego and Manuel, enthusiastic conservationists, are going to show us a new conservation […]
Discovery of dazzling blue butterfly underscores peril facing Angola’s forests
- Scientists have described a new butterfly species, Francis’s gorgeous sapphire (Iolaus francisi), from Angola’s Namba Mountains, where its survival depends on mistletoe plants.
- High-altitude evergreen forests, known as Afromontane and covering about 590 hectares (1,460 acres) in the Namba Mountains, are the largest of their kind in Angola but remain without legal protection.
- Researchers warn that fires, timber harvesting, and especially unregulated farming could devastate the forests, as has happened at Kumbira, another Angolan Afromontane forest.
- Conservationists say community-led initiatives are key to protecting Namba, as Angola’s parliament moves to consider protected status for nearby Mount Moco, another Afromontane oasis.

New model reveals hidden dynamics of Indonesia’s booming songbird trade
- Researchers have built the first model mapping supply and demand in Indonesia’s vast songbird trade, finding that species traits like mimicry and rarity drive demand more than species identity.
- The study identified 332 species from trade data from 2015-2022, and grouped them into three demand clusters: competition birds, vulnerable species at risk from poaching, and household pets kept for status or rarity.
- Findings show substitution fuels the trade, with sellers offering similar species at different price points, quickly expanding pressure to new species and compounding conservation risks.
- The model offers a blueprint for conservation strategies, highlighting the need for market monitoring and community engagement to address cultural drivers behind the trade without triggering backlash.

Scientists reconfirm rare shark sightings after 50 years in PNG
In 1973, researchers scientifically described a species of shark based on a single specimen: a pregnant female caught a few years earlier by a fisherman near the mouth of the Gogol River in Astrolabe Bay, Papua New Guinea. They named this new-to-science species the sailback houndshark (Gogolia filewoodi). And then, for the next half-century, they […]
Restoring the Páramo: How Ecuador healed its degraded high-Andean ecosystem
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Ecuador’s Antisana páramo, southeast of Quito, offers a striking example of ecological restoration, turning back the clock on centuries of degradation caused by livestock grazing, reports contributor Ana Cristina Alvarado for Mongabay. Once dominated by sprawling cattle ranches, […]
New bat species described from Western Himalayas
Researchers reviewing the diversity of bats in the Western Himalayas in India recently confirmed a new-to-science species from Uttarakhand state. Named the Himalayan long-tailed myotis (Myotis himalaicus) in a new study, the bat boasts a tail nearly as long as its body. Rohit Chakravarty, a bat researcher and conservationist with the nonprofit Nature Conservation Foundation, […]
Nepal looks to Cambodia’s breeding model as Bengal florican numbers plunge
- Nepal is debating a captive-breeding program for the Bengal florican, a critically endangered bird, but experts say it shouldn’t be an alternative to stronger habitat protection.
- Fewer than 1,000 birds remain worldwide, with just a few dozen in Nepal, where farming, invasive plants, pesticides and disturbance are driving the decline.
- Cambodia has hatched floricans in captivity, and Nepal has similar experience with vultures, but experts warn that floricans are elusive, sensitive to stress, and difficult to breed.
- Conservationists stress the need for better grassland management, protection of nonbreeding habitats, and community support programs to prevent grassland conversion for agriculture.

Marc Stalmans, ecologist who helped restore Gorongosa’s wildlife, dies at 66
- Marc Stalmans, who died on August 30th at 66, was central to Gorongosa National Park’s transformation from a war-ravaged landscape to a thriving ecosystem.
- As science director from 2012, he guided reintroductions, species balance, and land management with data-driven ecological insight.
- His work combined practical field research with academic rigor, emphasizing that science should directly inform conservation action.
- Under his leadership, Gorongosa documented nearly 8,000 species, trained Mozambican scientists, and saw its large animal population grow tenfold in two decades.

On Java’s Mount Slamet, two former trappers find new calling as bird protectors
- Ari and Junianto began hunting birds as children in the foothills of Java’s Mount Slamet, near their home in Sambirata village.
- Trapping birds for the illegal wildlife trade became their main livelihood over time, with much of the trade shifting from local markets to social media as the pair came of age and internet access proliferated.
- Ari and Junianto’s view of their vocation shifted in their 20s, and they began to work with conservation organizations to help map bird nests and protect forest areas. Today the pair are active conservationists in Banyumas district, giving talks in schools on the district’s birdlife and working with local charities.
- Banyumas, and the wider Central Java province, is home to numerous endangered and critically endangered species of birds owing to the trade in caged birds, according to the conservation authorities.

Cruise industry expansion collides with Cozumel’s coral reef
- Mexico’s Cozumel Island is one of the most popular cruise ship destinations in the world, hosting more than 4.5 million tourists every year.
- A plan to build a new pier for cruise ships has attracted concern from Cozumel residents and conservationists, who say it will damage the surrounding reef and block public access to the sea.
- The company behind the project, Muelles del Caribe, maintains the pier will bring financial benefits to the community.
- Conservationists assert that the project’s environmental impact assessment was insufficient; in July, a court ordered a temporary suspension of the project to allow for a more thorough environmental assessment.

Scientists decode the unusual silver-blue color of an ancient South African plant
Most plants get their coloration from pigments, but an endangered South African cycad gets its unique silvery-blue hue from wax crystals and an underlying chlorophyll-rich layer, according to a recent study. Researchers say understanding how such layers work could pave the way for creating materials that protect from UV and water exposure. Cycads, sometimes described […]
Nepal’s Supreme Court halts industrial development in Buddha’s birthplace
- Nepal’s highest court has issued an order for industries operating within 15 kilometers (9 miles) of the city of Lumbini to shut down or relocate within two years.
- Lumbini is the famed birthplace of the Buddha and home to Nepal’s largest population of sarus cranes, a threatened species, and its cultural and ecological value has long been threatened by pollution from heavy industry.
- While the court order has been hailed as environmental progress, sources say the implementation could risk local jobs and hurt big investments, and therefore needs effective relocation planning and inclusive consultations.

Donovan Kirkwood, protector of South Africa’s rarest plants, dies aged 54 in search for one of the world’s most endangered species
In late August, high in South Africa’s Jonkershoek Mountains, a small group of botanists picked their way across steep ground in search of one of the world’s rarest plants. They were surveying Penaea formosa, a critically endangered shrub thought to number fewer than 50 individuals. Donovan Kirkwood, curator of the Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, was […]
Tracking rhino horn trade: Interview with International Rhino Foundation’s Nina Fascione
- A new report has found that the population of Javan rhinos has decreased since 2021 as a result of poaching.
- The report by the IUCN also found that the population of black rhinos saw an increase in Africa.
- Nonprofit International Rhino Foundation, which synthesized the data in the report, has now helped fund a tool to monitor and visualize illegal rhino horn trade globally.
- The tool aims to aid conservationists, NGOs and governments in informing and enforcing stricter policies.

Data debunks spike in Sri Lanka’s elephant killings, points at media hype
- With 238 elephant deaths reported between January and end of July this year, including several iconic tuskers that were found dead, there is increasing concerns about possible organized crime network behind the elephant killings in Sri Lanka.
- The country’s environment minister has filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and plans are afoot to deploy the Civil Defence Force to combat wildlife crime and support the severely understaffed Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to address human-elephant conflict.
- Meanwhile, the government’s attempt to distribute more guns among the farming community has angered environmentalists who warn that these guns would increase elephant deaths.
- While various theories are being suggested by some regarding the recent spike in elephant deaths, including ivory poaching, hunting for meat and organized killings, data analysis by Mongabay shows there’s no significant rise, but instead points to a well-meaning media hype, with far greater coverage than before on elephant deaths.

Brunei built Southeast Asia’s longest bridge. What does this mean for wildlife?
- The 26-kilometer (16-mile) Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) Bridge, the longest bridge in Southeast Asia, connects remote eastern areas to the country’s urban capital, while facilitating access to forests teeming with unique biodiversity and protected species.
- Authors of a recent study spoke with locals to examine whether easier access to wildlife trade markets is influencing traditional hunting behaviors and practices.
- They found that hunting is still primarily driven by cultural and traditional purposes for consumption rather than to sell at markets, although these motivations are gradually declining.
- Locals noted that while the bridge offers better job prospects and income opportunities, they have also observed unusual wildlife movements and migration patterns since its construction.

Brazil’s Atlantic Forest still losing ‘large amounts’ of mature forest, despite legal protection
- Despite a federal protection law, Brazil’s Atlantic Forest lost a Washington, D.C.-sized area of mature forest every year between 2010 and 2020, with most of the deforestation occurring illegally on private lands for agriculture.
- The Atlantic Forest is a critical biodiversity hotspot that supports 70% of Brazil’s GDP while serving nearly three-quarters of the country’s population.
- Major agribusiness companies, including COFCO, Bunge and Cargill, have been identified as exposed to deforestation in their soybean supply chains, with agriculture and livestock farming driving most forest loss.
- Conservation success stories like the black lion tamarin’s recovery from near-extinction demonstrate that restoration is possible, with one project planting millions of seedlings and generating significant local employment.

Rewilding project aims to restore resilience to fire-prone Spain via wildlife
- A project in Spain is bringing Przewalski’s horse to a sparsely populated region to help stem out-of-control fires and boost the local economy.
- Rewilding Spain is attempting to rebuild ecological roles in the region to boost biodiversity and mitigate fire outbreaks.
- The project is helping the local economy by employing locals and working with tourist operators.

Small islands offer big hope for conservation of endemic species, study shows
- New research in Indonesia shows that small islands, often considered extinction hotspots, can act as crucial refuges for rare mammals like the anoa and babirusa, which face severe threats from deforestation and poaching on larger land masses.
- Genetic analyses of more than 110 individuals revealed that while small-island populations have lower genetic diversity and higher inbreeding, they also carry fewer harmful mutations — likely because long-term isolation allowed natural selection to purge them.
- Smaller islands were also found to host higher-quality, better-protected forest habitats, suggesting that conserving these areas may be more effective than attempting “genetic rescue” by moving animals from mainland populations, which could introduce harmful mutations.
- The study highlights the need to refine taxonomy, prioritize protection of small-island habitats, and integrate these overlooked areas into conservation planning, as they may hold the key to the long-term survival of iconic and endemic small-island mammals.

Thailand’s living floral heritage takes root in a park of rare and ancient trees
- Landscape designer Bunrak Thanacharoenrot, inspired by his agricultural roots, spent 25 years curating and transplanting rare and unusual Thai trees to create Changthong Heritage Park near Chiang Mai.
- Opened in November 2024, the park showcases centuries-old trees, rare species, and unique genetic mutations, blending conservation with immersive visitor experiences.
- The park emphasizes both biological and aesthetic value, rescuing threatened species and saving significant trees from destruction, while promoting harmony between humans and natural ecosystems.

Giraffe is now officially four species
The IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, now officially recognizes four distinct giraffe species, it announced on Aug. 21. Until recently, giraffes across Africa were classified as a single species with eight to 11 subspecies. However, since 2016, when the giraffe’s threat status was last assessed for the IUCN Red List as vulnerable, several studies […]
After 160 years, an old drawing leads scientists to a long-lost Sri Lanka orchid
- After 160 years, scientists in Sri Lanka have rediscovered Vanda thwaitesii, a delicate tropical Asian orchid, by referring to scientific drawings to make the connection.
- Sri Lanka’s rich array of orchids face threats from illegal collection and habitat loss, but climate change may pose an even greater risk by disrupting their growth, flowering and pollination.
- This rediscovery was made possible through citizen science, a common factor in many recent findings, but experts caution that social media can be a double-edged sword, as it may also encourage illegal harvesting.
- Conservationists also caution that this rediscovery does not mean recovery and call for urgent measures to safeguard the island’s fragile floral heritage.

Bangladesh retreating from development activities planned in forest lands
- In a recent move, the government has canceled allocation of more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of forest land planned for different development activities.
- This encompasses more than 3,830 hectares (9,467 acres) of biodiversity-rich Sonadia Island and about 293 hectares (725 acres) of coastal hill forest in Cox’s Bazar district.
- The move raised hope for the conservationists who criticized earlier decisions taken by the previous government, which neglected the importance of protecting forest lands as well as biodiversity.

The slow demise of turtles and tortoises
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Turtles and tortoises have outlived dinosaurs, endured ice ages, and survived the shuffling of continents. Yet despite their evolutionary stamina, these ancient mariners and land dwellers now find themselves in peril. A sweeping global assessment published in Nature […]
Sharks risk losing their bite as oceans turn acidic: Study
Sharks continually shed and regrow teeth throughout their lives, replacing worn or lost teeth with new ones. That makes them particularly good at catching prey. However, these top marine predators could lose their literal edge as ocean acidification damages their teeth and makes it harder to keep and replace them, a new study says. “Shark […]
Mongabay shark meat exposé sparks call for hearing and industry debate
- A Brazilian lawmaker said he would call for a parliamentary hearing after Mongabay’s shark meat investigation.
- Experts reacted to the investigation, saying the uncovered public tenders show greater extinction risk for sharks and urging stronger global protection.
- Industry groups called Mongabay’s investigation “alarmist,” defending shark meat’s safety and sustainability, despite warnings from scientists.

The honesty, humor and wonder of ‘Nature’s Last Dance,’ from Natalie Kyriacou
I recently received an advance copy of Natalie Kyriacou’s widely praised new book, Nature’s Last Dance: Tales of Wonder in an Age of Extinction, and found myself agreeing with its many high-profile fans, like Paris climate agreement architect Christiana Figueres, who calls it a “lyrical call to awaken our love for the wild before the […]
Réunion’s ‘rarest’ gecko vanishing from natural areas but appearing in gardens
The critically endangered Manapany day gecko has long been known only from a small part of Réunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean. A recent study finds the bright green lizard no longer appears in 28% of its previous habitat, but has cropped up in newer, more urban areas where it hasn’t been […]
African gray parrots get complete protection in DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo has banned the capture and trade of African gray parrots nationally, protecting one of the world’s most trafficked birds, according to a national decree signed Aug. 13. Gray parrots (Psittacus erithacus), known for their intelligence and mimicry skills, are widely trapped from the wild for the international pet trade. This […]
Shrinking Mekong megafish underlines risks to the river, study finds
- A new study has found that the Mekong River’s largest freshwater fish are shrinking in size, with critically endangered species like the giant catfish and giant barb now averaging less than half their historical size.
- Researchers analyzed more than 397,000 samples of 257 species across Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, finding that fish longer than 60 centimeters (2 feet) are shrinking fastest, while smaller species show little change.
- Overfishing, habitat loss, dam construction, sand mining, pollution and climate change are driving the decline, raising fears of collapse in one of the world’s most important inland fisheries.
- Scientists warn the trend mirrors global declines in large freshwater species, such as in the Amazon and Nile basins, but recent discoveries of massive fish like a 300-kg stingray show it’s not too late for recovery if urgent action is taken.

Social media post sparks rediscovery of endemic Sri Lanka rainforest plant
- Classified as “extinct in the wild” in Sri Lanka’s 2012 Red List, the endemic rainforest giant known as Pini- Beraliya (Doona ovalifolia) has been rediscovered in several locations, but the first discovery of the plant was triggered by a Facebook post.
- The species was long known only from a single cultivated specimen found at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya, which served as a living reference during decades without any wild sightings.
- Conservation efforts now include propagation of hundreds of seedlings at the Endane plant nursery in mid-country and the creation of a community-run nursery in Pimbura in southwestern Sri Lanka, where schoolchildren actively water and monitor these plants in their school premises.
- A recovery plan aims to protect all remaining wild trees, expand ex-situ collections and restore suitable riparian habitats with the help of local guardian groups.

Why the BBNJ treaty on marine biodiversity matters more in the Mediterranean (commentary)
- The Mediterranean Sea covers less than 1% of the world’s ocean surface, yet hosts more than 18% of its known marine species, while being beset by unresolved maritime boundaries plus growing pressure from climate change, overfishing and pollution.
- That’s why this marine ecology hotspot needs the new U.N. treaty on oceanic biodiversity (BBNJ), as it offers a unique chance for Mediterranean countries to cooperate on common ground: despite claims that it lies outside of the scope of the agreement, there are legal grounds to claim the contrary.
- “Vast areas of the Mediterranean remain undelimited and unclaimed, existing in a legal gray zone. Under international law, these areas are considered de facto beyond national jurisdiction and therefore within the geographical scope of the BBNJ Agreement,” the authors of a new op-ed argue. “By mobilizing diplomatic, legal and financial resources through its institutions and member states, the EU can help catalyze broader regional ratification and implementation.”
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Local forest governance helps jaguars and forests flourish in Guatemala
- Thirteen communities with concessions in the Maya Biosphere Reserve are working with Guatemala’s protected areas authorities to conserve the forests and wildlife on their lands.
- Community members use drones, camera traps, phone apps and satellite data analysis to track changes in the ecosystem and the movements of species.
- Their involvement has helped conserve the local jaguar population by drastically reducing forest loss in the central zone of the reserve.
- Further north, on the border with Mexico, jaguars are under threat from drug trafficking, illegal ranching and hunting, timber and wildlife trafficking, and illegal encroachments to build new villages.

Can we undo extinction? A growing effort to restore lost sharks
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In the turquoise shallows of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, a conservation experiment is attempting the rewilding of an endangered shark. The initiative, known as ReShark, seeks to restore populations of the Indo-Pacific leopard shark (Stegostoma tigrinum), also called the […]
How can we make nature’s wellbeing impossible to ignore? For Natalie Kyriacou, it is the defining challenge
- Natalie Kyriacou’s path to conservation began not in academia or government, but in childhood curiosity and persistence, leading her to found My Green World, a nonprofit that uses education and technology to engage people in protecting nature.
- From backyard expeditions in Australia to fieldwork in Borneo and Sri Lanka, her experiences shaped both her frustration at nature’s marginal place in politics and her belief that conservation needs new narratives that connect ecological systems to everyday life.
- In her new book, Nature’s Last Dance, Kyriacou blends humor and human-centered stories—from New Zealand’s kākāpō to India’s vanishing vultures—to show that nature is not ornamental but essential, and that collective effort is key to its survival.
- Kyriacou spoke with Mongabay Founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler in August 2025.

Ghana passes landmark legislation to protect artisanal fisheries
- Ghana has passed a new fisheries act which aims at strengthening the artisanal fishery sector, restoring fish stocks and tackling problems with illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.
- A major change is the expansion of the country’s inshore exclusion zone, which will double in size, expanding from 6 to 12 nautical miles (11 to 22 kilometers) from shore.
- The law has been welcomed by artisanal fishers who have been struggling with declining pelagic fish stocks due to destructive fishing practices within the IEZ.

Global brands join drive for deforestation-free palm oil in Indonesia’s Aceh
- Major brands including Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever have launched the Aceh Sustainable Palm Oil Working Group to align with a new road map for deforestation-free palm oil in the Indonesian province.
- Aceh, on the island of Sumatra, is home to the Leuser Ecosystem and other critical habitats, but has lost nearly 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of forest since 2020, much of it driven by expansion of oil palm plantations.
- The initiative aims to boost the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, protect high conservation value forests, and help producers comply with new global rules like the EU Deforestation Regulation.
- While the plan has drawn international backing, civil society groups stress its success depends on ensuring accountability, transparency and sustained pressure to halt illegal deforestation.

To save a rare South African ecosystem, conservationists bought the land
Three conservation trusts have together purchased an area of a severely threatened vegetation type found in the Overberg region of South Africa’s Western Cape province. Known as the renosterveld, this unique habitat characterized by shrubs and grasses is also a breeding ground for endangered black harriers, the three groups announced in a joint press release. […]
Rare Javan leopard sighting renews focus on conservation, monitoring efforts
- A rare Javan leopard was recorded on camera in Mount Lawu forest, Central Java, after officials installed camera traps following a hiker’s report.
- The endangered big cat’s presence highlights Mount Lawu’s ecological importance, where Tahura Mangkunagoro park conserves diverse plants, birds and mammals.
- With only around 350 Javan leopards left in the wild, the sighting underscores urgent threats to the species from habitat loss, hunting and human pressure.
- Authorities and conservation groups are expanding camera-trap surveys and preparing a 2026–2031 action plan to safeguard the species through better monitoring, habitat protection and community engagement.

Suspected rise in targeted leopard killings worries conservationists in Sri Lanka
After a series of alleged leopard poaching incidents in Sri Lanka, conservationists warn that the big cats are likely being deliberately targeted for their skin, teeth, claws and meat at a higher rate than previously believed, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. “Sri Lanka may not be part of an international trafficking chain for leopard […]
Development banks under fire for backing disputed Nepal hydropower project
- Civil society leaders in Nepal continue to raise concerns about the in-development Tanahu hydropower project in Gandaki province, citing a lack of proper consultation, inadequate compensation for displacement, and environmental impacts.
- Project developer Tanahu Hydropower Limited (THL), a subsidiary of the national electricity utility, says it has completed the consultation process.
- Half of the complaints against hydropower projects in Nepal documented by a rights watchdog are related to the Tanahu project, which receives funding from the Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank and World Bank.
- Most of Nepal’s electricity is generated through hydropower, and the government plans to expand the country’s generating capacity nearly eightfold to 28,500 megawatts by 2035.

Invasive ants get a warm welcome as global temperatures rise: Study
As people move plants, soil and goods around the world, insects including ants often hitch a ride, making themselves at home in new regions. A recent study finds that some of these nonnative ants, currently restricted to warmer indoor environments like buildings or greenhouses, could easily spread outdoors as global temperatures rise, raising concerns for […]
Indonesia’s idle land problem
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Indonesia is defying the global trend in tropical deforestation. While forest loss in much of the tropics reached record highs in 2024, Indonesia’s rate fell by 14% compared with the previous year. Yet beneath this apparent success lies […]
How rain can reveal what lives in rainforest treetops
Perched high above the forest floor, the tropical canopy is a reservoir of biodiversity that has long resisted scrutiny. Its inaccessibility has left many of its inhabitants — orchids, epiphytes, ants, monkeys, frogs — poorly studied and poorly protected. But a new study offers a workaround: let the rain do the climbing. Scientists led by […]
NGOs launch novel community projects to conserve Mexico’s ocelots
- The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is often overlooked because it shares much of its American range with its more charismatic larger cousin, the jaguar. Recently, scientists discovered some surprising behaviors in this versatile small feline — including a tendency to hang out with opossums.
- In Mexico, the ocelot is classified as an endangered species due to habitat loss and hunting. A relatively new threat is climate change, as longer dry periods force the small cat to approach human settlements in search of water.
- NGOs in Mexico are working to end community-wildlife conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence between humans and ocelots. Projects conducted with beekeepers, farmers, schoolchildren and pet owners help achieve that goal.
- One lesson learned: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each community needs a tailored approach, ranging from building specially designed water troughs, painting school murals with kids, helping farmers construct ocelot-proof chicken cages, to free vaccination and sterilization programs for dogs and cats.

Argentina’s elephant seals face 100-year recovery after avian flu devastation: Study
- At the end of 2023, an outbreak of avian flu devastated a colony of southern elephant seals in Argentina’s Valdés Peninsula.
- It may take a century for the population to return to the 18,000 breeding females it had in 2022, according to projections from a new study.
- Researchers estimate that 17,500 pups and an undetermined number of breeding adults died as a result of the outbreak, which also killed seabirds in the area.
- The previously healthy population is now vulnerable and faces an uncertain future.

Community efforts yield new marine protected area in the Philippines
The Philippines has officially designated a new marine protected area after an 18-year campaign by local communities, fisher associations, civil society organizations and government agencies, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced Aug. 13. The newly created Bitaug Marine Protected Area (MPA), which covers nearly 150 hectares (about 370 acres), is the largest MPA in Siquijor province […]
Goliath versus Goliath (cartoon)
The largest insects in the world, Africa’s Goliath beetles, are up against a much bigger behemoth—the cocoa industry. Indiscriminate deforestation for cocoa in West Africa is wiping out their home range, as well as their populations.
Respite, for now, for bird migration hotspot at heart of Sri Lanka’s wind power dispute
- Amid mounting protests from locals and environmentalists, Sri Lanka’s president has suspended a proposed wind farm in Mannar, in the island’s north for a month, pending a review of ecological concerns.
- Scientists warn additional wind farms in the area could further fragment habitats of the fragile Mannar Island ecosystem, an important stopover point for migratory birds on the Central Asian Flyway.
- The country’s energy minister has referred to Mannar as “stale land,” dismissing its biodiversity value, but environmentalists have countered this with research that shows more than 500 plant and animal species recorded there, including dozens found nowhere else on Earth.
- Activists urge the government to pursue sustainable development that protects Mannar’s globally important ecosystems while expanding clean energy following a balanced development pathway.

Belize project seeks out heat-resilient corals to protect its reefs
- An initiative called the Super Reefs program is setting out to identify the corals in Belize’s waters that have the highest chance of surviving warming waters amid climate change.
- Researchers with the program have discovered that corals that grow in the hottest areas are naturally more heat-resistant.
- Massive starlet coral (Siderastrea siderea) tends to be tolerant of warm water, whereas symmetrical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) is more sensitive.
- The team plans to use its findings, which are to be published by 2026, to inform the Belize government which coral communities in the country are best suited for protection and restoration.

Venezuela tries an environmental rebrand, but critics aren’t buying it
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last month unveiled the Gran Misión Madre Tierra, or “Great Mother Earth Mission,” designed to address Venezuela’s climate emergency.
- The mission mandates the creation of new reforestation efforts, climate change adaptation and response programs, a national waste management initiative, and sustainable agricultural practices.
- But critics say the government’s renewed interest in environmental issues is a way to access climate financing and appease international partners.
- They say the mission strategically omits oil spills and illegal gold mining in protected areas — activities that government officials sometimes facilitate for personal benefit.

John Landsiedel, Alaska wildlife biologist and pilot, died on July 25, aged 33
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. To work in Alaska as a wildlife biologist is to accept hardship as part of the job: blizzards, isolation, and a daily intimacy with life, death, and the difficult questions in between. For John Landsiedel, it was not […]
Are crows really street smart? Science confirms the genius of corvids (commentary)
- Crows and other corvids exhibit remarkable intelligence — including tool use, problem-solving, memory and even social awareness — challenging long-held assumptions that such cognitive abilities are exclusive to humans or primates.
- Scientific research and experiments, some inspired by popular fables about clever crows, show that these birds understand cause and effect, plan for the future, and adapt their behavior based on context, environment and who’s watching.
- Urban crows thrive due to cognitive flexibility, as shown in an ongoing experimental project in India, which highlights their strategic foraging, memory and ability to learn and adapt in human-dominated environments.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

World Orangutan Day: Ongoing threats & habitat loss haunt these great apes
Despite years of research into their complex behavior and intelligence, orangutans remain critically endangered on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, where they’re endemic. Mongabay has extensively covered the threats they face from habitat degradation and what studies say about how human activities affect them. This World Orangutan Day, on Aug. 19, we take a […]
Sniffer dogs may have rediscovered a lost population of Sumatran rhinos
- Conservationists and experts had thought Sumatran rhinos extinct in Way Kambas National Park in southern Sumatra.
- But dogs from the NGO Working Dogs for Conservation have detected what’s believed to be several specimens of rhino scat in the park.
- If confirmed, this could lead to deploying dogs in other parks where the critically endangered rhinos may still be hiding out.

US proposes zero new protections for traded wildlife at upcoming CITES CoP
- The 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP) of signatories to CITES, the international wildlife trade agreement involving 185 nations will be held in late November in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they will discuss 51 proposals to regulate wildlife trade.
- This year, the U.S. has sponsored only four proposals — the lowest in the last 25 years — with none of them supporting increased protections for unsustainably traded flora or fauna.
- Historically, the U.S. has held a leadership role at CITES discussions backed by strong science, but conservationists expressed disappointment at this missed opportunity to help species that urgently need protection in this year’s conference.
- The hope is that the U.S., under its current administration, leaves politics aside, listens to science and supports efforts put forth by other countries to further regulate trade in threatened and overexploited species.

Amazon jambu blends tradition and science for numbing flavors and healthcare
- Besides being a star in Amazonian cuisine, new research confirms jambu’s spilanthol compound as a temporary pain reliever, circulation enhancer and anti-inflammatory.
- Promoting forest-sourced products like jambu, grown in home gardens and small farms, provides new revenue and a pathway for a development model that prioritizes Amazon conservation.
- Projections suggest the bioeconomy could expand 30-fold into a multi-billion-dollar market by 2040, while supporting small-scale, sustainable farmers.

There’s hope for sunflower sea stars, with their killer unmasked and reintroductions pending
- Since 2013, sea star wasting disease, worsened by warming oceans, has wiped out 99% of sunflower sea stars from Washington state to Mexico, collapsing kelp forest ecosystems.
- Researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Hakai Institute in Canada have pinpointed the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida as a key cause of the epidemic, confirming its lethal effects through lab experiments that replicated symptoms seen in the wild.
- A coalition of aquariums, nonprofits, Indigenous groups and government agencies has successfully bred sunflower sea stars in captivity for the first time, experimenting with fresh, frozen and cryopreserved sperm, and raising 72 juveniles in a Monterey facility with plans for controlled releases.
- Guided by the Pycnopodia Recovery Working Group and a 2024-2027 conservation plan, efforts have now turned to breeding, disease research, habitat protection, regulatory engagement and public outreach, with broad community support — including from fishers — for restoring this keystone predator.

Argentina pushes pipeline exports through protected Patagonian waters
- In Argentina, the construction of an oil port and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal for ships threatens one of the most biodiverse areas in the southwestern Atlantic.
- The law that protected the area from these types of projects was amended without prior consultation in 2022.
- Oil spills, rising water temperatures, and ship strikes on the thriving whale population are among the greatest threats highlighted by critics.

US proposes threatened listing for widely trafficked Borneo earless monitor
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently proposed listing the Borneo earless monitor, an elusive lizard endemic to the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Borneo earless monitors (Lanthanotus borneensis) are illegally trafficked for the international pet trade. Finalizing the threatened listing would prohibit the import, export and […]
Green hydrogen development threatens wildlife in Chile
- Chile aims to be a global leader in green hydrogen production by 2030, with major exports going to Europe and Asia.
- But researchers warn that the required infrastructure and production process could threaten rare and endemic species in Chile’s fragile ecosystems, including the Magellanic Steppe and the Atacama Desert.
- In addition, experts say, it would take vast amounts of space and water, which Chile plans to take from the ocean, creating an energetically inefficient and potentially unprofitable model while threatening the wildlife.

Old forests, new fires, and a scientific standoff over active management
- Humans have altered the forests of western North America markedly over the past several centuries.
- We’ve suppressed fire, harvested much of the old-growth trees, and built homes and communities within these landscapes, all while anthropogenic climate change has led to hotter and drier conditions.
- Many scientists and forest managers say a set of tools such as prescribed burning and thinning boosts the chances that these forests will survive in a changing landscape.
- But others call for a more hands-off approach, arguing that our “active management” of forests will be detrimental to them and the ecosystems they support in the long run.

From counting trees to enhancing climate resiliency, Kampala focuses on its forests
- Recognized as a “Tree City of the World,” Uganda’s capital city of Kampala has set out on a journey to transform its urban forest into a resilient, native-rich landscape.
- What began as a response to falling trees has become a comprehensive environmental strategy tackling health, equity and climate change.
- Kampala has recently expanded its mission to increase green spaces to include biodiversity and connecting wildlife corridors throughout the city.

What’s at stake for the environment in Bolivia’s upcoming elections?
- Bolivians will go to the polls on Aug. 17 to vote for a new president, vice president and 166 combined members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
- Polls suggest that conservative candidates Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga and Samuel Doria Medina have the best chance of winning, with a focus on economic recovery rather than the environment.
- Their policies will determine the future of the lithium industry, illegal gold mining and forest loss in the Amazon and Chiquitania.

Will we still eat beef in 50 years?
- Beef production contributes to numerous global crises, from climate change to habitat destruction to biodiversity loss.
- Big conservation NGOs have worked fervently to combat these crises, and many also have programs to encourage more sustainable ranching practices.
- Proponents of “regenerative ranching” and similar approaches that involve rotational grazing and other strategies say these practices have benefits for preserving grassland habitats, encouraging the diversity of birds, wildlife and grasses that live on these ranches and sequestering carbon in their soils.
- But many conservationists also contend that the world must reduce the number of cattle on the planet and find other sources of protein.

Seized corals find safe harbor in New York Aquarium
In May this year, wildlife inspectors for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized a shipment of 232 live stony corals at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The corals are now being kept at New York Aquarium for rehabilitation and propagation, in the hopes of helping raise awareness about corals, the Wildlife […]
Learning to live with lions: Interview with Claw Conservancy’s Andrew Stein
- An automated, real-time alert system is helping local communities in Botswana protect their cattle from approaching lions.
- A team at the nonprofit Claws Conservancy is also working with communities to name individual lions in order to help them build a connection with the animals.
- The initiative was launched to mitigate human-lion conflict, which often led to loss of livestock and the retaliatory poisoning of the lions.
- The lack of vehicles and torches, however, continue to be hurdles when it comes to effectively responding to alerts, which tend to come at night, when the lions are most active.

Seed-dispersing animals are in decline, impacting forests and the climate: Study
A lot of attention has been paid to the decrease in bee populations and other pollinators, but a recent review article makes the case that we should be equally alarmed by the declining numbers of seed-dispersing animals, which are crucial for growing healthy forests. “Both are important and should be taken into account in restoration […]
Third manta ray species confirmed in western Atlantic
There’s a third species of manta ray gracefully gliding through the seas, a recent study has confirmed. Researchers have named the newly described species, found in the western Atlantic, Mobula yarae after Yara, a water spirit from Indigenous Brazilian mythology. For a long time, manta rays were considered a single species, Manta birostris. In 1868, […]
Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, water bearer to Tsavo’s wild, died June 18, 2024, aged 51
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. It began with a buffalo. The animal lay slumped beside a dry waterhole in Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park, its great ribs rising and falling slowly in the dust. No rain had come. No relief was in sight. […]
Fixing forests or fueling fires? Scientists split over active management
- After years of questionable policies, climate change and growing populations, wildfires have gotten worse in the western U.S., and around the world. That’s driven a push to use tools like thinning and controlled burns to reduce risk and restore natural fire patterns.
- Many researchers argue that the damage inflicted means we need to apply these “active management” tools thoughtfully and tailored to each forest’s conditions.
- But some scientists warn that too much intervention can harm ecosystems, especially old-growth forests.
- The debate has led to scientific and legal battles, ultimately centering on questions about the role people can play in helping forests recover in the face of increasing fire risk.

A critical stopover for shorebirds awaits protection in Malaysia
- Malaysia’s Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda (TAT-KM) mudflats host tens of thousands of migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including at one point the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper, yet remain outside formal protection despite global population declines from habitat loss.
- A recent study found only 15% of the sandpiper’s suitable non-breeding habitat is protected, with threats from coastal reclamation, invasive plants and sea-level rise; scientists call for prioritizing high-threat wintering areas, especially in Thailand and Myanmar.
- Malaysian authorities plan to nominate TAT-KM as an East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) site, which would be a first for Peninsular Malaysia, but the process requires local stakeholder support and faces lingering concerns over past proposals for aquaculture development in the area.
- Local fishers, NGOs and conservation groups are raising awareness, restoring habitats and promoting bird-watching to safeguard TAT-KM, amid fears that without formal recognition, development pressures could threaten the ecosystem’s integrity.

Can we undo extinction? A growing effort to restore lost sharks
- ReShark is the world’s first shark rewilding program, aiming to restore Indo-Pacific leopard sharks to reefs where they’ve disappeared, starting in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
- The initiative repurposes surplus eggs from aquariums, transporting them across oceans and rearing them in locally managed hatcheries before releasing them into the wild.
- A growing community of Indonesian conservationists—including trained “shark nannies,” students, and villagers—is central to the project’s success and sustainability.
- With global collaboration and scientific rigor, ReShark aims to produce a model for reversing extinction—one grounded in genetics, local stewardship, and public engagement.

Eswatini’s young honey-hunters sustain a rare bond with wild birds
In Eswatini, the Southern African country formerly known as Swaziland, people still commonly hunt for honey with the help of wild birds, a new study finds. This rare form of human-wildlife cooperation, which has disappeared from much of Africa, is expected to endure in Eswatini, sustained by tradition and peer-to-peer learning, researchers say. Only in […]
In western Nepal, farmers switch to growing turmeric; elephants stay away
- In western Nepal’s Bardiya district, farmers from marginalized communities are replacing traditional crops with turmeric — a plant elephants avoid — dramatically reducing human-elephant conflict.
- Backed by conservation groups and supported by scientific studies, the community-led shift to turmeric farming offers a replicable model for coexistence.
- The initiative combines traditional knowledge, scientific research and targeted support to turn a long-standing conservation challenge into an opportunity for ecological and economic resilience.

Global wetlands conference results in resolutions for protection & restoration
- In July, scientists, government officials and community leaders gathered in Zimbabwe for the 2025 international conference on wetlands to agree on global commitments for the sustainable conservation and restoration of these ecosystems.
- The conference adopted a series of resolutions and agreements, including one on the protection of migratory birds and wetland-dependent species, as well as the Fifth Strategic Plan, which aims to halt and reverse wetland loss by 2034.
- The strategic plan highlighted the importance of including youth, Indigenous peoples, women and local communities in successful wetland conservation efforts.
- Conserving and restoring 550 million hectares (roughly 1.3 billion acres) of wetlands is essential to meeting global biodiversity and climate targets, according to the Global Wetland Outlook, but funding for wetland conservation remains low, accounting for only 0.25% of global GDP.

Filipino communities use vast variety of endemic plants for health: Study
- In the mountains of Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines, the Manobo-Dulangan community continues to rely on plant-based medicine for everyday health needs, passing down healing knowledge through generations.
- A new study documents 796 plant species used by 34 Philippine ethnolinguistic groups, highlighting the deep ties between traditional knowledge, health care and biodiversity.
- Environmental threats like logging and limited state support are putting this knowledge system at risk, with most Indigenous medicinal practices still under-documented and unintegrated into formal health care.
- Community members and researchers alike are calling for stronger recognition, environmental protection and responsible efforts to preserve Indigenous knowledge in a rapidly modernizing world.

Unrestricted funding is key for frontline conservation groups: Mongabay podcast
The U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) works to link funders with community-based conservation groups, ensuring that much-needed resources are reaching the frontlines. In a Mongabay Newscast episode in July, Jean-Gaël “JG” Collomb, CEO of WCN, advocates for giving more unrestricted funding to local groups who know the environment best, allowing them to decide how to […]
With nocturnal surveys and awareness building, Sri Lanka steps up to protect its owls
- In Sri Lanka, volunteers and researchers survey owls at night along set routes to mark the International Owl Day that falls on Aug. 4. But what takes more effort is the public educational events to challenge deep-rooted superstitions about owls.
- From the common Indian scops owl (Otus bakkamoena) and brown hawk-owl (Ninox scutulata) to the elusive barn owl (Tyto alba), several owl species persist in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital city despite habitat loss and disturbance.
- In Sri Lankan culture, owls are generally viewed as a bad omen, leading to persecution and eviction from nesting sites, even though species like barn owls provide valuable rodent control, hence being particularly useful in urban settings.
- Practices such as placing hollow coconut trunks in agricultural fields to attract barn owls for natural pest control offer nature-based solutions that could be reintroduced to modern agriculture and beat the stigma around the species.

The man fighting to keep vultures and planes safe from each other in Nepal’s Pokhara
The new international airport in Nepal’s tourism capital of Pokhara lies close to prime vulture sites, raising risks for the already severely threatened birds. But 40-year-old Hemanta Dhakal keeps vigil, monitoring the interaction of vultures with aircraft from his rooftop daily, and working with airport staff to better manage their presence, reports Mongabay’s Abhaya Raj […]
The case for hope in environmental journalism
I often return to this image, which I took in 2022 in Jambi, Indonesia. At first glance, it seems to capture something hopeful: a full-circle rainbow arcing over a lush green landscape. But look closer, and you’ll see what lies beneath the beauty: a vast oil palm plantation, carved out of what was once native […]
Participants in the negotiations on plastic pollution are determined to finalize a treaty
- Despite some progress, negotiations on a binding global treaty to deal with plastic pollution has yet to be finalized.
- The reliance on consensus is slowing down negotiations, as disagreements remain between states in favor of reducing the production of virgin plastic and those prioritizing waste management.
- Countries from the Global South and NGOs such as GRID-Arendal are advocating for the adoption of an ambitious, legally binding treaty that accounts for the full life cycle of plastics.

Wolves’ continued spread in California brings joy, controversy & conflicts
- After nearly a century’s absence, gray wolves continue to recolonize California, bringing changes and challenges to the state and its inhabitants.
- Ongoing research and monitoring programs are helping scientists understand growing wolf populations and their impact on prey species, other predators and alterations to the landscape.
- Gray wolves in California are protected under both federal and state laws. But balancing conservation, livestock predation and public safety concerns is complicated.
- The state has formulated a management plan for wolves: a compensation program for ranchers who lose livestock to wolves and efforts to mitigate conflicts.

World lion day: Why is the king of the savanna declining?
The lion, with its majestic mane and the loudest growl of all the big cats, is today a vulnerable species with decreasing populations in extremely fragmented habitats. It once ranged widely throughout Africa and Eurasia; today, it’s restricted to parts of sub-Saharan Africa and one small area in western India. For World Lion Day on […]
How a gecko species defied extinction on a Galápagos island
- Mares’s leaf-toed gecko has been rediscovered on Rábida Island in the Galápagos after being thought extinct for more than a century, with only ancient bones as previous evidence of its existence.
- Invasive brown rats introduced by ships in the 17th and 18th centuries caused the gecko’s decline; feeding on their eggs and disrupting their nesting sites.
- A 2011 rat eradication program successfully removed all invasive rodents, and geckos were spotted just one year later — the first living sighting in recorded history.
- Genetic analysis revealed the surviving geckos are genetically distinct from populations on other Galápagos islands, suggesting they survived in hiding during the rat invasion rather than recolonizing from other islands.

Sri Lanka plans restoring revoked protection for an important mangrove patch in the island’s North
- In 2024, the Sri Lankan government revoked the protected status of an ecologically important mangrove forest in Vidattaltivu, in the island’s north, to facilitate the development of an aquaculture park.
- Environmental groups challenged the decision in court, calling for reinstatement of its former conservation status, following which the government informed the court of its willingness to restore protection.
- On July 26 this year, to mark World Mangrove Day, Sri Lanka declared several new mangrove areas protected, reinforcing its global recognition as the Commonwealth mangrove “champion.”
- The Indian Ocean island has approximately 15,670 hectares (38,720 acres) of mangroves, with around 60% under formal protection. However, enforcement and effective management remain weak in many areas.

What we can learn from the Nuer people and their sacred birds
For the pastoralist Nuer people who migrate with the seasons between western Ethiopia’s Gambella region and Africa’s largest wetland, the Sudd, in South Sudan, birds are gaatkuoth or “sacred children of God.” The community has identified at least 71 bird species that are culturally important to them and useful in traditional medicine, as well as […]
Scientists identify the bacterium behind billions of sea star deaths
More than a decade ago, a mysterious illness killed billions of sea stars, particularly along the North American Pacific coast. The sea star wasting disease caused the stars to develop lesions, their arms to fall off and their bodies to disintegrate. Now, researchers in a recent study say they have zeroed in on the cause: […]
Rex Mann, American chestnut evangelist, died July 2, aged 81
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. For most Americans, the loss of a tree might pass unnoticed. For Rex Mann, it changed the course of his life. As a boy growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina, Mann listened to his father […]
How urban greening is helping Singapore bounce back from widespread forest loss
Singapore, the smallest country in Southeast Asia, lost most of its original forest cover in the early 1800s to agriculture. But since the 1960s, when Singapore began pursuing urban greening initiatives, Singapore has greened 47% of its spaces, according to an episode of Mongabay’s podcast published in July. Speaking with host Mike DiGirolamo, Anuj Jain, […]
Revealed: Brazilian state buys endangered angelsharks for school lunches
Endangered angelsharks have been served to schoolchildren in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul for years, as well as in hospitals, clinics, shelters and other public institutions, Mongabay has found. We identified 52 tenders totaling more than 211 metric tons of “peixe anjo,” a common name for angelshark, issued by the state and city […]
Jaguar cub born in Argentina’s Gran Chaco after three decades
A 5-month-old jaguar cub has been spotted along the Bermejo River in northern Argentina’s Gran Chaco region — the first wild-born cub in the region following a rewilding program at El Impenetrable National Park led by conservation nonprofit Rewilding Argentina. Researchers had suspected a birth several months prior, finding paw prints and other indirect signs, […]
Edward McNabb, pioneer of conservation bioacoustics died on May 7, aged 81
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. For most people, the bush falls silent after dark. For Edward McNabb, it came alive. In the folds of night across the forests in the Australian state of Victoria, he attuned himself to sounds few others could name: […]
Restoration brings back fresh water, wildlife to degraded páramos in Ecuador
- Ecuador’s Antisana páramo, southeast of Quito, was degraded for centuries by cattle ranches.
- In 2010, the Quito Water Conservation Fund and the Quito’s water utility secured funding to buy one of the most heavily impacted properties.
- The Quito Water Conservation Fund, funded by contributions from drinking water users, is a sustainable initiative that protects vital water sources.
- Once non-native livestock were removed and restoration began, native vegetation, wetlands and species like deer, rabbits and foxes returned.

Cross-border operation cracks down on environmental crimes in the Amazon
- Between June 23 and July 6, 2025, police forces from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru joined forces in a cross-border law enforcement initiative targeting environmental crimes like illegal mining, wildlife trafficking and illegal logging.
- Coordinated by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Interior, Operation Green Shield led to more than 90 arrests and the seizure of assets worth more than $64 million. Authorities also rescued more than 2,100 live animals and recovered 6,350 dead specimens.
- Reactions among local communities were mixed. While some locals were involved in illicit activities, others condemned the environmental destruction and feared reprisals from armed criminal groups operating in their territories.
- Although the operation disrupted environmental crimes, experts warn the offenses may shift to other areas. They stress the urgent need for sustainable development alternatives to address the root causes driving illegal activities in the Amazon.

Ethiopia’s iconic Walia ibex faces extinction once again
The Walia ibex, an iconic wild goat species found only on the steep, ragged cliffs of the Simien Mountains in northern Ethiopia, has sharply declined in number over the past decade, according to a recent study. This puts the Walia ibex (Capra walie), now largely confined to Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage […]
Paul V. Loiselle, champion of cichlids, died April 15, aged 79
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Among those who cared about freshwater fish — and there were many — Paul Loiselle stood out not for how loudly he spoke and cared, but for how deeply he understood. His grasp of ichthyology was vast, his […]
In ‘Hope Dies Last,’ author Alan Weisman chronicles the people fighting for the planet
I bought Alan Weisman’s Hope Dies Last in a bookstore despite knowing nothing about it and based purely on the title. Four hundred pages later, I sat down with the author to talk about the miraculous accomplishments and resilience of the book’s protagonists, many of whom are working to solve humanity’s most intractable ecological problems. […]
Power poop saves the day (cartoon)
The infamous stench of a penguin’s projectile poop isn’t its only superpower. New research suggests that the nitrogen in the droppings of Adélie penguins can react with atmospheric compounds to form thermoregulating clouds, which could potentially regulate the impacts of climate change!
New list of primates in peril aims to focus attention and inspire action
- A new list of the 25 most threatened primates has been published by the International Primatological Society, which held its 30th congress in Madagascar in July.
- More than 40% of primate species are classed as endangered or worse, and the biannual listing of the most threatened species aims to draw attention to species at particularly high risk, and inspire action to protect them.
- The 2025 list includes species from Asia, Africa and the Neotropics.
- Some species are absent from the latest list thanks to an improved outlook, but others have been displaced only because of the deteriorating situation for others.

Efforts to revive India’s disappearing endangered star anise
The Himalayan star anise is a key source of livelihood for India’s Indigenous Monpa community. But the tree that bears the star anise fruit has greatly declined in number after decades of overharvesting of the fruits and seeds, logging for wood and charcoal and unfair market practices, according to a Mongabay India video published in […]
In Ecuador, environmentalists worry Noboa is unwinding nation’s green reputation
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Recent moves in Ecuador have environmental interests concerned that the South American nation is unwinding some of the basis for its green reputation. President Daniel Noboa has eliminated the Environment Ministry as an independent institution, folding it into the Energy and Mines Ministry. Activists and Indigenous leaders say the move weakens […]
Bhutan’s new farm fencing program could be costly for wildlife (commentary)
- The tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan is known for embracing nature as part of its philosophy of Gross National Happiness, but this is increasingly at odds with a new drive to boost food self-sufficiency, due to conflict with wildlife like elephants intent upon eating farmers’ produce.
- The government recently announced an initiative to erect 3,400 kilometers (2,100 miles) of fencing to keep wildlife away from the country’s key crops, but a new commentary argues that this will lessen wildlife’s freedom of movement, reducing the effectiveness of migration corridors while shifting conflict with wildlife to unfenced farms.
- “Addressing human-wildlife conflict requires more than structural barriers [while] integrated strategies that combine wildlife population management, habitat enrichment, diversified deterrents, insurance mechanisms, and community stewardship offer a sustainable path forward,” the author writes.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Global maps reveal where mycorrhizal fungi thrive — and where they’re unprotected
- Scientists made the first detailed global maps of mycorrhizal fungal networks by analyzing DNA from 25,000 soil samples worldwide, showing where these fungi that partner with most plants are most diverse.
- Less than 10% of the areas with the highest fungal diversity are currently protected, leaving important underground ecosystems at risk from farming and development.
- Major hotspots include Ethiopia’s Simien Mountain foothills, Brazil’s Cerrado savanna, West African rainforests and Tasmania’s forests, with different types of fungi thriving in tropical versus temperate regions.
- A new Underground Atlas tool allows users to explore fungal diversity patterns anywhere on Earth, revealing biodiversity hotspots that traditional conservation approaches have overlooked.

Cocoa boom fuels new wave of deforestation in Cameroon
Once threatened by palm oil and loggers, Cameroon’s forests now face a new driver of deforestation: booming cacao production to supply the European market. A new report by the environmental advocacy group Mighty Earth finds deforestation in Cameroon has accelerated, with the country losing around 782,000 hectares (1.9 million acres), or 4.2% of its forest […]
Nepal’s forest guardians monitor the elusive red panda
In eastern Nepal, local communities are leading the effort to monitor the elusive and endangered red panda, contributor Deepak Adhikari reports for Mongabay. Fewer than 10,000 red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) now remain in the rapidly disappearing bamboo forests of the eastern Himalayas across India, Bhutan, China and Nepal. To help monitor them in Nepal, the […]
Requiem for the nearly lost
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. They are not yet gone. But for thousands of species, the Earth is already holding its breath. A new review published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment confirms what conservationists have long suspected: more than 10,000 species now […]
Devils Hole pupfish hit by micro-tsunami from 8.8-magnitude Russian earthquake
A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29 sent ripples nearly 4,000 miles across the Pacific, disturbing one of the most fragile ecosystems in the United States: Devils Hole in Nevada’s Mojave Desert, according to park officials. The quake generated 10-inch waves inside the narrow, water-filled cavern—a dramatic but […]
Centralized governance in the Guianas and economic legacy
- Investments made in the Guianas, including Venezuela as a bordering and Amazonian country, are not in line with the federal model of countries such as Brazil.
- In Venezuela, which is seen today as a failed state, military rule was declared in several states.
- In Suriname and Guyana, despite centralization in their limited territories, the national government can generate policies and provide basic services through local jurisdictions.

UN meeting closes with no moratorium on deep-sea mining; groups lament
Civil groups expressed dismay as the 30th International Seabed Authority (ISA) session recently ended in Jamaica without a moratorium on deep-sea mining, a process of extracting minerals from the seafloor, which experts say can damage marine ecosystems. The ISA Council finished the second reading of the draft regulations for the commercial exploitation of deep-sea minerals. However, the […]
Can rainwater-fed ponds revive Bangladesh’s hilly streams?
- Natural streams in Bangladesh’s southeastern Chittagong Hill Tracts are drying up due to climate change and human activities.
- Rainwater harvesting in man-made ponds holds hopes for the revival of streams and could boost local biodiversity.
- The nature-based solution faces obstacles such as lack of resources and structural vulnerability.
- Experts suggest that co-management with the participation of local communities could bring good results to conserve such natural streams in the region.

DNA research changes the fate of the most trafficked parrots in Colombia
- Colombian law demands that, after rehabilitation, trafficked wildlife must be released in their original home range. But that is often difficult to determine.
- Researchers sequenced the DNA of Colombia’s six Amazona parrot species, building a genetic database to help identify trafficked birds.
- With this tool, Colombian authorities will be able to compare the DNA of the rescued birds to trace their heritage and release them into their home habitat.
- This will prevent “unscientific” release of these birds, which could affect their survival, the ecosystem and the species’ evolutionary processes.

Indonesian farmers plant hope for isolated Javan gibbons
In Indonesia’s Central Java province, two groups of Javan gibbons have become isolated in two small forest patches. To help the gibbons make their way to larger forest areas, a local NGO, SwaraOwa, is working with farmers in the region to restore and build “corridors” that would connect the fragmented forest blocks, Mongabay reported in […]
Community patrolling reduced environmental crime by 80% in the Amazon
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In the Brazilian Amazon, where enforcement agents are spread thin across vast territories, an unlikely success story has emerged — not from drones or satellites, but from flip-flop-wearing locals paddling through forest rivers. A study examining 11 years […]
Indigenous leadership and science revive Panama’s degraded lands
Two Indigenous groups in Panama are collaborating with researchers in a long-term reforestation project that promises them income in return for growing native trees for carbon sequestration, Mongabay contributor Marlowe Starling reported in May. As part of the project, researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) have partnered with the local leadership in the […]
‘Nothing about us without us’: Inuit leader Sara Olsvig on ocean politics
- Sara Olsvig chairs the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), which represents some 180,000 Inuit people across Alaska (in the United States), Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat (the Inuit name for Greenland) and Chukotka (in Russia).
- Climate change has reduced the extent of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, opening up new shipping lanes and increasing interest in various forms of resource exploitation, including for oil, gas and minerals.
- The ICC is engaged in negotiations over the development and implementation of major international agreements on shipping, plastics, and the management of biodiversity in the high seas, all under United Nations bodies.
- In all of these forums, the ICC is pushing for input into international rules that affect Inuit livelihoods and the Arctic environment.

Recently contacted Indigenous in Peru want REDD+ and conservationists to stay away
- Indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon who have only recently come into contact with the outside world have created their own federation to stand against conservation projects they say benefit from their forests at their expense.
- In their guiding principles, the Chachibay Declaration, they demand an end to REDD+ and other large-scale conservation projects on or near their territories, which they call “exploitative.”
- The federation represents 12 communities living deep in the Peruvian Amazon who are currently facing increased illegal logging and drug trafficking.
- These communities say they don’t need any more biodiversity reports or conservation projects, but support with their basic survival needs like clean water and security.

Illegal pet trade in Nepal now shifting online, research suggests
- The preliminary findings of a recent study suggest a shift in Nepal’s illegal exotic pet trade, moving from physical markets to digital platforms due to widespread smartphone penetration, social media usage, and online payment systems.
- Nepal, traditionally a source and transit country for illegal exotic pet trade, is now potentially emerging as a destination as well, driven by economic growth and increased connectivity in South Asia.
- Birds and reptiles, both native and exotic, are among the most actively traded species, with hundreds of animals now being exchanged in single transactions.
- While the shift to digital poses new challenges for law enforcement, researchers suggest it also could indicate increased public awareness, making open, physical trade more difficult.

First record of Cape clawless otter preying on African penguins: Study
The critically endangered African penguin has several predators to fear, including gulls, seals and sharks at sea, and leopards, caracals, domestic dogs and mongoose on land. A recent study has now documented the first confirmed case of yet another predator: a Cape clawless otter was observed preying on the African penguins of a mainland colony. […]
Malaysia’s turtle egg buyback scheme saved thousands — but is it sustainable?
- A recent study assessed the effectiveness of Malaysia’s decades-old sea turtle egg buyback scheme, which aims to prevent eggs from entering the illegal wildlife trade by purchasing them from licensed collectors and relocating them to hatcheries.
- Between 2016 and 2021, more than 71,000 green turtle eggs were purchased and relocated, resulting in high hatching (77.6%) and emergence (74.1%) success rates — highlighting the scheme’s biological effectiveness despite covering only a small fraction of total nests.
- The study flagged significant financial and logistical challenges, including rising costs, seasonal erosion, inconsistent cooperation from collectors, and limited capacity to purchase all available eggs, prompting concerns about long-term sustainability.
- With a statewide ban on turtle egg trade now in place, researchers and experts question whether the buyback model should continue, suggesting alternative strategies like nonextractive income opportunities and stronger enforcement against illegal trade.

Arboreal camera traps reveal wildlife feasting on Borneo’s fruiting fig trees
Camera traps installed high in the rainforest canopy in Malaysian Borneo have filmed a bounty of threatened primates, hornbills and a host of tree-dwelling animals feasting on figs. Biologists from Malaysia-based nonprofit 1StopBorneo Wildlife, along with Sabah Parks and local conservationists, scaled two enormous fig trees in Tawau Hills National Park in Sabah state to […]

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