location: Asia

location: Asia

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Funding shortages threaten search for critically endangered ‘Asian unicorn’
The ongoing search for the saola, a critically endangered tropical bovid that hasn’t been recorded by scientists since 2013, faces an uncertain future in Laos due to severe funding shortfalls, reports Mongabay’s Jeremy Hance. Scientists first described the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) in 1992 in the Annamite Mountains that run along the eastern border of Laos […]
US brand StarKist suspends tuna sourcing from vessels accused of exploiting Indonesian fishers
- An Indonesian migrant fishers’ union is pressing U.S. tuna brand StarKist to sign a binding labor agreement over allegations of forced labor in the company’s supply chain.
- StarKist says it has halted purchases from fishing vessels identified in a rights group’s report on forced labor, and hired an outside firm to investigate.
- The fishers are also calling on the brand to leverage its buying power to win protections, with their Taiwan-based union saying voluntary audits and certification schemes have failed to deliver.

Weird and wonderful wildlife revealed in underexplored mountains
A long-term camera trap study has uncovered a treasure trove of wildlife in the Annamite mountains, that run through Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. The mountains have been called the “Amazon of Asia” owing to the huge variety of species here. With hunting and tree loss threatening the area, conservationists are racing to formulate a plan […]
In north India, women protect native bees in traditional home walls
In the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India, traditional homes have a dedicated space to accommodate bees. Women then care for the bees as part of a beekeeping practice that has become a crucial sanctuary for indigenous bee populations facing severe environmental threats, reports contributor Swati Thapa for Mongabay. For generations, households in the region have […]
Investigation continues in Indonesia after first conviction in 3-ton pangolin trafficking case
- Authorities in Indonesia have secured a conviction and previously arrested a Vietnamese national as part of an investigation into alleged smuggling of wildlife across borders in Southeast Asia.
- In February, customs officials at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta uncovered more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales in a shipping container en route to Cambodia from Indonesia’s largest seaport.
- All eight species of pangolins are threatened and their trade is proscribed by CITES, but demand for pangolin scales by Chinese traditional healers has created a major hunting market and criminal supply chain across much of Africa and Asia.

Cambodia’s mangrove forests offer vital refuge for threatened wildlife, 7-year study finds
Cambodia’s mangrove forests and the wetlands associated with them provide critical refuge for several threatened and elusive species, including fishing cats and hairy‑nosed otters, according to a recent study. Researchers from the Phnom Penh-based private company Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise (FCEE) deployed camera traps across 156 coastal and riverine mangrove sites within the Peam Krasop […]
Rising seas could reshape habitats for more than 40% of world’s land vertebrates
- New research indicates that more than 40% of terrestrial vertebrates could see a portion of their habitats inundated due to sea level rise by the end of the century.
- The global study, which examined roughly 90% of known amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal species, found reptiles, narrow-ranging species and already threatened species are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise.
- The Amazon River delta and Southeast Asia are expected to experience the most significant losses. However, the researchers also identified multiple refugia habitats across these regions that could help species adapt to sea level rise, although 96% of these areas lie outside of existing protected areas.
- The authors say their findings highlight the need for coordinated, international action to safeguard critical habitats and help species survive.

‘You need strong willpower’: IUCN’s Kazi Zenifar Azmiri on being a woman wildlife biologist
- Kazi Zenifar Azmiri studied zoology at Jahangirnagar University and joined the Bangladesh Bird Club in her final undergraduate year, which led her to a career in wildlife conservation.
- Now at the IUCN as a program associate, she has worked in conservation for more than a decade, covering vulture rescue, migratory bird surveys, bird ringing, satellite tagging and conservation efforts on dolphins, crocodiles and turtles.
- In a sector where women remain underrepresented, Azmiri discusses her job and what conservation fieldwork in Bangladesh demands.

How did these shrines survive a tsunami?
When the 2011 tsunami devastated Japan’s coast, patches of forest were left standing amid the destruction. Many surrounded Shinto shrines, ancient chinju-no-mori, or “guardian forests”, that appeared to protected them when disaster struck. Could these deeply rooted forests offer a natural defence against future tsunamis?
A plan to save Bali’s vanishing fireflies takes root in organic farming
Four decades ago, Wayan Wardika says, clouds of fireflies would illuminate the night sky above the rice fields of his native village in Bali, Indonesia. Today, the insects have virtually disappeared from here due to rapid land development, light pollution, habitat degradation, and heavy use of agricultural pesticides, reports contributor Rizky Maulana Yanuar and Mongabay’s […]
Tens of thousands of orchids saved from road development in southern India
An emergency effort to rescue tens of thousands of orchids from being razed for a road-building projects in southern India has been hailed a success in a recent study. Many species of orchids are classified as epiphytes, which means they grow on trees, using them as physical support frames. When these host trees are killed, […]
A year after a wastewater spill in the Philippines, communities fight to save a dying sea
- On Oct. 26, 2025, a wastewater spill from an ethanol plant on the Philippine island of Negros contaminated the waters of Bais Bay.
- The spill, which spread across 17 coastal villages, killed fish and other marine life.
- Even nine months after the spill, scientists found almost 70% of coral dead in affected areas of Bais Bay, and dying seagrass beds in northern parts of the Bay, which is part of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape
- A year after the disaster, residents say their livelihoods and communities have been devastated and that they have received little support from the company responsible.

Thick smog shrouds New Delhi after Diwali firecrackers add to seasonal pollution
NEW DELHI (AP) — A thick blanket of smog shrouded India’s capital Monday after firecrackers lit up the skies over New Delhi during Diwali celebrations, compounding dangerously high pollution levels and intensifying the seasonal air pollution crisis that grips the city every year. Despite restrictions on fireworks, residents in New Delhi celebrated the Hindu festival […]
Sri Lankan wildlife photographer Ravindralal Anthonis urges respect for elephants over good shots
- Award-winning wildlife photographer and conservationist Ravindralal Anthonis pioneered the practice of identifying and naming individual tuskers in Sri Lanka, giving these well-endowed elephants identities beyond scientific codes.
- He selected names such as Kublai Khan, Rudy, Patch, and Roland to bring the individual stories of these iconic elephants closer to the public, fostering a deeper appreciation of their identities.
- In the decades that Anthonis has been working, the shift from film to digital photography has transformed wildlife photography — often at the expense of artistic discipline, he says.
- Now 80, Anthonis encourages young photographers to hone their skills, understand the subjects they’re snapping, and take on the mantle of conservation through wildlife photography.

Human-crow relations show strain as Kathmandu observes annual day of the crow
- In Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, house crows are venerated as messengers of god and ecologists praise their role as nature’s scavengers, but people are increasingly wary about their presence.
- A Valley-wide study found crows to be the most common species at urban sites and while no published trend shows their numbers rising, anecdotal evidence suggests a positive trend.
- Urban sprawl, fewer old trees and plentiful food waste favor generalist birds, like house crows and black kites, which now nest on power lines and poles.
- After an avian influenza outbreak at the city’s Central Zoo involving crows, a Department of Livestock Services veterinary officer has called for closer surveillance of the birds, but ecologists say poor waste management and habitat loss are the real problems.

South Korea’s beloved squid may vanish from its waters due to climate change, heat waves
- A new study finds that by the 2040s, South Korea will become “a zero-catch state” for the Pacific flying squid, the country’s most popular squid species, due to climate change and marine heat waves.
- According to the research, strong La Nina conditions punctuate overall stressors, as they’re commonly associated with greater marine heat wave activity in the ensuing autumns and winters.
- Experts say squid catches have declined elsewhere in Asia, such as Taiwan and Japan, and they believe the squid is generally moving northward.
- Squid prices have skyrocketed in South Korea despite imports, and the government has sought to increase deep-sea fishing permits in foreign waters, such as in South America.

India repatriates seized orangutan, raising hopes for five more
A juvenile orangutan seized from an apartment in the Indian city of Mumbai in 2024 has been repatriated to its native Indonesia, following two years of health and procedural delays. The endangered animal was transferred to the Sumatra Rescue Alliance facility on the island of Sumatra, where experts plan to prepare it for eventual release […]
Scientists confirm horseshoe crabs in a second Philippine province, urge conservation
Philippine researchers have confirmed the presence of horseshoe crabs in the southern island province of Tawi-Tawi for the first time through interviews with local residents. Previously, scientists had recorded the arthropods’ existence only in the country’s Palawan province. In a recent study, fishers and coastal residents described two distinct horseshoe crab species with features resembling […]
Extreme heat is creating a workplace health crisis in Bangladesh’s garment industry
Rising temperatures in Bangladesh are creating an occupational health crisis for the 4.2 million workers in the country’s garment industry, reports Mongabay contributor Usraat Fahmidah. A World Bank report shows that maximum temperatures across the country have climbed by about 1.1° Celsius (2° Fahrenheit) since 1980. The country’s capital, Dhaka, hit a record 40.6°C (105°F) […]
Singapore sand imports threaten an already sinking Cambodian fishing community, again
- Sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore have resumed after a nine-year ban, with Cambodian trade statistics showing that more than 694,000 tons of sand, valued at $3.47 million, were exported from June-September 2026.
- Sand mining is occurring along the Trapeang Rung River in Cambodia, in an area described as having “astonishing” biodiversity, drawing fears of lasting damage to seagrass beds, mangrove forests and the ecosystems and fisheries they support.
- Fishers in the area, who are already struggling with dwindling fish stocks and rising fuel prices, say their access to fishing grounds has been blocked by mining operations, and fear the dredging operation will do long-term damage to fisheries.

Indonesian company seeks CITES approval to breed and sell rare Asian golden cats
- Protected Asian golden cats may soon be commercially bred in Indonesia and exported internationally if there’s no opposition raised by other countries before Nov. 10, according to regulations under CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty.
- If permitted, PT Alam Nusantara Jayatama, a breeding facility run by Indonesian businessman Danny Gunalen, would be the first in the world to produce these threatened cats in captivity for commercial sale, which includes selling them as pets.
- Only a handful of zoos in the world keep or breed the skittish Asian golden cats, which live secretive lives in the wild and, according to zookeepers, are hard to breed in captivity, as they can become aggressive and don’t make for great display animals.
- Conservationists have questioned the need for commercially breeding Asian golden cats for the pet trade and raised concerns that such a facility could be used to launder wild-caught individuals. Neither PT Alam Nusantara Jayatama nor Danny Gunalen responded to Mongabay’s questions about the concerns raised, or how the operation helps conservation.

AI tiger-warning system rooted in local knowledge stalls for lack of support
In the land of tigers, prey animals like deer and monkeys are often the first to sound the alarm when they sense the predator’s presence. Forest communities in Nepal, where the success of tiger conservation has come at the cost of rising human-tiger conflict, have long known to listen for these natural alerts. This local […]
Artificial mangrove roots offer temporary shield for Thailand’s eroding coastline
Coastal communities near Bangkok in Thailand are testing artificial mangrove roots to combat severe shoreline erosion, reports Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan. The shorelines of Phra Samut Chedi district, located in the Chao Phraya River Delta where Bangkok’s main waterway empties into the Gulf of Thailand, is especially vulnerable to erosion. Each year, strong surges claim 20 […]
Microplastics pollute nearly two-thirds of corals in Malaysia’s marine protected area, study finds
- A study by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) found microplastics in 64% of coral fragment samples taken from sites at Pulau Redang Marine Park.
- The primary plastic identified was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polymer commonly used in single-use drinking bottles.
- Corals tangled in plastic debris or fibers had nearly three times as many microplastics in their skeletons as those that were not.
- Sites closer to tourist hotspots recorded the highest levels of contaminants, while quieter sites reserved for turtle nesting had lower levels.

Afghanistan’s Taliban officials will attend a UN climate summit for the second time as observers
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban officials have been invited and will attend the upcoming U.N. climate summit as observers. The summit starts next week in Antalya, Turkey. This marks their second attendance since returning to power in 2021. A Turkish and a Kabul official on Tuesday confirmed the Afghan Taliban’s observer status at the Conference […]
The RSPO closed the case on First Resources. Indonesian forests kept falling for palm oil (commentary)
- A new report and unearthed court records raise questions over the palm oil industry body RSPO’s ability to police its members, writes The Gecko Project’s Tom Johnson.
- The report, by Rainforest Action Network, builds on work by The Gecko Project, published in 2023, investigating Singapore-listed, Indonesian-owned First Resources, a palm oil producer alleged to be clearing rainforest through a network of secret companies in Indonesia.
- In December 2025, the RSPO Complaints Panel issued its final ruling on a long-running case against First Resources.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

US couple sentenced for helping finance trade in rhino horn, puma bones, other wildlife parts
A federal court in the U.S. has sentenced two residents of the state of California for their roles as financial facilitators in a scheme trafficking wildlife body parts between the U.S. and Vietnam. Linh Luu and Kevin Le, a married couple from Anaheim, were sentenced on Oct. 23 to three years of probation and fined […]
Do not ‘engage formally’: UK officials advised against billionaire-run zoo ahead of CITES meeting
- Internal U.K. government communications obtained by Mongabay and The Guardian show environment officials explicitly advised government ministers this summer not to “engage formally” with the controversial Indian zoo Vantara after its lobbyists tried to secure a meeting.
- The main reasons for the advice included “reputational sensitivities” and “ongoing compliance proceedings” involving the zoo. Vantara declined to respond to Mongabay’s questions about U.K. concerns.
- The documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, also revealed that Vantara received 152 permits over three years to transfer animals to Vantara. Government officials raised concerns over applications by Vantara to import falcons and falcon hybrids after a 50,000 pounds “donation” from an unnamed source to a U.K. falcon exporter.
- In Geneva, the U.K. is set to chair the Standing Committee of CITES from Nov. 2-6, which will oversee the implementation of the treaty and review compliance cases, including those linked to India’s wildlife imports.

Ecotourism may deter hunters, but also keeps wildlife away, Laos study suggests
- A camera-trapping study in a protected area in northern Laos found community-led ecotourism plays a paradoxical role by reducing localized hunting pressure, but also scaring wildlife away from habitats around tourism hotspots.
- There were roughly twice the number of medium to large mammals on average in more remote parts of the forested landscape than at sites closer to trekking and kayaking routes, the camera-trap data showed.
- Experts caution against viewing tourism as a bigger threat to wildlife than more direct exploitation, such as hunting, logging and mining.
- They highlight the revenue that ecotourism generates and the support that it builds among local communities for conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

Experts warn of long-term health risks as Indonesia’s wildfire haze takes a growing toll
- Months-long wildfires and the resulting thick smog are taking a growing toll on public health in Indonesia, with residents reporting respiratory illnesses and even deaths.
- Indonesia’s Health Ministry recorded 333,470 acute respiratory infection cases in the seven worst-affected provinces by Oct. 21, while nonprofit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has estimated that short-term exposure to wildfire-related air pollution contributed to 5,200 deaths in August and September.
- The haze crisis is affecting millions across Indonesia and neighboring countries, with residents in Singapore and Malaysia reporting health problems and authorities recording increases in respiratory illnesses.
- Health experts warn that repeated exposure to fine-particle pollution can cause long-term medical problems and call for stronger public-health protections and a shift from reactive to preventive policy in handling wildfires.

Venomous Indonesian primate feared extinct still clings on – but threats persist
A small, venomous primate that scientists thought had gone extinct still survives on Indonesia’s Bangka Island, and to the communities there was never really “lost,” according to a recent study. The Bangka slow loris (Nycticebus bancanus), native to parts of Borneo and the island of Bangka, was declared critically endangered, and possibly extinct, on the […]
The women who won’t let go: Female-led resistance to development harms across Asia
- During a recent “people’s tribunal” in Bangkok, women from across Asia spoke about their experiences as leaders of movements seeking justice for communities affected by World Bank-funded development projects.
- The women are from communities affected by a variety of projects across the continent, including dams and land redistribution programs.
- Several themes emerged from the discussions, including the importance of maintaining resistance for decades, the obstacles and dangers faced by protest leaders, and the way that documenting struggles can serve as both a tool of resistance and a means of survival.

Given a chance, women-led microenterprises uplift Nepali communities & conservation
- In Naya Padampur, Nepali women are building livelihoods through microenterprises that earn them income and reduce their dependence on forest products.
- Previously, many women ventured into the forest outside of Naya Padampur to fetch firewood, a dangerous task due to the proximity of wild animals such as rhinos and tigers.
- Successful women-led microenterprises in Nepal and beyond have provided a symbiosis between land and community, allowing conservation efforts to flourish while acting as a catalyst for women’s empowerment.
- Still, many women in Nepal face societal and financial hurdles to building businesses and owning property.

How citizen scientists are mapping Pune’s trees, with hopes of a greener future
- Citizen scientists in Pune are mapping trees along the Mula-Mutha riverbanks using smartphones, measuring tapes and the iNaturalist app to document urban biodiversity.
- The data are strengthening conservation efforts by providing evidence against tree felling and advocating for sustainable alternatives to engage citizens.
- From protecting the ecologically rich Ram-Mula Devrai to drawing on global citizen science initiatives, Pune’s volunteers are part of a larger trend in community-led documentation that can help safeguard urban green spaces and influence conservation decisions.

Philippines halts U.S. e-waste imports but struggles to police customs-free zones
- The Philippines has stopped accepting electronic waste imports from the United States, following months of campaigning from activists who said the country risked becoming a dumping ground for hazardous foreign waste.
- The restriction on U.S. e-waste may not resolve a broader enforcement problem caused by a 2025 court ruling, which pointed out that the Subic Bay freeport lies outside Philippine customs jurisdiction, and that environmental authorities can’t require importers to secure pre-shipment clearances.
- The Subic Bay freeport is a key hub in the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative, which aims to secure supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals.

After Botswana, Nepal tries artificial scent marking to fend big cats off villages
- Researchers from Cornell University, WWF Nepal and local forest authorities in Nepal are testing lab-made versions of big-cat scent chemicals, which they call “BioBoundaries,” an attempt to create a chemical fence to keep big cats away from livestock.
- Some experiment sites report that tigers and leopards approach the scent stations, investigate them and often turn back without crossing. Of 10 compounds tested, three were linked to fewer leopard detections and two to fewer tiger detections. Some scents, however, attracted the cats; responses varied by species and location
- A tiger turning away is not evidence the method prevents livestock attacks, the researchers say. Trials in Botswana suggest that one compound cut down leopard attacks, but studies in Nepal haven’t replicated this.
- If the scents work, dispensers could be installed around corrals or on grazing livestock, alongside stronger sheds and safer herding practices, not instead of them. Cost, refilling, manufacturing and distribution are still unresolved

Legal loopholes and weak enforcement leave India’s exotic pet trade hard to police
Rising disposable incomes, social media algorithms, and pop culture influences have led to a surge in demand for exotic pets in India, reports Mongabay India’s Arathi Menon. A recent report by the Humane World for Animals (HWA) valued India’s exotic pet market at $42.6 million in 2024, and projected it will nearly double by 2030. […]
Philippine village uses nature to defend against floods with bamboo, shells and husks
- Residents of Pamarawan, a low-lying fishing village at North Manila Bay, no longer experience flooding after the construction of a nature-based coastal defense and flood control project.
- Instead of concrete, the project opted to use locally available materials, such as bamboo poles, oyster shells and coconut husks, to protect Pamarawan from tidal waves and storm surges.
- Bamboo cribs also help accumulate sediment, which is expected to gradually raise the seabed to a height sufficient to plant mangroves, while discarded oyster shells in cocomesh bags aid in restoring oyster reefs, further strengthening the shoreline against future flooding.
- The pilot initiative, the first nature-based coastal protection project in the Philippines, is touted as a potential model to address similar flooding problems elsewhere in the country.

If we don’t start counting insect populations, we won’t know what we’re losing (commentary)
- Insects are in steep decline from habitat loss, pesticides, invasive species, and a destabilizing climate, but it’s also hard to quantify what happens after disturbances like the floods we’ve seen lately — unless we begin counting them, a new op-ed argues.
- The scant research done on this has shown steep declines of up to 93% after flooding events, and this has a huge effect on everything that depends on insects, from plants to grazing animals.
- “To measure what a flood takes from an insect community, you need to know what was there first,” the author writes. “This is a solvable problem.”
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

China’s record-breaking exports of clean tech are making a big dent in emissions, report says
BANGKOK (AP) — China is exporting a record amount of clean energy technology and that is making a dent in global emissions. Interest in renewables has surged due to the energy crisis from the Iran war. A report released Thursday shows that China’s exports of clean energy equipment such as solar panels, wind turbines, batteries […]
Investigations into Singapore palm oil firm find family ties to Borneo deforesters
- Investigations find links between Singapore-listed Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) member First Resources and some of Borneo’s biggest deforesters.
- Shipping records at a shared terminal raise concerns that deforestation-linked oil is entering global supply chains marketed as sustainable.
- Rainforest Action Network claims First Resources misled Singapore’s stock exchange with an earlier denial of common ownership. First Resources has repeated its denial and points to the dismissal of a complaint lodged against through the RSPO.
- Scrutiny comes as the firm faces investigation by Singapore’s environment agency for links to transboundary haze.

Early tech warning hopes to give Sumatra’s peat community a head start on fires
- Indonesia is experiencing its worse wildfires in years as a strong El Niño delays the onset of the archipelago’s main rainy seasons after months of drought across much of Borneo and Sumatra.
- In the Sumatran district of Muaro Jambi, a fire in a community-managed forest spotlights an in-tervention backed by Canada’s overseas office and the University of Waterloo.
- The early-warning system detects increases in temperature and declining water levels, among other readings.
- Designed to be simple to both install and maintain, it can publish data collected in the public domain, and could give communities and civil servants working on fire prevention more infor-mation in real time.

India’s forgotten vegetables offer a glimpse into what global diets are missing
The world is eating a smaller variety of vegetables as diets become increasingly uniform, reports contributor Sharmila Vaidyanathan for Mongabay India. In India, Indigenous crops such as the clove bean and the Yerengere white long eggplant have largely vanished from commercial markets as hybrid varieties dominate supply chains. Prabhakar Rao, a natural farmer and founder […]
Fishing cat rescue-and-release offers potential model for conservation in Bangladesh
A fishing cat found badly injured and malnourished in northern Bangladesh has been returned to the wild following months of intensive rehabilitation. The feline was recently released into a tea estate bordering a large freshwater wetland, after being fitted with a satellite-tracking collar. Fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), one of the larger species of small wildcats, […]
Fishers in eastern Indonesia struggle as rough seas keep them ashore
- Fishers in Indonesia’s Maluku Islands say increasingly rough seas are keeping them ashore and reducing their catches as the current El Niño intensifies, threatening livelihoods in communities dependent on fishing.
- Early monitoring shows declining catches at some sites around the Maluku islands of Ambon and Seram.
- Meanwhile, a recently published global study found that extreme ocean heat and low marine productivity are associated with a greater risk of exceptionally poor catches, particularly in tropical regions.
- With Indonesia bracing for prolonged dry conditions under the El Niño, researchers are investigating whether changing ocean temperatures and coastal habitats are adding to the challenges facing local fishing communities.

‘Action on the ground’ in Laos is needed to recover large mammals, protect more species
- A new study that examines the status and recovery prospects of large mammals in Laos concludes many losses could have been mitigated with earlier recognition of population declines, better protection of habitats and tighter control of hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.
- Sumatran rhinos and Javan rhinos disappeared from Laos by the 1990s, and the last verified record of tigers was in 2013. Wild water buffalo and the kouprey, both species of wild cattle, have also disappeared.
- The study notes Laos still supports 24 separate populations of Asian elephant and recommends conservation authorities and researchers focus recovery efforts on reconnecting movement corridors, transboundary landscapes and implementing coexistence measures to minimize conflicts and killings.
- Experts say the future of large mammals in Laos depends on the political will to implement existing conservation plans and enforce protections. It also hinges on long-term financial support in a region often overlooked by conservation funders.

Cyclone batters India’s eastern coast, killing 3 and damaging homes and farmland
KAKINADA, India (AP) — A powerful cyclone battered India ’s Andhra Pradesh state on Wednesday, killing at least three people and damaging homes and farmland after authorities evacuated tens of thousands of people, officials said. Cyclone Arnab made landfall early Wednesday as a very severe cyclonic storm before weakening to a severe cyclonic storm as […]
A rare hound with a storied past faces an uncertain future in Bangladesh
- A native Bangladeshi breed of dog, the Sarail or Bengal hound, is thought to have originated more than 200 years ago in the small town of Sarail.
- It’s origin story is fuzzy: that it claims lineage from the English grayhound is undisputed, but there’s debate about the rest of the mix, whether wolf or a local hunting dog known as pahari daal kutta.
- Currently, there are fewer than three dozen purebred Sarail sighthounds thought to exist across the country, with no plans by the government to protect this native breed.
- Artificial breeding, like artificial insemination, can save the Sarail hound from extinction, experts say.

This flower smells like rotting flesh
Meet the Rhizanthes lowii, a rare parasitic flowering plant that has evolved its stink to attracting flies that help pollinate the flower. It blooms for only a few days, and is found in the jungles of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo—which are home to some of the strangest plants on Earth. Join Conservation Entangled host Izzy on […]
Pangolin scale lawsuit in Indonesia could shake up how wildlife traffickers pay
- A civil lawsuit filed by an Indonesian NGO against individuals and companies accused of trafficking more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales in Indonesia could mark a turning point in how wildlife criminals are held accountable for the harms they inflict on biodiversity and ecosystems, according to experts.
- The lawsuit, seeks to make the alleged traffickers pay to remedy the ecological harms caused by removing thousands of pangolins from their wild habitats, including funding forest restoration and pangolin monitoring.
- Experts say the legal approach, which uses civil and environmental liability laws that also exist in many other countries, can be used in conjunction with conventional criminal prosecutions to implement meaningful conservation remedies.
- To date, the East Jakarta District Court has successfully summoned all but one individual defendant, who remains wanted by police. The first mediation hearing is set for Nov. 5, after which, if no settlement is reached, the case will proceed to trial.

Artificial nests help Hong Kong’s rare cockatoos cope with a ‘housing crisis’
In the urban landscape of Hong Kong, artificial nest boxes are providing shelter and research opportunities for one of the world’s most threatened parrot species. The yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) is critically endangered, with fewer than 2,000 individuals remaining across its native range in eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste. However, Hong Kong hosts roughly 200 wild […]
A Thai rescue center gives injured leopard cat cubs a second chance
At a government wildlife rescue center in Thailand, dozens of lost and injured baby leopard cats are receiving a second chance at life in the wild. Annual admission of leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation rescue center in Khon Kaen, in northeastern Thailand, have surged from an […]
Photographer Tom Hegen’s aerial eye reveals the true scale of the critical mineral age
- As the world shifts to cleaner energy to address climate change, demand is soaring for transition minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements, used in green technologies.
- Aerial photographer Tom Hegen has spent the past six years documenting where these critical minerals come from, exploring some of the world’s most significant mining regions.
- Hegen’s images reveal in meticulous and beautiful detail the wider landscapes impacted by mineral extraction, highlighting the environmental, social, and geopolitical costs.
- In this interview with Mongabay, Hegen says he hopes his images encourage viewers to look closer and consider how their actions and consumption habits can support greater responsibility, transparency, and accountability throughout global supply chains.

Kashmir’s springs are drying up. Scientists say saving them starts uphill
- Research in the Sindh Basin in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, in the northwestern Himalayas, has identified the elevations where many springs receive their water.
- The challenge now is whether conservation efforts will protect those landscapes, or continue focusing on the springs themselves.
- Experts say restoring Kashmir’s springs require protecting the landscapes that replenish groundwater, not just improving spring outlets.

In Pakistan’s Punjab, toxic air threatens wildlife amid a monitoring blind spot
- In Pakistan’s Punjab province, November typically brings a blanket of air pollution that exceeds global health guidelines and endangers both humans and wildlife.
- Experts call for more data and specialized monitoring equipment that would provide clearer information on the specific effects that air pollution has on the area’s wildlife.
- A veterinary surgeon notes that his animal patients — birds, cats, dogs and wildlife — suffer severe respiratory irritation, with sneezing, nasal discharge, lethargy and labored breathing.
- Such pollution can interfere with bird migration as well as the ability for predatory animals to hunt and herbivores to find adequate food.

Baby orangutans in India expose illegal wildlife trade as experts question a billionaire’s zoo
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The discovery of five baby orangutans abandoned on a plantation in eastern India is highlighting the country’s growing role as a destination for trafficked apes. Experts say wealthy collectors, expanding air links with Southeast Asia and loopholes in wildlife laws are to blame. India also legally imported 41 orangutans between 2021 […]
The Philippine lawyer who beat an oil giant: Rose Liza Eisma-Osorio on defending Tañon Strait
- Environmental lawyer Rose Liza Eisma-Osorio joined a legal fight in 2007, representing the resident marine mammals in Philippines’ Tañon Strait as petitioners in a case to stop energy company JAPEX’s oil exploration.
- JAPEX withdrew from the strait before the court ruled on the petition.
- In 2015, a landmark decision by the Supreme Court set a precedent that people can represent nature as stewards and give it legal standing without proving personal injury, making it easier for citizens to file environmental cases.
- After the October 2025 ethanol spill in Bais Bay, Philippines, Oceana is working with communities and scientists to push for legal accountability — a long battle, Eisma-Osorio says, that must be fought together with the community.

‘Influence without enforcement’: Indonesia’s fires test Singapore’s anti-haze law
- Singapore became the first Asean country to pass a law allowing it to punish firms responsible for unhealthy air quality within its borders over a decade ago.
- But no charges have been brought to date, spurring legal experts and advocacy groups to call for updates to the act.
- Mongabay spoke with experts about what legal options regulators and civil society groups have against haze-causing companies.

At Yerevan’s COP17 biodiversity summit, a steep climb ahead for ‘30 by 30’ target
- At October’s COP17 summit in Yerevan, Armenia, delegates will assess progress towards the Global Biodiversity Framework’s Target 3 — better known as “30 by 30.”
- According to the Protected Planet database, 18.7% of the world’s land and inland waters, along with 10% of its oceans, are currently being protected.
- While more than a million square kilometers of land was added to the database since 2022, the figures fall well short of the framework’s goals.
- Some advocates want Indigenous and traditional territories to be the priority for reaching the goal.

Bangladesh’s hornbills face hunting risk during breeding season
- Hornbills in Bangladesh are being targeted during breeding season, when females remain in the nest and chicks are still unable to fly.
- Rescue records from 2023 to 2026 show 26 hornbills, mostly chicks, were taken directly from the nest.
- The rescued birds feed an illegal trade in live hornbills and their body parts, with chicks reportedly sold for up to 100,000 taka ($800) after passing through multiple hands.
- Conservationists warn that the documented rescues may represent only a fraction of the hunting and trafficking taking place and call for stronger enforcement and greater awareness around habitats of hornbills.

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