location: Asia

location: Asia

Social media activity version | Lean version

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 […]
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.

Taiwan’s tea growers let nature take back control as climate pressures mount
- Alishan, a mountain region in central Taiwan, is famous for producing the prized high-mountain tea, but its tea production has declined in recent years.
- Tea growers are facing threats not only from soil degradation but also from climate change; a handful have adopted more environmentally friendly farming methods and nature-based solutions.
- Tea farmer Lin Kuang-lin credits his nature-based approach for enabling his plants to weather the ecological challenges.
- Tea growers Yeh Hsin-wen and Chang Chih-tsung have chosen an even more radical approach with their tea farm, with their yefang, or wild-grown, method.

International Gibbon Day: Stories of threats and survival
Twenty species of gibbons swing through the tropical forests of Asia, all are threatened by human activities like deforestation, hunting and trafficking baby gibbons for the exotic pet trade. In recognition of International Gibbon Day on Oct. 24, here are three recent Mongabay stories about the threats gibbons face and the people working to protect […]
Sri Lanka mourns iconic tusker amid renewed calls to address human-elephant conflict
- The death of Kavantissa, one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic wild tuskers, sparked widespread public grief, political attention and criticism of wildlife authorities over elephant protection and veterinary care.
- Questions over the treatment provided before his death have prompted calls for an independent, evidence-based investigation, with experts cautioning against drawing conclusions before clinical findings are assessed.
- Sri Lanka recorded 455 wild elephant deaths in 2025, including 79 from gunshot injuries as the primary cause, highlighting the continuing threat posed by human-elephant conflict.
- Kavantissa’s head was separated and buried securely to protect his tusks, but conservationists argued that cremating the entire body would send a stronger message that a living tusker is worth more than its ivory.

Bangladesh’s climate migrants are arriving in cities unprepared to protect them
- Climate migration is often considered an adaptation strategy, as it moves people out of harm’s way from the immediate shocks of climate change.
- But a new study involving climate migrants in informal settlements in southwest Bangladesh finds that relocation can create new forms of vulnerabilities.
- As climate migration increases, Bangladesh’s secondary cities lack policy implementations that ensure migrants can access safe housing, services and stable livelihoods after they arrive.

Taiwan shuts schools and grounds flights as Typhoon Champi brushes by
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan shut down schools and offices and grounded hundreds of flights as Typhoon Champi brushed by the island Friday, packing strong winds and torrential rains. Champi peaked at 298 kph (185 mph) maximum sustained winds earlier this week but has weakened to 155 kph (96 mph) winds as it approached Taiwan […]
Death of iconic elephant in Sri Lanka pushes authorities to fast-track protection efforts
- Kavantissa was a much-loved elephant among residents in Galgamuwa in north western Sri Lanka and, despite a worsening human-elephant conflict in the area, had no record of attacking humans.
- Considered the tallest elephant in the island, Kavantissa died on Oct. 16 owing to gunshot injuries.
- As public outrage escalates over the elephant’s death and the alleged mismanagement of the keystone species, authorities say that daily raids to confiscate illegal firearms and curb wildlife crimes will be launched to ensure protected areas and elephant habitats remain safe for all the species.
- Following tusker Kavantissa’s death, Thailand-based animal rights groups are pressuring their government to repatriate two elephants donated by Thailand to Sri Lanka.

Indonesians allege social media posts on wildfires and haze are being censored
- Indonesian social media users, from celebrities, civil society organizations and public officials, say that their accounts and posts have been restricted or even taken down after posting about Indonesia’s wildfires and haze.
- The Indonesian government is under criticism for its handling of months-long wildfires and haze, which has spread to neighboring countries.
- Many internet users suspect the communications ministry is responsible for taking down and limiting accounts and posts related to the wildfires or critical of the government.
- Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid has denied the accusation, saying there had been “no content takedowns or takedown requests from the ministry to limit information related to wildfires.”

Two decades after crash, Nepal still searching for new generation of conservation visionaries
Twenty years after a helicopter crash killed some of Nepal’s most prominent environmental figures, the nation is celebrating ecological gains while grappling with a void in visionary leadership, reports Mongabay’s Abhaya Raj Joshi. On Sept. 23, 2006, a Russian-built Mi-8 helicopter crashed near the high-altitude mountain village of Ghunsa, killing all 20 passengers and four […]
World Snow Leopard Day: Community action and new science foster coexistence with humans
Snow leopards range across Asia’s rugged mountains, where they face mounting threats from climate change, declining wild prey, and retaliatory killings from local herders. Today, on Oct. 23, International Snow Leopard Day, we look back at recent Mongabay reporting highlighting how innovative science, climate-ready habitat, and community-centered conservation are helping these big cats share mountain […]
Scorched sanctuaries: The race to save Borneo’s orangutans from fires
- As forest and peatland fires engulf Indonesian Borneo, orangutans and other endangered wildlife are losing habitat and food, as well as being caught directly in the fires.
- In 2026, more than 48,500 hectares (120,000 acres) have burned in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, an area larger than Vienna.
- More than 50 orangutans have been rescued this fire season, through joint operations involving the NGO YIARI and local environment authorities.

Deadly gold rush continues as latest landslide kills four in Sumatra
- A recent mining landslip in South Solok district on the Indonesian island of Sumatra buried four miners, after nine were killed in a similar incident in the same province in May.
- Globally, more than 20 million people work in the so-called artisanal and small-scale mining sector, many exposed to environmental disasters and dangerous levels of mercury, a potent neurotoxin used to separate gold from ore that causes permanent neurological and physical harms.
- International gold prices remain at an historically high value amid global inflationary pressures and geopolitical tensions, potentially incentivizing more people to enter illegal mining despite the significant health and environmental risks.

Rare Indonesian maleo birds face new threat from international exotic pet trade
Wildlife traffickers are increasingly targeting critically endangered maleo birds from coastal Indonesia for the international exotic pet trade, according to a recent study. In 2024, enforcement agencies recorded three separate seizures totaling 25 live juvenile maleo birds (Macrocephalon maleo) en route to or within India. The ground-dwelling, black-and-white birds are endemic to the Indonesian island […]
Bangladesh garment factory workers bear the brunt of rising temperatures
- Extreme heat is becoming a workplace health crisis for Bangladesh’s garment workers amid rising temperatures and prolonged heat waves, increasing concerns about occupational heat exposure.
- But comprehensive health data remain limited as experts say systematic monitoring of heat exposure is needed to understand the scale of the problem and identify workers most at risk.
- Besides health risks, extreme heat also creates economic losses for factories.
- Experts say protecting workers requires enforceable standards and shared responsibility among governments, garment manufacturers and international fashion brands.

Search for the ‘Asian unicorn’ faces an uncertain future amid funding losses
- The saola, a tropical bovid that superficially resembles an antelope, was only discovered by scientists in 1992, and has not been recorded since 2013.
- A search for the saola in the Annamite Mountains in Laos risks coming to a halt due to a loss of funding.
- In addition to searching for the saola, the research team is documenting the wildlife of a particularly remote corner of the Annamites, a global biodiversity hotspot.

The women keeping Uttarakhand’s native bees alive
- In the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India, traditional homes include wall hives for native bees.
- It’s the women of the household who typically care for the bees and hives.
- These indigenous bees, Apis cerana indica, face numerous threats — climate change, habitat fragmentation, pesticide exposure and even the loss of the traditional wall hives, as modern homes often do not include them.
- Women play a vital role in the survival of this native bee species.

As silky sharks decline, Costa Rica’s dominant trade faces a reckoning
- The silky shark, a large, slender species that swims the tropical seas and is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, is heavily hunted for its fins and, to a lesser degree, for meat —and is caught in nets as bycatch.
- Between 2020 and 2024, Costa Rica accounted for 82% of global exports of silky shark products, according to a recent report from the United Nations Environment Programme.
- Its exports are under review under CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty: If Costa Rica can’t prove its fishery is sustainable, the CITES Animals Committee will recommend new management measures; without implementation, the country’s export of silky sharks could be suspended.
- Meanwhile, a Costa Rican NGO has questioned the exports’ sustainability and alleged that the silky shark trade is being unduly influenced by the Costa Rican fishing industry.

Six new calves offer hope amid ongoing threats to Cambodia’s Irrawaddy dolphins
Cambodia’s population of critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins has increased to an estimated 118 individuals since the confirmed birth of six calves this year. They were born along a 120-kilometer (75-mile) stretch of the river in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces, in the country’s northeast. Conservation officials say the births are a strong sign that the […]
Bank credit remains scarce in Bangladesh where climate risks are highest
- The flow of bank credit to climate-vulnerable regions remains low, with lending heavily concentrated in major commercial areas, including Dhaka.
- In the coastal districts Satkhira, Patuakhali and flood-prone Sunamganj, the volume of loans is significantly lower than that of deposits.
- Low-cost and affordable loans on favorable terms are needed to support climate-resilient agriculture, fisheries and local businesses, climate finance researcher Md Shamsuddoha says.
- However, the central bank says the low lending levels are partly due to a scarcity of local businesses and a lack of profitable projects.

Wildfire in Indonesia’s Mount Bromo National Park kills 4 firefighters
- A national park staff member, two men from a hotel security and services company, and a state firefighter gave their lives on Oct. 15 as they fought to contain a wildfire in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, an active volcanic landscape in Indonesia’s East Java province.
- A further two men — a third worker at the security company and a community firefighting volunteer — were evacuated with burn injuries to a hospital in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city.
- “Their dedication serves as a reminder that behind every effort to protect nature and society lies struggle, courage, and sacrifice that deserve respect,” a spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster management agency said in a statement.
- Indonesia’s main dry season is being fueled by the El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole climate patterns, leading to some of the worst wildfires seen in years across the country.

In Nepal, AI builds on local knowledge to help prevent tiger attacks
- Researchers used the traditional practice of “listening to the forest” to train an AI model to signal the presence of tigers in community forests in Nepal, part of efforts to prevent human-tiger conflict in the country.
- The model, which relied on calls made by animals such as deer and monkeys in response to predator presence, helped generate maps of areas people should avoid to prevent encounters with tigers or leopards.
- The pilot could have saved lives, local residents say, but a lack of both funding and institutional support meant the program couldn’t make it beyond its pilot phase.

Typhoon Champi strengthens to Category 5 but moves away from land; Trudy weakens
Typhoon Champi has moved from the western Pacific into the Philippine Sea and has become a Category 5 super typhoon, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. It had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (258 kph) by late Monday Asia time, and was not near land. Champi earlier passed close to Guam, and the […]
Indonesian women cash in on mangrove restoration: Interview with community leader Wisye Sahambangung
- Wisye Sahambangung, a fisher and mangrove conservationist from Sarawet, a village in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, has gone from receiving government assistance for low-income families to leading a women’s group restoring mangroves and creating livelihood opportunities.
- In 2022, she helped establish Rhizopora, which now collects mangrove propagules, supplies seedlings, monitors coastal areas, and supports restoration projects.
- Through mangroves-related businesses and a savings-and-loans scheme, Rhizopora members have found new sources of income.

Celebrity shark trapped in South Korean canal stirs concerns over warming seas
- A female dusky shark trapped in a waterfront park in the South Korean city of Busan has become an instant celebrity, attracting nearly 1.4 million spectators since she was first sighted in mid-September.
- Some say that the shark’s appearance may be a troubling sign of climate change effects on marine life and ecosystems in South Korea.
- In its latest report, South Korea’s meteorological service said that over the past decade, sea surface temperatures around the Korean Peninsula have risen 0.7°C (1.26°F), more than twice the global average.
- The country’s authorities have recorded a spike in shark sightings and shark bycatch in recent years.

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