location: Asia

location: Asia

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After nearly a century, Taiwan’s legless lizard gets its own identity
A new study has cleared up a century’s worth of identity confusion surrounding a secretive, legless lizard found in Taiwan’s forests. Researchers from National Taiwan Normal University confirmed the Formosan legless lizard (Dopasia formosensis) is a distinct species endemic to the island, separate from the more widespread Hart’s glass lizard (D. harti), under which it […]
As Walk for Peace begins in Sri Lanka, activists call for animal rights
- Aloka, previously a stray dog in India, has become a global symbol of compassion, accompanying Buddhist monks on their intercontinental Walk for Peace, which is now in Sri Lanka.
- Concerns were expressed over Aloka’s health and safety due to the prevalence of intense heat in Sri Lanka, with unusually high daytime temperatures and humid conditions prompting special care measures including a trailing ambulance and veterinary support throughout the journey.
- With an estimated 2.5 million stray dogs in Sri Lanka, activists critiqued an initial plan to remove street dogs from the walking path to avoid local dogs threatening Aloka’s safety.
- Animal rights advocates are using the moment to call for the long-delayed Animal Welfare Bill, urging stronger legal protections and humane treatment, replacing the country’s outdated laws to protect wild, domestic and stray animals.

These tiny houses are designed to stand in extreme floods
JAMUNA RIVER, Bangladesh — Bulbul has just married and moved into a small village in northeast Bangladesh, a region battered year after year by severe flooding. During the rainy season, water routinely invades homes, wipes out crops, and turns daily life into a struggle for survival. For families like Bulbul’s, rebuilding after each monsoon has […]
Investigators eye organized crime links in 3-ton pangolin scale haul at Jakarta port
- Customs officers in Jakarta planned to conduct interviews this month in connection with the seizure of more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales, which inspectors found in a shipping container bound for Cambodia in late February.
- Mongabay Indonesia visited the address registered to the company exporting the container, but it appeared to be a shopfront, while its contact numbers registered in a government database were inactive.
- Indonesian authorities continue to make more pangolin scale seizures: This month, a Navy vessel intercepted a Vietnam-flagged cargo boat off the northwest coast of Java found to be carrying 780 kg (1,720 lbs) of scales.

New ‘cryptic’ gecko species discovered in Vietnam’s imperiled karst forests
In the rugged karst forests of northern Vietnam, researchers have identified a new gecko species, Vietnam’s 12th known species of gecko. The discovery highlights how much diversity the often-overlooked landscape holds. Ziegler’s Slender Gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus ziegleri) was discovered during surveys in the Copia Nature Reserve, in Son La province. The species was named in honor […]
Nepal plans park for ‘problem’ tigers as attacks raise concerns
- Nepal has proposed a 50-hectare tiger park near Chitwan National Park to house “problem” tigers in semi-natural enclosures and fund their upkeep through tourism.
- Rising tiger populations and increasing human-tiger encounters have led to fatalities, costly captivity, and overcrowded, often inadequate holding centers.
- Research shows only a small fraction of tigers cause conflicts, typically injured or old individuals, while most rely on wild prey.
- Critics warn the park may be ethically flawed, financially unstable, and ecologically ineffective, and have suggested alternatives like better conflict management, improved identification protocols, or even euthanasia of high-risk tigers.

Wetland destruction for mining, oil palm tied to crocodile attacks in Indonesia
- Bangka-Belitung, an island province located to the north of Sumatra Island, accounted for more than a quarter of the world’s tin production five years ago.
- Satellite analysis shows that this globally significant mining industry has come at extensive environmental cost: Bangka-Belitung lost 36% of its old-growth forest between 2002 and 2024, besides the deforestation incurred in the 20th century.
- In 2024, Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office announced the country’s largest ever criminal corruption case, after investigators uncovered collusion with the state-owned tin miner, PT Timah, and illegal mining operators on Bangka.
- Meanwhile, local wildlife charities say deforestation of the coastal wetland on the west of Bangka Island, which was inhabited by humans at least as far back as the 7th century, may be to blame for the rise in human-wildlife conflicts afflicting local populations.

Open dumping & failed reforms bury Sri Lankan cities in waste problem
- In a landmark decision, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court recently determined that long-term waste dumping at a site in Meethotamulla violated residents’ fundamental rights and faulted the authorities for allowing the dump to expand beyond permitted limits.
- After years of unregulated dumping and ignored warnings, in 2017, the same garbage mound collapsed, killing 32 people, including children, destroyed more than 140 homes and displaced hundreds.
- The country generates around 8,000-10,000 metric tons of municipal solid waste daily, with Colombo contributing about 500 metric tons, while more than 260 open dumpsites, including 20 large ones, continue to operate countrywide.
- Systems are gradually shifting toward composting, waste-to-energy incineration and engineered sanitary landfill disposal, but weak segregation, limited capacity and continued reliance on open dumping persist.

Citizen science helps reconnect Singapore treetops for elusive leaf-eating langurs
- Singapore’s fragmented forests are home to a small population of Raffles’ banded langurs, one of the world’s most threatened primates.
- Citizen scientists are helping conservationists protect the arboreal species across the island’s densely urbanized landscape.
- By collecting long-term and consistent data in known strongholds, volunteers have identified langur food plants and movement corridors, boosting efforts to enrich and reconnect their habitats.
- The citizen science program has also built public awareness of the elusive species, one of only three primates left in Singapore, an outcome experts hope will rouse wider support for biodiversity protection amid intense development pressure.

Disaster impacts in 2025 were ‘typical’ despite no mega-disasters: Report
More than 110 million people were affected by 358 reported disasters in 2025, according to the annual report by the Emergency Events Database. The year was consistent with a typical year of disaster impacts, with no mega-disasters recorded. The report looked at nine different types of disasters and only found above-average impacts from storms. The […]
In Nepal, controversial dam threatens endangered pangolins: Study
- The proposed Nagmati Dam in Nepal’s capital potentially threatens critically endangered Chinese pangolins by flooding their prime habitat.
- Researchers warn that pangolins are especially vulnerable due to their small home ranges and specific habitat needs, meaning even limited habitat loss could have severe population impacts.
- The dam’s environmental impact assessment is criticized for failing to properly acknowledge or evaluate risks to these threatened species.
- Beyond pangolins, other threatened wildlife in the park — including leopards and Himalayan black bear — may face displacement, increasing ecological stress and conflict risks.

Chinese court cases reveal most trafficked rhino horns come from Southern Africa
- A new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency analyzed more than 250 rhino horn trafficking cases prosecuted in China between 2013 and 2025 to understand smuggling routes and trends within the country.
- Chinese courts have convicted more than 500 traffickers, who received an average of 4.5 years in prison and fines of about 92,322 yuan ($13,540). Most rhino horns smuggled into China came from South Africa and Mozambique, entering by land across the border from Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos.
- Rhino horns are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, but most court cases involved sculpted rhino horns and trinkets sold in antique and curio shops. About one-third of consumers were in big cities: Beijing, Jiangsu and Shanghai.
- Unrelenting demand for rhino horns, along with attempts by Southern African countries to open legal trade in stockpiled horns, could make it challenging to fight trafficking, as poaching decimates rhino populations across their African and Asian ranges.

Fossil fuel subsidies and high costs stall energy transition across rural Indonesia
- Research by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) and Greenpeace shows the number of villages across Indonesia using solar energy among households declined by more than a quarter between 2021 and 2024.
- The authors of the Village Energy Transition Index said adoption of renewable energy in villages may reflect high installation costs and government subsidies for fossil fuels.
- Significant regional inequality exists between Java and other wealthier regions compared with the east of Indonesia, where solar potential energy is greater and where more rural communities would benefit from the technology.
- Anecdotal testimony indicates installations of basic photovoltaic systems often do not last long due to difficulties and costs associated with repairing units after a component fails, a particular challenge in coastal areas where salt corrosion is a factor.

Five ‘lost’ bird species rediscovered in 2025
In 2025, birders and scientists found five “lost” bird species that had gone undocumented for a decade or more. As Mongabay’s Spoorthy Raman reports, these findings have helped reduce the total number on the global “Lost Birds List” from 163 in 2022 to 120 today. To be classified as “lost,” a species must not have […]
To tackle trafficking in gibbons, experts probe what drives demand
- As gibbon trafficking reaches record highs, conservationists say reducing demand is critical to tackling the illegal trade.
- But motivations for wanting to buy a gibbon vary widely between buyer communities, which means the solutions must be tailored accordingly, experts say.
- Surveys of people who voluntarily surrendered gibbons to a sanctuary in Malaysia found that most cited as motivation a love of animals or desire for their children to have an animal to play with.
- In India, by contrast, a sanctuary manager says gibbons are coveted as status symbols, and most arrive at the center via confiscation rather than voluntary submission.

Asia’s longest free-flowing river contaminated by arsenic linked to Myanmar mines
- Independent testing of the Salween River began in September 2025 after researchers found alarming levels of toxic contaminants in the nearby Kok, Sai and Ruak rivers in Thailand, much of it linked to unregulated mining in Myanmar.
- Rare earth mines exporting crucial minerals needed for artificial intelligence, mobile phones, electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies and other uses have been blamed, but the mining of gold and various critical minerals also continues largely in secrecy across river basins in Myanmar.
- Most suspected mines were found upstream in the Salween’s basin, notably in Shan state, where various factions such as the United Wa State Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, as well as the Myanmar military, are fighting for territory.
- A working group was formed to address the growing issue of contamination across Thailand’s rivers, including the Salween, and tests showed arsenic levels at every monitoring point were more than double safety levels; news of the contamination has put local fishers and communities on alert.

Energy crisis revives push to drill in Philippines’ largest intact wetland
- Liguasan Marsh is the largest intact wetland in the Philippines, a key area for both resident and migratory birds, and a source of livelihood for the thousands of families who live there.
- Since the 1990s, the marsh has been known to hold vast reserves of oil and gas, but decades of armed conflict in the region prevented exploration from progressing.
- A 2014 peace deal brought renewed interest to the marsh’s reserves, but little development on the ground.
- The global fuel crisis triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has led to renewed calls to extract oil and gas from the marsh, prompting warnings from conservation groups.

In Sri Lanka, animals pay the price for overcrowding and speeding jeeps
- Yala National Park in southern Sri Lanka attracted more than 380,000 visitors in the first half of 2025, generating an income of more than $5 million.
- Among the most popular national parks, overcrowding at Yala Block I is a recurring problem, intensified since the social media boom, conservationists say.
- Most leopards at Block I have become acclimatized to humans and safari jeeps, creating more interest among visitors.
- Despite regular training programs, speeding jeeps have become a serious challenge to animals there, and authorities now plan to limit the number of jeeps and open other blocks to reduce the pressure on Block I.

EU deforestation law nudges timber trade, Indonesia probe shows, but risks persist
- An investigation tracing Indonesian timber to recently cleared forests shows EU-bound supply chains still carry deforestation risks, even as the bloc prepares to enforce stricter rules.
- The upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is already shifting behavior, with some European buyers and Indonesian suppliers cutting ties and tightening traceability.
- But trade data from 2025 show high-risk imports continue, highlighting uneven progress and persistent loopholes in complex, opaque supply chains.
- Researchers and advocates say only full, consistent enforcement of the EUDR, alongside stronger due diligence and reforms in Indonesia, will meaningfully curb deforestation-linked timber trade.

See an orangutan, take a photo, earn some money: A viable conservation model?
- KehatiKu, a conservation program in Indonesian Borneo, pays citizen observers to document wildlife sightings and upload them via an app.
- Payments vary by species, with the highest rate, around $6, paid for verified orangutan sightings. Dedicated observers can make more than they would be paid at a full-time job.
- By paying citizen observers directly, the program aims to gather data on wildlife and incentivize conservation while spending much less than conventional conservation projects.
- The program has collected around 175,000 records in its first year of operations, but one expert notes that it has historically proven challenging to keep people engaged in long-term conservation initiatives.

Nearly a million birds shipped from Africa to Asia in 15 years; canaries top the list
- Hong Kong and Singapore, two Asian wildlife trade hubs, imported more than a million live wild birds, nearly two-thirds from Africa between 2006 and 2020, according to a new analysis of customs data. Canaries, including species declining in the wild, topped the list.
- More than two-thirds of the birds came from African countries where export regulations are weak, including Mali, Guinea, Tanzania and Mozambique.
- This massive live bird trade depletes wild populations and may spread dangerous diseases or invasive species, researchers say.
- Experts urge countries to restrict imports of live birds, implement stricter quarantine measures and adopt an approved list of pets that don’t pose risks to biodiversity or human health.

Indonesia braces for possible ‘Godzilla El Niño’ as fire season escalates early
- The 2026 fire season in Indonesia is already showing early signs of escalation, as burned areas reached 32,637 hectares by February, 20 times higher than the same period in 2025.
- Some global forecasts suggest this year’s predicted El Niño could become one of the strongest in at least a decade, raising the risk of prolonged drought and widespread fires, although significant uncertainty remains over how intense it will ultimately be.
- Fire monitoring by the watchdog Pantau Gambut show that many hotspots are in oil palm and timber concession areas, which the group says suggests that legal permits alone do not guarantee fire-safe land management and highlights gaps in oversight and enforcement.

‘Rediscovered’ species in Papua spotlight importance of Indigenous knowledge
- Two species of marsupial thought by scientists to be extinct for thousands of years still live in the forests of Indonesian Papua on the island of New Guinea, according to recently published research.
- One of the animals, the ring-tailed glider, is sacred to the Tambrauw people, and it’s part of a newly proposed genus, Tous, borrowing the Tambrauw name for the glider.
- The other animal, a pygmy long-fingered possum, was discovered during a mammal-watching trip on the Bird’s Head Peninsula.
- The research involved substantial collaborations with local communities and Indigenous elders.

George Schaller: The field biologist who helped redefine conservation
- Miriam Horn’s Homesick for a World Unknown traces the life of George B. Schaller, a field biologist whose work reshaped how animals are studied and understood.
- The book portrays a scientist defined by patience, close observation, and a disciplined effort to understand animals on their own terms, even as such an approach ran against prevailing scientific norms.
- Horn presents Schaller’s career across continents as both scientific and practical, showing how his research informed the creation of protected areas while gradually incorporating local knowledge and participation.
- Rather than probing for psychological insight, the biography mirrors its subject’s outward focus, offering a restrained account that raises broader questions about attention, conservation, and what it means to share a world with other species.

Conservation efforts help an endangered dipterocarp spread roots in Bangladesh
- Conservation of the endangered boilam tree (Anisoptera scaphula) — Bangladesh’s tallest tree species — has reached a milestone after a 34-year-old man planted saplings across all the districts of the country.
- A Bangladeshi forestry professor’s dedicated work offers fresh hope for science-based conservation of the rare species.
- With no established conservation approach in Southeast Asia, where the species is also endangered, the Bangladeshi model could serve as a replicable solution.

Two-month-old bear cubs rescued from Facebook sale in Laos
Two Asiatic black bear cubs posted for sale on Facebook have been rescued in Laos as part of an illegal wildlife trade sting. Free the Bears, an international conservation nonprofit, coordinated the operation with local authorities in Oudomxay province after discovering the Facebook post while monitoring online platforms for wildlife traders. The advertisement featured two […]
30-year Himalayan project shows power of community-led forest restoration
- A 30-year forest restoration project in India’s Western Himalayas transformed degraded land into a biodiverse ecosystem through the participation of local communities.
- According to a recently published study, the project resulted in the establishment of 88 tree species that are now naturally multiplying, and employed simple bioengineering techniques to retain soil moisture, resulting in long-term natural regeneration and ecological stability.
- The restored site, named Surya-Kunj, or Sun-Grove, now supports rich biodiversity, including more than 160 bird species as well as medicinal plants.
- Strong community participation and educational value has helped turn the project into a scalable model for mountain ecosystem recovery, researchers say.

A new bird species has been discovered in Japan after 45 years
For decades, the research community thought that the small, olive-green songbirds found on two Japanese islands were identical. But a new study has revealed these birds are actually two distinct species, ones that have been evolutionarily isolated for millions of years and are now facing the risk of extinction. Researchers discovered a population of the […]
Repeated failures expose gaps in Indonesia’s nickel waste management
- A deadly 2026 landslide in Indonesia’s Morowali nickel hub highlights risks in “dry stack” waste systems, which can still liquefy under poor conditions.
- Indonesia’s booming nickel industry generates massive volumes of toxic waste, with dry stack or “filtered” tailings promoted as safer than the typical wet sludge, but often poorly implemented.
- Experts cite design flaws, weak oversight, and challenging local conditions, including rainfall and seism activity, as key factors behind repeated failures.
- Watchdogs are calling for a halt to new tailings facilities and stronger safeguards, warning of ongoing risks to workers, communities and ecosystems.

Invasives take over native plant spaces in Nepal’s cities
- Native plants are declining in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, largely due to habitat loss and the spread of invasive species.
- Several invasive plants are dominating ecosystems by blocking sunlight, altering soil and displacing native vegetation.
- Non-native species were introduced historically (since the 1850s) and through globalization. Today, a large proportion of Kathmandu’s plants are exotic, with some becoming invasive and harmful.
- Weak regulation, poor monitoring and preference for ornamental or fast-growing exotic plants in urban planning have worsened the problem, highlighting the need for stronger policies, early control and better institutional coordination.

War on Iran disrupts efforts to save the Asiatic cheetah, world’s rarest big cat
- The Asiatic cheetah once roamed from the Arabian Peninsula to India, but today is found only in Iran, and fewer than 30 remain. With the country embroiled in war, the future of this subspecies’ is uncertain.
- The Iranian government gave the cheetah protected status in 1959 and created a number of protected areas and national parks. But the relative success of these early conservation efforts was undone in the turmoil that followed the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and later, the Iran-Iraq war.
- Complex geopolitics have hampered conservation efforts, and sweeping Western sanctions have prevented donor funding from reaching local conservation groups.
- While poaching and human-wildlife conflict are relatively rare, depleted prey stocks, fragmented habitats, dangerous roads and low genetic diversity threaten their fragile existence.

In Indonesia, a coastal vine used as medicine now signals ecological decline
- The beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) vine is widely used as a traditional medicine in the north of Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, and in many tropical coastal communities, to treat common complaints, and by fishers to treat stings from venomous fish.
- In addition to its medicinal use, the plant, also known as bayhops, reinforces beaches by binding sand dunes, increasing the resilience of global coastlines to risks of abrasion and erosion.
- Beach morning glory is a ubiquitous crawling vine, but some communities in Sulawesi’s Gorontalo province say the medicinal plant has disappeared locally due to industrial development and infrastructure construction.

10 years after Vietnam’s Formosa steel plant spill, justice for victims remains elusive
- This month marks the 10th anniversary of a marine disaster in Vietnam, caused by the release of toxic chemicals by the Formosa steel plant off the coast of Hà Tĩnh province.
- At least 100 metric tons of dead fish washed ashore beginning April 6, 2016, sickening thousands of people and shutting down the fishing and tourism industries.
- After widespread public mobilization, the company admitted responsibility and agreed to pay $500 million in compensation.
- Thousands of Formosa victims say they have not been properly compensated; lawsuits against the company are stalled; and victims and their supporters face repression, including imprisonment, inside Vietnam.

Once lost, now found: Five “missing” bird species rediscovered in 2025, offering hope
- Birders in 2025 rediscovered five species of birds that scientists hadn’t documented in the wild for at least 10 years, according to the latest update of the Lost Birds List.
- All of the “found” birds are endemic to islands in Southeast Asia and Oceania.
- Two birds, one considered extinct and one reclassified as a subspecies, were taken off the list in 2025 and another bird, not seen in 94 years, was documented early this year.
- Six new species will be added to the list in 2026, those not documented in the wild for a decade. This puts the list at 120 birds — down from 163 when it started in 2022.

How an engineer brought degraded wetlands back to life in drought-hit Bangladesh
- In drought-hit regions of Bangladesh, excavation and restoration of wetlands are crucial for local ecosystem and agriculture.
- An engineer at a government agency, A.K.M. Fazlul Haque challenges anomalies in wetland regulations around the country’s northern region.
- His efforts serve the community and biodiversity, and Fazlul’s story shows that conservation is a continuous struggle.

Indonesia’s deforestation surges 66% in 2025, reversing years of decline
- New satellite data show that deforestation in Indonesia surged in 2025, up 66% from the previous year, marking a sharp reversal after several years of decline.
- The implications extend beyond forest loss, as rising deforestation could derail Indonesia’s climate goals, including its target of turning the forestry and land use sector into a net carbon sink by 2030.
- NGO Auriga Nusantara points to policy decisions under both the current and former administrations; at the same time, government-backed projects have been allowed to expand into forest areas, often without adequate spatial planning.

Green and gray: Mangroves and dikes show potential in protecting shorelines together
- A recent paper modeled how restoring mangroves in front of water-controlling infrastructure like dikes might create a hybrid coastal defense system in the face of global sea level rise.
- The model found that this combination, put in place today, could reduce the annual damage from storms and flooding by $800 million, and that 140,000 fewer people would be impacted by these events every year.
- They also found that these numbers would increase over time with the impacts of climate change.
- The researchers also evaluated where these projects would be most cost-effective, finding that the benefits disproportionately help lower-income areas, particularly in Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Africa.

Banned but not silenced: Gerry Flynn’s commitment to uncovering the truth across the Mekong
- Gerald “Gerry” Flynn is Mongabay’s features writer for Southeast Asia, reporting on the intersection of human rights, ecosystems and natural resource governance.
- In January 2025, Flynn was permanently banned from Cambodia in what appeared to be retaliation for his journalistic work; he is now based in Thailand and covers the Mekong region more broadly.
- He emphasizes that environmental journalism in authoritarian contexts must expose realities often omitted from state-controlled media.
- Flynn says he values on-the-ground reporting, amplifying local voices and balancing bravery with safety.

How wild cattle recovery is transforming local livelihoods near key Thai reserve
- Banteng, a species of wild cattle, have suffered an 80% population decline across their range in recent decades. But in Thailand, populations are rebounding strongly in well-protected areas.
- Decades of strict habitat protection and ranger patrols have reduced poaching and recovered numbers to such an extent that several herds have spread outside of protected sites into surrounding buffer areas, where enforcement of wildlife laws is limited.
- In an effort to protect the growing herds, villagers living in the buffer area of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, who once experienced conflict with the banteng, have set up a community-led ecotourism initiative based on banteng-watching.
- The wildlife tours are creating powerful cultural, social and financial deterrents to poaching, and the banteng are proving to be a key species around which to rally local support for conservation.

Thai court rules gold mine liable, but villagers face uncertain justice
- A Thai court has ruled a gold mining company liable for environmental damage and health impacts, ordering compensation for nearly 400 villagers and mandating cleanup measures.
- The landmark verdict, Thailand’s first environmental class action, is being appealed, delaying payouts and prolonging an already decade-long legal battle.
- Villagers say the compensation falls far short of their losses, with many continuing to suffer from contamination, health issues and ruined livelihoods.
- The case highlights ongoing tensions over mining impacts and accountability, as operations continue and communities push for stronger legal action and remediation.

Oil surge sharpens calls for Indonesia to shift away from fossil fuels
- Indonesia faces rising fiscal and economic pressure as global oil prices surge amid the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, exposing its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels.
- Analysts say the crisis underscores the need to accelerate renewable energy development, which could reduce exposure to volatile global markets and improve long-term economic stability.
- Despite this, the government is also boosting coal output and exploring expanded biofuel use — moves that critics warn could undermine climate goals and create new environmental risks.
- Civil society groups are calling for windfall taxes on fossil fuel companies to fund a just energy transition, arguing current policies risk deepening inequality and dependence on extractive industries.

Indonesia reviews firms in river basins after latest floods affect 7% of Bornean province
- The province of South Kalimantan experiences annual flooding, frequently worse than other Indonesian provinces on the island of Borneo.
- In late December, Indonesia’s environment minister said the government would review companies operating within watersheds in the province after a large share of the province’s 4.4 million people were impacted by floods at the end of last year.
- Civil society organizations and scientists say land-use change in the water catchment area has reduced the drainage capacity of soils and increased the likelihood of runoff, which inundates a large share of settlements in the province every year.
- A spokesperson for the environment ministry told Mongabay in March that a review of companies operating in the river basis was ongoing.

Sri Lanka sweats in scorching heat, but reasons ‘unlikely due to El Niño’
- Warm temperatures across Sri Lanka are likely to prevail till mid-May, with the heat index showing temperatures between 39° Celsius and 45°C, officials say.
- The Department of Meteorology has issued an “amber alert,” cautioning people to brace for warmer temperatures and to take adequate safeguards.
- Experts argue that prevailing warm temperatures in Sri Lanka are unlikely due to El Niño events.

Singapore resort said to halt controversial dolphin sourcing, breeding
- Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa is to end sourcing dolphins from the wild and has suspended a captive breeding program, according to sources.
- The company is assembling a team of experts to decide the future of more than 20 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, most of which were captured from the Solomon Islands in 2008 and 2009.
- The resort has maintained the dolphins are well cared for and the exhibit at Singapore’s Oceanarium serves educational and conservation purposes.
- Experts say that rehabilitation and release of the dolphins is possible, with transfer to a natural sea pen the first step for assessment.

Asia now hub of growing illegal wildlife trade across 100+ countries, study shows
- At least 110 countries are now involved in illegal trade in wildlife — more than doubling from 49 in 2000. Trade connections jumped by more than 400%, according to a recent analysis of global wildlife seizure data.
- Asia, rather than Europe, is now the center of illegal trade for most species, the study found, sparked by extensive trading, business and diplomatic connections with Africa — the source for many wildlife products.
- This trade, often run by transnational criminal syndicates, is complex and resilient to disruptions, such as the pandemic or border restrictions, and adapts quickly, making intervention and enforcement extremely challenging.
- Experts say constant monitoring and transnational law enforcement efforts are needed to crack down on this rapidly evolving illegal enterprise.

Local conservationists sustain research on threatened heron amid Myanmar instability
- Community-based surveys in northern Myanmar have documented a small population of white-bellied herons, one of the world’s most threatened bird species.
- Experts say the sightings reaffirm the conflict-torn area’s importance as one of the world’s few remaining strongholds for the critically endangered species.
- Several threats to the birds were identified, including opportunistic hunting using homemade guns, which the researchers plan to mitigate through outreach programs in local communities.
- The surveys were funded by a wider conservation program that aims to boost local capacity for conservation to cover diminished government support and reduced NGO presence amid Myanmar’s political crisis.

Climate change tests Nepal’s wild and domesticated yaks
- Traditional herders in Nepal’s alpine rangelands face climate change, rising costs, labor shortages, disease and limited markets for yak products.
- Warming temperatures are altering water cycles, vegetation and soil carbon, while drying wetlands and glacier changes increase fire risk and reduce grazing areas for both domestic and wild yaks.
- Wild yaks face threats from habitat shrinkage, crossbreeding with domestic yaks, overharvesting of food sources like yartsa gunbu and declining rangeland quality, which could undermine their genetic purity and survival.

In Nepal, calls for reform grow louder in buffer zones
- Residents in Nepal’s buffer zones — defined spaces surrounding protected areas — face restrictions on resource collection, infrastructure development and daily activities, leading to frustration and political protests, including election abstentions.
- Communities suffer from wildlife attacks, crop destruction and livestock losses, with relief programs often failing marginalized residents, particularly those without land ownership certificates.
- Local buffer zone councils are perceived as ineffective or serving the park wardens’ interests, as the wardens hold extensive authority, sometimes overriding elected representatives.
- Locals and activists demand clearer guidelines, insurance systems, better infrastructure, equitable revenue sharing and legal amendments to balance conservation with community welfare.

Small ray of hope for Sri Lanka’s sawfish, now feared ‘functionally extinct’
- Known for its saw-shaped snout or rostrum, the sawfish is now feared “functionally extinct” in Sri Lankan waters, with the last record dating back to 2017.
- Three critically endangered sawfish have historically been reported in Sri Lanka — the narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata), largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis), and green sawfish (P. zijsron) — but they are listed as either endangered or critically endangered due to overfishing, habitat loss and bycatch.
- Researchers say small populations may still be surviving and call for more surveys to identify potential habitats toward conservation.
- The sawfish’s rostrum serves as both a weapon and a sensory organ, helping it to hunt prey in murky waters, and in Sri Lanka, these are traditionally offered to churches as a sign of goodwill.

US-Indonesia trade deal slammed as ‘extractive colonialism’ over mining, fossil fuels
- Activists warn a new U.S.-Indonesia trade deal could accelerate mining, deforestation and fossil fuel use, with weak, nonbinding environmental safeguards.
- The agreement prioritizes critical minerals and energy access, opening up Indonesia’s resource sectors to deeper U.S. investment while limiting state control.
- Expanded nickel mining and coal-powered processing risk worsening pollution, land conflicts and forest loss, especially in already affected regions like Sulawesi and the Malukus.
- Large fossil fuel import commitments could undermine Indonesia’s climate goals, highlighting contradictions in the global energy transition and raising concerns for Indigenous and local communities.

A nature-based solution to save the Mekong Delta’s water future (commentary)
- The Mekong Delta — a global rice and aquaculture hub — is increasingly at risk from climate change, with rising seas, salinity intrusion, pollution and groundwater depletion threatening the livelihoods of dependant communities and lives of millions of residents in the delta.
- In Vietnam, a proposed nature-based groundwater replenishment system aims to combine water treatment, aquifer recharge and wind energy to boost clean water supply, reduce salinity and stabilize the delta’s fragile ecosystems.
- Backers say the plan could deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in annual benefits through higher farm yields, improved public health and stronger climate resilience, though it will require major investment and coordinated governance to succeed.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Birutė Galdikas, primatologist who spent a lifetime studying & defending orangutans, has died at 79
- Birutė Galdikas established one of the longest-running field studies of any wild mammal, helping to transform scientific understanding of orangutans and their behavior.
- Her work combined research with hands-on rehabilitation, returning hundreds of orangutans to the wild while navigating debates over the role of intervention in field science.
- As Borneo’s forests declined, she expanded her efforts into conservation, founding an organization and working with local communities to protect habitat under growing economic pressure.
- As part of the “Trimates”, a group of female researchers recruited by Louis Leakey, she helped bring great apes into public view and frame orangutans as emblematic of broader environmental loss.

Palm oil clearing advances in Bornean orangutan habitat despite red flags
- A palm oil firm has cleared more than 3,000 hectares (7,500 acres) of forest inside a UNESCO biosphere reserve in Indonesian Borneo, threatening areas identified as orangutan habitat.
- The concession overlaps with a wildlife corridor linking two national parks, raising concerns over habitat fragmentation and increased human-orangutan conflict.
- Authorities have acknowledged the presence of the habitat inside the company’s concession, but proposed voluntary conservation measures rather than halting clearing, drawing criticism from environmental groups.
- The case highlights broader issues of weak enforcement, disputed land rights with Indigenous communities, and supply-chain loopholes that continue to allow deforestation-linked palm oil into global markets.

In Laos, ancestral spirits are helping save one of the world’s rarest crocodiles
- A decade-long conservation program built around local culture is restoring a globally significant population of a critically endangered crocodile species to the Xe Champhone wetlands of central Laos.
- Of the world’s 27 crocodilian species, the Siamese crocodile is among just four classified as critically endangered, with fewer than 1,000 thought to survive on Earth.
- This month, 56 crocodiles were released back to the Xe Champhone wetlands and the program has released 294 individuals since it began in 2013.
- The locals’ spiritual connection to crocodiles, upheld for generations in a landscape stripped of most large wildlife, may be the single most important reason this species still exists here.

New farming method replaces traditional jhum in crowding Bangladesh hills
- Jhum, or shifting agriculture, has long been a common practice among the farmers in in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeastern Bangladesh.
- However, due to growing demand for arable lands and reducing yields, farmers have started to give up the traditional jhum for profitable cash crops in recent years.
- Among the changes adopted, cultivating vegetables using the machan method — using bamboo trellises to grow vines — is growing in popularity as the method ensures enough profit as well as a reduction in soil erosion.

As Sri Lankans choke on bad air, authorities cite transboundary pollution
- With an increase in air pollution levels in several areas, Sri Lankan authorities trace transboundary air pollution as a key reason for the island’s poor air quality.
- A systematic rise in low air quality has occurred since the 1990s, experts say.
- A seasonal trend has been observed during agricultural burning in India with emissions from the coal power plant in Norochcholai, in the island’s northwest, adding to the poor air quality.
- Health authorities warn against cardiovascular diseases of people exposed to high levels of fine particulate matter for prolonged periods of time.

Can this giant freezer de-extinct animals?
We’re losing species at an alarming rate. Could freezing the genetic material of the world’s most endangered animals help save them? Biotech start-up Colossal Biosciences is developing a “biovault” — a massive facility designed to store the frozen DNA of threatened species. Their founder calls it “a backup plan for life on Earth.” But can […]
Songbird trade threatens lesser-known ‘master birds’ with secondary extinctions: Study
- Master birds are used in songbird competitions in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world to “teach” competitors elements of their songs. This trade, largely unknown and under-researched, is pushing some species to the brink of extinction.
- A recent market study investigated the trade in crested jayshrikes, a popular master bird in Indonesia, and discovered rampant trade: This bird was sold openly across the country, despite its protected species status.
- The trade in master birds has driven serious declines of numerous species in the wild, including the Javan green magpie.
- To save these rapidly disappearing birds, the researchers say that stricter law enforcement is urgently needed to shut down illegal markets and stem the trade.

Proboscis monkey found in Thailand adds to evidence of cross-border illegal trade
- In January, an injured proboscis monkey was found near a railway track in Thailand’s Samut Sakhon province and brought to a nearby clinic.
- Proboscis monkeys are an endangered species endemic to Borneo, and international trade is banned except for research or conservation purposes — no permits that would allow such trade exist for the species in Thailand.
- Historically, trafficking for pets or zoos has not been a major threat to proboscis monkeys because it is very difficult to keep them alive in captivity, but recent research has found an uptick in live trade of the species.
- The monkey is currently recovering from its injuries at a government-run rehabilitation center, and while he will never be able to live in the wild again, officers there say he may be transferred back to his native range once his health is stable.

Many Indigenous peoples in Asia feel excluded from nat’l biodiversity planning: Report
- Many Indigenous peoples in Asia say they have little sway on their nation’s biodiversity goals, despite calls in the global U.N. biodiversity agreement for their full and effective participation in decision-making, according to recent reports.
- The research found 13% of survey respondents participated in state-led consultations with Indigenous peoples while almost 60% reported that participation was not meaningful.
- However, the research also found that Indigenous peoples increasingly participated in the NBSAP revision processes compared with a previous global biodiversity agreement for the 2011-20 period.
- Some Indigenous sources said they felt like their participation was tokenistic and recommend the creation of an Indigenous-led version of the national biodiversity targets to help influence policy.

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