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Trump moves to begin deep-sea mining despite environmental and legal concerns
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 24 to expedite the process of exploring and mining for valuable minerals found on the deep ocean seafloor, in both U.S. and international waters. It’s a highly controversial move that critics say imperils an important but poorly understood ecosystem and flouts international rules on deep-sea […]
AmeriCorps budget slashed, raising concerns for community service and public lands
Every year, the U.S. National Civilian Community Corps, better known as AmeriCorps NCCC, organizes teams of volunteers to help communities across the U.S. with environmental work, including habitat restoration, emergency response and wildfire mitigation. It’s also the latest federal agency on the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) chopping block. Most of the staff have been […]
Indigenous nations fought for a new national monument. Will it survive Trump?
- After decades of activism by the Ajumawi–Atsugewi Nation (Pit River Nation) to protect its ancestral homelands from extractive industries, vandalism and looting, President Joe Biden created Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in northern California in 2025.
- Sáttítla’s management plan supports co-stewardship by Indigenous nations with connections to the landscape.
- The Trump administration has sown confusion over Sáttítla’s fate by releasing and then deleting documents and proclamations online that said the monument would be rescinded.

Sweeping cuts and deregulation imperil U.S. fisheries, experts warn
- The United States has long had one of the best systems of fisheries management in the world, supporting 2.3 million jobs and a relatively high number of healthy fish populations.
- The Trump administration is enacting sharp cuts to the budget, staff and facilities of the agency that manages U.S. fisheries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and on April 17 ordered widespread deregulation of fisheries.
- The administration says the changes are necessary to reduce government waste and fraud, save taxpayer money, create jobs and enhance profitability, but experts and former NOAA employees told Mongabay these moves have been poorly planned and will be “devastating” for U.S. fisheries.
- The staff cuts, regulatory changes and facilities downsizing are not easy for the public to track, raising questions about the transparency of the Trump administration’s moves.

15 years after the BP oil spill disaster, how is the Gulf of Mexico faring?
- The Deepwater Horizon disaster on April 20, 2010, was the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, releasing an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over nearly three months.
- Fifteen years later, the gulf ecosystem shows a complicated picture of both resilience and lingering damage, with some species, like brown pelicans, recovering, while others, like humans, dolphins and deep-sea corals, continue to struggle with long-term health impacts.
- The disaster prompted an unprecedented legal settlement directing billions toward restoration projects, though experts debate whether these funds have been used effectively for ecosystem-scale recovery.
- Climate change remains the “800-pound gorilla in the room,” threatening the gulf’s future resilience, one expert said, with others warning that continued pressure from fossil fuel development, agricultural runoff and other threats could push the system beyond its capacity to recover.

Meet the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners
- Each year, the Goldman Environmental Prize honors grassroots activists from each of the six inhabited continental regions.
- The 2025 prize winners are Semia Gharbi from Tunisia, Batmunkh Luvsandash from Mongolia, Besjana Guri and Olsi Nika from Albania, Carlos Mallo Molina from the Canary Islands, Laurene Allen from the United States and Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari from Peru.

Critically endangered right whales spotted in the Bahamas for first time
Two North Atlantic right whales photographed in the Bahamas. Image courtesy of Jero Prieto/Pelagic Life.Two North Atlantic right whales, among the most at-risk marine mammals, were spotted swimming in the Bahamas on April 15, marking the first time the species has been seen in the nation’s waters. “That moment for me was breathtaking, and I couldn’t fully gather myself. I thought it was fake at first,” Isaac Ellis, a […]
Why captive elephants formed a circle during the San Diego earthquake
Banner image of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park elephants in Escondido, California, courtesy of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.When a 5.2-magnitude earthquake shook the U.S. city of San Diego on April 14, a video showing five African elephants huddling together in the middle of their enclosure at San Diego Zoo Safari Park made headlines. It showed three older female elephants, Ndlula, Umngani and Khosi, moving quickly to protect 7-year-old calves Zuli and Mkhaya. […]
Trump opens massive marine protected area to commercial fishing
A school of fish in the Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific. Image courtesy of Bryce Groark.U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation allowing commercial fishing in Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIH), a massive marine protected area home to threatened fish, sea turtles and marine mammals. The proclamation says U.S.-flagged vessels may now fish within 50-200 nautical miles (90-370 kilometers) inside PIH’s boundaries. While the proclamation and factsheet […]
Proforestation: The case for leaving trees alone
The temperate Hoh rainforest in the U.S. Image by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In a quiet corner of northern New York state, the white pines of the Adirondack Forest Preserve rise like sentinels, untouched for more than 125 years. Their silence speaks volumes. These towering trees, some 150 feet (about 46 […]
97-year-old Galápagos tortoise becomes a first-time mom
Banner image of Mommy, the Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise, courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo.A pair of Galápagos tortoises in their 90s recently made headlines for successfully producing offspring for the first time. The female tortoise, aptly named Mommy, at Philadelphia Zoo is now considered the oldest recorded first-time mom for the Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise (Chelonoidis porteri), at the age of 97. Mommy, who has been with […]
Severe storms in US South and Midwest leave at least 24 dead
Banner image of severe thunderstorms over the central and southern U.S. via NOAA Satellites.At least two dozen people were recently killed across seven states in the U.S. South and Midwest. Several days of heavy rain starting April 2 from simultaneous storms and tornadoes led to severe flooding across the region. The same area experienced a string of tornadoes and storms in mid-March that caused widespread damage and killed […]
Scientists team up for Snapshot USA nationwide mammal survey
- Snapshot USA is an annual project that aims to collate camera-trap data on mammals from across the country.
- Since it was launched in 2019, the project has received data from universities, Native American reservations, non-profit organizations and others from across the U.S.
- Over the past six years, the project has gathered data that include more than 1 million image captures of mammals from about 16 million raw images.
- By establishing a standardized survey protocol to camera-trap mammals, the team at Snapshot USA says it hopes to create a data set that can be used to formulate effective conservation strategies.

Kanzi the bonobo redefined what it means to be human
Kanzi, the bonobo, died aged 44 in March 2025. Image ©️Ape Initiative.Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives, and story summaries. Few apes have done more to unsettle human certainties than Kanzi the bonobo. He wasn’t the first nonhuman primate to use symbols to communicate, but he was the first to do so with such fluency, subtlety and apparent […]
Innovators battling wildfires with AI, drones & fungi get $50k grants to scale up
Banner image of a wildfire in Umatilla National Forest, by Brendan O’Reilly/U.S. Forest Service–Pacific Northwest Region via Flickr (Public domain).To address the devastating effects of wildfires in Western North America, the nonprofit Conservation X Labs (CXL) and its partners have awarded $50,000 each to 12 shortlisted teams seeking to scale up novel technologies and processes to lower wildlife risk and increase ecosystem and community resilience. CXL announced the 12 finalists of its first Fire […]
As US agroforestry grows, federal funding freeze leaves farmers in the lurch
- Agroforestry has been steadily gaining ground over the past eight years in the U.S., with the number of projects increasing 6% nationwide according to a new study.
- A federal funding freeze imposed on Jan. 27 put many agroforestry projects on hold pending a 90-day review.
- The freeze has had immediate impacts on farmers and the nonprofit organizations that support them, including a halt on reimbursements and stop work orders.
- Appalachian farmers and their communities are facing a loss in income and the dissolution of important community food resources.

A third of US bird species are in decline, report warns
An Allen's hummingbird by Becky MatsubaraA recent report assessing the health of U.S. bird populations presents a grim outlook: Birds in the U.S. are declining, and a third of the species — 229 to be precise — are in need of urgent conservation actions. Among the 112 “Tipping Point species” that have lost more than half of their population in […]
Deep-sea miner TMC seeks U.S. approval, potentially bypassing global regulator
- The Metals Company (TMC) has announced that it is in discussions with U.S. regulators to apply for an exploration license and commercial recovery permit under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA), a U.S. law that oversees deep-sea mining activities.
- This move could serve as an alternative to TMC seeking approval from the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the U.N.-mandated body overseeing deep-sea mining in international waters, that has previously issued exploration licenses to the company.
- However, legal experts warn that if TMC is able to move forward with its plans, it would be in violation of international law and strain relations with Pacific communities.
- While TMC argues that deep-sea mining is vital for U.S. national security and mineral independence, critics warn of irreversible ecological damage and financial risks.

Elisabeth Vrba, the woman who timed evolution, died February 5th, aged 82
Elisabeth Vrba. Photo by J Play.Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay’s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives, and story summaries. Elisabeth Vrba did not set out to overturn the way scientists understood evolution. But her relentless inquiry, guided by a keen mathematical mind and a sharp eye for patterns in the fossil record, challenged some of Darwin’s most […]
Famous bonobo Kanzi, known for smarts & gaming, dies at age 44
Banner image of Kanzi by William H. Calvin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).Kanzi, the world’s most celebrated bonobo who learned to communicate and play Minecraft with humans, died last week in Iowa, U.S., at the age of 44. Ape Initiative, a research organization in the city of Des Moines dedicated to the study and conservation of endangered bonobos (Pan paniscus) and where Kanzi lived since 2004, said […]
Beyond reforestation, let’s try ‘proforestation’
- “Proforestation” describes the process of allowing existing forests to continue growing without human interference as they achieve their full ecological potential for carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
- Old forests sequester a higher amount of carbon than younger ones, with large, old trees containing the most carbon.
- Many species are old forest specialists, relying on ancient forests for survival. Losing these forests may mean their extinction.

Manatees in peril as human pressures push gentle giants toward the brink
(left) Endangered Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus), Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, Florida. by David Hinkel. (right) Manatee. Photo courtesy of NOAA's National Ocean ServiceFounder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay’s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Few creatures better embody the notion of peaceful coexistence than the manatee. Slow-moving and largely indifferent to human affairs, these aquatic herbivores graze on seagrasses and algae in the shallow coastal waters of the Americas and West Africa. […]
David Myers, conservationist and land broker for nature, dies at 73
David Myers. Courtesy of the Wildlands Conservancy.Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay’s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives, and story summaries. There was something almost subversive about David Myers’s approach to conservation. He spoke the language of developers, negotiated like one, and sometimes even thought like one — but his ambitions ran in the opposite direction. Where others saw […]
Surgically implanted tags offer rare insight into rehabilitated sea turtles
Banner image of a loggerhead sea turtle released in 2021, courtesy of Vanessa Kahn/New England Aquarium.In 2021, the New England Aquarium in the U.S. state of Massachusetts began surgically implanting acoustic tags in rescued loggerhead sea turtles before returning them to the ocean. Four years on, these tags are providing a rare peek into where rehabilitated turtles travel. “Surgically implanted acoustic transmitters have been used for many years in many […]
How bobcats protect us from diseases, Mongabay podcast explores
Banner image of a bobcat by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.com“Bobcats are disease defenders,” Zara McDonald, founder of the U.S.-based conservation nonprofit Felidae Conservation Fund, tells host Mike DiGirolamo on Mongabay’s weekly podcast Newscast in February. Today, bobcats (Lynx rufus) are North America’s most common small wildcat. But this wasn’t always the case: At the start of the 20th century, the bobcat population was close to […]
Court orders Trump administration to address pesticide risks to endangered species
A U.S. federal judge recently ordered the Trump administration’s Fish and Wildlife Service to complete assessments on the impacts of six pesticides and the steps needed to protect endangered species from them. This isn’t the first time pesticide safety has come before the Trump administration. In 2017, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) conducted an […]
US jury sides with pipeline company in lawsuit against Greenpeace
A jury in the U.S. state of North Dakota has found the environmental advocacy group Greenpeace liable for defamation against Texas-based Energy Transfer, operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Greenpeace has denied the claim, saying the company is using the lawsuit to intimidate and silence peaceful protest. The jury ordered Greenpeace to pay Energy Transfer […]
Scientists cherish win against online ornamental trade in bats
Image of a painted woolly bat. Image by Abu Hamas via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).Bat researchers recently declared a “major victory” in helping stop the online ornamental trade of bats, especially the painted woolly bat that’s sought as a décor or trinket for its brightly colored body and cute, furry face. By August 2024, major e-commerce platforms eBay and Etsy had banned the sale of bat products on their […]
Rep from American Samoa calls for opening protected Pacific waters to tuna fishing
- U.S. Congresswoman Amata Radewagen, who represents American Samoa, has urged the Trump administration to reopen most of Pacific Islands Heritage (PIH) Marine National Monument, a vast protected area in the Central Pacific Ocean, to industrial tuna fishing.
- Radewagen’s request came in a letter to President Donald Trump dated Jan. 23. It was accompanied by a background document that called for an executive order opening all Pacific marine national monuments and national marine sanctuaries to tuna fishing.
- Conservationists sharply criticized Radewagen’s move, while a tuna trade group supported it.
- Some details of the letter and background document, which Radewagen’s office shared with Mongabay, have not previously been publicly reported.

Counting whales by eavesdropping on their chatter, with help from machine learning
- Scientists have combined passive acoustic monitoring, machine-learning tools and aerial surveys to estimate the population of North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay.
- Using the method, researchers from Cornell University in the U.S. were able to estimate the daily population of the whales over a period of four months.
- While passive acoustic monitoring has helped scientists around the world detect the presence of whales, it’s often challenging to estimate population numbers from the data, especially for species like North Atlantic right whales that have highly variable call rates.

500,000 barrels of DDT in the sea: Interview with documentary directors on California coast crisis
- “Out of Plain Sight,” directed by journalist Rosanna Xia and filmmaker Daniel Straub, documents the legacy of mass amounts of DDT waste dumped off the California coast decades ago, with environmental consequences continuing today.
- The documentary features journalism as a main character, following Xia’s real-time investigation and highlighting both the process of science and storytelling through immersive cinematography and sound design.
- The film raises urgent questions about today’s “forever chemicals” and our relationship with the ocean environment.
- The film will be screened in Washington, D.C., on March 29 at the 2025 DC Environmental Film Festival, where Mongabay is a media partner.

‘Sham’ federal firings suspended, but NOAA’s future remains uncertain
On March 13, U.S federal Judge James Bredar issued an order requiring the Trump administration reinstate thousands of probationary federal employees recently fired as part of government downsizing. The reinstatement order applies across 18 agencies including the Department of Commerce, which administers the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA, which had already fired roughly […]
California ground squirrels shock scientists by hunting and eating voles
A California ground squirrel, which usually eats seeds and acorns, hunts a vole. Image courtesy of Sonja Wild/UC Davis.After more than a decade studying California ground squirrels, Jennifer Smith felt she had a solid understanding of their behavior. Then, in the summer of 2024, her students spotted something she never expected: one of the squirrels chased, killed and ate a vole, a small rodent common across the western coast of North America. Until […]
One in five butterflies lost in the US since 2000, study finds
A monarch butterfly. Image by Sean Ewing via Pexels.A study in the United States found a dramatic 22% decline in butterfly populations between 2000 and 2020. Previous research has focused on a specific butterfly species or regions of the country. For this study, researchers wanted to understand overall butterfly population trends across the U.S. They gathered records of 12.6 million individual butterflies across […]
Re:wild and Age of Union announce conservation partnership
- The nonprofits Re:wild and Age of Union announced a new partnership to scale up their conservation efforts to focus on protecting critical ecosystems and developing creative projects like documentaries and art installations.
- Their first collaboration will be a million-dollar restoration project in Madagascar, where 90% of original forest cover has been destroyed by slash-and-burn agriculture and the overexploitation of natural resources.
- Leaders of both organizations said partnerships like this will be the key to scaling up conservation efforts and have a lasting impact on local communities.

Whale songs rise and fall with food supply, study finds.
Each year, during summer and fall, large groups of baleen whales gather off the coast of California, U.S., to feast on krill and fish before heading south to breeding areas in the tropics. It’s a crucial time for whales to fatten up, and a new study suggests some whale species announce an abundance of food […]
How one woman’s wolf ‘moon shot’ changed Yellowstone forever: Interview with director Tom Winston
- A new documentary film, “Mollie’s Pack,” tells the story of the then-head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mollie Beattie, and the controversial, but ultimately triumphant, restoration of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995.
- The filmmakers were able to find and access lost footage to make a compelling and emotional film about success and loss.
- The restoration of wolves into Yellowstone was a “moon shot” moment, according to director Tom Winston.
- Winston says the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone will be “a motivating factor” for future rewilding initiatives around the world.

US national park staff cuts put nature and visitors at risk
The Trump administration, as part of its downsizing of the federal government, fired roughly 1,000 National Park Service (NPS) employees, who manage protected areas in the U.S. With more terminations on the horizon, former NPS employees are sounding the alarm that critical visitor services and research won’t be conducted, to the detriment of U.S. public […]
Indonesia seeks alternative funding as USAID freeze delays marine conservation efforts
- The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid, including USAID funding, has delayed several marine conservation programs in Indonesia, impacting projects like the Coral Triangle Initiative.
- Officials from Indonesia’s fisheries ministry acknowledge the impact, noting that long-term plans must now be adjusted while alternative funding sources are sought to sustain conservation efforts.
- While the suspension has left many projects in limbo, experts stress that it should not lead to program failure; instead, it presents an opportunity to explore more creative and sustainable financing mechanisms, such as impact investments and non-cash financing models.

‘Without us, no scrutiny’: Indonesia’s independent media count cost of US funding cuts
- U.S. funding cuts abruptly ended reporting initiatives on environmental issues in Indonesia, affecting independent journalism outlets like Remotivi, New Naratif and Project Multatuli.
- The loss of nearly $270 million in global journalism support leaves independent media scrambling to cover environmental and human rights issues.
- Shrinking newsroom budgets and government restrictions have already weakened investigative journalism in Indonesia, now worsened by the U.S. aid cuts.
- Facing uncertainty, media groups are pushing to diversify revenue streams and reduce reliance on foreign grants to sustain independent reporting.

‘Misguided & lazy’ staff cuts at NOAA will hurt global science, experts warn
The Trump administration recently fired roughly 800 probationary employees from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Former NOAA workers warn that these cuts will have global repercussions, affecting nations and industries that rely on NOAA’s freely available data. NOAA collects and shares data, from the depths of the ocean to outer space and […]
Researchers track Florida’s crocodiles to increase acceptance amid urbanization
Banner image of the American crocodile by Joseph Ricketts, courtesy of FWC.Researchers in Florida, U.S., have attached satellite transmitter tags on 15 crocodiles to learn more about their movement patterns in urbanized areas. Through the multi-year study, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), aims to better understand the behavior of American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) to help minimize human-wildlife conflict. Native to south Florida and […]
The U.S. terminated its 30×30 conservation plan but this also presents an opportunity (commentary)
- “We should be proud of the progress that was made over the last years, but conservation priorities have always evolved [to] save the whales, save the rainforest, to today’s focus on climate change and area targets,” and the recent U.S. withdrawal from the global 30×30 conservation initiative won’t change that, a new op-ed argues.
- The U.S.’s 30×30 goal was central to President Biden’s America the Beautiful for All initiative and mobilized federal funding, new protections, and an all-of-government approach to conservation.
- “We should not accept these rollbacks as permanent defeat,” the authors say, but rather as “an opportunity to make our efforts sharper and more effective.” The loss of 30×30 should not be seen as a rejection of conservation values, but as a call to reimagine a conservation strategy that works for more people in more places.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily Mongabay.

16 new-to-science grasshopper species found in US, Mexico deserts
Banner image of Agroecotettix silverheelsi from Texas courtesy of JoVonn Hill.What’s new: A recent study has identified 16 new-to-science species of grasshoppers living in the deserts of the U.S. and Mexico. One of the grasshoppers was named after the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, while others reference actors from shows like Star Trek. What the study says: The grasshopper genus Agroecotettix, known to live in very […]
Wisdom, the world’s oldest known bird at 74, has a new chick
Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird, made headlines recently for laying an egg with a new partner, her first egg in four years. The egg has now hatched, and Wisdom, a Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), or mōlī in Hawaiian, was spotted caring for her chick, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pacific region […]
US security think tank warns of China’s grip over Indonesian nickel industry
- A report from a U.S. government-funded think tank, C4ADS, has raised concerns about Indonesia’s nickel refining capacity being controlled by Chinese companies, many with ties to the Chinese government.
- The report says China’s dominance could limit Indonesia’s control over pricing and supply while giving China geopolitical leverage, particularly over countries like the U.S. that rely on nickel for electric vehicle production.
- Chinese-owned nickel processing facilities in Indonesia are also major environmental polluters, relying heavily on coal power, contributing to deforestation, and facing scrutiny over poor labor conditions and workplace fatalities.
- While Indonesia has expressed interest in diversifying investment, C4ADS noted that reducing China’s influence will require significant foreign investment and structural changes in the industry.

Bonobos can recognize ignorance and help, a new ‘milestone’ in ape intelligence
Bonobos, one of humanity’s closest relatives, can tell when a human doesn’t know something and steps in to help — a cognitive ability never before identified in nonhuman apes, a study found. Researchers tested this in a game with three bonobos (Pan paniscus) living at Ape Initiative in Iowa, U.S. One bonobo, Kanzi, 44, is […]
Climate change made LA fires more likely amid hot, dry conditions: Report
The devastating fires that swept through parts of Los Angeles, U.S., in January raged for more than three weeks before being fully contained. In that time, they burned through more than 20,200 hectares (50,000 acres) of forests and homes, killing at least 29 people. A recent report from World Weather Attribution (WWA) finds that climate […]
Fossil fuel, plastic, and agrichemical companies coordinate social media on climate change, study finds.
A recent study reveals a strong connection between three fossil fuel-based industries — oil and gas, plastics, and agrichemicals — and their use of social media to deny climate change and delay climate action. Energy, plastics and agrichemicals all rely on the same feedstock: fossil fuels. The biggest energy companies sell oil and gas predominantly; […]
‘Truffle dogs’ help sniff out two new truffle species
Two dogs specially trained to sniff out truffles have helped researchers identify two new-to-science truffle species in the U.S., according to a recent study. Truffles, synonymous with luxury fine dining, are the fruiting bodies of fungi belonging to the genus Tuber, which grow underground in a symbiotic relationship with the roots of trees like oak, […]
Petition calls on EPA to tighten pesticide rules to protect bees
Insect conservation NGO the Xerces Society recently petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to expand its requirement of data to evaluate pesticides can that hurt bees. Scientists say improving pesticide safety for bees would benefit many other pollinators, including the iconic monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), which was recently proposed for protection under the U.S. Endangered […]
Surge in rat numbers linked to climate warming, urbanization: Study
Banner image of a roof rat (Rattus rattus) by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.What’s new: Cities experiencing warmer temperatures, fewer green spaces and denser human populations are seeing a rise in rat numbers, a recent study shows. What the study says: Jonathan Richardson, a biology professor at the University of Richmond, U.S., and his colleagues wanted to check if anecdotal media claims about increasing urban rat (Rattus spp.) […]
A dramatic rise in microplastics found in human brains, study finds
A new study has found a dramatic increase in levels of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in human brains in recent years. MNPs have previously been detected in human lungs, intestine, bone marrow and placenta. In the new study, researchers took one tissue sample from the brain, kidney and liver of 80 people autopsied in 2016 […]
LA wildfires release toxic chemicals that threaten wildlife, experts say
The ongoing Los Angeles fires have burned more than 16,000 structures, many of them full of synthetic materials that, when burned, release chemicals toxic to both humans and wildlife. When things like furniture, electronics, flooring, paint, insulation and water pipes burn, they can release a toxic cocktail of chemicals, such as dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) […]
Salmon farms under fire on U.S. East Coast after being shuttered on West Coast
- An advocacy group has sued the last company in the U.S. still farming salmon in sea cages, citing alleged violations of the Clean Water Act.
- Cooke Aquaculture runs more than a dozen sites in the northeastern state of Maine. The lawsuit accuses the company of illegally discharging pollutants, exceeding limits on effluents and nutrient buildup, and reporting violations.
- The legal action comes the same month that the state of Washington banned industrial salmon aquaculture over environmental concerns, making Maine the only U.S. state where the practice continues.
- Critics argue that netpen salmon farming not only pollutes the marine environment but also threatens wild salmon populations, while requiring the harvest of too much wild fish and krill for feed.

US set to lose out as Trump retreats from climate agreement, NGOs warn
U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off his second term in office by issuing an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the 2015 Paris climate accords, a historic agreement to limit global warming to below 2° Celsius (3.6° Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. The order states that it’s the policy of the new administration to put U.S. […]
Historic Arctic freeze for US South and record rain in Western Australia
Banner image of Tropical Cyclone Sean over Australia, courtesy of NASA.The southern states of the U.S. are facing a winter storm this week that will bring heavy snow and ice to a region that rarely experiences such conditions. More than 220 million people are expected to be affected from Texas to South Carolina. Several states, including Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, have each already […]
Firefighters in LA blaze face same toxic exposure as 9/11 responders
Smoke from wildfire poses a host of health concerns, but when fires burn through urban areas, like the ongoing inferno in Los Angeles, U.S., the health risks increase dramatically. “This is an entirely different situation because the wildfire smoke is bad enough, but when synthetic materials burn, they’re going to give off more toxics, not only in […]
1 in 4 freshwater species worldwide at risk of extinction: Study
Banner image of discus fish by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.The most extensive global assessment of freshwater animals to date has revealed that a quarter of all freshwater animal species on the IUCN Red List are threatened with extinction. The largest number of these threatened species are found in East Africa’s Lake Victoria, South America’s Lake Titicaca, Sri Lanka’s Wet Zone, and India’s Western Ghats […]
Surviving fire but not the toxins as modern homes, full of plastic, burn
The ongoing fires ravaging Los Angeles, U.S., have killed at least 25 people and burned more than 12,000 buildings. Many of the structures destroyed were homes, mansions of the rich and famous and middle-class homes alike. Irrespective of the wealth of their owners, most homes destroyed likely had one thing in common: plastic. As Mongabay […]


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