serial: Evolving Conservation

serial: Evolving Conservation

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Sumatra officials stress environment checks continue in wake of deadly cyclone
- More than three months after flash flooding caused by the landfall of Cyclone Senyar over Sumatra killed more than 1,000 people in three provinces, officials continue to face pressure to review companies operating in forests and watersheds.
- In West Sumatra province, environmental officials point to sanctions issued against quarries operating near Mount Sariak, a short distance to the north of Padang, the provincial capital.
- However, West Sumatra is a mountainous province larger than Switzerland, with many extractive areas operating in forests that can take inspectors at least a day to reach from the provincial capital.
- At least 267 people were killed in West Sumatra, with 70 people still missing at the time of writing, after Cyclone Senyar struck on Nov. 26 and 27.

Promising breakthrough creates plastics that self-deconstruct on cue: Study
- Plastic pollution is an evolving global environmental crisis. More than 90% of all plastics manufactured end up polluting the environment, where they can harm ecosystems and impact human health. This “take-make-waste” linear manufacturing model stands in contrast to the circularity of natural systems.
- Inspired by the natural, timely breakdown of organic materials like proteins and DNA, chemists at Rutgers University in the U.S. have now modified existing plastics so that they can be programmed to break down into their molecular components at the end of a specific period of time, or in response to a trigger, such as sunlight.
- Historically, plastics manufacturers have faced a trade-off between material strength and degradability, but this innovation could offer the best of both worlds: plastics that retain their strength and durability for exactly as long as their use requires, and then automatically self-deconstruct for disposal or reuse.
- Global plastics treaty talks remain in limbo, but if a final accord places cradle-to-grave responsibility for plastics on manufacturers, then they would have a financial incentive to invest in self-deconstructing technologies, even though such techniques would likely be more costly than current manufacturing methods.

The promise and perils of the 1995 Mekong River Agreement (commentary)
- Thirty years after the 1995 Mekong Agreement, the treaty and the Mekong River Commission have failed to stop cumulative damage to the river from dams, sediment loss, sand mining and altered flows.
- Hydropower expansion and major projects such as Laos’s mainstream dams and Cambodia’s Funan Techo Canal are accelerating ecological decline, harming fisheries, sediment flows and the Tonle Sap–Mekong system despite consultation processes meant to prevent such impacts.
- “This is not cooperation,” the author writes of the agreement. “It is a rat race tearing the Mekong apart.”
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Middle East conflict exposes Africa’s fossil fuel risks & the case for clean energy
A deepening crisis in the Middle East could send economic shockwaves across sub-Saharan Africa, raising fuel costs, food prices and inflation across the region, according to a new analysis by energy consultancy Zero Carbon Analytics. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran, Oman and […]
Can Singapore rewild its lost reptiles?
- Singapore has lost most of its primary forest since the 19th century, and roughly a third of terrestrial vertebrate species have disappeared locally, often through gradual habitat thinning rather than sudden collapse.
- Snakes and lizards show a two-stage pattern of decline tied first to plantation-era deforestation and later to rapid urbanization, with forest specialists hardest hit while adaptable species persist in degraded habitats.
- Despite losses, reptiles have proven relatively resilient; many can survive in disturbed environments, but fragmented populations remain vulnerable and natural recolonization is unlikely across the sea barrier to Malaysia.
- Maturing secondary forests and restoration efforts create conditions for cautious rewilding, and scientists suggest targeted translocation—such as reintroducing the forest gecko Gekko hulk—could restore some lost ecological functions even if the original ecosystem cannot be fully recovered.

Cambodian market survey a snapshot of a resilient — but stressed — Mekong
- In February, an international team of researchers conducted a two-week survey of fish species sold in markets in the Mekong River towns of Stung Treng and Kratie in Cambodia.
- The survey builds on a benchmark set by a 1994 survey in Stung Treng, allowing scientists to detect patterns in the size and diversity of fish being pulled from the river.
- The team identified 130 species, compared with 113 in the 1994 survey; 46 species were newly documented, many of them linked to aquaculture, while 29 species documented in 1994 were not found.
- Survey members say the tally shows the resilience of the Mekong, especially in places like Stung Treng where it remains undammed, but also points to worrying trends such as smaller fish dominating catches.

Indigenous knowledge helps guide conservation of Australia’s endangered northern quoll
- A new study from northern Australia has highlighted the importance of Indigenous cultural and ecological knowledge (ICEK) in conservation efforts of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), an endangered carnivorous marsupial.
- This study, published in Wildlife Research, was led by the Martu people, whose lands lie in the state of Western Australia.
- The study finds that cultural knowledge has helped provide a historical baseline for the northern quoll in areas that were previously undocumented by Western science.
- By integrating cultural knowledge with contemporary conservation strategies, the study shows that culturally and ecologically informed approaches can be developed to conserve northern quoll populations on Martu lands, ensuring the resilience of both the species and the landscapes they inhabit.

Ecuador’s new ecological corridor connects Andes and Amazon ecosystems
- This month, officials in Ecuador announced a 2,159-square-kilometer (833-square mile) biodiversity corridor, connecting Llanganates National Park with Yasuní Biosphere Reserve.
- The Llanganates–Yasuní Connectivity Corridor is unique because it allows “altitudinal connectivity” between the high-elevation Andes mountains and the low-elevation Amazon Rainforest.
- Experts say some species could start to move between the ecosystems in response to climate change and habitat loss.

Mining rush for critical minerals threatens Amazon land reform settlements
- A survey of mining records found dozens of requests for copper, manganese and nickel targeting land reform settlements in northern Brazil’s Carajás region in the last five years.
- The rush for critical minerals is creating potential “sacrifice zones” of contaminated waterways and declining fish populations in the Amazonian settlements.
- These minerals are vital for cars, batteries and war industries, linking increasing global demand to local Amazon conflicts and poverty, despite a local tax boost.

In Malawi, farmers rebuild soil and livelihoods through agroecology
- Climate change and high input costs are worsening food insecurity in Malawi, leaving millions of people vulnerable and soils degraded.
- But a gradual embrace of agroecology is boosting resilience, cutting fertilizer costs by more than 40% and improving yields.
- Local organizations like Small Producers Development and Transporters Association (SPRODETA) are leading farmer training and seed preservation efforts.
- Government support is increasing, but scaling up agroecology nationwide remains a challenge, proponents say.

Study maps tree-planting risks and rewards for climate and biodiversity
- Afforestation and reforestation (AR) have emerged as key climate change mitigation strategies.
- Forestation can be a benefit for biodiversity, but poorly planned projects can do more harm than good.
- A recent study offers a new way of gauging the potential of AR to achieve both carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation, across different biomes.
- The study finds that some biomes have higher potential than others for AR, but considerable variation exists within biomes. The researchers caution that careful planning is needed.

The Cerrado is threatened but crucial for Brazil’s biodiversity & water security (commentary)
- The Cerrado is a massive and biodiverse ecodomain that also plays an important role in carbon storage and water cycling, making it a crucial asset for Brazil.
- Yet more than 55% of the Cerrado’s native vegetation has been lost since the 1970s, and less than 3% is under full protection, far below what is needed to maintain biodiversity and ecological processes.
- Biodiversity loss advances silently, with species disappearing before they are even formally described by science, as several co-authors of a new review article explain.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

David Chivers, student of the singing apes
Field primatology expanded rapidly in the late 20th century as biologists began to study apes and monkeys where they lived rather than only in museums or laboratories. Southeast Asia’s rainforests became an important setting for that shift. Among the researchers who helped shape the discipline there was David Chivers, a British primatologist whose work […]
Critically endangered kākāpō parrot has standout breeding season
A total of 59 healthy kākāpō chicks have hatched over the last few weeks, according to the latest tally by Aotearoa New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. This marks one of the most successful recent breeding seasons for this critically endangered bird, whose last breeding season was four years ago. The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus), a flightless bird […]
U.S.’ hunger for Halloween trinkets is killing Vietnam’s painted woolly bats
- Taxidermied, framed bats are sold as souvenirs in shops across Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City that cater to international tourists, according to a new study documenting the trade.
- Painted woolly bats — one of the world’s most colorful bats, with wings streaked in orange and black — were the top-selling species both in these markets and online, and are in demand as decorations in the U.S.,as well as Europe and Canada.
- Vendors told researchers that most of the painted woolly bats they sold were pulled from the wild. Evidence suggests these mammals have almost disappeared from the country’s Mekong Delta region, partly because of this intensive trade.
- Experts urge Vietnam to outlaw harvest and trade of these bats, and ask that all 11 countries where these bats are found protect them under CITES, a global wildlife trade treaty, to regulate and monitor international sales.

Electrocution, conflict, poaching mark grim start to year for Sumatran elephants
- The office of Indonesia’s state conservation agency in the semiautonomous region of Aceh said an elephant found dead in Central Aceh district on Feb. 20 likely died due to electrocution following contact with an electric fence.
- Local residents in Karang Ampar village told Mongabay that human-elephant encounters have become increasingly frequent. Police in the province of Riau announced they had made multiple arrests over the fatal shooting of an elephant on an industrial palm oil concession.
- One day after the discovery of the deceased female Sumatran elephant in Central Aceh, a farmer in neighboring Bener Meriah district died after being trampled by an elephant near a corn field.
- Indonesia’s state conservation agency in Aceh said the recent Cyclone Senyar may also be driving human-elephant conflict, after floods from the November storm that killed more than 1,000 people across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra disrupted wildlife movement corridors.

Ugandans affected by pipeline discontented over rehabilitation efforts: Report
- In a survey of people impacted by the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline in Uganda, a third of the participants said the livelihood restoration program implemented to rehabilitate them has not improved their lives.
- Project-affected persons say that agricultural inputs given to them were delivered late and that some of the seeds and seedlings were of poor quality with low germination rates.
- Some of those who received cash compensation to purchase alternative land said the compensation was inadequate and they were unable to buy land plots of similar sizes to those they had lost to the pipeline.
- People living along the pipeline route expressed concerns about safety, environmental risks and potential loss of property value.

Thailand tightens embrace of fossil fuels amid Middle East conflict
On March 4, Thailand’s government ordered the Ministry of Energy to secure new energy sources within a week to reduce the nation’s reliance on Middle Eastern oil. The directive follows the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, after the Feb. 28 bombing of Iran by the U.S. […]
Precision conservation: the rise of place-specific strategies where protection works best
- A recent perspective by Spake et al. (2025) argues that conservation could be more effective if interventions were tailored to specific places, using data and causal analysis to predict where actions will deliver the greatest benefits rather than relying on average results across landscapes. The approach, termed “precision ecology,” draws inspiration from precision medicine but focuses on ecosystems rather than individuals.
- Many conservation practices already incorporate elements of targeted action, including spatial prioritization, adaptive management, remote sensing–guided interventions, and payments for ecosystem services directed toward critical areas. The new framework seeks to refine these approaches by emphasizing measurable impact relative to what would happen without intervention.
- Implementing such precision at scale faces significant constraints, including uneven data availability, measurement error, complex ecological interactions, and social and political realities that influence where projects can occur. Large programs often favor standardized methods, while effective management typically depends on local conditions and knowledge.
- Advocates argue that more precise targeting could help stretch limited conservation funding further, but caution that models can create an illusion of certainty and may not capture the full complexity of real-world systems. Rather than replacing existing strategies, precision approaches are likely to complement them as part of a broader shift toward evidence-informed conservation.

Pascale Moehrle pressed Europe to take its seas seriously
- Pascale Moehrle, who led Oceana’s European office from 2019 to 2025, spent more than four decades working on wildlife conservation and ocean policy.
- Her death was announced by Oceana on March 4, 2026.
- Moehrle pushed European governments to follow scientific advice on fisheries, curb destructive fishing practices and enforce protections in marine protected areas.
- Her work focused on turning Europe’s commitments on ocean protection into practical policy that could restore marine ecosystems and sustain fisheries.

200 dead, more missing in another DRC mine collapse
More than 200 people have died and dozens are missing after a landslide on March 3 at the Kasasa site in the Rubaya mining area in Masisi territory, North Kivu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. “I saw the ground collapse and [bury] many people who were there. I can’t say exactly how many, […]
Restoration of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest may hinge on market for native plants
- Brazil’s Atlantic Forest is one of the richest biomes on the planet, hosting around 5% of Earth’s vertebrate species, but deforestation has decimated the region, with less than a quarter of original forests still standing.
- Reforestation efforts provide varying environmental, economic and societal values, also known as bioeconomics.
- New research weighs the economic potential of native plants to bolster the bioeconomics of reforestation projects, supporting conservation efforts and supporting small landowners and Indigenous communities.

Sri Lankan waters under ‘close watch’ following wreckage of Iranian warship
- At least 90 bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the IRIS Dena, an Iranian warship that was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine on March 4.
- The Sri Lanka Navy has spotted oil patches and life rafts during the rescue mission but no oil spill reported so far.
- Maritime experts say Sri Lanka will have an opportunity to raise a claim for environmental damage following the sinking of the frigate.
- If the Indian Ocean island intends to seek damages, the government may have to claim environmental damages through an international tribunal, considering the frigate was sunk under conditions of war.

Nations not on track to meet UN 2030 pesticide risk reduction targets: Study
- New research finds that most countries are trending in the wrong direction when it comes to meeting the U.N.’s 2030 global pesticide risk reduction target, with the goal unlikely to be met without substantial changes to agricultural systems worldwide.
- To determine global pesticide risk, researchers used data on pesticide use from 2013 to 2019 in 65 countries, along with data on the toxicity of 625 pesticides as related to eight different species groups.
- Researchers found that just one country, Chile, is on track to meet the U.N. target of reducing pesticide risk by 50% by 2030. The team noted that while overall ecological toxicity of pesticides is rising worldwide, just four nations — the U.S. Brazil, China and India — accounted for more than half of global total applied toxicity (TAT).
- The researchers also discovered that global pesticide risk is dominated by just a few highly toxic chemicals, and they suggest that if this finding is acted upon, targeted reductions in use of these particular chemicals could be one of the best opportunities for nations to get back on track to meet the 2030 pesticide risk reduction goal.

The rate of global warming is accelerating, study finds
Earth has been steadily warming since the start of the Industrial Revolution, when humans began emitting greenhouse gases at scale. And while the rate of warming has been largely constant for the past half-century, a recent study finds it has accelerated over the last decade — an alarming trend for Earth systems, biodiversity and human […]
Indonesian communities push to reclaim lands following company permit revocations
- In January, the Indonesian government ordered the revocation of PT TPL’s forest utilization permit, along with those of 27 other companies, for allegedly violating environmental and forestry regulations that contributed to deadly floods and landslides in November 2025.
- Twenty-nine communities whose customary lands overlap with the pulpwood company’s concession are demanding the return of 37,219 hectares after decades of conflict with the enterprise. Some people have reoccupied lands.
- According to officials, the state-owned investment agency Danantara will take over the companies’ concessions, but community leaders say the legal status of customary lands and forests is still unclear after meetings with government officials.
- Community leaders and NGOs have drafted next steps for the lands, including reforestation following decades of eucalyptus plantations and land titling.

This bird is disappearing from Indonesia’s forests for its song
The rising popularity of songbird singing competitions in Indonesia has led to the dramatic decline of the white-rumped shama, a bird known locally as murai batu. Mongabay Indonesia video contributor Rizky Maulana Yanuar recently reported that keeping such birds is deeply rooted in local culture. In Javanese society, a man is considered to be successful […]
Climate or biodiversity? Global study maps out forestation’s dilemma
- A new study maps areas designated for potential carbon dioxide removal projects, such as planting forests or bioenergy crops, that might conflict with biodiversity hotspots.
- Such climate strategies could harm species if they change existing ecosystems or use too much land.
- The study points to the importance of more careful site selection for these projects.
- The authors of the study also note the importance of reducing humanity’s CO2 emissions, rather than relying solely on removing CO2 from the atmosphere later on.

Antarctic krill sustainability label questioned
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently released a draft report for its fourth recertification of krill fishing in Antarctica by Aker QRILL Company. The certification would allow Aker to put an MSC label on its products that tells consumers the krill came from a sustainable well-managed fishery. However, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), […]
Satellite images identify vulture breeding colonies by their droppings
- A new study reveals that colonies of critically endangered Rüppell’s vultures are visible via satellite images.
- A group of researchers scanned more than 6 million square kilometers (2.3 million square miles) in seven countries in East and Central Africa to look for the tell-tale whitewash formed by droppings deposited by the birds beneath their nests.
- In all, the team pinpointed 232 potential nesting sites, mostly in Sudan, South Sudan and Chad.
- Following declines of more than 90% for the species over the past 40 years, knowing where Rüppell’s vultures nest can help conservationists ensure their protection.

25 years after ‘disaster’ declaration, major U.S. fishery makes a comeback
- In 2000, the U.S. commerce secretary declared the groundfish fishery on the U.S. West Coast a “disaster,” with 10 key species overfished to below a quarter of their healthy levels.
- Fisheries authorities empowered by federal conservation laws took drastic action: They cut off vast tracts of the ocean to trawling, slashed fishing quotas and bought fishing vessels to remove them from operation. Many fishers were thrown into painful retirement.
- Careful management and innovation in the intervening years has led to a remarkable turnaround: In October 2025, fishery officials declared the last of the 10 overfished species to be rebuilt, years earlier than expected, and fishers have catches they thought would never be possible again.
- Even so, fishers’ profits have been low, and experts worry that key conservation programs could lose their teeth to cost-cutting measures and deregulation.

Bringing storytelling to science: John Cannon’s approach to reporting on nature
- John Cannon is a staff features writer at Mongabay, where he has reported since 2014.
- Cannon says that what inspires him is the chance to tell stories that connect conservation science with the daily lives of people affected by climate change, deforestation and land dispossession.
- He values curiosity, collaboration and the power of storytelling, and is especially proud of his reporting on carbon credit projects in Borneo and entanglement threats to endangered northern right whales.
- This interview is part of Inside Mongabay, a series that spotlights the people who bring environmental and conservation stories to life across our global newsroom.

Climate change is messing with tropical plants’ flowering times, study shows
The flowering times for many plant species have shifted due to climate change, with most of the change occurring in temperate zones. Researchers assumed the tropics, which are largely the same temperature year-round, would be insulated from such climate change-driven changes to flowering times. However, a new study challenges that assumption. Researchers examined more than […]
Seafood fraud is rampant, imperiling fish populations, report finds
- Up to roughly 20% of aquatic products are intentionally mislabeled as the wrong species or otherwise fraudulent, posing environmental and health risks, according to a new report.
- Inaccurate representation of species is one of the most frequent forms of fraud, the report says.
- Other cons include misrepresenting place of origin or eco-certification status, and adulterating a product to affect its weight or appearance of freshness.
- The report calls for governments and industry stakeholders to establish better traceability systems, use advanced detection methods, and educate the public. An NGO expert says government action on traceability is key.

A sanctuary… for glacier ice?
Scientists in Antarctica have just inaugurated the first global repository of mountain ice cores. As the climate crisis melts glaciers all around the world, this frozen vault aims to preserve the history of the Earth’s atmosphere for future generations to study.
Beetle known for ravaging mango trees now killing baobabs, study finds
- Researchers say baobabs face a potential new threat from the mango stem borer, a beetle long known to devastate other trees.
- The warning comes from research in Oman, where scientists found the pest had killed six baobabs and severely infested a dozen more in a small valley population.
- Authorities there are fighting the infestation with pesticides, light traps and manual removal of larvae from the trees.
- Scientists note that similar infestations have not yet been recorded in other countries where baobabs grow.

DNA fingerprinting convicts Zimbabwe lion poachers in landmark case
- Prosecutors in Zimbabwe used lion DNA forensics for the first time to successfully convict two people for poaching and trafficking a male lion near Hwange National Park.
- Investigators analyzed DNA from confiscated lion parts and were able to match it to a radio-collared lion in their database that was killed in 2024.
- Proving that the seized parts came from a poached wild lion provided the evidence that sent the two poachers to prison for two years.
- Experts say DNA forensics provide invaluable proof in hard-to-prosecute wildlife crimes, and this recent conviction sets a precedent for bringing poachers to justice in court using the forensic technology.

Archived camera-trap images bring Thailand’s tapirs into focus
Archived camera-trapping images have revealed a new stronghold for Asian tapirs in Khlong Seang–Khao Sok Forest Complex, in southern Thailand. Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan reports that a recent study found camera-trap “bycatch” data — images of species that researchers hadn’t intended to photograph — can be used to monitor Asian tapirs (Tapirus indicus). The camera traps […]
Emotional and psychological stresses beleaguer conservation professionals (commentary)
- The well-being of conservationists has never been a priority in the sector, but new cultural norms and expectations of this workforce are urgently needed.
- The unhealthy culture of self-sacrifice coupled with growing pressure within the sector — driven by the worsening ecological crisis and changes in the funding and geopolitical landscape — are driving a crisis of poor mental health and well-being among conservationists.
- Yet change is possible with investment in the well-being of the conservation workforce, through the implementation of evidence-based interventions that promote individual and team well-being, which can lead to improvements in well-being, performance and retention.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Across South America, canopy bridges evolve as a lifeline for tree-dwelling wildlife
- In the Amazon and Atlantic forests, field research is seeking new ways to understand the behavior of mammals like monkeys and sloths that depend on the treetops to move around and survive in different types of vegetation.
- Using photographic equipment on artificial bridges — whose ropes, nets and platforms are intertwined with trees to protect wildlife — researchers are mapping fauna in both continuous forests and fragmented areas, providing new scientific insights.
- Experts working to reduce the risks of roadkill and species’ isolation in fragmented forest areas say studies are crucial to improving the installation of artificial crossings over highways.

Attention is scarce. Storytelling strategy matters more than ever
Environmental journalism has long struggled with a practical problem: how to make distant ecological change feel relevant to people whose daily lives are shaped by more immediate concerns. Scientific reports document trends in temperature, biodiversity and land use with increasing precision, yet such findings often fail to travel far beyond specialist audiences. Video, once expensive […]
Colombia’s coffee industry well placed but wary as EU deforestation rule looms
- About a quarter of coffee exports from Colombia, the world’s No. 3 producer, go to Europe, which means coffee companies need to prepare to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which should enter into force at the end of this year.
- Colombia’s Coffee Information System (SICA), a georeferenced database managed by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC), contains detailed records on around 1.8 million coffee lots and socioeconomic data on nearly 500,000 coffee-growing families, most of them smallholders.
- This long-established system could help Colombian coffee growers demonstrate compliance with EUDR, placing them ahead of competitors in Africa and parts of Asia.
- Nevertheless, while many large companies say they’re prepared for the EUDR, small-scale farmers, including Indigenous coffee growers, often have limited knowledge about the requirements and are less prepared to comply.

Proposed shark net near Club Med resort in South Africa sparks conservation clash
- A proposal by municipal authorities in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province to install shark nets at a public beach has triggered a public debate about the need to install gear that’s highly lethal to sharks and other marine life, and raised questions about its legality.
- The proposal, which authorities say will protect beachgoers from shark attacks, was made in anticipation of increased visitor numbers to Tinley Manor Beach once a new Club Med resort opens in the area later this year.
- Some scientists and environmentalists argue that shark nets and drum lines are outdated as they cull and kill nontarget species indiscriminately, including those protected under South African law.
- South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said it’s considering whether installing the net should trigger an environmental impact assessment. Some experts also question the legality of existing nets.

Falling Amazon river flows trigger reality check at Belo Monte power plant
- Studies warn that climate change could slash hydropower generation across the Amazon by up to 40%, with controversial Belo Monte among the most exposed plants in Brazil.
- Researchers and regulators say relying on historical river flows is no longer viable as droughts intensify and rainfall patterns drop.
- Belo Monte’s operator argues the plant remains strategic for Brazil’s energy security, despite growing climate risks.

Counting bats in the dark
How do you count and keep track of bats? Advances in videography, including thermal cameras, have made it easier to spot bats. But these animals move fast, travel in big groups and are often found in the dark — making analysis of the data a tough task. Scientists have developed a new software called Thrutracker […]
Indonesia farmers count the costs as rains wash out Java durian harvest
- In a quiet village in central Java, farmers report that their durian fruit trees have failed to bear fruit amid local anxieties over climate change and other environmental shifts.
- Every year farmers around Plana village plant a type of durian known as the Kromo, named after a returning Islamic pilgrim whose durian trees produced unusually large fruit, which people here prize for its heightened flavor profile.
- Peer-reviewed research and official comment by Indonesia’s state meteorology agency, the BMKG, shows fruit growers in Java may face declining yields in the future amid increasingly erratic weather.

Paul Brainerd turned computers into printing presses and fortune into conservation
- Paul Brainerd helped invent desktop publishing as a co-founder of Aldus and the force behind PageMaker, then redirected his wealth toward environmental and civic work in the Pacific Northwest.
- In 1995 he launched the Brainerd Foundation to fund conservation policy, place-based protection, and the organizational capacity needed to sustain long campaigns.
- He backed models of engaged, hands-on giving, helping start Social Venture Partners, and supported environmental education through IslandWood on Bainbridge Island, with later work extending to a regenerative lodge project in New Zealand.
- He chose to spend down his foundation rather than endow it in perpetuity, arguing for urgency and near-term effectiveness, and he died on February 15, 2026, at 78.

How the ‘wrong story’ ends up harming nature, and how we can change it
Indigenous scholar Tyson Yunkaporta (Apalech clan (Wik) Lostmob Nungar) joins the Mongabay Newscast to detail the Aboriginal perspectives behind his latest book, Right Story, Wrong Story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking. The book explains how stories shape society, how they can harm us and the environment, and how they may save our species and the natural […]
Cameroon’s decade of conflict leaves apes and conservationists in peril
- Dozens of protected areas in Cameroon’s anglophone regions, including parks that are home to great apes and other threatened species, have been swept up in a decade-long armed conflict between government forces and separatist militias.
- The ongoing conflict has blocked conservationists’ access to forests, and exposed conservationists, local civilians and the region’s wildlife to violence.
- Displaced people have turned to farming and hunting in forests in order to survive, while militias also hunt and camp in the forest.
- Conservationists have explored new strategies to keep their work alive, including working with local citizen scientists, but say the task of rebuilding organizations in the midst of a humanitarian crisis is huge.

No grid, no problem: How Amazon communities built their own power systems
Near Brazil’s Belo Monte dam, one of the world’s largest hydropower projects, the promise of abundant electricity has proved uneven. A household survey of 500 families in Altamira found that 86.8% experienced higher electricity costs after the plant began operating in 2016. Many riverside residents still endure outages, pay steep tariffs or rely on diesel […]
Malaysia renews Lynas Rare Earths’ license for 10 years, orders end to radioactive waste by 2031
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s government renewed Australian miner Lynas Rare Earths’ operating license for 10 years but will require it to stop producing radioactive waste by 2031. The Lynas refinery in Malaysia, its first outside China producing minerals that are crucial for high-tech manufacturing, has been operating in central Pahang state since 2012. […]
Concern among Indigenous leaders, relief for a few, as Amazon Soy Moratorium falters
- Mongabay spoke with various stakeholders across Brazil’s political spectrum on what the possible unraveling of the Amazon Soy Moratorium, a key zero-deforestation agreement, may mean for Indigenous peoples and their lands.
- Most Indigenous leaders say a weakening or end to the moratorium will increase deforestation, pollution and invasions of their lands — as satellite imagery points to advancing forest loss near one territory — while a few leaders see this as an economic opportunity that will allow them to sell soy farmed on their lands without any penalties.
- As cracks form in the 20-year-old moratorium, the environment ministry says existing deforestation policies still stand and that given potential impacts on Indigenous lands, environmental enforcement and control mechanisms remain active and strengthened.
- The government of the state of Mato Grosso says the moratorium created an unfair legal framework, while soy industry association Abiove said Brazil can still maintain high socioenvironmental standards without it. Both did not address whether there are potential impacts on Indigenous lands.

New mapping approach predicts habitat availability for species conservation
- A new habitat mapping framework combines various data sets to visualize where species live, and predict potential habitats for the future.
- The Act Green project combines remote sensing with field data and inputs from experts to map habitat availability for four species.
- The data set can help conservationists identify areas that need immediate protection, as well as potential habitats that could be used for restoration and rewilding efforts.

China’s Pacific squid fishery rife with labor, fishing abuses: Report
- A new report from U.K.-based NGO the Environmental Justice Foundation draws on interviews with 81 fishers, mainly Indonesian sailors who worked between 2021 and 2025 on 60 Chinese vessels targeting jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas) in the Southeast Pacific Ocean.
- It documents frequent labor abuses affecting crew members, including several indicators of forced labor as described by the International Labour Organization.
- The report also documents regular shark finning, targeted hunting of marine mammals, and involvement in suspected illegal fishing incidents, often inside Ecuador, Peru or Chile’s exclusive economic zones.
- The report was launched days before the annual meeting of the commission of the South Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organisation, the intergovernmental body that manages the fishery. Officials with fishing organizations mentioned in the report and members of China’s delegation to the meeting did not respond to Mongabay’s request for comment on the report.

Birds are changing — and Indigenous memory is the longest record we have
- A global study drawing on Indigenous and local knowledge across three continents finds that bird communities have shifted toward smaller-bodied species over the past 80 years, suggesting a substantial loss of larger birds even in places with little formal monitoring.
- Traditional ecological knowledge, built through daily interaction with landscapes over generations, can reveal long-term environmental changes that scientific datasets — often only decades deep — fail to capture.
- Because larger species tend to be more vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and environmental stress, a shift toward smaller birds may signal deeper ecological restructuring rather than a simple decline in numbers.
- Integrating lived experience with scientific methods offers a fuller picture of environmental change, highlighting that some of the earliest warnings come from people who depend most directly on the natural world.

Brazilian police seize more than 1.5 metric tons of shark fins
Brazilian authorities seized more than 1.5 metric tons of shark fins in Rodelas, Bahia state, on Feb. 12, uncovering what they allege is a Chinese run syndicate. They arrested seven people, including three Chinese nationals, in the raid at a rural processing site. Shark species such as the vulnerable Atlantic nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and […]
Local communities are conservation’s most undervalued asset (commentary)
- Conservationists will gather this week for the 5th Business of Conservation Congress in Nairobi, and one talking point there will be focusing finance toward local communities, since that is not only important for achieving equity but also a practical strategy for achieving sustainable and successful outcomes.
- Although community-led conservation programs are genuinely shown to be more efficient, that advantage should also extend to conservation finance.
- But if conservation finance does not shift, and if communities and the organizations that serve them are not brought in as partners even as biodiversity losses continue, the authors of a new op-ed argue that “the trajectory we are on will not change.”
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

World’s smallest possum may live beyond its known range in Australia
New evidence of the world’s smallest possum has emerged hundreds of kilometers from where it’s known to occur in southern Australia — a finding that potentially extends the range of this locally threatened species. Pygmy possums are a group of tiny, mouse-sized marsupials that live in open woodlands, heathlands and scrub. They feed on nectar, […]
Deadly landfill collapse exposes risks faced by Philippines’ waste pickers
- A catastrophic dumpsite collapse buried scavengers collecting recyclables at a landfill in the Philippines’ Rizal province on Feb. 20, following a similar incident in Cebu in January that killed 36 people.
- So far, one person has been officially confirmed dead and two missing, but eyewitnesses say as many as 50 people were trapped under mounds of waste.
- Across the Philippines, scavengers pay a fee to dumpsite operators to be allowed to search for plastic and metal waste they can sell for recycling.
- Environmental authorities found “operational lapses” at the site following an initial investigation, and have issued a cease and desist order to the operator.

America’s national parks face an uncertain future as climate risks mount
- A nationwide analysis finds most U.S. national parks are highly vulnerable to climate change, with many facing risks of irreversible ecological transformation rather than gradual decline. Wildfire, drought, pests, and sea-level rise are converging to reshape landscapes the parks were created to preserve.
- Vulnerability is uneven: parks in the Midwest and eastern United States tend to face the greatest cumulative risk due to fragmented habitats, pollution, invasive species, and limited capacity for ecosystems to adapt. Many western parks appear more resilient but are exposed to multiple severe disturbances at once.
- Coastal parks are threatened by rising seas and storm surge, while inland forests face compound stresses that can trigger long-term shifts from forest to shrubland or grassland. Once such transitions occur, returning to previous ecological conditions may be impossible.
- As climate pressures intensify and policy responses weaken, park managers are shifting from preserving historical conditions to managing ongoing transformation. America’s parks may increasingly serve less as static sanctuaries and more as living records of how nature reorganizes under accelerating change.

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