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Zambia seizes half-ton of ivory in major illegal wildlife crime operation 28 Mar 2026 01:38:01 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/zambia-seizes-half-ton-of-ivory-in-major-illegal-wildlife-crime-operation/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Charles Mpaka content:encoded: On March 9, wildlife authorities in Zambia arrested 10 people in possession of 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds) of ivory, according to the U.K.-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which provided intelligence that led to the arrests. EIA said the case highlights the impact that international cooperation can have in the fight against the illegal trade of wildlife. In a Mar. 19 statement, the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) said police raided several locations in the capital, Lusaka, leading to the arrest of members of a cross-border wildlife crime syndicate, including a foreign national, who is believed to be the buyer of the ivory. “Notably, some of the apprehended suspects are repeat offenders who have previously been convicted for wildlife-related crimes, highlighting the persistent challenge posed by illegal wildlife trafficking networks,” DNPW said in a statement. The suspects have been charged with unlawful possession of a prescribed trophy but have not yet appeared before a court. In an email, the EIA’s executive director, Mary Rice, told Mongabay that governments are becoming more receptive to collaborating closely with nongovernmental agencies such as EIA. “There are more examples of embedded partnerships where NGOs work directly with a mandated authority to tackle illegal wildlife trade.” These growing partnerships, which in some cases include financial support, have helped disrupt trafficking networks and secure convictions, she said. She highlighted a three-year collaboration involving EIA, Interpol, China Customs, Tanzania, Mozambique and Nigeria. In May 2017, the group busted the Shuidong ivory smuggling network, one of…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: On March 9, wildlife authorities in Zambia arrested 10 people in possession of 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds) of ivory, according to the U.K.-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which provided intelligence that led to the arrests. EIA said the case highlights the impact that international cooperation can have in the fight against the illegal trade of […] authors: | ||
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A Kenyan ranger’s lasting imprint on Africa’s anti-poaching efforts 27 Mar 2026 19:02:39 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-kenyan-rangers-lasting-imprint-on-africas-anti-poaching-efforts/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Lynet Otieno content:encoded: As John Tanui was being laid to rest in Kenya’s Rift Valley on March 25, stories and praise poured in for a man people would have loved to have lived longer. Tanui served as a security communications officer at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya from 1995 to 2024. He helped transform the operations of the anti-poaching and ranger teams, the conservancy stated in an impact report published in 2017. He also had an impressive knowledge of wildlife and birds and often served as a guide to Lewa’s guests. Despite decades of fieldwork, Tanui never lost his sense of wonder for wildlife. One evening, he and a visitor watched a group of lions climbing around on a fallen tree. Tanui’s awe at the lions’ agility captured the attention of the visitor, Jes Lefcourt, director of the conservation NGO EarthRanger. “I’ve never seen him as excited as when watching the lions. That’s what true love and dedication looks like,” Lefcourt said in a statement he shared after Tanui’s death from a blood clot complication. Tanui met and briefed many visitors, including actors, politicians and icons like David Attenborough, an English broadcaster, author and naturalist. Commonly referred to as “Tango,” Tanui spent three decades protecting wildlife at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, but his conservation work extended beyond Kenya, as he collaborated with international NGOs including EarthRanger and Tusk. The knowledge he gathered placed him at the intersection of tradition and innovation, as he helped to bring modern tools into ranger operations. According to…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: As John Tanui was being laid to rest in Kenya’s Rift Valley on March 25, stories and praise poured in for a man people would have loved to have lived longer. Tanui served as a security communications officer at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya from 1995 to 2024. He helped transform the operations of the […] authors: | ||
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Open-air markets: hotspots for a lethal virus infecting macaws and parrots 27 Mar 2026 18:05:00 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/open-air-markets-hotspots-for-a-lethal-virus-infecting-macaws-and-parrots/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Fernanda Wenzel content:encoded: In October 2025, environmental officers arrived unannounced at the Parangaba Fair that takes place every Sunday in Fortaleza, in northeastern Brazil. The market, also known as the Bird Fair, had a reputation for illegally selling small birds, parrots and macaws. During that Sunday’s operation, agents seized 271 birds and transported them in groups to the Wildlife Screening Center (CETAS) in Fortaleza. There, confiscated wildlife is rehabilitated for possible reintroduction to the wild. These rescue and rehab centers are managed by Brazil’s federal environmental agency, IBAMA. Within days, some small, multicolored African lovebirds, from the genus Agapornis began to sicken — and die. Targeted by the pet trade, these parrots sometimes carry circovirus, a genus of viruses that afflict a wide range of birds. It was a growing crisis.“The [seized] birds kept arriving and tests were being conducted, and then they started coming back positive,” said Fernanda Gaia, IBAMA’s environmental analyst at the center. The diagnosis triggered a red alert: the hundreds of birds housed at CETAS were at risk. Staff isolated the sick birds. IBAMA agents seize birds sold illegally at the Parangaba Fair in Fortaleza. Image courtesy of Daiane Cortes/IBAMA. Then, in January 2026, there was another scare. Two turquoise-fronted Amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva) were diagnosed with avian polyomavirus. This disease, first discovered in Canada and the U.S. in the 1980s, acts much like circovirus. To prevent further infections, IBAMA closed the Fortaleza CETAS to new bird arrivals for 90 days. “With the detection in more species, both with…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Environmental officers detected circovirus in birds seized from a market in Brazil’s northeast, signaling a new and dangerous means of transmission for a deadly avian disease. - The outbreak was discovered at a government wildlife rehabilitation center where the birds were taken, putting animals housed there — and being prepared for return to the wild — at risk. - In October 2025, the virus was detected in Spix’s macaws, which were declared extinct in the wild in 2019 but are being bred and rewilded in Brazil’s Bahia state. - Experts warn of the need for rigorous monitoring and quarantine at rescue and rehabilitation centers, but some facilities don’t have veterinarians on staff. authors: | ||
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A world in bloom: Spring flowers unfold from Tokyo to Mexico, in photos 27 Mar 2026 17:25:25 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-world-in-bloom-spring-flowers-unfold-from-tokyo-to-mexico-in-photos/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: From soft peach to vivid pink and purple blooms, spring arrives in a burst of color across the Northern Hemisphere. In Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, streets and parks are awash in a sea of cherry blossoms. Across the plains of Greece’s largest peach-producing region, orchards unfurl like a pink veil over the landscape, while in London parks burst into bloom. And each spring, a purple haze of blossoming jacaranda trees brightens Mexico City. A wild ring-necked parakeet eats blossoms in St. James’s Park in London, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) People enjoy a picnic among the blooming peach trees at an event to encourage the public to visit the blossoms near the city of Veria, northern Greece, on Sunday, March 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) A woman is standing under a blooming magnolia tree during a sunny spring Monday in a park in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) A canopy of purple jacaranda blossoms hangs over Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) A bumblebee collects pollen from an Anemone Coronaria in Hyde Park in London, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Members of the Mississippi National Gard patrol among the cherry blossom trees along the tidal basin on the National Mall on Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) Banner image: Visitors take picture along a pathway lined with blooming peach blossoms at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China, Monday, March 23, 2026, as…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: From soft peach to vivid pink and purple blooms, spring arrives in a burst of color across the Northern Hemisphere. In Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, streets and parks are awash in a sea of cherry blossoms. Across the plains of Greece’s largest peach-producing region, orchards unfurl like a pink veil over the landscape, while in […] authors: | ||
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A South African reserve shows how carbon can catalyze rewilding conservation 27 Mar 2026 17:06:59 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/a-south-african-reserve-shows-how-carbon-can-catalyze-rewilding-conservation/ author: Terna Gyuse dc:creator: John Cannon content:encoded: TSWALU KALAHARI RESERVE, South Africa — From high on a promontory in the Korannaberg Mountains, a mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) peers down to the west across the green-dappled plain below, the sun rising behind. In the distance, wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) hunt in the veld, verdant after early rains. And nearby, white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum) graze among thorny thickets. These species, and dozens more, persist here thanks to a decades-long effort to rewild a sliver of Southern Africa’s great desert and dry savanna. The Tswalu Kalahari Reserve has become a sanctuary for rare and threatened animals, drawing in a steady stream of well-heeled tourists from around the globe. More recently, the reserve’s managers have embarked on a quest to increase the carbon stored in its soils — a quest that relies heavily on the reserve’s animals. At first glance, places like Tswalu might not seem suited for stockpiling carbon. The Tswana people call this part of the world Kgalagadi — “the waterless place.” Fickle precipitation in the Kalahari averages a scant 10-50 centimeters (4-20 inches) annually, and much less in some years. That means the comparative lushness here in late 2025 could evaporate if the rains don’t carry on throughout the austral summer of the Southern Hemisphere. To date, most nature-based carbon storage efforts have focused on fast-growing tropical forests, expanding native or plantation tree cover that draws carbon out of the atmosphere. Soil carbon, by contrast, is slower to accumulate, and it’s more laborious and expensive to monitor.…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Managers have spent decades expanding Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in South Africa to its present 118,000-hectare (292,000-acre) size and bringing native species to the former livestock rangelands that have been incorporated into the reserve. - In addition to providing a home for wildlife species at the high-end safari reserve, Tswalu is also measuring the impact on soil carbon stores in the dry savanna ecosystem. - Research has shown that careful application of rewilding can potentially bring carbon benefits, effectively addressing biodiversity loss and climate change together, though the results depend on contexts and the complex dynamics of soil ecosystems. - Tswalu has begun selling carbon credits, which it says will help fund continued conservation on the reserve. authors: | ||
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Investigation of permit violations in South Africa’s shark fishery pending 27 Mar 2026 12:54:13 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/investigation-of-permit-violations-in-south-africas-shark-fishery-pending/ author: Terna Gyuse dc:creator: Victoria Schneider content:encoded: Following an October 2025 Mongabay report of the shark fishing vessel Zanette violating the conditions of its permit to catch endangered sharks, the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) announced that it would consider suspending or revoking the permit. The Zanette mainly fishes for smoothhound sharks (Mustelus mustelus) and soupfin sharks (Galeorhinus galeus), two species that are listed as endangered and critically endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red List. Both species have suffered steep declines in South Africa and worldwide due to overfishing. In November 2025, both were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, restricting their international trade. “The health of our oceans depends on the rule of law being upheld at sea,” former Fisheries Minister Dion George said in the statement, stressing that enforcing the law is a prerequisite for protecting the country’s marine ecosystems as well as coastal communities. In June 2025, the DFFE fined the shark longliner Zanette 2,500 rand, the equivalent of $145, after its crew was observed cutting off the heads and fins of sharks at sea, a contravention to the strict regulations of its permit conditions. Marine biologist Enrico Gennari took photos of the incident and alerted the fisheries department. Gennari also documented the vessel catching sharks outside the required size limits and failing to correctly deploy bird scaring lines. The Zanette’s crew catching a shark below the minimum length of 70 centimeters (27.5 inches). Image courtesy of Enrico Gennari. In his report,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - In June 2025, South African authorities fined a shark fishing vessel caught violating its permit conditions. - It is not the first time the country’s small shark fishery has made headlines, including for breaches of conditions by fishing in protected areas and illegally cutting heads and fins off of its catch, preventing effective monitoring. - In October, the fisheries department said it would consider further action; no updates have been made public, but satellite data suggest the Zanette has fished inside a marine protected areas on at least four occasions since then. authors: | ||
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Climate change tests Nepal’s wild and domesticated yaks 27 Mar 2026 09:11:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/climate-change-tests-nepals-wild-and-domesticated-yaks/ author: Abhaya Raj Joshi dc:creator: Sonam Lama Hyolmo content:encoded: KATHMANDU — In the rugged mountains of the Dolpo region in western Nepal, Youngdung Jhama Lama spent her childhood herding nagton (domesticated yaks) across the vast alpine pastures. Two decades on, mobile herding has greatly changed. “We only have four yaks left now,” said the 24-year-old resident of Vijer (Tra) village in Nepal’s largest and remotest district, Dolpa. For traditional herders such as Lama, rearing yaks (Bos grunniens), valued for transport, meat and wool, is becoming challenging due to rising costs, climate change, lack of local markets for yak produce, frequent spread of diseases and other socioeconomic pressures. This has not only increased challenges for domesticated yaks, but also for their wild cousins (Bos mutus). “My family sold dozens of them in the neighboring Mustang district last fall because it was more labor-intensive and costly to rear them, and we had limited kharka (pastureland/rangeland) to graze them,” Lama said. Many young people across the Himalayan rangelands are leaving for better opportunities in big cities or abroad, creating a shortage of labor. According to the National Population and Housing Census 2021 Internal Migration in Nepal report, in the country’s mountains, in-migration increased from 9,698 (2.2%) in 1971 to 75,542 (2.4%) in 2021, but excess out-migration resulted in a negative net migration of -543,966 by 2021. According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), climate change is affecting Himalayan high-altitude ecosystems used for grazing. It is altering how water circulates in these landscapes, changing the timing and availability of moisture.…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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In Nepal, calls for reform grow louder in buffer zones 27 Mar 2026 08:51:39 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/in-nepal-calls-for-reform-grow-louder-in-buffer-zones/ author: Abhaya Raj Joshi dc:creator: Mukesh Pokhrel content:encoded: BARDIYA, Nepal — Mewa Lal Pulami, along with other residents from his village on the fringes of Banke National Park in western Nepal, abstained from voting in the recent parliamentary elections held on March 5, 2026. “How can we vote when no one is paying attention to our suffering from wild animals such as tigers?” Pulami said to Mongabay over the phone as the mass abstention made headlines across the country. Nepalis such as Pulami live in the ‘buffer zone’ — a designated ‘protective layer’ for national parks where local people’s collection and use of natural resources are governed by separate laws and regulations. The villagers are demanding an urgent overhaul of the program to address human-wildlife conflict, access to resources, excessive bureaucratic power of park wardens, chronic infrastructure deprivation, and growing economic injustice. When it was rolled out in 1996, the buffer zone program aimed to increase community participation and ownership in conservation of iconic species such as tigers (Panthera tigris) and rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) in the plains and snow leopards (Panther uncia) in the mountains. However, 30 years on, the buffer zones, covering 5,602 square kilometers (2,163 square miles) and 1.2 million people, aren’t as popular among some residents in the plains who say it’s time to revisit or even scrap the whole program. Around 380 kilometers (236 miles) east of Bardiya, for 52-year-old Laxmi Dhakal from one of the communities living around Nepal’s oldest national park, Chitwan, the iconic one-horned rhinoceros has become a symbol of suffering.…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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New strategy to reverse Kenya’s shark decline tries to bring fishers on board 27 Mar 2026 07:00:59 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-strategy-to-reverse-kenyas-shark-decline-tries-to-bring-fishers-on-board/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Anthony Langat content:encoded: NAIROBI — On Kenya’s eastern coast, a small-scale fisher lugs the day’s catch onto a table for processing and selling. Chances are, mostly threatened species like the scalloped hammerhead shark and the white-spotted guitarfish will appear on the table. This is just one example of a wider trend, conservationists say, of how deeply intertwined the fate of endangered sharks and rays is with fishers making a living in the Western Indian Ocean. In February, to lay out an actionable working plan for shark and ray conservation in Kenya, a group of policymakers, scientists and a community leader published a 19-goal strategy. In it, are over a dozen that directly involve small-scale fishers or try to get them on board to make it a success. The goals include the creation of more locally managed marine areas, the involvement of fishers in conservation decision-making and calls for more effective enforcement of regulations on fishing gear and fishing of endangered species. Since 2023, Kenya has already had a policy on the conservation of sharks and rays — the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA-Sharks). However, the action plan is still awaiting government approval. The strategy proposed by stakeholders proposes a way to implement it. Scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini), photographed in Yonaguni, Japan. According to a study, the species is frequently caught by small-scale fishers in Kenya. Image by Masayuki Agawa via Ocean Image Bank. A dozen stakeholders, Kenya’s Fisheries Service and the IUCN Species Conservation Planning…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A new strategy by government agencies, scientists and coastal community members proposes a working plan of 19 goals to reverse the steep decline of sharks and rays in Kenya. - As small-scale fishers have a lot of influence on the marine species’ populations, most of the goals directly involve fishers or try to get them on board to make the conservation strategy a success. - Goals include alternative fishing gear, different livelihoods to reduce fishing pressure, increasing the number of locally managed marine areas, involvement of fishers in conservation decision-making and more effective enforcement. - Community fishing representatives say they are on board with the plan but highlight that a few points, like concrete and viable alternative livelihoods, need to be offered to reach the conservation goals. authors: | ||
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Small ray of hope for Sri Lanka’s sawfish, now feared ‘functionally extinct’ 27 Mar 2026 04:54:20 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/small-ray-of-hope-for-sri-lankas-sawfish-now-feared-functionally-extinct/ author: Dilrukshi Handunnetti dc:creator: Malaka Rodrigo content:encoded: COLOMBO — The sawfish, a large ray, is easily recognized by its long, flattened snout edged with sharp, tooth-like projections that form a distinctive “saw,” technically known as a rostrum. Despite being one of the ocean’s most extraordinary creatures, very little research has been carried out on sawfish in Sri Lanka. This gap in knowledge prompted researchers at the Colombo-based Blue Resources Trust (BRT) to investigate a pressing question: Where have all Sri Lanka’s sawfish gone? Their islandwide survey, interviewing 300 fishers from 21 fishing harbors scattered along Sri Lanka’s coastline led to some alarming findings. None of the fishers under the age of 30 could identify a sawfish from photographs. Among those who had seen one, about half had not encountered a sawfish since 1992, and only 32 reported ever catching one, says Akshay Tanna, a researcher at the Blue Resources Trust. This juvenile sawfish was captured at an estuary in southern Balapitiya, exactly a decade ago, suggesting that refuges still exist where sawfish survive and require protection. Image courtesy of Blue Resources Trust. Older fishers, however, had very different recollections. Many over the age of 50 had encountered sawfish in Sri Lankan waters, suggesting that populations were once far more abundant. Some even remembered using sawfish rostra to construct fences to keep stray dogs away from drying fish, Tanna tells Mongabay. Fishers are often the most reliable source of such historical information, Tanna explains. Even if they had not personally caught a sawfish, news of unusual catches would…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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US-Indonesia trade deal slammed as ‘extractive colonialism’ over mining, fossil fuels 27 Mar 2026 01:31:23 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/us-indonesia-trade-deal-slammed-as-extractive-colonialism-over-mining-fossil-fuels/ author: Hans Nicholas Jong dc:creator: Hans Nicholas Jong content:encoded: JAKARTA — Environmental activists are sounding the alarm over a new trade agreement between the U.S. and Indonesia that they warn could accelerate mining expansion, fossil fuel dependence and forest loss, while offering only weak, nonbinding environmental safeguards. Critics say the deal risks reshaping Indonesia’s development trajectory by prioritizing resource extraction over ecological protection, shifting environmental and social costs onto vulnerable communities. The agreement was signed on Feb. 19 after months of negotiations triggered by the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which imposed a 32% levy on Indonesian exports. However, a day after the signing, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the tariffs, raising questions about the legal and political basis of any deals negotiated in response to a measure that no longer exists. Despite this, the Indonesian government is pushing ahead with the deal. In a March 14 press statement, officials said the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) would remain the main reference point for bilateral trade ties, describing developments including the Supreme Court ruling as domestic matters for the U.S. “At its core, this is a matter of administrative law in their country, so they must follow that investigation process. But our reference remains the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, so we will simply proceed,” said Haryo Limanseto, a spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs. The agreement is set to take effect 90 days after all legal processes are completed in both countries. In Indonesia, that includes consultation with the House of Representatives. Framed in part around…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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A profession built on hope, strained by loss 26 Mar 2026 22:50:49 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/the-emotional-price-of-conservation-work/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: Earlier this month, Jeremy Hance’s “‘An epidemic of suffering’: Why are conservationists breaking down?” and the follow-up commentary “Emotional and psychological stresses beleaguer conservation professionals” by Vik Mohan and Nerissa Chao gave fresh urgency—and language—to a crisis many in conservation have been naming quietly for years. This piece builds on their reporting and reflections, and draws as well on my own earlier work, including “Conservation’s silent strain: Nature’s protectors face a mental health crisis,” along with other writing I’ve done on loss, grief, and endurance in the field. It also sits alongside the Nature Obituaries Project, a series of tributes to fallen conservationists, scientists, and environmental defenders, rooted in the belief that the people who protect life on Earth are not expendable. I’m not writing as a clinician here. I’m writing as someone listening to what conservationists keep describing, across roles and regions. There is a particular kind of exhaustion that does not come from long hours alone. It comes from paying attention. Conservationists are trained to notice what most people do not see: a reef that has lost its vibrancy and color, a forest that no longer holds the same birds, a river that carries less life each season. They are trained to count, to measure, to document change with discipline. But they are also people who entered the work because they love something outside themselves. A species. A place. A living world that felt worth protecting. That love is not a weakness. It is the fuel. And lately, it…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Reports from across the conservation sector point to rising levels of burnout, depression, and distress, driven by constant exposure to environmental decline alongside insecure funding, long hours, and limited institutional support. Surveys suggest a substantial share of professionals—especially early-career staff and women—are experiencing moderate to severe psychological strain. - The work carries a distinct emotional burden. Many conservationists form deep connections to species and places, only to witness their degradation or loss, producing a form of grief that is persistent and often unrecognized outside the field. - Structural conditions amplify the problem. Low pay, short-term grants, isolation in remote postings, and cultural stigma around mental health create an environment where overwork is normalized and seeking help can carry professional risks. - Recent reporting and commentary, including coverage by Mongabay and analyses by practitioners and researchers, have sharpened attention on what some describe as an “epidemic of suffering” in conservation. This growing body of work frames the issue not as isolated cases but as a systemic problem, while also situating it within a broader effort to acknowledge loss, document lived experience, and argue that those working to protect nature should themselves be supported and sustained. authors: | ||
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Family and friends help sperm whale mother and newborn during birth 26 Mar 2026 21:12:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/family-and-friends-help-sperm-whale-mother-and-newborn-during-birth/ author: Alexandrapopescu dc:creator: Bobby Bascomb content:encoded: With the notable exception of humans, most mammals give birth alone. But in July 2023, researchers in the Caribbean witnessed something extraordinary: sperm whales not only attending a birth but actively helping both mother and newborn. Some of the whales present were not even related to the mother, known as Rounder. “Kinship barriers dissolved,” notes one of two studies published on the observation. A team from the Cetacean Translation Initiative (CETI) was in the area to record sperm whale sounds for their ongoing work to decode whale communication. Equipped with underwater microphones, drones and cameras, Project CETI president and founder David Gruber said it was “a moment of pure serendipity and luck.” The team noticed something unusual. Sperm whales are one of the deepest-diving whales; they spend much of their lives diving up to 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) deep hunting giant squid. But on that day, all 11 whales in a group known as unit A gathered near the surface, only taking very shallow dives and communicating so frequently, “it sounded like being in a popcorn machine,” Gruber said. “Did Rounder communicate that she was about to go into labor and call the unit together? We don’t know. We just know that they were ready and they were prepared.” What followed is the only known example of marine mammals helping in the birth of a non-kin. The calf emerged, tail first, and after 34 minutes was delivered to a waiting circle of whales who took turns supporting and lifting the newborn to…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: With the notable exception of humans, most mammals give birth alone. But in July 2023, researchers in the Caribbean witnessed something extraordinary: sperm whales not only attending a birth but actively helping both mother and newborn. Some of the whales present were not even related to the mother, known as Rounder. “Kinship barriers dissolved,” notes […] authors: | ||
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The squid rush in the South Pacific is forcing regulators to act 26 Mar 2026 20:52:04 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/the-squid-rush-in-the-south-pacific-is-forcing-regulators-to-act/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: A recent annual meeting of the fisheries regulator for the South Pacific tackled a familiar challenge: how to manage one of the world’s largest squid fisheries before mounting pressure turns it into a depleted one. The meeting produced some new safeguards, though much of the hard work still lies ahead, reports Francesco De Augustinis. The South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) oversees fishing across roughly 59 million square kilometers (22 million square miles) of the South Pacific high seas, trying to impose order on a region double the size of Africa, where distant-water fleets pursue species ranging from jack mackerel to jumbo flying squid. The latter dominated this year’s talks. Fishing for jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas) has expanded rapidly over the past two decades. The number of squid-jigging vessels operating in SPRFMO waters rose from 14 in 2000 to more than 500 last year, almost all of them flying the Chinese flag. Meanwhile, reported catches have fallen markedly, from more than 1 million metric tons in 2014 to about 600,000 metric tons in 2024. Scientists worry that fishing pressure is outpacing knowledge of the stock. In response, SPRFMO members agreed to lower the maximum number of vessels allowed to fish for squid in the region, from 766 to 651, and reduce the fleet’s combined tonnage. Dave Gershman of The Pew Charitable Trusts, attending the meeting as an observer, called the decision a recognition that the fishery needs closer oversight. Yet the measure may have little immediate effect: the…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: A recent annual meeting of the fisheries regulator for the South Pacific tackled a familiar challenge: how to manage one of the world’s largest squid fisheries before mounting pressure turns it into a depleted one. The meeting produced some new safeguards, though much of the hard work still lies ahead, reports Francesco De Augustinis. The […] authors: | ||
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A 3-limbed Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is now being tracked at sea by satellite 26 Mar 2026 20:37:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-3-limbed-kemps-ridley-sea-turtle-is-now-being-tracked-at-sea-by-satellite/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: JUNO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The veterinary staff at a Florida sea turtle hospital is getting help from space to monitor the animals they have rehabilitated. They’re particularly interested in amputees. Using satellite tracking devices in a collaboration between the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, scientists are learning how well sea turtles can survive in the wild after losing a limb. Amelie, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle who lost her right forelimb to a predator — most likely a shark, the center said — was taken to the beach on Wednesday for her highly anticipated release. The turtle paused for about 30 seconds, then slowly made her way into the Atlantic Ocean as onlookers cheered. Amelie had been rescued and brought to the center by the Inwater Research Group in Port St. Lucie, Florida, seven weeks earlier after a traumatic amputation. She underwent surgery to clean and close the wound, and was treated for pneumonia while in a tank at the center. When veterinarians deemed her healthy enough to return to the sea, they glued a tracking device to her shell. An ultrasound confirmed that Amelie is developing eggs, giving researchers another reason to track her movements. Kemp’s ridley turtles, the rarest of sea turtle species, are more typically found on Florida’s Gulf Coast, so treating Amelie was especially significant, said Andy Dehart, the center’s president and CEO. Amelie is actually the fourth amputee sea turtle being tracked by the enter, Loggerhead research director Sarah Hirsch…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: JUNO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The veterinary staff at a Florida sea turtle hospital is getting help from space to monitor the animals they have rehabilitated. They’re particularly interested in amputees. Using satellite tracking devices in a collaboration between the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, scientists are learning how well sea […] authors: | ||
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4 months after DRC mine spill, residents remain impacted 26 Mar 2026 19:15:58 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/4-months-after-drc-mine-spill-residents-remain-impacted/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Elodie TotoRuth Kutemba content:encoded: More than four months after a wastewater spill from a mine in Lubumbashi, a city located in the DRC’s copper and cobalt belt, residents say they are still facing impacts from the pollution. The spill on Nov. 4, 2025, originating from the retention pond of the mining company Congo Dongfang International Mining (CDM), a subsidiary of the Chinese giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Industry Co., Ltd., flooded several outlying neighborhoods and polluted local waterways. The incident led to an initial three-month suspension, requiring the repair of environmental damage and compensation for affected residents. However, to date, the government has not yet officially authorized the company to resume operations after the three-month suspension. Following the findings of the interministerial commission of inquiry into the environmental incident, released on Feb. 13, the government announced health assistance measures, treatment efforts as well as the launch of a compensation process for victims. However, public information remains limited regarding the concrete implementation of these compensation payments and the exact number of beneficiaries. Some residents fear they will not be included and highlight that they have continued to suffer damage to their crops, limited access to clean water and health impacts for the past several months. Mongabay visited three neighborhoods affected by the spill to gather on-the-ground accounts. When contacted by Mongabay for further information, the CDM and various representatives of the Haut-Katanga and national authorities did not respond. Crops in the Golf-les-Battants neighborhood According to residents who speak with Mongabay, in some community gardens, crops stopped…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - On Nov. 4, 2025, an industrial effluents spill from Congo Dongfang International Mining (CDM), a copper and cobalt plant, contaminated several neighborhoods in Lubumbashi, in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, affecting crops, access to drinking water and residents’ health. - Months later, Mongabay visited three neighborhoods affected by the spill to gather on-the-ground accounts of continued impacts to crops, water and health. - The government announced health assistance measures, treatment, the launch of a compensation process for victims and a collective settlement of $6 million. - According to a human rights organization, the amount is insufficient given the health damage, and residents who speak to Mongabay say they fear they will not be included in compensation and health plans. authors: | ||
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Study finds deforestation accounts for major Amazon rainfall decline 26 Mar 2026 18:59:25 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/study-finds-deforestation-accounts-for-major-amazon-rainfall-decline/ author: Alexandrapopescu dc:creator: Logan Rance content:encoded: Forest loss, along with climate change, is changing the resilience of the Amazon Rainforest. By disrupting the movement of moisture through the atmosphere, deforestation is reducing rainfall and extending the dry season, especially in the southern Amazon Basin. But according to recent research, the impacts of large-scale deforestation could be much bigger than climate models have estimated for the region. A study published in Nature Communications found that between 52% and 72% of the rainfall decline in the southern Amazon Basin over the last four decades can be attributed to deforestation. Between 1980 and 2019, annual precipitation in the area has dropped by 8-11%. Additionally, researchers determined that rainfall decline was not just attributed to local forest loss, but to deforestation in upwind regions across South America. “Many studies only focus on the local scale, and local land-atmosphere feedback,” Jiangpeng Cui, associate professor at the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research and lead author of the study, told Mongabay in an interview. “We combined observational data, like precipitation and evapotranspiration, with moisture tracking across South America. … This way we can know how [deforestation] changes vapor movement from one place to another.” Since 1985, natural forest cover in South America has declined by 16%, largely due to human-caused deforestation. In the Brazilian Amazon, which lost one-fifth of its forest cover between 1970 and 2019, primary forest is frequently converted to agricultural land or destroyed by wildfires. According to the study, cutting down large swaths of forest reduces the available evapotranspiration that…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A study looking at land and atmosphere interactions in the Amazon Basin across four decades found that 52-72% of the rainfall decline in the southern Amazon is due to large-scale deforestation. - Between 1980 and 2019, annual precipitation in the southern Amazon declined by 8-11%, with most of the region losing on average 7.7% of its forest cover over largely the same period. - The research also indicates that climate models might underestimate the contribution of deforestation to precipitation reduction by as much as 50%, which could mean that rainfall thresholds in the Amazon could be crossed earlier than expected. authors: | ||
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Why the Amazon can’t be saved by courts alone (commentary) 26 Mar 2026 18:32:22 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/why-the-amazon-cant-be-saved-by-courts-alone-commentary/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Luisa Fernanda BaccaPaulo Ilich Bacca content:encoded: In October 2023, a delegation of La Gente de Centro — the Andoke (Pɵɵsiɵhɵ), Nonuya (Nonova), Muinane (Féénemɨnaa) and Uitoto (Nɨpode) peoples of the Middle Caquetá River Basin — traveled from the Colombian Amazon to Bogotá. They came not as petitioners but as authorities of living territories, demanding the implementation of Supreme Court Ruling 4360 of 2018, which recognized the Amazon as a subject of rights. Seven years after the ruling, however, the forest continues to burn, rivers silt up, and the agricultural frontier advances. Their visit raised a simple but unsettling question: what does it mean to recognize the rights of the Amazon if the peoples who have governed these forests for millennia remain outside the decisions that shape their future? In the territories they inhabit, authority is not concentrated in a single institution but woven through relationships among peoples, forests, rivers and other living beings. Protecting the Amazon, their presence suggested, requires forms of governance able to move across these interconnected scales of life and authority. Recognizing the Amazon as a subject of rights is therefore an important step but it is not enough. Judicial recognition must be accompanied by genuine co-governance with Indigenous authorities and by treating Indigenous life plans and governance systems as binding frameworks for territorial decision-making, rather than merely consultative inputs to state policy. This requires joint decision-making across several levels of government. National ministries responsible for climate and forest policy must work directly with Indigenous authorities, while regional environmental agencies, departmental governments, and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The Amazon cannot be saved by legal recognition alone. Declaring the forest a subject of rights is historic, but without real authority for Indigenous governments, these rights risk remaining largely symbolic. - Protecting the forest requires shared governance: national ministries, regional agencies, and local governments must coordinate decisions with Indigenous authorities who already govern vast Amazonian territories — and protect the knowledge systems that have sustained it for generations. - The limited implementation of the ruling recognizing the Amazon as a subject of rights reflects the gap between judicial decisions and realities on the ground, as well as the political and social complexity of the Amazon across territorial, national, regional, and international scales. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. authors: | ||
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Poop pills and gut microbes: Wildlife microbiome studies aid conservation 26 Mar 2026 15:35:05 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/poop-pills-and-gut-microbes-wildlife-microbiome-studies-aid-conservation/ author: Glenn Scherer dc:creator: Sean Mowbray content:encoded: Human microbiome research is a blossoming field of study, shedding light on the millions of microbes living within us — microscopic species frequently vital to our health. In tandem, researchers across the globe have also been delving into the microbes living inside wildlife in hopes of developing a new conservation and rewilding tool. Early research on endangered Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in Australia, for instance, found that the gut microbiome of this carnivorous marsupial, when kept in captivity, differs vastly from its cousins in the wild. This echoes other studies on a range of species in captivity, showing a species-specific response — some animals have lower microbiome diversity in captivity, while others have higher. In the case of Tasmanian devils, low microbial diversity in captive populations raised numerous health concerns, as that deficiency could potentially leave animals susceptible to illness and disease. “Initially we had concerns that their reduced gut microbiome in captivity would be an issue when they were released, and we wanted to know if we needed to manage this [issue] in captivity or undertake actions for when the [animals] were released” to better protect them in the wild, says Carolyn Hogg, research manager of the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group at the University of Sydney. But for Tasmanian devils reintroduced to the wild, at least, it turned out no intervention was needed. Monitoring of the released devils’ microbiomes, via the collection and analysis of their feces, showed that the animals were able to regain a “wild” microbiome, a…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Recent research into the human microbiome is revealing how closely connected it is to our health. Similarly, scientists are exploring how the microbiome in wildlife species can aid conservation efforts. - Studies show that human action (including climate change and close proximity to people) is altering the microbiomes of multiple wildlife species. The implications of how these changes may be impacting wildlife survival and health remain unclear. - Researchers are also exploring how supporting a diverse wildlife microbiome can improve animal health in captivity, aid recovery during rehabilitation, and even boost reintroduction success. Microbiome studies are underway on numerous species, ranging from Australian koalas to African meerkats and cheetahs. - Though still an emerging field, fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) are just one possible tool that researchers and conservationists are exploring in trials to see how the restoration of a healthy diverse microbiome can support wildlife conservation. authors: | ||
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A nature-based solution to save the Mekong Delta’s water future (commentary) 26 Mar 2026 10:01:30 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/a-nature-based-solution-to-save-the-mekong-deltas-water-future-commentary/ author: Philip Jacobson dc:creator: Pham Phan Long content:encoded: The Mekong Delta of Vietnam ranks among the world’s three most climate-vulnerable regions. Known as Southeast Asia’s “rice basket,” the region is home to 18 million people, produces half of Vietnam’s rice and 65% of its aquaculture, but faces escalating threats from rising sea levels, water pollution, groundwater depletion, saltwater intrusion and land subsidence. With only 20% of wastewater treated and more than 60% of rural residents lacking safe water and sanitation, the region’s environmental and economic stability hangs in the balance. A new proposal, the Nature-Based Mekong Delta Water Replenishment System (MD-GWRS), offers a sustainable, cost-effective solution to restore water security, leveraging the delta’s natural features and proven global technologies. The proposed MD-GWRS will increase Mekong groundwater yield by 1.5 million cubic meters per day to 4 million m3/day (53 million to 141 million cubic feet per day) at a cost of $317 million per year, with a potential benefit of $450 million per year from higher agriculture yield and aquaculture production. A region under threat The Mekong Delta’s challenges are stark. Surface water, often a mix of stormwater and untreated wastewater, is heavily contaminated. Groundwater is increasingly saline due to saltwater intrusion, affecting 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres), while overextraction has led to depletion and land subsidence at alarming rates (1.1-5.7 centimeters per year, or 0.4-2.2 inches, in Can Tho). Sea-level rise (2.2-13.5 millimeters per year, or 0.09-0.5 in), frequent droughts, and reduced dry-season river flows exacerbate the crisis, threatening the livelihoods of millions and the region’s…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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Birutė Galdikas, primatologist who spent a lifetime studying & defending orangutans, has died at 79 26 Mar 2026 03:21:14 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/birute-galdikas-primatologist-who-spent-a-lifetime-studying-defending-orangutans-has-died-at-79/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: In the early 1970s, orangutans occupied an ambiguous place in science. They were known to exist, of course, but remained poorly understood, rarely observed, and difficult to study in the wild. Their forest habitat in Borneo and Sumatra was still vast, though already beginning to change. Logging roads were extending into areas that had long resisted access. The outlines of a larger problem were visible, even if its scale was not yet clear. At the same time, a small group of researchers was beginning to reshape how great apes were studied. Fieldwork, rather than captivity, became the preferred approach. Long-term observation replaced short expeditions. The premise was simple but demanding: to understand animals that were hard to find, one had to remain in place long enough for them to become familiar with human presence. Into this setting came a young graduate student with an interest in human evolution and a determination to study orangutans in their natural habitat, despite doubts that such work was feasible. With limited funding and little infrastructure, she established a research station in a remote peat swamp in Indonesian Borneo in 1971. Over time, that station would become one of the longest-running field sites for any wild mammal. Galdikas in the field. Photo courtesy of Orangutan Foundation International (OFI). Birutė Galdikas spent the next five decades working from that base. Her early years were marked less by discovery than by persistence. Finding orangutans could take weeks. Observing them required learning to move through dense forest and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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Palm oil clearing advances in Bornean orangutan habitat despite red flags 26 Mar 2026 01:50:04 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/palm-oil-clearing-advances-in-bornean-orangutan-habitat-despite-red-flags/ author: Philip Jacobson dc:creator: Hans Nicholas Jong content:encoded: JAKARTA — A palm oil company is ramping up its destruction of forests that are home to critically endangered orangutans in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the island of Borneo, according to satellite imagery and government sources. In October 2025, Mongabay reported that PT Equator Sumber Rezeki (ESR) had clear-cut 1,376 hectares (3,400 acres) of forest between January and August 2025, based on satellite image analysis by Satya Bumi, an Indonesian environmental nonprofit. Prior to that, ESR had cleared no more than 195 hectares (482 acres) of forest. The company is operating within a 15,000-hectare (37,000-acre) oil palm plantation concession in Kapuas Hulu, a district in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province. Now, an updated analysis by Satya Bumi shows that ESR further accelerated its rainforest clearing in the final quarter of 2025, razing an additional 1,492 hectares (3,687 acres) of forest from October to December. It has now cleared a total of 3,063 hectares (7,569 acres) of forest within its concession, according to Satya Bumi. Map that shows deforestation in palm oil company PT Equator Sumber Rezeki’s concession in Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. ESR’s concession overlaps with part of the Labian–Leboyan watershed, a wildlife corridor connecting Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum national parks — two of the last strongholds for the critically endangered Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus). The corridor and parks form part of the UNESCO-designated Betung Kerihun–Danau Sentarum Biosphere Reserve, whose forests sustain hundreds of species of wildlife, including sun bears, hornbills and giant rafflesia flowers. They also provide…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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Compost, racoons and sea turtle predation in Costa Rica 25 Mar 2026 19:23:46 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/compost-racoons-and-sea-turtle-predation-in-costa-rica/ author: Alexandrapopescu dc:creator: Bobby Bascomb content:encoded: Composting keeps organic waste out of landfills, where it can produce methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. But a new study from Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province finds that when not disposed of properly, organic waste can also trigger a cascade of events resulting in fewer sea turtles. “Normally in Costa Rica we are very used to throwing the peels of the vegetables or fruits in the backyard,” Keilor Cordero, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student at Menéndez Pelayo International University in Spain, told Mongabay. “I used to do it, I remember possums every night coming to eat the organic trash, and for us it was fun and we didn’t think about the impacts.” But he found impacts in Las Baulas Marine National Park, which was established in 1991 to protect one of the most important nesting areas for threatened leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) along the Eastern Pacific. Costa Rica invested in infrastructure in and around the park to enable ecotourists to enjoy the beaches and observe nesting sea turtles. Ecotourism makes up a big part of Costa Rica’s economy, and all was well In Las Baulas until around 2012, when researchers began seeing a big increase in animals preying on turtle eggs. Cordero suspected rapid urbanization had something to do with it. So, he looked at satellite images of urban growth from 1990, just before the park was established, to 2024. “Despite being a national park, the urbanization grew exponentially through the years,” Cordero said. He also set up…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Composting keeps organic waste out of landfills, where it can produce methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. But a new study from Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province finds that when not disposed of properly, organic waste can also trigger a cascade of events resulting in fewer sea turtles. “Normally in Costa Rica we are very used […] authors: | ||
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Behind the scenes of the Amazon’s gold rush: Director Richard Ladkani on the making of ‘Yanuni’ 25 Mar 2026 19:18:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/behind-the-scenes-of-the-amazons-gold-rush-director-richard-ladkani-on-the-making-of-yanuni/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Aimee Gabay content:encoded: Austrian director and cinematographer Richard Ladkani knew little about the Amazon Rainforest before he decided to make a film about it. It was 2019. Fires raged across the Amazon. Ladkani had just finished his film Sea of Shadows, about the desperate effort to rescue the critically endangered vaquita porpoise in the Sea of Cortés and the drug cartels and traffickers threatening its habitat. He was inhaling news about the fires, which got him thinking: “Is there a movie out there that really explains to people, emotionally, that this is our Amazon? That we’re losing not a remote place far away in Brazil or South America, but that this actually relates to us, wherever you live on the planet?” Ladkani soon found that the impact-driven film he envisioned did not exist. And so, the first seeds of Yanuni were sown. Filmed across two worlds, the Brazilian capital Brasília and a remote village in the Xipaya Indigenous Territory, the documentary film focuses on Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous chief from the Brazilian Amazon. It centers her ongoing effort to confront illegal gold miners, land grabbers and multinational corporations threatening the Amazon’s forests, alongside her husband, Hugo Loss, the head of special operations at Brazil’s environmental protection agency, IBAMA, who leads dangerous operations to crack down on illegal mining deep in the rainforest. The film captures the personal realities environmental defenders face in the Amazon and features rare video of an IBAMA mission to combat illegal miners. Juma Xipaia is central to the movie…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A new documentary film, “Yanuni,” highlights the journey of Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous chief from the Brazilian Amazon, as she moves between two worlds: Brazil’s capital, Brasília, and a remote village in the Xipaia Indigenous Territory. - The film focuses on her ongoing battle to protect the Amazon, alongside her husband, Hugo Loss, the head of Special Operations at Brazil’s environmental protection agency (Ibama), who leads dangerous operations to crack down on illegal mining deep in the Amazon. - In an interview with Mongabay, director Richard Ladkani shares behind-the-scenes insights into the filming process, important conversations and actions that helped shape the narrative and more details about some of the critical moments and events it covers. authors: | ||
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‘Staggering’ trade for belief-based use drives hooded vultures to near-extinction in Benin 25 Mar 2026 16:38:24 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/staggering-trade-for-belief-based-use-drives-hooded-vultures-to-near-extinction-in-benin/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Spoorthy Raman content:encoded: The hooded vulture, a small, scruffy-looking raptor native to sub-Saharan Africa, gets its name from a patch of beige feathers on its head: It appears to be wearing a hood. Unlike other vulture species, hooded vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) love human hubbub more than forests. They’re often seen around villages, scavenging for meat and garbage near abattoirs and landfills. “They’ve always been close to people … they’re kind of like the pigeons of West Africa,” said Nico Arcilla, president and research director at the International Bird Conservation Partnership (IBCP). Arcilla has studied many West African bird species, including hooded vultures. But that proximity to people has cost the birds a great deal. Since they don’t shy away from humans, they’re easily caught — often with poisoned or tobacco-laced bait on a fishhook — and sold. In parts of Nigeria, people eat hooded vultures. But the greatest demand comes from belief-based users such as practitioners of Vodún, a traditional religion that gave rise in the Western Hemisphere to voodoo. Many believers hold that vultures have magical superpowers that can influence luck, act as harbingers of rain, or signify misfortune. They use powdered vulture parts to make soaps to wash, and some display dried vulture carcasses or heads in their homes to bring good fortune, wealth and protection against witchcraft. Others say the birds have medicinal properties. There’s no recent estimate on the demand, but somewhere between 5,800 and 8,700 birds were traded illegally between 2008 and 2013 across West and Central Africa.…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Hundreds of critically endangered hooded vultures and their parts are being illegally sold in markets in Benin, according to recent research. The birds are coveted for their supposed supernatural properties by many practitioners of the traditional Vodùn faith. - During a four-month study, researchers counted 522 birds for sale. Vendors sold them as dried carcasses, heads or live birds in nine markets across southern Benin. and claimed to have sourced them from at least 10 West African countries. - Although hunting and selling hooded vultures in Benin is illegal and cross-border trade is regulated under an international treaty, demand is driving widespread commerce. - Hooded vultures are one of the most threatened raptors, with their numbers declining by 50-96% in recent years. The trade, along with accidental poisoning and habitat loss, could wipe them out, and experts call for greater awareness and better law enforcement in Benin to combat illegal trade. authors: | ||
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Five more community-led African groups join global landscape restoration network 25 Mar 2026 15:57:16 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/five-more-community-led-african-groups-join-global-landscape-restoration-network/ author: Terna Gyuse dc:creator: Charles Mpaka content:encoded: Amid rapid deforestation in Uganda’s Kalangala district, the School Food Forest Initiative launched a tree-planting project in school premises in 2019, aiming to instill knowledge and value for conservation in local communities by involving students planting and managing trees. The initiative has just become part of the Global Landscapes Forum. Its coordinator, Ngobi Joel, said becoming a GLFx chapter will help strengthen the group’s work against deforestation in Uganda. The School Food Forest Initiative has established nurseries where schoolchildren and others in the community grow seedlings for a range of indigenous tree species, other fruit trees and medicinal plants. The NGO has also set up agroforestry and vegetable plots on school grounds that serve both to provide food for students and as demonstration sites for how to make use of the land in ways that conserve the environment, Joel told Mongabay by email from Kalangala town. The project has so far established eight school forests, Joel said. Becoming a chapter of the GLF will enhance this work, he said. “Getting advice on agroforestry design, keeping an eye on biodiversity, and checking climate impact will ensure our projects are sustainable and help school communities as much as possible.” The School Food Forest Initiative is one of 12 new GLFx chapters announced in February, expanding a movement that mobilizes and connects grassroots efforts on restoration of degraded landscapes around the world. Fairness and sustainability: Acting to restore African landscapes By involving school children in planting trees and growing vegetables, the School Food…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The Global Landscapes Forum recently announced the addition of 12 new “chapter” members to its GLFx network. - The GLFx network connects independent, community-oriented groups worldwide to strengthen their work protecting and restoring healthy forests and other landscapes. - Five of the new members are in Africa, including the School Food Forest Initiative in Uganda, which works with children to plant trees and grow food on school grounds. authors: | ||
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325 Long-neglected migratory freshwater fish species need protection now: Report 25 Mar 2026 14:36:28 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/325-long-neglected-migratory-freshwater-fish-species-need-protection-now-report/ author: Glenn Scherer dc:creator: Stefan Lovgren content:encoded: CAMPO GRANDE, Brazil — In the wide, sandy stretches of Brazil’s Araguaia River, the piraíba, South America’s largest catfish, is a cornerstone of local fisheries. Fishers often recognize individual fish by markings and scars, catching the same fish in the same places over time, leading many to believe the species did not move very far. But new work by researcher Lisiane Hahn reveals something surprising: The piraíba travels hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers to spawn. Using radio telemetry, Hahn and her colleagues implanted transmitters in nearly 100 catfish, some nearly 2 meters (6.5 feet) long, and tracked their movements via a network of receivers. The data provide the clearest evidence yet that piraíba (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum), which can reach 200 kilograms (more than 440 pounds), undertake extensive, long-distance migrations. “As a researcher, it’s emotional to discover this in such an iconic species,” said Hahn, who leads Projeto Peixara at the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Brazil. “You imagine the largest catfish in South America moving across entire river systems.” Researcher Lisiane Hahn and her team implant radio transmitters in a piraíba on Brazil’s Araguaia River as part of a project tracking the long-distance movements of giant catfish. Image courtesy of Lisiane Hahn. The finding underscores a broader reality: Some of the most important wildlife migrations in South America — and around the world — have remained largely out of view. In the Amazon and other rivers in South America, giant catfish move underwater between nations along routes that connect…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - As national representatives gather at the UN COP15 Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) meeting this week in Brazil, a new global report has been released profiling a dangerously neglected category of migratory animal: the world’s freshwater fish. - Migratory freshwater fish populations have fallen by 81% since 1970, says the report, with 325 species worldwide urgently needing coordinated international conservation action. However, only 23 migratory freshwater fish species are currently listed under CMS. - More than half of the 325 at-risk freshwater migratory fish species documented by the report are in Asia, with the Mekong River of major concern. While international conservation cooperation is urgently needed, China and other Mekong basin nations are non-parties to CMS, as are the U.S. and Russia. - What is needed now, conservationists say, are transnational migratory freshwater fish species conservation action plans that cover entire river systems, with those plans managed cooperatively by multiple nations within each river basin. authors: | ||
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Plenty of biodiversity data, but too few conservation answers 25 Mar 2026 13:52:13 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/plenty-of-biodiversity-data-but-too-few-conservation-answers/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: For decades, conservation has depended on a deceptively simple act: counting. Scientists tally birds along migration routes, measure forest cover from satellites, or track wildlife populations through camera traps. These numbers underpin the decisions that shape environmental policy, from protected-area planning to international biodiversity targets. Yet the system that produces them is changing quickly, and not always coherently. A recent PNAS perspective led by William Sutherland and dozens of collaborators argues that biodiversity measurement is entering a pivotal moment. The tools used to monitor nature have expanded dramatically, while demand for reliable data has grown across governments, businesses and international agreements. The authors argue that making use of this expanding stream of biodiversity data will require changes not only in technology but also in how evidence is organized, shared, and interpreted. Nine changes needed to deliver a radical transformation in biodiversity measurement. Adapted from Sutherland et al (2026) The scale of data collection alone illustrates the shift. Global biodiversity databases now incorporate millions of observations from citizen scientists, museum collections, environmental DNA sampling and automated sensors. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), for example, adds hundreds of millions of species records each year, drawn from sources as varied as birdwatching apps and environmental impact assessments. In principle, this abundance opens new possibilities. Environmental DNA allows researchers to detect species from traces left in soil or water. Acoustic sensors can record entire soundscapes, with machine-learning systems identifying species calls automatically. Remote sensing tracks deforestation and habitat change in near real…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - New technologies—from environmental DNA to AI-powered sensors—are generating vast amounts of biodiversity data, creating unprecedented opportunities to monitor nature at scale. - Yet more data does not necessarily improve understanding: conservation still struggles to distinguish real impacts from broader environmental trends, especially without credible counterfactuals. - A growing shift toward impact evaluation and “precision” approaches aims to identify what works, where, and under what conditions, drawing on methods from economics and public health. - The next challenge is not collecting more information, but turning diverse sources of evidence—including Indigenous knowledge—into decisions that improve conservation outcomes. authors: | ||
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In Laos, ancestral spirits are helping save one of the world’s rarest crocodiles 25 Mar 2026 13:36:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/in-laos-ancestral-spirits-are-helping-save-one-of-the-worlds-rarest-crocodiles/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: Liz Kimbrough content:encoded: When village conservation teams find a Siamese crocodile nest in the Xe Champhone wetlands of central Laos, they move fast, collecting eggs within 24 hours before poachers, predators or floods can reach them. But before they touch the eggs, there’s a ritual, and offerings are made to the spirits. With the spirits appeased, villagers carry the eggs to hatch in the village, where the baby crocs’ chances of hatching are nearly five times higher than in the wild. Oudomxay Thongsavath, program manager at Wildlife Conservation Society and a native of the region, has been involved with the program since its start. He told Mongabay that locals make an offering and explain to the spirits, “We collect the egg, we incubate it in the village, and we return your children back to your area … Please take care of them. Make sure they are safe in the future when they go back to their habitat.” Fewer than 1,000 though Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) are estimated to survive on Earth. Photo courtesy of WCS Of the world’s 27 crocodilian species, the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is among just four classified as critically endangered. Fewer than 1,000 are thought to survive on Earth. Locals say that to harm a Siamese crocodile is to risk illness, misfortune or death. Not because the crocodiles are particularly dangerous (as crocodiles go), but because these scaly beings are the living embodiment of their ancestors. That spiritual connection to crocodiles, upheld for generations in a landscape stripped of…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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New farming method replaces traditional jhum in crowding Bangladesh hills 25 Mar 2026 13:33:06 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-farming-method-replaces-traditional-jhum-in-crowding-bangladesh-hills/ author: Abusiddique dc:creator: Sifayet Ullah content:encoded: Cucumber and bitter gourd plants climbed over bamboo trellises, their fruits swaying gently in the breeze, while Milan Tanchangya, a 43-year-old farmer, plucked the cucumbers using a knife and placed them in a basket. Only a few years ago, he used this land for jhum, the traditional multi-crop shifting cultivation method of Indigenous communities in southeastern Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) comprised of Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari districts. But declining yields forced him to look for new ways to feed his seven-member family. To make ends meet, he started a different cultivation system, locally called machan — a method that uses bamboo trellises, allowing vegetables to grow above the ground. This method of cash crop farming not only protects crops from pests and viral diseases but also has more seasons of vegetable production than Milan’s previous jhum plots. “If I can manage the trellises well, I can harvest several crops a year, and the soil remains intact,” Milan said from his land, which has already grown a green canopy, in Suwalok union’s Amtali area, Bandarban district. He said machan farming has transformed life for him and other farmers in the hills as vegetables such as bitter gourd, cucumber and beans now provide steady incomes, while also reducing soil erosion on steep slopes as they’re raised crops. “I now earn an additional 70,000 takas [$570] to 80,000 takas [$651] every year,” he said. Vegetables grow on bamboo machan trellises along hill slopes in the Sualok area of Bandarban Sadar upazila. Image…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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Asian wild dog spotted in Vietnam for the first time in 20 years 25 Mar 2026 10:38:31 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/asian-wild-dog-spotted-in-vietnam-for-the-first-time-in-20-years/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Naina Rao content:encoded: Recent research has confirmed the first sighting of a dhole in more than two decades, a reddish-brown wild dog native to Asia. Before the sighting, the predator was believed to be extinct in Vietnam. The dhole (Cuon alpinus), historically one of the most widespread large carnivores in Asia, was seen on camera-trap footage. The single adult was spotted in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve in Nghe An province on New Year’s Eve in 2023. Before this sighting, the IUCN Red List considered the dhole locally extinct. The find was so unexpected that researchers initially doubted their own eyes. “To be quite honest, before and during the field survey, we did not expect any amazing results,” study author Tuan Anh Nguyen from Vietnam National University told Mongabay. “I really thought I might have a case of a domestic dog… that coincidentally looked somewhat like a dhole.” The image was eventually verified by four independent biologists. This documentation followed 49 large-scale surveys and more than 260,000 camera-trap recordings across 31 sites, during which no other dholes were detected. Despite the sighting, researchers cude theoncl species is likely extirpated across most of Vietnam’s protected areas, primarily due to commercial snaring, a form of industrial hunting that uses wire snares, with up to 10,000 traps. Such traps create a lethal gauntlet for any ground-dwelling species, Nguyen said. “A wide-ranging carnivore species like a dhole is the most sensitive to snaring, as they themselves are vulnerable to snaring, and their food base is also vulnerable to snaring,”…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Recent research has confirmed the first sighting of a dhole in more than two decades, a reddish-brown wild dog native to Asia. Before the sighting, the predator was believed to be extinct in Vietnam. The dhole (Cuon alpinus), historically one of the most widespread large carnivores in Asia, was seen on camera-trap footage. The single […] authors: | ||
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Seabird nests built with plastic waste off the coast of Germany: Photo of the week 25 Mar 2026 09:49:45 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/seabird-nests-built-with-plastic-waste-off-the-coast-of-germany-photo-of-the-week/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shanna Hanbury content:encoded: The northern gannet, a seabird that lives across the northern Atlantic Ocean, typically builds its nests from seaweed and other aquatic plants. But more recently, its nests have started to include plastic material fished from the ocean. Martin Brogger, a researcher at Argentina’s Institute of Marine Organisms Biology (IBIOMAR), photographed several gannet nests containing plastic fishing lines, nets, plastic rope and other garbage in Heliogoland, a North Sea island off the coast of Germany. And the northern gannet (Morus bassanus) isn’t the only seabird running afoul of plastic waste. A 2021 study looked at more than 10,000 seabird nests across five countries in northwest Europe and found 12% of them contained plastic. Sometimes, the plastic in the nests leads to entanglement, or young birds being accidentally fed pieces of plastic. Another study, published in 2020, found five species of European seabirds commonly incorporated plastic into their nesting behaviors. They built their nests with plastic and even fed plastic to their chicks, raising concerns about breeding success and survival. The study found plastic was found in 32% of herring gull (Larus argentatus) nests, 53% of great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) nests and 80% of European shag (Gulosus aristotelis) nests. Banner image: Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) nest made largely of plastic debris. All images courtesy of Martin Brogger.This article was originally published on Mongabay description: The northern gannet, a seabird that lives across the northern Atlantic Ocean, typically builds its nests from seaweed and other aquatic plants. But more recently, its nests have started to include plastic material fished from the ocean. Martin Brogger, a researcher at Argentina’s Institute of Marine Organisms Biology (IBIOMAR), photographed several gannet nests containing plastic […] authors: | ||
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Canada invests $1m into mining exploration on Indigenous land 25 Mar 2026 09:14:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/canada-invests-1m-into-mining-exploration-on-indigenous-land/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shanna Hanbury content:encoded: A First Nation in Canada’s subarctic Northwest Territories has received C$1.5 million ($1.1 million) in federal funding to explore for elements on its traditional lands. The Tłı̨chǫ own a 39,000-square-kilometer (15,000-square-mile) stretch of boreal forest and tundra. On March 3, they announced a three-year prospecting project with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Exploration will include aerial surveys, ground-based prospecting and geological data analysis. “Tłı̨chǫ lands are home to world-class under-explored mineral potential, and mining is part of our vision for Tłı̨chǫ economic self-sufficiency,” Jackson Lafferty, grand chief of the Tłı̨chǫ government, said in a statement. “Our lands are open for exploration.” Last year, the Tłı̨chǫ government signed a memorandum of understanding with Australian mining company Fortescue (ASX: FMG). Their goal is to assess the potential for lithium, cesium and tantalum. The region is already home to large-scale diamond mines that are scheduled to close soon. Mining is Canada’s second-largest private-sector employer of Indigenous people, according to Indigenous Services Canada, a federal government department. According to Jamie Kneen, a co-manager at national the watchdog organization Mining Watch Canada, in many similar cases Indigenous nations or governments are not in a genuine ownership position and can be used as framing to sidestep formal consent mechanisms. He added that the deal behind this mining venture has not been made publicly available, so the exact terms of the agreement are not known. Kneen also highlighted concerns over the environmental impacts of more industrial mining ventures in the region and the potential habitat loss…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: A First Nation in Canada’s subarctic Northwest Territories has received C$1.5 million ($1.1 million) in federal funding to explore for elements on its traditional lands. The Tłı̨chǫ own a 39,000-square-kilometer (15,000-square-mile) stretch of boreal forest and tundra. On March 3, they announced a three-year prospecting project with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Exploration will […] authors: | ||
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As Sri Lankans choke on bad air, authorities cite transboundary pollution 25 Mar 2026 05:58:03 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/as-sri-lankans-choke-on-bad-air-authorities-cite-transboundary-pollution/ author: Dilrukshi Handunnetti dc:creator: Kamanthi Wickramasinghe content:encoded: COLOMBO — On certain days, Colombo’s skyline is barely visible. This is due to a thick haze that envelops Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, resulting in low air quality conditions. The fouled air is making people tear and cough more without knowing what causes such irritation. Santhanam Mary has been a municipal worker for 13 years. Her daily job is to clean an area near the heart of Colombo. “Even though we physically clean the streets, there’s so much pollution around us,” she told Mongabay. Over the years, Mary recalled falling sick more frequently. “We [municipal workers] get frequent headaches, itchy eyes and cough and cold-like symptoms. We were asked to wear face masks when working, but it is difficult to wear them for a long time,” she said. Meanwhile, the latest real-time air quality monitoring map by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) shows a reading of 82 micrograms per cubic meter in Badulla, the largest city in Uva province and 52 mcg per m3 in Kotte in Western province. This may answer a question Mary did not ask: the reasons for increasingly falling ill. In issuing warnings, the NBRO has said that Air Quality Index (AQI) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) readings between 101 and 200 are unhealthy for sensitive or at-risk groups. These groups include children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with preexisting heart or lung conditions. Santhanam Mary, a street cleaner, complains of frequent headaches and itchy eyes. Image by Kamanthi Wickramasinghe. According to the index, readings…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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‘We will not know what we lost’: Conservation fallout a year after USAID shutdown 24 Mar 2026 21:32:36 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/03/we-will-not-know-what-we-lost-conservation-fallout-a-year-after-usaid-shutdown/ author: Mikedigirolamo dc:creator: Mike DiGirolamo content:encoded: When then-U.S. president John F . Kennedy created the United States Agency for International Development in 1961, it was meant primarily to administer health and food aid around the world. In the decades since, USAID expanded to become one of the world’s largest financial contributors to conservation, providing nearly $400 million annually before the end of 2024. However, that money is now completely gone after the current president, Donald Trump, gutted and shut down the agency in one of his first acts upon returning to office in January 2025. Since then, an estimated 834,000 people have lost their lives as a result of the ending of health programs, two-thirds of them likely children, according to an analysis from Impact Counter. Much of the agency’s health focus was on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. “Support for HIV/AIDS treatment, malaria control and other initiatives have saved an estimated 91 million lives just over the past 20 years,” says environmental reporter Michelle Nijhuis. Nijhuis, who joins Mongabay’s podcast this week, says it’s a similar story on the conservation front, with projects around the world suddenly losing their main — and in many cases their only — source of funding. She notes that “$400 million [was] going toward really creative … successful conservation projects in some of the most endangered habitats in the world [that] were also stopped abruptly.” The impact is being felt in places and communities that relied on this funding, such as Ethiopia, the Congo Basin, the Amazon and Indonesia. Also affected…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: When then-U.S. president John F . Kennedy created the United States Agency for International Development in 1961, it was meant primarily to administer health and food aid around the world. In the decades since, USAID expanded to become one of the world’s largest financial contributors to conservation, providing nearly $400 million annually before the end […] authors: | ||
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Another legal challenge for TotalEnergies in South Africa 24 Mar 2026 20:33:06 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/another-legal-challenge-for-totalenergies-in-south-africa/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Victoria Schneider content:encoded: In August 2025, a South African court canceled an environmental authorization granted to French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies and its joint venture partner Shell to drill offshore exploration wells. Now TotalEnergies is facing fresh legal challenges in South Africa for another proposed project. March 23 and 24, the Western Cape High Court is hearing an appeal application filed by a small-scale fishing cooperative and two environmental justice organizations. They are questioning the legality of an environmental authorization (EA) granted to TotalEnergies in South Africa’s deep-water Orange Basin Block. The block is located off the west coast of South Africa, between Port Nolloth and Hondeklip Bay, running between 188 and 340 kilometers (117 and and 213 miles) off South Africa’s western coastline. “TotalEnergies needs to go back to the drawing board and do the process again in the right way,” Walter Steenkamp, chairperson of the Aukotowa Fisheries Cooperative, one of the appeal applicants, told Mongabay over the phone. Steenkamp added that, apart from the long-term negative impacts of fossil fuel extraction to the marine environment and climate change, the company failed to consult with small-scale fishers on how the operations would affect them. In October 2024 the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) gave TotalEnergies the environmental go-ahead for the deep-water Orange Basin project. This environmental authorization was challenged by three South African-based NGOs: Aukotowa Fishing Cooperative, the Green Connection and Natural Justice. They argue that the decisions taken by the South African government are likely to cause significant…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: In August 2025, a South African court canceled an environmental authorization granted to French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies and its joint venture partner Shell to drill offshore exploration wells. Now TotalEnergies is facing fresh legal challenges in South Africa for another proposed project. March 23 and 24, the Western Cape High Court is hearing […] authors: | ||
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Kenya marks World Meteorological Day amid dozens of flood fatalities 24 Mar 2026 20:01:17 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/kenya-marks-world-meteorological-day-amid-dozens-of-flood-fatalities/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Lynet Otieno content:encoded: March 23 was world Meteorological Day, which celebrates the science of helping humanity understand and predict the weather. However, in eastern Kenya, the day came as families were mourning the deaths of lives lost to ongoing heavy rains. Two people died after a rain-soaked wall collapsed on them, a little girl was swept away while grazing livestock, and more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away in Baringo county, a woman and a 4-year-old child were killed after a landslide swept away their house. More than 80 people died nationwide. At least 21 of the country’s 47 counties were affected, including the capital, Nairobi, with at least 37 fatalities. Many more people have been forced to leave their homes. Almost 70,000 people have been displaced, according to Relief Web. The Kenya Meteorological Department forecasted heavy localized rainfall, above 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) in 24 hours, across multiple regions, cautioning floods, landslides and poor visibility. It has continued to share more forecasts daily. Experts attribute the heavy rains to climate change, rapid urbanization and land use change. There have also been claims of gaps in governance. Cabinet secretary for environment, climate change and forestry (ECCF), Deborah Barasa, recently underscored the need to conserve critical ecosystems such as the Mau Forest Complex and encouraged the use of seasonal forecasts and agro-meteorological advisories to improve planning and productivity. Festus Ng’eno, a principal secretary with ECCF, said reliable weather and climate information were critical for safeguarding lives. “Kenya continues to experience climate variability … with…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: March 23 was world Meteorological Day, which celebrates the science of helping humanity understand and predict the weather. However, in eastern Kenya, the day came as families were mourning the deaths of lives lost to ongoing heavy rains. Two people died after a rain-soaked wall collapsed on them, a little girl was swept away while […] authors: | ||
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Defying drought and invasives, a feisty Australian marsupial makes a comeback 24 Mar 2026 19:36:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/defying-drought-and-invasives-a-feisty-australian-marsupial-makes-a-comeback/ author: Nandithachandraprakash dc:creator: Jenny Denton content:encoded: The ampurta, a blond or brown guinea pig-sized marsupial, is distinctive for its short, fat tail that becomes a black mohawk at the tip. This micro-predator, also known as the crest-tailed mulgara, was once abundant in the arid, sandy landscapes of Central Australia as well as Western Australia. But by 1994, it had been listed as nationally endangered. Humans were behind the decline of the ampurta (Dasycercus hillieri). A wave of dramatic wildlife declines and extinctions occurred in Central Australia from the 1930s to the 1960s as colonizers spread into the continent’s interior, converting land for agriculture and bringing in foreign animals, Chris Pavey, a wildlife ecologist at government research agency CSIRO, told Mongabay. The British had imported red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for hunting parties, and the domestic cats (Felis catus) they brought along sometimes went feral. These introduced species altered the ecosystem and took a deadly toll on ampurtas and other small animals. But unlike most impacted species, ampurtas are making a big comeback. Their resurgence has occurred over the course of three decades, happening despite unprecedented, prolonged drought, which itself drives wildlife declines, and which tends to be more acute in arid regions. Research documenting the recovery was published in the journal Biological Conservation. Ecologist Dympna Cullen, who was then working on her Ph.D. at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), led the inquiry. She built on a 2016 study that tracked the ampurta’s initial bounce-back after rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus, also…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Not long ago, Australia’s ampurta, also known as the crest-tailed mulgara, hung on the precipice of extinction. Now, a new study has mapped its dramatic resurgence. - This small marsupial increased its range by an area the size of Denmark between 2015 and 2021, building on an ongoing re-expansion. - The ampurta resurged thanks to an introduced disease that drastically reduced the population of nonnative rabbits. That led to a drop in the number of foxes and feral cats that prey on small animals, including ampurtas. - Despite the good news, Australian scientists have serious concerns about a lack of investment in the ongoing biological control of both rabbits and feral cats. authors: | ||
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Eastern monarch butterfly populations increase in 2025, but challenges remain 24 Mar 2026 17:13:00 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/eastern-monarch-butterfly-populations-increase-in-2025-but-challenges-remain/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: David Brown content:encoded: Monarch butterfly populations in North America have been in dramatic decline for several decades. But in a glimmer of hope for the iconic orange-and-black species, the 2025 population estimate was roughly 64% higher compared to the previous year. Scientists split migratory monarchs (Danaus plexippus) into two populations — western and eastern — depending on which side of the Rocky Mountains they fall on. Both are considered endangered on the IUCN Red List but neither have been formally listed on the U.S. endangered species list. Eastern monarchs have declined by 80% since the 1980s, and the western population by more than 95%, edging them toward extinction. Nonmigratory populations, found throughout the neotropics, aren’t considered endangered. The entire population of eastern monarchs overwinter in the oyamel fir (Abies religiosa) forests of central Mexico. Researchers estimate their population based on how much forest the butterflies occupy. Over the winter of 2024-2025, monarchs covered just 1.79 hectares (4.42 acres); a year later, it was 2.93 hectares (7.24 acres). That works out to more than 61 million monarchs, says Wendy Caldwell, executive director of the monarch butterfly conservation nonprofit Monarch Joint Venture. “It is variable; however, 21 million monarchs per hectare is a generally accepted estimate in the current literature,” she told Mongabay by email. It can take four generations of monarchs to complete the migration journey from Mexico to Canada or the northern United States and back. Much work has gone into protecting the monarch’s winter habitat in Mexico. “One of the greatest achievements…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Monarch butterfly populations in North America have been in dramatic decline for several decades. But in a glimmer of hope for the iconic orange-and-black species, the 2025 population estimate was roughly 64% higher compared to the previous year. Scientists split migratory monarchs (Danaus plexippus) into two populations — western and eastern — depending on which […] authors: | ||
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Vietnam and Russia advance nuclear power deal as energy security concerns grow in Southeast Asia 24 Mar 2026 16:28:28 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/vietnam-and-russia-advance-nuclear-power-deal-as-energy-security-concerns-grow-in-southeast-asia/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam and Russia signed a deal to build a nuclear power plant in Vietnam as the Southeast Asian country revives its nuclear plans with hopes of boosting energy security while curbing greenhouse gas emissions. The deal for the Ninh Thuan 1 plant, reported by Vietnamese state media, comes after two similar projects were shelved in 2016 over rising costs and safety issues. The agreement was signed Monday during Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s visit to Moscow, where he met his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin. The two countries described the plant as a “symbolic project” of their friendship, according to Vietnam’s official government newspaper. The new plant also fits with Vietnam’s ambitions to become rich by 2050 by growing into Asia’s next “tiger economy.” The deal outlines plans to build two Russian-designed reactors with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts, which are based on an existing plant in Russia. Concerns over energy security have sharpened since the war in Iran triggered a global energy shortage, raising the cost of imported fossil fuels and adding urgency to Hanoi’s search for stable, long-term power sources. Across Southeast Asia, fast-growing economies are turning to nuclear power for cleaner, more reliable energy. Advocates say it offers lower emissions than coal, oil and gas, while newer technology has made reactors safer, smaller and cheaper to build. Beyond nuclear energy, Monday’s meeting in Moscow included discussion of expanding cooperation in oil and gas, technology and infrastructure. Vietnam and Russia have maintained ties since 1950, rooted in the Cold War. But economic links…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam and Russia signed a deal to build a nuclear power plant in Vietnam as the Southeast Asian country revives its nuclear plans with hopes of boosting energy security while curbing greenhouse gas emissions. The deal for the Ninh Thuan 1 plant, reported by Vietnamese state media, comes after two similar projects were […] authors: | ||
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Upemba National Park staff recount assault that left seven dead 24 Mar 2026 15:29:29 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/upemba-national-park-staff-recount-assault-that-left-seven-dead/ author: Malavikavyawahare dc:creator: Ashoka Mukpo content:encoded: When Christine Lain, the director of Upemba National Park, heard gunfire coming from the outer boundary of the park’s headquarters complex a little before 6 in the morning of March 3, her first thought was that it was a part of a drill. Upemba, a sprawling 11,730-square-kilometer (4,530-square-mile) network of grasslands and forests in the southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, isn’t a stranger to security threats. Its rangers have battled local militias, known as Mai-Mai, for years, and in January the park’s security team had run combat drills at its headquarters as part of contingency planning for an attack. Lain wondered if another exercise was happening. It didn’t take long for her to realize that something very different was underway. “We immediately realized that the intensity of the firing was so high that it was certainly not a drill,” she told Mongabay in a phone interview from Lubumbashi, capital of Haut-Katanga, one of three provinces straddled by Upemba. The shots Lain heard from her quarters marked the beginning of a 12-hour ordeal that would eventually leave three rangers and four civilian park staff dead, and its headquarters ransacked. Upemba National Park’s headquarters before the attack. Image by Justin Sullivan via Forgotten Parks. Upemba, which is managed by the nonprofit organization Forgotten Parks in conjunction with the DRC’s agency for conservation and park management, the ICCN, has lost staff to violence before. In 2024, two rangers and two community trackers were killed in clashes with militia members. But the scale and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - On March 3, a group of militants attacked the headquarters of Upemba National Park in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo. - The attack left seven people dead and caused severe damage to facilities at the headquarters. - A group claiming responsibility for the assault said it was part of an effort to achieve independence for the mineral-rich region of Katanga, of which Upemba is a part. - Upemba National Parks staff members spoke to Mongabay from the DRC about the attack and its aftermath. authors: | ||
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On Manatee Appreciation Day, remember these gentle giants who protect aquatic ecosystems (commentary) 24 Mar 2026 14:22:59 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/on-manatee-appreciation-day-remember-these-gentle-giants-who-protect-aquatic-ecosystems-commentary/ author: Erik Hoffner dc:creator: Omar Vidal content:encoded: Along the warm waters of Mexico’s Caribbean coast lives a creature so gentle that sailors once mistook it for a mermaid. Slow-moving, peaceful and curious, manatees have glided through rivers and coastal lagoons for millions of years, long before humans ever set foot on these shores. On Manatee Appreciation Day, it’s worth remembering not only why these animals matter, but also the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting these gentle giants. One such story begins in Chetumal, a coastal city in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula whose name in the Maya language means “the place where the rains come down.” It is here that a scientist named Dr. Benjamín Morales devoted decades of his life to studying and protecting manatees. In 2003, a newborn manatee calf washed ashore in Laguna Guerrero near Chetumal. He had just been born and had already lost his mother. The calf was weak, alone and unlikely to survive. Dr. Morales stepped in without hesitation, and he named the calf Daniel. Daniel was taken to a small research facility where Morales and a group of students and volunteers nursed him back to health, feeding him from bottles day and night. What began as a rescue soon became something deeper: a bond between human and animal built on patience, trust and care. An Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) comes up for air. Image courtesy of André Dib. Over the years, Daniel grew into a full-sized manatee with an unmistakable personality. Like many of his species, he had an…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Slow-moving, peaceful and curious, manatees quietly maintain the health and balance of aquatic ecosystems, from rivers to bays and coasts worldwide. - Manatee Appreciation Day is observed annually on the last Wednesday of March, and it’s a good time to remember why these animals matter, and the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting them. - “The gentle giants of our oceans have survived for millions of years. Whether they survive the next century depends on all of us,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. authors: | ||
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China’s deep-sea mining fleet may also track US submarines 24 Mar 2026 04:01:00 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/03/chinas-deep-sea-mining-fleet-may-also-track-us-submarines/ author: Andy Lehren dc:creator: Elizabeth Claire AlbertsKara Fox content:encoded: A Mongabay and CNN investigation found the eight Chinese state-owned ships that conduct deep-sea mining research in China’s mining areas allocated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) actually spent little time in these exploration areas, while spending much of their remaining time operating in militarily strategic waters. Many of these vessels are linked to the Chinese Navy, have regularly called on military-connected ports, encroached on other countries’ coastal exclusive economic zones and turned off their AIS location beacons. While none of this proves the vessels serve military roles, it suggests the ships may serve dual-use purposes, having a strategic military role as well as a scientific one. With China positioning itself as a leader in deep-sea mining, the U.S. is accelerating its own push to access seabed areas and counter China’s dominance in critical mineral supply chains. The Cook Islands is one hotspot where U.S-China competition is intensifying. As competition heightens between China and the U.S., critics of the industry warn deep-sea mining could cause irreversible harm to marine ecosystems, raising fears that the environment could be the main casualty in this geopolitical rivalry. This article was produced in partnership with CNN with support from the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network, where Elizabeth Claire Alberts was a fellow. In June 2025, the Xiang Yang Hong 01, a chalky white vessel loaded with oceanographic equipment, cruised the Northwest Pacific until it reached a section of the seafloor rich in polymetallic nodules — potato-shaped rocks that contain valuable metals such as manganese,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: A Mongabay and CNN investigation found the eight Chinese state-owned ships that conduct deep-sea mining research in China’s mining areas allocated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) actually spent little time in these exploration areas, while spending much of their remaining time operating in militarily strategic waters. Many of these vessels are linked to the […] authors: | ||
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Argentina updates national IUCN mammal list with new focus on non-native species 24 Mar 2026 01:47:15 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/argentina-updates-national-iucn-mammal-list-with-new-focus-on-non-native-species/ author: Alexandrapopescu dc:creator: Maxwell Radwin content:encoded: Scientists have updated the conservation status of hundreds of mammals in Argentina, adding previously unassessed species and revising biodiversity threat levels. The assessment evaluated 417 native mammal species across the country, identifying national threats even in species that are listed as least concern. More than 500 scientists contributed to the effort, which also involved a new way of measuring the impact of non-native mammals. “Some species are more at risk of disappearing than others, either because they’re more exposed or because their biology and ecology make them more affected by certain [factors],” Javier Pereira, general coordinator of the 2025 Categorization of the Mammals of Argentina, told Mongabay. “We need to measure that in order to have an indication of which species are more at risk than others.” The Argentine Society for the Study of Mammals (SAREM), a national collective of scientists, conducts periodic assessments of the conservation status of mammal species in Argentina. Its goal is to better understand population trends and threats across the country’s many ecosystems. Species expert teams review available scientific literature, monitoring data and field observations from the previous five years and then assign conservation statuses, which are then reviewed and formally validated by a committee. This time around, they evaluated 417 mammal species, 22 more than the 395 species evaluated in 2019. The increase reflects newly discovered mammals, Pereira said, but also taxonomic revisions to mammals that were once grouped together and are now recognized as distinct species. The non-native red deer (Cervus elaphus) in…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The Argentine Society for the Study of Mammals reviews the national IUCN Red List of mammal species the goal of better understanding population trends and threats across the country’s many ecosystems. - This time around, scientists evaluated 417 mammal species, 22 more than the 395 species evaluated in 2019. - The increase reflects newly discovered mammals but also taxonomic revisions to mammals that were once grouped together and are now recognized as distinct species. - For the first time, SAREM also used the environmental impact classification for alien taxa, known as EICAT, to determine how much damage non-native species were doing to biodiversity in the country. authors: | ||
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Conservation win as first palm cockatoo chick fledges from artificial hollow in Australia 24 Mar 2026 00:23:30 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/conservation-win-as-first-palm-cockatoo-chick-fledges-from-artificial-hollow-in-australia/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Megan Strauss content:encoded: Conservationists in Australia are celebrating the fledging of a palm cockatoo chick, a species considered endangered in the country. It fledged from an artificial log hollow installed on a tree for breeding cockatoos. The structure is one of 29 such spaces created as part of People For Wildlife’s (PFW) Breeding Habitat Restoration Project, in partnership with Apudthama Traditional Owners and palm cockatoo expert Christina Zdenek, PhD. The palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) is a stunning large parrot, with smokey-black feathers, red cheek patches and a dramatic crest. As part of their courtship displays, males fashion tools out of sticks and seed pods to drum on hollow trees. Palm cockatoos live in Australia and on the neighboring island of New Guinea. In Australia, they are confined to a patch of rainforest and savanna woodland on the remote Cape York Peninsula of northern Queensland. They’re one of Australia’s most threatened parrots, with possibly fewer than 2,000 left in the wild. “They disperse the rainforest seeds,” Robert Heinsohn of Australian National University told U.K. state broadcaster BBC. “They have these massive great beaks, and they’re the only creatures that can break into some of the larger seed pods.” The species is a slow breeder. Females lay just one egg roughly every two years. For nesting, the mating pair carefully selects a hollow in an old-growth tree and builds a deep platform out of sticks, where the female lays her egg. The loss of such natural hollows is a major threat to the species. Zdenek…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Conservationists in Australia are celebrating the fledging of a palm cockatoo chick, a species considered endangered in the country. It fledged from an artificial log hollow installed on a tree for breeding cockatoos. The structure is one of 29 such spaces created as part of People For Wildlife’s (PFW) Breeding Habitat Restoration Project, in partnership […] authors: | ||
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The ocean’s enforcement gap 23 Mar 2026 22:33:29 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/the-oceans-enforcement-gap/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: On paper, the sea is increasingly protected. Governments have designated vast marine protected areas (MPAs) and pledged to conserve 30% of the ocean by 2030. Maps shaded in reassuring blues now circulate widely. Yet the reality offshore often looks much the same as before. Industrial vessels still trawl through restricted waters, longliners set gear near vulnerable habitats, and sanctions for violations are sporadic. The problem is not a shortage of rules. It is the unevenness of enforcement. Creating an MPA is politically attractive. It signals ambition at relatively modest cost, especially when the protected waters lie far offshore. Policing those areas is harder. Patrol vessels are expensive to operate, legal cases can drag on, and fisheries agencies are rarely flush with funds. In many countries, officials face a dilemma: announce new protections and earn international praise, or spend scarce resources enforcing existing ones and risk confrontation with powerful domestic interests. Frozen tuna are transferred from the Hung Hwa 202, a Taiwanese longliner, to the Hsiang Hao, a Panama-flagged reefer operating out of Tokyo, Japan, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and crew are investigating distant water fishing fleet practices in the Mid-Atlantic during September and October 2019. Photo credit: © Tommy Trenchard Evidence presented in a widely-cited 2014 Nature paper suggests that compliance depends less on the size of protected areas than on whether rules are visible and credible. Studies comparing MPAs across regions consistently find that ecological benefits correlate with enforcement capacity. A…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Governments have designated vast marine protected areas and pledged to conserve 30% of the ocean by 2030, enforcement often lags behind these commitments. - Research shows that the ecological benefits of marine protected areas depend less on their size than on whether rules are visible, monitored, and enforced. - New tools—such as satellite imagery, vessel-tracking systems, and data analytics—are making it easier and cheaper to detect illegal fishing and focus enforcement efforts. - As monitoring improves, the future of ocean conservation may depend less on creating new protected areas than on ensuring existing rules are consistently applied. authors: | ||
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Indigenous groups demand halt to Belo Sun Amazon gold mine 23 Mar 2026 20:51:28 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/indigenous-groups-demand-halt-to-belo-sun-amazon-gold-mine/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shanna Hanbury content:encoded: More than 120 Indigenous protesters have occupied a federal building in Altamira in the Brazilian Amazon since Feb. 23. They are demanding that authorities block a Canadian mining company’s license to open one of the country’s largest open-air gold mines on the Xingu River. Led by a movement of Indigenous women, the protest follows a Feb. 13 court ruling reinstating an installation license, suspended since 2017, for Canadian mining multinational Belo Sun’s (TSE:BSX) Volta Grande project. “Belo Sun is a foreign company that intends to plunder the riches of the Volta Grande do Xingu, a sacred territory of Indigenous and traditional peoples,” the Middle Xingu Indigenous Women’s Movement, wrote in a statement. “The dozens of women and men who have remained camped in struggle for their rights for more than 20 days are not doing so for leisure, but because they understand the danger that the mining venture represents for the region,” the statement continued. The protest targets the local branch of Funai, Brazil’s federal Indigenous affairs agency, in the neighboring municipality of Altamira, Pará state. On March 16, protesters briefly blocked access to Altamira’s airport. Indigenous leaders say Funai is not adequately representing them and signed off on the project’s Indigenous impacts despite a lack of consent from the affected communities. In December 2025, 10 Indigenous associations formally annulled a prior consultation process and suspended all negotiations with the company. The Feb. 13 ruling allowing the project to move forward is the latest in a dispute dating back 14…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: More than 120 Indigenous protesters have occupied a federal building in Altamira in the Brazilian Amazon since Feb. 23. They are demanding that authorities block a Canadian mining company’s license to open one of the country’s largest open-air gold mines on the Xingu River. Led by a movement of Indigenous women, the protest follows a […] authors: | ||
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Huge amounts of nanoplastics discovered in tap and bottled water 23 Mar 2026 20:33:06 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/huge-amounts-of-nanoplastics-discovered-in-tap-and-bottled-water/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shanna Hanbury content:encoded: The amount of nanoplastics in drinking water in the U.S. has been wildly underestimated. That’s according to a new study that found the amount of plastic in both tap and bottled water was 10-100 times higher than previous estimates. For the new study, researchers used more advanced methodology and found more plastic. “It is like the difference between looking at the stars with and without a telescope,” lead author Megan Jamison Hart, an environmental science researcher at The Ohio State University, and her adviser, John Lenhart, an environmental engineering professor at the same institution, told Mongabay by email. “Like the stars, plastics are there either way, but the analytical technique we used let us see a lot more than what previous studies have been able to quantify, similar to seeing more stars with a telescope,” they added. They also found that concentrations of nanoplastics — particles smaller than a micron, or one-thousandth of a millimeter — were three times higher in bottled water than tap. Overall concentrations of micro and nano plastics (MNPs) were twice as high in bottled water compared with treated tap water. While microplastics in water have been extensively studied, research on nanoplastics is much more challenging and still poorly understood. To analyze the drinking water, the researchers used a technique called optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to determine the chemical composition of particles smaller than 500 nanometers, or 0.0005 millimeters, roughly the size of a large virus. Then, paired with scanning electron microscopy, which uses a…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: The amount of nanoplastics in drinking water in the U.S. has been wildly underestimated. That’s according to a new study that found the amount of plastic in both tap and bottled water was 10-100 times higher than previous estimates. For the new study, researchers used more advanced methodology and found more plastic. “It is like […] authors: | ||
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Can this giant freezer de-extinct animals? 23 Mar 2026 18:51:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/can-this-giant-freezer-de-extinct-animals/ author: Sam Lee dc:creator: Izzy Sasada content:encoded: 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 frozen DNA really help conserve wildlife? Join Conservation Entangled host Izzy Sasada as she breaks down the potential of bio-banking, and why we should be cautious about celebrating tech fixes to ecological crises.This article was originally published on Mongabay description: 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 […] authors: | ||
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French company stops US offshore wind projects in $1B deal with Trump administration 23 Mar 2026 17:40:19 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/french-company-stops-us-offshore-wind-projects-in-1b-deal-with-trump-administration/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: The Department of Interior says a French energy company has agreed to give up two U.S. offshore wind leases and invest in fossil fuel projects instead. The department said Monday that TotalEnergies committed to invest approximately $1 billion in oil and natural gas production in the United States. That is the amount the company paid to purchase leases to develop offshore wind off the coasts of North Carolina and New York. The Trump administration has tried to halt offshore wind construction, but federal judges overturned those orders. These settlements are a different way of stopping U.S. offshore wind development. President Donald Trump has gone all in on fossil fuels. Banner image: A sign for the French company TotalEnergies is displayed at headquarters March 21, 2025, in La Defense business district outside of Paris. Image courtesy of Thomas Padilla, Associated Press By Jennifer McDermott, Associated PressThis article was originally published on Mongabay description: The Department of Interior says a French energy company has agreed to give up two U.S. offshore wind leases and invest in fossil fuel projects instead. The department said Monday that TotalEnergies committed to invest approximately $1 billion in oil and natural gas production in the United States. That is the amount the company paid […] authors: | ||
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How Namibia’s bird conservation projects build community resilience (commentary) 23 Mar 2026 16:13:42 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/how-namibias-bird-conservation-projects-build-community-resilience-commentary/ author: Erik Hoffner dc:creator: Martha Karas content:encoded: In Namibia’s Karas Region, birds are more than symbols of freedom or beauty — they are teachers of resilience. Their survival in arid landscapes mirrors the endurance of the communities who live alongside them. Grassroots bird conservation projects here have revealed something profound: protecting birds can also strengthen families, nurture hope, and build social cohesion. Across villages in Karas, parents and children tend habitats together, restoring nesting sites and planting native vegetation. These acts of care are not only ecological interventions; they are lessons in patience and problem solving. When a child sees a weaverbird return to a reed bed that the community has protected, it is a moment of triumph that teaches perseverance in the face of environmental challenges. Women and youth are at the forefront of these initiatives. In one community, a group of young women organized bird walks for schoolchildren, teaching them to identify species like the sociable weaver and the pale chanting goshawk. Their leadership has inspired confidence among peers and shown that conservation is not the domain of scientists alone — it is a practice of everyday resilience. Sociable weavers nesting in acacia trees, Karas Region, Namibia. Image courtesy of Martha Karas. These projects also counter the isolation that environmental stress can bring. Droughts and land degradation often erode social bonds, but bird conservation has become a rallying point. Families gather to monitor nesting sites, share stories, and celebrate small victories. In doing so, they weave resilience into the social fabric. Conservation here is not…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Droughts and land degradation often erode communities’ social bonds, but in the Karas region of Namibia, bird conservation initiatives have become a rallying point. - Women and youth are at the forefront of these initiatives, which has inspired confidence among peers and shown that conservation is not the domain of scientists alone, but also a practice of everyday community resilience. - “It is time for policymakers, NGOs, and donors to support these initiatives not just as biodiversity projects, but as investments in community well-being,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. authors: | ||
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Songbird trade threatens lesser-known ‘master birds’ with secondary extinctions: Study 23 Mar 2026 15:02:03 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/songbird-trade-threatens-lesser-known-master-birds-with-secondary-extinctions-study/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Sean Mowbray content:encoded: Increasing demand for songbirds is raising the risk of “secondary extinctions” of so-called “master birds” in Southeast Asia, conservationists warn. While these birds never enter the region’s songbird singing competitions, they have unique qualities to their songs. When caged near songbirds, elements of their calls can be learned, says Vincent Nijman, lead author of research documenting their demise and director of EcoVerde Global Consulting. They almost act as vocal coaches: Proximity to master birds can improve the songs of contest competitors like the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), a bird prized for its melodic voice, increasing their chances of success. Judges evaluate birds in these contests on the duration of their song, rhythm, showmanship and volume. Researchers surveyed markets across Indonesia from 2011 to 2025, looking for crested jayshrikes (Platylophus galericulatus), a popular master bird. They discovered that they were sold openly at markets in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali, Lombok and Sulawesi. Their findings were published recently in the journal Integrative Conservation. An added driver of the demand for master birds is the energy these birds bring. There’s a belief that masters pass on parts of their song but also impart confidence to songbirds. That conclusion is based on conversations with trappers, traders and competitors, says Simon Bruslund, director of global development at the Copenhagen Zoo, who was not involved in this study. “It’s the energy transfer from the master bird to the recipient bird that’s important,” he says. He adds that that popularity of masters is reliant on fashions and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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World Water Day: Earth’s freshwater reveals new species & faces mounting threats 22 Mar 2026 21:48:27 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/world-water-day-earths-freshwater-reveals-new-species-faces-mounting-threats/ author: Shanna Hanbury dc:creator: Mongabay.com content:encoded: Water covers most of our planet, yet less than 3% of it is freshwater and most of it is contained in glaciers, making it not readily usable. Contamination and overuse threaten the valuable supplies of freshwater that humans and other animals, especially aquatic organisms, depend on to live. On World Water Day, a United Nations day observed every March 22, Mongabay highlights three recent stories showcasing recent wins and losses for freshwater ecosystems. Nearly one freshwater fish described a day in 2025 More than 300 new-to-science freshwater fish species were described in 2025. It was the third-highest tally year since 1758, when scientists began keeping records. Among the species are two cave-dwelling fish in China, both adapted to life in permanent darkness: the Yang’s plateau loach (Triplophysa yangi) and the Sichuan mountain cave loach (Claea scet). In the U.S. Appalachian Mountains, scientists described the 60-centimeter (24-inch) sicklefin redhorse (Moxostoma ugidatli), believed to be the largest fish described in North America in the last century. “Our planet’s rivers and wetlands are still full of surprises,” Michael Edmondstone, a spokesperson at SHOAL Conservation, told Mongabay wildlife reporter Spoorthy Raman. Potential nuclear power plant overlaps Africa’s largest freshwater lake Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and roughly the size of Ireland, has been shortlisted as one of three potential sites for a planned 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in Kenya. Lake Victoria, known as Lake Nalubaale in the local Luganda language, feeds into the Nile River. According to a WWF report, the…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Water covers most of our planet, yet less than 3% of it is freshwater and most of it is contained in glaciers, making it not readily usable. Contamination and overuse threaten the valuable supplies of freshwater that humans and other animals, especially aquatic organisms, depend on to live. On World Water Day, a United Nations […] authors: | ||
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PNG’s New Ireland coastal waters causing fish deaths, human sickness 20 Mar 2026 23:58:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/pngs-new-ireland-coastal-waters-causing-fish-deaths-human-sickness/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: John Cannon content:encoded: For several months, the waters around New Ireland province in Papua New Guinea have been causing illness, skin irritation and the death of sea life, according to communities living along the east coast of the island. In December 2025, residents say they began noticing that fish and other marine life were turning up dead along the shoreline, according to a coalition that is organizing a relief effort. John Aini, the founder of the Indigenous marine conservation organization Ailan Awareness, who is from New Ireland province, said the flesh of these fish was discolored, the eyes of some had popped out of their sockets and others had visible damage to their brains. New Ireland sits along the northeastern fringes of Papua New Guinea between the Bismarck Sea to the west and the expanse of the Pacific Ocean to the east. The crisis threatens “multiple” communities whose cultures are deeply entwined with the ocean environment, according to a statement from the coalition, and some 750 people have experienced symptoms including burns, respiratory problems and gastrointestinal sickness. Tidal movements also threaten to infiltrate and foul freshwater creeks that are critical sources of drinking water. And yet, the origins of the crisis are a mystery. A map showing the locations of the most affected communities in New Ireland. Image courtesy of Ailan Awareness. “Families can no longer rely on the ocean for food,” Martha Piwas, a community leader from the east coast of New Ireland, said in the statement. “Mothers cannot feed their children…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Communities on the east coast of Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland province report that contact with the seawater there has made people sick since December 2025; residents have also reported spikes in the number of dead fish and other marine life along the shoreline. - A group of local and international NGOs has responded, providing help with sampling to determine the cause and raising money for the affected villages. - New Ireland’s coastal communities depend on the sea for food, but government officials have warned against eating fish until the cause of the problems has been identified. - Government ministries have been aware of the situation for at least two months, and while leaders say that tissue, water and soil samples have been collected, no results have been released yet. authors: | ||
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Captive-bred Panamanian golden frogs released to the wild 20 Mar 2026 23:18:36 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/captive-bred-panamanian-golden-frogs-released-to-the-wild/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: Since 2009, no one has seen a Panamanian golden frog in the wild. These bright yellow frogs disappeared completely when an amphibian fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, swept through Panama reaching El Valle de Anton, the last stronghold of golden frogs. Researchers at the Smithsonian Institution predicted these declines based on the pattern of disease spread, but to get ahead of the disease, a coalition of organizations built the the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project (PARC) with a mission to safeguard golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki) and other amphibians most at risk of extinction. After successfully breeding them in captivity, the project has begun releasing frogs to understand the science of rewilding these imperiled animals. “We provide care for some of the most endangered amphibians in Panama, and now we are entering a new phase of our work to study the science of rewilding,” said Roberto Ibañez director of PARC. The golden frog is endemic to Panama and was found only near fast-running streams flowing from the mountainous region of central Panama. Chytridiomycosis, the deadly fungus that infects a frog’s skin leading to death, can swim through water and hitch a ride on other wildlife, even on people’s shoes. The disease is still present in many other areas of Panama, so the release trial presents an opportunity to understand how frogs transition from human care to the wild. Researchers released 100 golden frogs in soft-release pens, known as mesocosms, and came back to monitor them post-release. The frogs initially spent 12 weeks…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Since 2009, no one has seen a Panamanian golden frog in the wild. These bright yellow frogs disappeared completely when an amphibian fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, swept through Panama reaching El Valle de Anton, the last stronghold of golden frogs. Researchers at the Smithsonian Institution predicted these declines based on the pattern of disease spread, but […] authors: | ||
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Vatican launches campaign to encourage divestment from mining industries 20 Mar 2026 21:22:48 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/vatican-launches-campaign-to-encourage-divestment-from-mining-industries/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: ROME (AP) — The Vatican on Friday launched a campaign to encourage divestment from mining industries, saying the Catholic Church should invest its money in ways that are consistent with its ecological teachings. The effort, which also involves other Christian organizations, takes as its inspiration Pope Francis’ 2015 environmental encyclical “Praised Be.” The document, and the ecological movement it inspired, railed against the multinational corporations that pillage Earth’s natural resources, often at the expense of poor and Indigenous peoples. The initiative is the brainchild of an existing ecumenical network of Catholic and other Christian denominations, the Churches and Mining Network, that is active in particular in Latin America. The campaign aims to encourage local churches to review their investment strategies and divest where needed, and to share information especially with Indigenous groups about the types of extraction occurring on their lands. Yolanda Flores, a leader of the Aymara peoples in Peru, teared up at a Vatican news conference describing how Indigenous mothers are left to fear they are poisoning their children because their drinking water has been polluted by extraction runoff. “The big question is: Who finances this? Who provides the money to poison us?” she said. Guatemalan Cardinal Álvaro Ramazzini recalled that when he was bishop of San Marcos, the Guatemalan government allowed a Canadian mining firm to explore, and then extract silver and gold from the land. While the project provided short-term employment to the local population, the ultimate winners were the shareholders, he said. “Was it a legal activity? Yes. Was…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: ROME (AP) — The Vatican on Friday launched a campaign to encourage divestment from mining industries, saying the Catholic Church should invest its money in ways that are consistent with its ecological teachings. The effort, which also involves other Christian organizations, takes as its inspiration Pope Francis’ 2015 environmental encyclical “Praised Be.” The document, and the ecological movement it […] authors: | ||
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Proboscis monkey found in Thailand adds to evidence of cross-border illegal trade 20 Mar 2026 19:58:06 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/proboscis-monkey-found-in-thailand-adds-to-evidence-of-cross-border-illegal-trade/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: Ana Norman Bermúdez content:encoded: RATCHABURI, Thailand — On Jan. 6, residents of Samut Sakhon province, central Thailand, found an injured monkey near a railway track. Pot-bellied with reddish-brown fur and a prominent, upturned nose, it was unlike other monkeys typically seen in the area. After calling a wildlife hotline, they took the animal to a nearby clinic. “That’s when they realized that this was a foreign monkey,” says Kanpicha Han-Asa, a veterinarian with Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) at the Ban Pong wildlife rescue center, where the monkey was later transferred for rehabilitation. The rescued proboscis monkey at Thailand’s Ban Pong wildlife rescue center, where it is recovering from its injuries. Image by Ana Norman Bermúdez for Mongabay. Proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus), also known as long-nosed monkeys for their distinctive large noses, are an endangered species endemic to Borneo. The wildlife center in Ban Pong regularly receives animals intercepted from the illegal trade, including nonnative species, but this is the first proboscis monkey the team has handled. “We haven’t seen or heard about cases involving this species before,” says Krishnapong Oncharoen, head of the wildlife protection unit at the center. After receiving the monkey, officers checked for any permits linked to the species. Proboscis monkeys are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning international trade is banned, except for very specific noncommercial purposes, such as conservation breeding or research. “If you want to bring them into the country, you must have…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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Deep-sea mining rules face delays despite urgent push 20 Mar 2026 19:28:26 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/deep-sea-mining-rules-face-delays-despite-urgent-push/ author: Rebecca Kessler dc:creator: Elizabeth Claire Alberts content:encoded: Commercial deep-sea mining hasn’t yet begun, but it soon could — with the potential to reshape vast stretches of the ocean as companies move to extract minerals from the seafloor. However, this nascent industry lacks a set of international rules to govern it, and a recent meeting of the regulatory body charged with drafting one has adjourned with big gaps remaining. Leticia Carvalho, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the UN-associated deep-sea mining regulator, has stressed the importance of completing the rules to govern seabed exploitation — known as the mining code — by the end of this year. Completing this task has become a critical test for the ISA since the U.S., which is not a member state of the ISA, fast-tracked deep-sea mining plans with apparent disregard for international law. Completing the mining code would ultimately make the U.S. “a less attractive option for companies” by making any moves to mine outside of ISA regulations “highly problematic,” Carvalho said at a press briefing in response to a question from Mongabay. “I continue to be very confident and trust that this year there will be great progress … of the mining code that will take the International Seabed Authority from the era of exploration to the era of exploitation of mineral resources in the deep sea,” Carvalho said. However, the meeting closed on Mar. 19 without a clear timeline for finishing the mining code. Pradeep Singh of Lisbon-based ocean conservation non-profit Oceano Azul, who attended the ISA meeting…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Commercial deep-sea mining hasn’t yet begun, but it soon could — with the potential to reshape vast stretches of the ocean as companies move to extract minerals from the seafloor. However, this nascent industry lacks a set of international rules to govern it, and a recent meeting of the regulatory body charged with drafting one […] authors: | ||
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Many Indigenous peoples in Asia feel excluded from nat’l biodiversity planning: Report 20 Mar 2026 19:12:05 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/many-indigenous-peoples-in-asia-feel-excluded-from-natl-biodiversity-planning-report/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Sonam Lama Hyolmo content:encoded: A report and policy brief by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) found that Indigenous peoples in Asia think they are having little sway on their nation’s biodiversity goals — despite the global U.N. biodiversity agreement calling on countries to ensure their full and effective participation in decision-making. The report gathered 85 survey responses from 15 countries and 59 Indigenous organizations across Asia, documenting the inclusion of Indigenous peoples in the national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAP) revision processes across these countries. The report focused on Asia, where nearly two-thirds of the world’s Indigenous peoples are located, though many governments do not recognize this status. It found participation, implementation and policy gaps in the countries’ national biodiversity plans. Survey respondents said they had limited influence over outcomes, as Indigenous peoples were not treated as equal partners. However, the report also found that Indigenous peoples increasingly participated in the NBSAP revision processes compared with a previous global biodiversity agreement for the 2011-20 period. When they did participate, roughly 60% reported that participation was not meaningful, and 49% of respondents engaged in the NBSAP processes said they did not know whether their inputs were reflected in the final documents. A small minority of people (9%) received NBSAP update information directly from the government. Indigenous sources told Mongabay they sometimes felt “tokenized” as part of the process. “Indigenous Peoples were marginalized in terms of power-sharing as final decisions on what goes into the NBSAP were made by the concerned government ministries and officials,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - 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. authors: | ||
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World Rewilding Day: Hope for species and ecosystems 20 Mar 2026 18:37:38 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/world-rewilding-day-hope-for-species-and-ecosystems/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Mongabay.com content:encoded: World Rewilding Day on March 20 celebrates human efforts to rewild and restore degraded areas. Rewilding can focus on a single species, a city park, or even an entire island, and Mongabay has reported on such efforts from around the word. Rewilding in France’s Dauphiné Alps France’s largest rewilding project is underway in the Dauphiné Alps, in the south of the country. In the 18th century, much of the region was cleared for agriculture. But with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, many people abandoned farms and moved to cities. Left undisturbed, native trees and wildlife slowly began coming back. “It allows us to build on what’s been done already,” Olivier Raynaud, director of Rewilding France and leader of the Dauphiné Alps project, told Mongabay. “We’re not starting from scratch.” Four species of vultures have already been reintroduced, following successful breeding in captivity. They’re crucial for ridding the area of disease-spreading carrion and have become a tourist attraction. Next, the project plans to bring back large herbivores, including Polish konik ponies and Scottish Galloway cattle, which are expected to spread seeds that will eventually grow into a forest. Project leaders also hope to bring back the locally endangered Eurasian lynx and eventually wolves — though the wolf plan has so far faced pushback from locals who see the predators as a threat to livestock. Rewilding the world’s largest volcanic lake Lake Toba, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is the largest volcanic lake in the world and historically home to…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: World Rewilding Day on March 20 celebrates human efforts to rewild and restore degraded areas. Rewilding can focus on a single species, a city park, or even an entire island, and Mongabay has reported on such efforts from around the word. Rewilding in France’s Dauphiné Alps France’s largest rewilding project is underway in the Dauphiné […] authors: | ||
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