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Ethiopia’s iconic Walia ibex is critically endangered once again 09 Jul 2026 12:27:06 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/ethiopias-iconic-walia-ibex-is-critically-endangered-once-again/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shreya Dasgupta content:encoded: The Walia ibex, a rare species of wild goat found only in northern Ethiopia, is once again considered critically endangered, after recent population estimates showed a sustained decline below a key threshold. The iconic species, largely confined to the remote, steep cliffs of Simien Mountains National Park, was previous listed as vulnerable on the Red List of the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. The conservation status of the Walia ibex (Capra walie) has oscillated over the years. In 1986, it was listed as endangered, then reclassified as critically endangered in 1996, before being moved back to endangered in 2008. Between 2009 and 2012, surveys found the Walia ibex population had increased from 680 individuals to 850. Based on this trend, researchers estimated that by 2020 there would be more than 975 individuals. Concluding that the species was doing better, they reclassified the ibex as vulnerable. The 2020 assessment noted that in 2019, only 619 ibex had been counted, but concluded that this single record didn’t change the overall increasing trend. “With today’s knowledge this conclusion was not justified,” Paul Scholte, senior adviser to the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority and lead assessor of the IUCN Walia Ibex Assessment, told Mongabay by email. A study published last year by Scholte and his colleagues found that Walia ibex numbers have been steadily declining from a high of 865 individuals in 2015 to just 306 by May 2024. Most importantly, there were fewer than 250 mature individuals (those that can reproduce) in 2023 and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: The Walia ibex, a rare species of wild goat found only in northern Ethiopia, is once again considered critically endangered, after recent population estimates showed a sustained decline below a key threshold. The iconic species, largely confined to the remote, steep cliffs of Simien Mountains National Park, was previous listed as vulnerable on the Red […] authors: | ||
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Lawmakers seek rights probe into Indigenous conflict at Indonesian timber firm 09 Jul 2026 10:23:36 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/lawmakers-seek-rights-probe-into-indigenous-conflict-at-indonesian-timber-firm/ author: Hans Nicholas Jong dc:creator: Hans Nicholas Jong content:encoded: JAKARTA — Indonesian lawmakers have called for a government fact-finding probe into a long-running conflict between an Indigenous community in Borneo and an industrial timber company linked to one of Indonesia’s largest recent deforestation cases. The call came at the end of a parliamentary hearing in Jakarta on June 30, where lawmakers said testimony presented during the session strengthened indications of alleged structural and systematic human rights violations in the conflict. Responding to the hearing, Indonesia’s Ministry of Human Rights said it would conduct a more comprehensive review of the case, including field monitoring and coordination with other government agencies, as it prepares to investigate allegations of human rights violations linked to the conflict between PT Mayawana Persada and the Dayak Kualan community in Ketapang district, West Kalimantan province. The Dayak Kualan community alleges the company’s concession overlaps with its customary lands and forests, and that Mayawana proceeded to clear the area without obtaining its meaningful consent. Despite the community’s longstanding objections, Mayawana razed lands and forests that the Dayak Kualan community says form part of its customary territory, according to Tarsisius Fendy Sesupi, the customary chief of Lelayang, one of the Indigenous hamlets overlapped by the concession. “The company never sought the community’s agreement. It simply moved in and cleared everything,” he said at a recent press conference in Jakarta. In cases where community members agreed to relinquish their land, they did so under pressure and received only 1.5 million rupiah (about $83) per hectare, or $34 per acre,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Indonesian lawmakers have called for a government fact-finding investigation into alleged human rights abuses linked to a long-running land conflict between the Dayak Kualan Indigenous community and timber company PT Mayawana Persada. - The community says the company cleared customary forests and sacred sites without its consent, while community leaders have faced criminal charges they describe as retaliation for opposing the project. - The conflict coincides with one of Indonesia’s largest recent deforestation cases, with more than 42,500 hectares (105,000 acres) of forest, including peatlands and orangutan habitat, cleared inside the company’s concession since 2016. - Indonesia’s human rights ministry says it will investigate the allegations, while lawmakers have urged police to halt criminal proceedings against community members and review the company’s operating permit. authors: | ||
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A win-win, animal crossings make roads safer for wildlife and people 09 Jul 2026 09:14:14 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/a-win-win-animal-crossings-make-roads-safer-for-wildlife-and-people/ author: Naina Rao dc:creator: Mongabay.com content:encoded: Worldwide, roads act as both death traps and barriers for wildlife, fragmenting the landscapes animals need to survive. However, ecologists and engineers are working to “reconnect the wild” through the strategic construction of wildlife crossings. As Mongabay contributor Ben Goldfarb reports, structures, including underpasses and massive overpasses paired with roadside fencing, have proved highly effective at protecting both animals and people. The U.S. state of Colorado, for example, recently completed a 61-meter-wide (200-foot) overpass — one of the largest in the world — near the town of Greenland. It’s expected to help reduce roadkill by 90% along a critical stretch of I-25, one of the busiest highways in the western U.S. Similarly, the upcoming Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in California will soon allow pumas to safely traverse the 10-lane U.S. 101 freeway. “At this point, there’s really no more question that these things can help populations,” Mike Sawaya, a researcher studying grizzly bears and wildlife crossings in Canada’s Banff National Park, told Mongabay. The motivation for these projects is not only conservation but also public safety and economics. Collisions with white-tailed deer kill about 440 motorists each year across the U.S. Large animal collisions cost the U.S. economy more than $10 billion annually. Other countries have also implemented these crossings. A mountain highway in Croatia is one of the most permeable roads on Earth, while India is pioneering “red roads” to reduce vehicle speeds in wildlife zones without abrupt braking, vehicle damage, or driver discomfort. In Sri Lanka, inexpensive rope…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Worldwide, roads act as both death traps and barriers for wildlife, fragmenting the landscapes animals need to survive. However, ecologists and engineers are working to “reconnect the wild” through the strategic construction of wildlife crossings. As Mongabay contributor Ben Goldfarb reports, structures, including underpasses and massive overpasses paired with roadside fencing, have proved highly effective […] authors: | ||
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Seeking swordfish, catching dolphins and whales: EU pushes to rein in driftnets 08 Jul 2026 20:24:33 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/seeking-swordfish-catching-dolphins-and-whales-eu-pushes-to-rein-in-driftnets/ author: Autumn Spanne dc:creator: Victoria Schneider content:encoded: Driftnets, vertically hanging nets that drift with ocean currents and can stretch for kilometers, are used to catch large pelagic species such as swordfish and tuna. However, they have long drawn criticism from conservationists as they also capture and kill sharks, turtles, dolphins and other marine wildlife. For decades, debate has raged about use of the large nets. It’s a particularly contentious issue in the Mediterranean Sea, an important migration corridor that faces considerable pressure from overfishing, pollution and climate change. Now, international efforts to tighten legislation on driftnets in the Mediterranean have gained new momentum as member states of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) consider a proposal aimed at closing loopholes in existing rules. ICCAT is the world’s largest regional fisheries management organization, managing the stocks of highly migratory species, including tuna, swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and some shark species across the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. At ICCAT’s technical meetings held in Brussels in June, the European Union presented a proposal (see IMM_09_ENG.docx in link) that seeks to strengthen current driftnet rules. Fishers haul an illegal driftnet in international waters west of Marettimo Island, near Sicily. Image © Gavin Parsons/Greenpeace. The EU proposal would establish clearer definitions for driftnets, prohibit their possession on vessels that target certain species, and extend restrictions beyond the Mediterranean to parts of the Atlantic Ocean. “The EU has the clear ambition to push for the adoption of this measure at this year’s annual meeting of ICCAT (in November),” an…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Environmental groups continue to allege widespread illegal use of driftnets in the Mediterranean Sea. - The use of driftnets — fishing nets, sometimes kilometers long, that drift with the ocean currents — is prohibited to catch large pelagic species like swordfish. - Highlighting that current measures lack adequate definitions and enforcement provisions, the European Union presented a proposal to strengthen international restrictions on driftnet fishing at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas technical meeting in June. - Morocco, one of the countries most criticized for the use of illegal large driftnets, has emerged as a strong supporter of the proposal. authors: | ||
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Could a blighted urban inlet become a global beacon of waterway renewal? 08 Jul 2026 18:52:33 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/could-a-blighted-urban-inlet-become-a-global-beacon-of-waterway-renewal/ author: Rebecca Kessler dc:creator: Jennifer Cole content:encoded: VANCOUVER — Two hundred years ago, Talaysay Campo’s ancestors harvested clams and cockles along the shore of Vancouver’s False Creek. “It was a huge aquaculture site,” Campo, a member of the Squamish First Nation and operations manager of Talaysay Tours, a company dedicated to sharing the history of Indigenous peoples, tells Mongabay. Today, little remains of the abundance Campo describes. Even the name False Creek obscures the ecological richness that once defined the waterbody. This narrow, 3-kilometer (almost 2-mile) long waterway traversing the heart of Vancouver is not a freshwater creek as the name implies, but a saltwater tidal inlet. It received its name in 1859 from a British sea captain who discovered he’d been mistaken in believing he’d been traveling through a creek and called it False Creek as a warning to other mariners. As European settlement expanded across the region, mandates from newly formed colonial governments permitted the destruction of Indigenous villages along the shoreline of False Creek, forcing First Nations people onto government reserves. The inlet became a mecca for industry. Sawmills, manufacturing plants, railyards and warehouses replaced the sea gardens rimmed with rocks and home to octopus and sea cucumber. Relics of Science World from the World Expo of 1986 on False Creek, Vancouver. Image by Jennifer Cole for Mongabay. In 1986, the World Expo on transportation and communication turned the industrial wasteland on shore into 70 hectares (173 acres) of futuristic pavilions and temporary event space. In the decades since, the pavilions have given way…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A group of advocates is seeking to transform False Creek, a tidal inlet in Vancouver, Canada, from a polluted city inlet into a place where nature thrives and people can safely swim in the water. - Facing jurisdictional challenges over who gets to decide the future of this once vital marine ecosystem, advocates have explored various governance models for the inlet, such as getting it designated as an urban marine park or granted environmental personhood. - Not everyone agrees, and now, they are pushing for the surrounding community to voice their desires and negotiate for False Creek’s future. authors: | ||
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Dark earth: Ancient Amazonian soil can boost forest restoration, study finds 08 Jul 2026 18:18:01 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/dark-earth-ancient-amazonian-soil-can-boost-forest-restoration-study-finds/ author: Alexandre de Santi dc:creator: Evanildo da Silveira content:encoded: Soil created centuries ago by Indigenous peoples in the Amazon could help speed up recovery of degraded lands, changing the way ecological restoration is approached in Brazil. A study conducted by researchers from the University of São Paulo’s Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA-USP), Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) Western Amazon, and the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) found that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE) significantly increased native tree growth under real field conditions. The results, published in January 2026 in the academic journal Springer Nature, caught experts’ attention especially regarding Handroanthus avellanedae, locally known as pink ipê, a species found in both the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest. After just 180 days, seedlings grown with modest amounts of ADE were up to 55% taller and 88% larger in stem diameter than those grown without the anthropogenic soil — that is, soil resulting from human action, the study found. Findings were also notable for paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum), another Amazonian species widely used in reforestation and also in the timber industry due to its fast growth. On average, they grew 20% more and had stems that were 15% larger in diameter. Professor Tsai Siu Mui, one of the study’s co-authors, stands between trees cultivated with Amazonian dark earth (left) and without that dark soil (right) after six months of experimentation. Image courtesy of Tsai Siu Mui. The study underscores the scientific potential of Amazonian dark earth, also known as “Indigenous dark earth.” It is an extremely fertile, organic-rich dark…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Researchers from the University of São Paulo and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation showed in a study that the ancient organic-rich soil known as Amazonian dark earth (ADE) boosted seedling growth under real field conditions. - The investigation suggests ADE could work as a “biological engineer” by reshaping the soil’s microbiome, increasing beneficial fungal diversity and reducing pathogenic microbes that hinder tree growth. - With conservation in mind, scientists are now working to isolate these micro-organisms to develop bioinputs for forest restoration without disturbing the original Amazonian dark-earth deposits. authors: | ||
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Microplastic pollution can fuel rise in antibiotic resistance, studies find 08 Jul 2026 16:55:50 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/microplastic-pollution-can-fuel-rise-in-antibiotic-resistance-studies-find/ author: Glenn Scherer dc:creator: Claire Asher content:encoded: Plastic pollution is among the gravest environmental crises facing humanity. Plastic production since 1950 has exceeded 8,300 million metric tons, with most plastic waste ending up in the environment, affecting wildlife, ecosystem functionality, and human health. Simultaneously, the ability of disease-causing bacteria to withstand one or more antibiotics (known as antimicrobial resistance, or AMR) has surged to become a public health emergency now accounting for around 5 million deaths worldwide annually. “AMR is an existential human threat,” says Tim Walsh, a professor at the University of Oxford and director of biology at the U.K.’s Ineos Oxford Institute of Antimicrobial Research, who spoke to Mongabay via video call. “It will kill more people [each year] than TB, HIV and malaria, and if unchallenged could eclipse cancer as the biggest killer.” Until very recently, these two global crises, plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance, were considered separately by scientists and policymakers. But a new line of research suggests they’re inextricably linked: Plastic waste is quickly colonized by microorganisms, creating a new type of ecosystem dubbed the “plastisphere.” And bacteria living in the plastisphere are developing greater resistance to antibiotics at an unprecedented rate. A polyethylene plastic “bio-bead,” used to aid the breakdown of sewage in wastewater treatment plants, which has been colonized by fungi and other microbes. Sometimes, these bacteria-laden plastic pellets can escape wastewater treatment facilities and enter the environment. Image courtesy of Emily Stevenson. How microplastics enhance antimicrobial resistance In 2025, researchers at Boston University found that Escherichia coli bacteria exposed…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Plastic pollution and drug-resistant infections are usually regarded as separate global crises. But emerging research suggests links between them: Microplastic particles in the environment are colonized by bacteria, and those bacteria develop antibiotic resistance at an unprecedented rate. - Studies have found that bacteria exposed to microplastics develop enhanced resistance to antibiotics. Microplastics actively promote the formation of biofilms, communities of bacteria that stick to each other on a surface. These protect the bacteria and aid the development of drug-resistance genes. They also encourage resistance genes to spread from one bacterium to another. - In high-income countries, drug-resistant infections are often overcome with medical care. Yet in low- and middle-income nations, where sanitation facilities and wastewater treatment plants are less available, infections resistant to antibiotics are prevalent and often fatal. Plastic waste is also rampant in many such nations. - Research into the link between microplastics and drug resistance is ongoing, but action is needed now, say experts. Limiting opportunities for bacteria, antibiotics and microplastics to mix with each other, via better wastewater management and surveillance of drug-resistant strains, may be the best hope. authors: | ||
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Like wolves, non-native lake trout have radically altered Yellowstone ecosystems (commentary) 08 Jul 2026 16:49:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/like-wolves-non-native-lake-trout-have-radically-altered-yellowstone-ecosystems-commentary/ author: Erik Hoffner dc:creator: Lyle Lewis content:encoded: Yellowstone National Park is often told as a story of recovery. Wolves returned and then elk changed their behavior. Willows and aspens then rebounded and rivers, it is said, changed course. The reintroduction of wolves in 1995 is one of the most familiar ecological narratives in the world. But the Yellowstone ecosystem was not waiting in a stable state for wolves to return, it had already been reorganizing for centuries. Beavers declined following widespread trapping, altering vegetation and hydrology. Grizzly bears were heavily persecuted across the region, reducing another major connector between aquatic and terrestrial systems. Bison were reduced to near extinction in the late 19th century and later rebuilt under protection. Large predators were removed in the early 20th century, and elk populations expanded in their absence. Each of these changes altered how nutrients moved and how water, plants, and animals interacted. Wolf reintroduction did not occur in isolation; it entered a system already in motion. At almost the same time, something else was happening. It did not involve a visible predator and did not occur in valleys or along rivers. It did not lend itself to photography or documentary. It happened beneath the surface of Yellowstone Lake. Yellowstone Lake. Image courtesy of Neal Herbert / National Park Service. For many people, the idea of a non-native predator reshaping an ecosystem is not abstract. The Burmese python in the Florida Everglades provides a clear example, with an introduced predator reducing prey populations and altering how energy moves through the…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The 1995 reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is a well-known conservation story, where the native predators were observed to return balance to the ecosystem. - In opposite fashion, non-native lake trout that have become established in Yellowstone Lake are now outcompeting native cutthroat trout and seriously altering the overall ecosystem, both in and beyond the lake, and largely unseen. - “We see animals moving through valleys [but] do not see connections breaking between lakes, streams, and the surrounding landscape,” 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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Confronting culture to protect vultures: Interview with Nigeria’s Michael Williams 08 Jul 2026 15:09:45 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/confronting-culture-to-protect-vultures-interview-with-nigerias-michael-williams/ author: Karen Coates dc:creator: Kingsley Charles content:encoded: Known for their unique ability to polish off animal carcasses and minimize the potential for disease outbreaks, vultures are one of the most endangered bird groups on the planet today. Around many parts of West Africa, especially Nigeria, their populations have plummeted, thanks largely to commercial poaching and traditional beliefs that prize vulture parts as vital ingredients for traditional medicine. Most of the historic resident species have been locally extirpated — and those remaining are declining sharply too. Ornithologist Michael Manja Williams is no stranger to this decline in Nigeria’s wild vulture population. Growing up in Plateau State, Middle Belt Nigeria, Williams typically saw committees of vultures perched on rooftops in his community. “All of a sudden, we no longer saw them again,” he said. This disappearance would pique his curiosity, leading him on to many different research surveys across Nigerian states and eventually inspiring a lifelong career in vulture conservation. A Ph.D. student at Nigeria’s Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Williams is currently the coordinator for endangered species conservation at Biota Conservation Hub Foundation, a nonprofit where he leads research on endangered bird species and wildlife animals. In a recent Zoom interview with Mongabay, Williams shared insights from his countrywide field studies, the present shift in the perception of vultures among younger generations, and why policy reforms and community-based conservation are essential in offsetting Nigeria’s diminished vulture numbers. Michael Manja Williams looking through his camera on a field trip. Image courtesy of Michael Manja Williams. This interview has been lightly…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Michael Manja Williams, an ornithologist and wildlife researcher, has traversed 18 states across Nigeria, studying how cultural practices have spurred a rapid decline in Nigeria’s vulture numbers. - Williams cites negative public perceptions about vultures as a significant challenge and trains what he calls Vulture Guardians to counteract these beliefs. - With an increasing number of younger Nigerians lending support to conservation, he is hopeful about the future of vultures in Nigeria. - Williams recently spoke to Mongabay about his foray into vulture conservation and the challenges thus far. authors: | ||
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A fraction of promised climate money reaches Amazon communities: Interview with Latimpacto’s leaders 08 Jul 2026 13:41:17 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-fraction-of-promised-climate-money-reaches-amazon-communities-interview-with-latimpactos-leaders/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Beverley Choo content:encoded: The Amazon is the largest rainforest on Earth, with many funders making financial commitments to conserve this crucial ecosystem. Yet, when the declarations are traced to the ground, the capital is rarely there. This is especially true for Indigenous and local communities that steward and depend on this ecosystem but remain severely under-resourced and overlooked. Carolina Suárez Visbal and Juan David Ferreira know this pattern well. As CEO and programs director of Latimpacto — a Colombia-based network dedicated to mobilizing philanthropic and impact capital across Latin America — they have spent years navigating the gap between what the world promises the Amazon and what actually reaches the communities living within it. “One thing that worries us at Latimpacto about capital deployment is that people keep announcing funds and initiatives, but when you trace the record, this capital turns out to be very difficult to actually mobilize,” Ferreira told Mongabay at the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore. “The investment thesis or the objectives of the fund do not align with the realities and the territories.” Latimpacto’s response has been to create infrastructure to build capacity for regional environmental funding. The organization’s Pan-Amazon Fellowship reshapes how capital is structured and deployed in the ecosystem by training funders to understand the Amazon not as a monolithic rainforest but as a heterogeneous and dynamic place with nine distinct national contexts, and both isolated Indigenous communities and cities of over 2 million people. Latimpacto’s initiative InNature Lab redefines what innovation means in an Amazonian…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Despite major funding pledges for the Amazon, much of the promised capital never reaches Indigenous peoples and local communities, often because funding structures are poorly aligned with on-the-ground realities. - Latimpacto, a Colombia-based philanthropic network, is working to close this gap through initiatives that train funders, support locally led innovation and integrate Indigenous knowledge into conservation and development projects. - Mongabay spoke with Latimpacto’s leaders, Carolina Suárez Visbal and Juan David Ferreira, who say the organization is also advocating for stronger domestic philanthropy across Latin America, arguing that better tax incentives, trust-based grantmaking, and patient, flexible capital are needed to complement international funding. - Suárez Visbal and Ferreira say they see greater collaboration between Latin America and Southeast Asia as a key opportunity, calling for shared funding mechanisms and knowledge exchange to strengthen conservation of tropical forests and broader socioecological resilience. authors: | ||
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Ugandan farmers sue TotalEnergies’ oil pipeline project in UK court 08 Jul 2026 13:19:04 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/ugandan-farmers-sue-totalenergies-oil-pipeline-project-in-uk-court/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Elodie Toto content:encoded: Four Ugandan farmers have filed a lawsuit before the High Court in London, U.K., against a contentious oil pipeline under construction in Uganda and Tanzania, human rights group Avaaz announced at a press conference on July 7. The 1,443-kilometer (897-mile) East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will stretch from the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields in landlocked Uganda to the Tanzanian port of Tanga for export. The pipeline is being built by French energy giant TotalEnergies. “We are incredibly excited to bring this claim,” said Matthew Renshaw, a partner at law firm Leigh Day, which is representing the claimants. “It is against EACOP Limited, which is a U.K.-registered company that has the potential to cause devastation in Uganda and in the wider world.” Joanna Setzer, an associate professor at the London School of Economics’ Grantham Research Institute, said at the press conference that U.K. courts are looking at similar cases of U.K.-registered companies allegedly causing harm in other countries. “But the timing is critical in this case because it’s before the damage, before the harm occurs,” she said. The Tilenga and Kingfisher fields lie near Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area and home to endangered Rothschild’s giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) and African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana). The pipeline will also cross 16 protected areas and the Lake Victoria Basin that’s vital for more than 40 million people. Environmental groups have warned that the ecosystem could suffer severe damage in the event of an oil spill. “Tomorrow, after their…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Four Ugandan farmers have filed a lawsuit before the High Court in London, U.K., against a contentious oil pipeline under construction in Uganda and Tanzania, human rights group Avaaz announced at a press conference on July 7. The 1,443-kilometer (897-mile) East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will stretch from the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields […] authors: | ||
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Clinical trials begin in DRC epicenter of Bundibugyo strain of Ebola 08 Jul 2026 09:59:24 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/clinical-trials-begin-in-drc-epicenter-of-bundibugyo-strain-of-ebola/ author: Malavikavyawahare dc:creator: Prosper Heri Ngorora content:encoded: Clinical trials for treatments targeting the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus disease began on July 2 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The goal is to develop a standard treatment for the strain, whose current outbreak has already resulted in nearly 1,500 confirmed cases and more than 450 deaths. According to DRC health authorities, clinical trials targeting this rare strain of Ebola, which is affecting the eastern part of the DRC, were officially launched on July 2 at the Evangelical Medical Center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. “During this epidemic, we also needed to conduct research to find specific drugs to treat this Ebola virus disease and to identify an effective molecule we can use to treat patients suffering from Ebola,” Dieudonné Mwamba Kazadi, director of the National Institute of Public Health and coordinator of the response to what is now the DRC’s 17th Ebola epidemic, told Mongabay. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), three molecules will be studied in these clinical trials: Remdesivir and MBP134 for patients confirmed to be carrying the Bundibugyo virus, and Obeldsivir — a post-exposure prophylactic treatment to be administered to individuals exposed to the virus, including frontline response personnel. Djodjo Mbusa, a resident of Bunia, welcomed news of the trials, saying they would contribute to the region’s health security. “These trials are important for us, ordinary residents affected by this disease. Since they say it is for a potential treatment, I consider it good news,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Clinical trials that aim to establish a standard treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is driving the current outbreak, began on July 2. - The trials are being conducted in Evangelical Medical Center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak. - Dr. Placide Mbala of the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), is in charge of clinical trials, said the trials could take between three and six months, depending on how the disease evolves on the ground. authors: | ||
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Thai rubber smallholders race to meet new EU deforestation rules 08 Jul 2026 05:56:53 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/thai-rubber-smallholders-race-to-meet-new-eu-deforestation-rules/ author: Naina Rao dc:creator: Mongabay.com content:encoded: Thailand’s natural rubber industry is racing to comply with a new EU anti-deforestation law that will take effect in 2027, reports Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan. Thailand is the world’s largest producer of natural rubber and relies on approximately 1.7 million small-scale farmers for 90% of its supply. The country exports much of its rubber to China and Malaysia, but the value of its exports to the EU increased by about 65% from 2019 to 2024, according to the World Integrated Trade Solution database. To comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and maintain access to European markets, from January 2027, rubber suppliers must provide geolocation data and legal documentation proving their products did not originate from land deforested after Dec. 31, 2020. Complying with the regulation requires a massive shift for Thailand’s historically fragmented supply chain, where rubber from various sources is often mixed without requesting records of its origin. Millions of smallholder farmers supply middlemen, who combine rubber from different batches and sell it to processing factories that produce the final goods for the EU market. This supply chain will need a complete overhaul, which will be a “revolution”, said Stefano Savi, director of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber. “Five years ago, supply chain traceability in natural rubber was considered impossible due to the fragmented nature of the industry,” Savi said. To bridge the compliance gap, private intermediary firms are stepping in with tech-based solutions. One such firm, Agriac, uses its Traztru platform to georeference farm plots and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Thailand’s natural rubber industry is racing to comply with a new EU anti-deforestation law that will take effect in 2027, reports Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan. Thailand is the world’s largest producer of natural rubber and relies on approximately 1.7 million small-scale farmers for 90% of its supply. The country exports much of its rubber to China […] authors: | ||
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The growing global popularity of wildlife crossings 07 Jul 2026 22:34:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/07/the-growing-global-popularity-of-wildlife-crossings/ author: Mikedigirolamo dc:creator: Mike DiGirolamo content:encoded: Nearly three years ago, Newscast guest, author and journalist Ben Goldfarb discussed his book Crossings, which is about wildlife crossings and road ecology. Wildlife crossings help reconnect habitats fragmented by road networks, reducing collisions, helping protect threatened wildlife, and improving genetic diversity. Since that conversation, Goldfarb has documented the growing popularity of wildlife crossings worldwide. He returns to the Newscast to detail how, where, and why wildlife crossings are becoming increasingly funded and built. “Probably the biggest factor is that at this point, the evidence that wildlife crossing structures are effective is just overwhelming. Maybe 20 years ago, you could’ve theoretically said, ‘Well … we don’t necessarily know that …’ but here in 2026, we just have a lot of scientific research basically showing that animals of all shapes and sizes use wildlife crossings,” Goldfarb says. He takes us to locations in South America, North America and Europe, where this particular type of infrastructure has rare nonpartisan political support. A bill is currently before the U.S. Congress to make the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program permanent. Public surveys show overwhelming support for wildlife crossings in the United States. Goldfarb explains that the positive reception may also be due to the visual nature of one iteration of crossings, the highway overpass, which a source of his long ago described as “billboards for connectivity.” “I love wildlife crossings for … their ability to … just remind us that we’re sort of global citizens of a planet that we share with wildlife.” Please take…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Nearly three years ago, Newscast guest, author and journalist Ben Goldfarb discussed his book Crossings, which is about wildlife crossings and road ecology. Wildlife crossings help reconnect habitats fragmented by road networks, reducing collisions, helping protect threatened wildlife, and improving genetic diversity. Since that conversation, Goldfarb has documented the growing popularity of wildlife crossings worldwide. […] authors: | ||
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‘A targeted, data-driven approach’: Interview with Vietnam’s antipoaching unit 07 Jul 2026 22:21:39 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-targeted-data-driven-approach-interview-with-vietnams-antipoaching-unit/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: Campbell Rusden content:encoded: Southeast Asia’s middle class has grown exponentially in recent decades, driving demand for exotic pets, meats and animal parts used for luxury goods and traditional medicines. In Vietnam, long a destination country for trafficked animal products, rising demand has motivated wildlife trafficking rings to expand their activities domestically as well as internationally, putting the country’s rich biodiversity under pressure from indiscriminate and widespread trap use. As trafficking rings become more sophisticated and entrenched, conservation groups have also had to adapt, embracing new technologies and deepening their own networks to combat wildlife crime. One group working to stay ahead of traffickers is Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), which has partnered with several national parks to implement antipoaching practices in Vietnam’s richest and most targeted ecosystems. Pu Mat National Park traces the border of Vietnam and Laos, where its rich biodiversity and many endemic species suffer growing pressure from poaching activity. Since 2018, SVW has worked in partnership with the park and its rangers to support the recruitment, equipping and training of a dedicated antipoaching unit, or APU. Since its inception, the APU has removed tens of thousands of snares, dismantled poaching camps, confiscated firearms, and detained more than 1,000 alleged violators. Its approach integrates tools such as the SMART data aggregation software and remotely monitored “PoacherCams” to identify trafficking hotspots and guide patrols more strategically. At the same time, outreach efforts with local communities aim to reduce both the supply of and demand for illegally sourced wildlife. APU coordinator Huu Trung Nguyen, team head…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Members of an antipoaching unit in Vietnam’s Pu Mat National Park recently told Mongabay how technology and on-the-ground patrols are combining to reduce poaching pressure in the park. - Supported by the NGO Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, the APU integrates tools such as SMART data aggregation software and remotely monitored “PoacherCams” to identify trafficking hotspots and guide patrols more strategically. - Though technologies like AI are highly effective at aggregating data, the team notes these tools have limits in rugged tropical terrain with limited connectivity and ever-shifting conditions. - Patrol members say they’ve observed signs of wildlife returning to places that were once heavily hunted. authors: | ||
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Illegal fishing takes a toll on Australia’s sea cucumbers 07 Jul 2026 17:52:21 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/illegal-fishing-takes-a-toll-on-australias-sea-cucumbers/ author: Autumn Spanne dc:creator: Madeline Shaw content:encoded: Off the northwestern coast of Australia, in some of the world’s most pristine and diverse coral reefs, sea cucumbers are rapidly vanishing. Overall populations of these tubular, blobby animals declined by more than half from 2018 to 2023 in the Rowley Shoals, a remote Australian marine park, according to a recent survey. Some especially vulnerable species, such as the pineapple sea cucumber (Thelenota ananas) and the hairy blackfish (Actinopyga miliaris), have disappeared across most or all of the monitoring sites there. Researchers believe a boom in illegal fishing is to blame. Sea cucumber harvesting is prohibited in the Rowley Shoals, and the survey found Australian authorities caught 112 fishing vessels in the area carrying a collective 22 metric tons of sea cucumbers between 2021 and 2023, a figure that translates to roughly 33,000-45,000 animals. This is just the share of illegal fishing that authorities managed to intercept; the researchers noted that the actual sea cucumber body count is likely much higher. The problem isn’t unique to Rowley Shoals. It occurs in reefs across the country’s western and northern waters and has recently been on the rise, according to several researchers interviewed by Mongabay, driven by demand for the animals in China and other East Asian countries where they are considered a delicacy and used in traditional Chinese medicine. Illegal sea cucumber fishing spiked in northern Australia in 2024, according to experts, with fishers targeting sanctuaries and internationally protected species. The Australian government responded by launching Operation LUNAR at the end…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Researchers blame an increase in illegal fishing for the decline of sea cucumbers in a remote Australian marine park and say many other reefs in the country have also been affected. - The Australian government has launched an operation to crack down on illegal fishing in the country’s Northern Territory where the problem is acute, including for high-value sea cucumbers. - But as long as the market for sea cucumbers remains strong in China and other East Asian countries, experts say, wild populations of this slow-growing animal could collapse and put the health of reef systems at risk in Australia and beyond. authors: | ||
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Roads, loggers close in on an unprotected refuge for isolated Kakataibo 07 Jul 2026 17:40:36 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/roads-loggers-close-in-on-an-unprotected-refuge-for-isolated-kakataibo/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Aimee Gabay content:encoded: An unprotected area in Peru’s Amazon, where Indigenous people live in voluntary isolation, sits in a growing sea of forestry concessions, illegal roads, illegal loggers and drug traffickers, according to maps and confidential reports seen by Mongabay. Indigenous leaders and national organizations are calling the area Kakataibo Extremo Norte, or Kakataibo Extreme North. Julio Cusurichi, a Shipibo-Conibo leader and political coordinator of the PIACI (Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact) program of AIDESEP, Peru’s national Indigenous rights organization, told Mongabay that the forests and isolated people in this area face serious threats. “There are loggers there, there are illicit activities,” he said in an interview. “It is a very worrying issue. The fact that these illegal activities are linked to roads is particularly concerning.” Indigenous leaders and organizations have sought formal recognition of Kakataibo Extremo Norte from the Peruvian state since 2021. In 2023, however, the Ministry of Culture rejected the application, according to a confidential technical report seen by Mongabay, because it relates to the isolated Kakataibo people. The report said the Kakataibo people are already recognized by the Peruvian state and therefore measures and mechanisms for the protection of their rights have already been established. Kakataibo Extremo Norte sits above the Kakataibo North and South Indigenous Reserve (RIKNS), established in 2021 to protect groups of Kakataibo people who live in voluntary isolation. This latter reserve covers 148,997 hectares (368,180 acres) — an area roughly twice the size of New York City — straddling the departments of Loreto,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Isolated peoples and forests in the Kakataibo Extremo Norte area of the Peruvian Amazon are under threat from illegal loggers, drug traffickers, the construction of illegal roads, and multiple forestry concessions. - Indigenous leaders and organizations have sought formal recognition for the area as an Indigenous reserve since 2021, but the Ministry of Culture rejected the application in 2023 because it relates to isolated Kakataibo people who are already recognized by the Peruvian state and receive protections in a nearby reserve. - Sources told Mongabay that threats to the area’s isolated groups are increasing, exposing them to significant risk due to their extreme vulnerability. - To apply for a new reserve, the Ministry of Culture said organizations should carry out a new study on the presence of isolated peoples in the region, but sources say studies have already been done and that they lack the finance to do them again. authors: | ||
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In AI race, Indigenous values could guide environmental issues, researchers suggest 07 Jul 2026 17:33:14 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/in-ai-race-indigenous-values-could-guide-environmental-issues-researchers-suggest/ author: Latoya Abulu dc:creator: Shradha Triveni content:encoded: Nicole Horseherder has seen the impacts of unsustainable development on Indigenous communities. A Navajo environmental activist and co-founder of Tó Nizhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), a Diné-led nonprofit organization based in Arizona in the U.S., she has spent years protecting water that sustains communities from industrial use. She sees parallels with today’s artificial intelligence development, she said. As technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, a growing body of research is looking at Indigenous knowledge systems for guidance on ethical frameworks for AI. But for someone like Horseherder, Indigenous knowledge is not data to be harvested, she said. “It is built on thousands of years of real-time human observations on the changes in landscapes, the weather and the seasons, the directions of the moon, the sun and everything around us,” she said. Within the Navajo community, people living in different landscapes including the high-deserts, river valleys and dry to arid places have their own local knowledge systems. A recent study published in AI and Ethics journal examines how Indigenous ecological knowledge could reshape AI frameworks through an analysis of Navajo and Māori concepts. The paper drew on Māori value of Kaitiakitanga, or guardianship, and Navajo philosophy of Hózhó, meaning balance and harmony. The study’s authors said that traditional ecological knowledge embodies collective responsibility and could provide an ethical basis for questioning whether the scale of a proposed AI model is justifiable given its environmental cost, prioritizing ecological integrity over unbounded technological expansion. This rainforest in Ituri, DRC, is part of…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A recent study provides a framework for the integration of Indigenous knowledge and values into AI governance and examines how these ethical principles can translate to practical requirements for individual AI projects. - The authors say that Indigenous ecological knowledge embodies collective responsibility and could provide an ethical basis for questioning whether the scale of a proposed AI model is justifiable given its environmental cost, prioritizing ecological integrity over unbounded technological expansion. - Some Indigenous researchers voice skepticism over whether a broad category of ‘Indigenous values’ exists and whether Indigenous knowledge could truly be translated into AI tools. authors: | ||
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Cabo Verde program and its fishers have been protecting the sea for 10 years 07 Jul 2026 16:44:25 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/cabo-verde-program-and-its-fishers-have-been-protecting-the-sea-for-10-years/ author: Rebecca Kessler dc:creator: Alice PistolesiMonica Pelliccia content:encoded: FOGO, Cabo Verde — Alberto Martius had just returned to shore in his white and blue wooden boat with his 18-year-old son, Leandro. The pair had been fishing off their home island of Fogo in the Cabo Verde archipelago off northwestern Africa. While out, they were also keeping an eye on the sea. “I’m proud my son is following in my footsteps, protecting the ocean,” Martius told Mongabay. “I feel I’m doing the right thing to protect the sea. Almost every day, I’m patrolling this area to monitor marine animals and make them return as numerous as they were when I was a little kid.” The Martiuses volunteer with an initiative called Guardians of the Sea that celebrated its 10th anniversary in June. Run by eight local and international NGOs and led by the Maio Biodiversity Foundation at the national level, it trains and supports fishers to serve as voluntary ocean observers as they go about their daily fishing work. Among other tasks, they monitor megafauna and collect data on illegal activities during their fishing trips. Around 190 fishers are involved, working around seven of the archipelago’s 10 islands. The program launched on the island of Maio in 2016 and expanded to its seventh island, São Antão, with 30 guardians, in 2024. Fishers have always been a pillar of Cabo Verde’s economy and identity. The country hosts a fleet of around 1,535 vessels, ranging from artisanal to semi-industrial, and the sector provides a livelihood for coastal families. Alberto Martius with…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - In Cabo Verde, 190 fishers from seven of the archipelago’s 10 islands volunteer with the Guardians of the Sea program, reporting illegal practices and sightings of marine megafauna as they go about their daily fishing work. - Their presence at sea acts as a strong deterrent against illegal activities and raises awareness among other fishers about the importance of long-term, sustainable marine management, according to a program co-founder. - Fishers have always been a pillar of Cabo Verde’s economy and identity. The country hosts a fleet of approximately 1,535 vessels, ranging from artisanal to semi-industrial, and the sector provides a livelihood for coastal families. authors: | ||
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Tornadoes and storms in central China kill at least 11 people 07 Jul 2026 16:22:11 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/tornadoes-and-storms-in-central-china-kill-at-least-11-people/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: BEIJING (AP) — Tornadoes and storms hit central China, killing at least 11 people and injuring hundreds, state media reported on Tuesday, while areas in the south suffered record-breaking rain. Thunderstorms battered parts of Hubei province’s eastern region on Monday night, affecting 14,600 people, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. More than 330 people were injured, and one person remained missing, the agency said, adding that over 20 houses collapsed and 4,800 others were damaged. A rare EF2 tornado swept through the city of Huanggang, where a logistics company and a warehouse were hit hard and multiple trucks were lifted and displaced by winds as much as 30 meters (98 feet), Xinhua reported. A video posted by Shanghai Daily on X appeared to show people on the ground floor of a building screaming as high winds blew open the glass doors, shattering one. Tornadoes are usually recorded in southern and coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Jiangsu, according to China Weather News, which is run by the China Meteorological Administration. They are rare in Hubei and multiple factors, including the remnants of Tropical Storm Maysak, contributed to those that swept the region on Monday night, meteorological expert Wang Xiaoling told the Hubei Daily newspaper. Meanwhile, in southern China, officials said six people had died, and 11 others were missing as record-breaking rain from Maysak caused widespread flooding in the Guangxi region, affecting 375,000 people, of whom 130,000 evacuated, according to the Guangxi regional propaganda office. Guangxi issued a red alert, the highest level, for flooding on…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: BEIJING (AP) — Tornadoes and storms hit central China, killing at least 11 people and injuring hundreds, state media reported on Tuesday, while areas in the south suffered record-breaking rain. Thunderstorms battered parts of Hubei province’s eastern region on Monday night, affecting 14,600 people, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. More than 330 people were injured, and […] authors: | ||
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Belief-based use increasing threat to yellow-billed kite, an important African scavenger 07 Jul 2026 14:52:29 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/belief-based-use-increasing-threat-to-yellow-billed-kite-an-important-african-scavenger/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Sean Mowbray content:encoded: With West Africa’s vulture populations dwindling, poachers are increasingly turning to yellow-billed kites, a medium-sized, extremely adaptable raptor found in nearly every landscape across much of sub-Saharan Africa. And though they are listed as a “least concern” species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, they face a growing threat: They’re more frequently hunted for use as fetishes and for food. Like vultures, kites — both alive and dead — and their parts are used in rituals and as charms. They’re caught as bushmeat, supply fetish markets and are used as ingredients in local traditional medicine. A study by Abiola Chaffra, a research fellow at the International Bird Conservation Partnership, found that during November-to-March hunting seasons in 2022 and 2023, hunters killed 20,200 yellow-billed kites (Milvus aegyptius) in southern Benin. They flock from across Africa to nest and breed in southern Benin each year, and as soon as they arrive, they’re in danger. “[These hunts occur] every year because the kites always come back,” Chaffra told Mongabay. The research will be published in the bulletin of the African Bird Club. Their loss could have broad impact: Yellow-billed kites are opportunistic predators that eat a wide range of small mammals, amphibians and insects that are considered pests. They play a key role in cleansing landscapes of disease and scavenging carcasses. Yellow-billed kites at a fetish market in Benin. Image by Abiola Chaffra. Belief-based demand Raptors have long been used in rituals in Benin, but it appears to be increasing, Chaffra…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Yellow-billed kites are widespread across Africa. But conservationists warn that in the absence of heavily-hunted vultures, this bird is now targeted for use in belief-based rituals in West Africa. - A survey spanning two hunting seasons in southern Benin estimated that more than 20,000 yellow-billed kites were poached for consumption and for sale in fetish markets. Researchers tallied nearly 2,000 birds for sale in markets. - Poaching is also occurring in neighboring Togo and Nigeria. - Experts are concerned that at this scale, poaching could quickly lead to population-level declines. They urge action to control hunting and sale of this bird. authors: | ||
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‘The only possible transition is a just transition’: Interview with WEF’s Clemence Schmid 07 Jul 2026 11:37:47 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-only-possible-transition-is-a-just-transition-interview-with-wefs-clemence-schmid/ author: Malavikavyawahare dc:creator: Jackson Ambole Okata content:encoded: During the 11th Our Ocean Conference held in the coastal city of Mombasa, the Kenyan government, together with the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) and UNDP Kenya, formally launched the Kenya National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP Kenya). At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year making up 80% of all marine debris found in surface waters and deep-sea sediments. Kenya faces considerable challenges with plastic pollution, particularly in urban centers and along its coastline. Plastics account for 20% of the 22,000 tonnes of waste generated daily in Kenya, according to estimates. Only 27% of the plastic waste is collected, of which 8% is recycled and the remaining 19% disposed of in unsanitary landfills or dumpsites. The plastic waste not properly collected and managed often ends up in rivers and the ocean. It disrupts ecosystems, endangers wildlife, and impacts tourism and fisheries. In 2017, Kenya introduced a ban on the use, manufacture and importation of single-use plastic bags. In 2020, the ban was extended to single-use plastics in protected areas. NPAP Kenya will help accelerate the country’s transition to a circular plastics economy, according to Clemence Schmid, Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Clemence Schmid, Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership, World Economic Forum during the formal launch of NPAP, Kenya at the Our Ocean conference in Mombasa. Image courtesy of NPAP Kenya. The GPAP launched by the WEF in 2018 is a multi-stakeholder initiative to tackle…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Kenya formally launched the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) in collaboration with the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), an initiative of the World Economic Forum, at the Our Ocean conference held in Mombasa. - Plastic pollution is a pressing threat to Kenya’s marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal livelihoods, driven by poor or non-existent waste management on land, along the coast and at sea. - The initiative seeks to accelerate the transition to a circular plastics economy, which aims to reduce plastic pollution, valorize materials traditionally considered ‘waste’ and generate economic opportunities in the process. - Mongabay spoke to Clemence Schmid, Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), on the sidelines of the Mombasa conference to understand what the collaborative effort is trying to achieve in Kenya. authors: | ||
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Rare seed collection offers hope for last wild tree of its kind from Chile 07 Jul 2026 09:40:45 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/rare-seed-collection-offers-hope-for-last-wild-tree-of-its-kind-from-chile/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shreya Dasgupta content:encoded: On Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island, in the South Pacific, a tree juts out precariously from the side of a steep cliff. It’s the last known wild individual of Dendroseris neriifolia. To prevent its total extinction in the wild, conservationists recently collected seeds from the tree and have begun trials to cultivate them. All 11 species of the genus Dendroseris are exclusive to the Juan Fernández Archipelago off Chile. The trees, with striking yellow, orange or white flowers, have been nearly wiped out by extensive habitat degradation, invasive plants, and damage by introduced mammals such as goats and rodents. Only one known wild individual of the critically endangered D. neriifolia remains on Robinson Crusoe, one of the three main islands in the archipelago, according to Paulina Hechenleitner, research associate at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K. This tree, estimated to be around 150 years old, hangs off a remote cliff that “is extremely difficult to access, requiring specialist fieldwork and careful planning to avoid any harm,” she told Mongabay by email. Every year, local conservationists attempt to collect seeds from the tree’s one-seeded fruits. However, fruiting is irregular and some seasons the fruits produce few or no viable seeds, Hechenleitner said. This year, conservationists collected about 400 seeds, of which 29 were considered potentially viable and sent to the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) at Kew, the world’s largest wild plant seed conservation program. There, researchers used X-ray imaging to confirm that 24 seeds showed the presence of embryo development. These 24 “good…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: On Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island, in the South Pacific, a tree juts out precariously from the side of a steep cliff. It’s the last known wild individual of Dendroseris neriifolia. To prevent its total extinction in the wild, conservationists recently collected seeds from the tree and have begun trials to cultivate them. All 11 species […] authors: | ||
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The Gaza scientist still tracking manta rays from a war zone 07 Jul 2026 09:30:41 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/the-gaza-scientist-still-tracking-manta-rays-from-a-war-zone/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Mohammed Abu Daya is a marine ecologist from Gaza. His work focuses on spinetail devil rays, also known as giant devil rays, a critically endangered species that moves through the Mediterranean and beyond. Few scientists specialize in these animals. Fewer still have studied them from Gaza, where local waters form part of their range. Before the war, Abu Daya taught at Palestinian universities and worked from Gaza’s National Research Center. He went to sea with fishers, measured spinetail devil rays (Mobula mobular) brought ashore, monitored markets, and gathered data on a species more often studied from the western Mediterranean. His work helped place Gaza within the known range of the threatened migratory animal, reports contributor Lyse Mauvais for Mongabay. The pressures on Gaza’s sea were already severe. Israeli restrictions limited where fishers could work. Fish stocks had declined. Poverty and fuel costs pushed people toward whatever could be caught close to shore. In 2013, when a large group of devil rays came near Gaza’s coast, fishers landed several hundred of them. Abu Daya did not treat the event only as a conservation failure. He tried to understand what had led to it, including the lack of local conservation systems and the strain on people living with few choices. Then came the current war. Abu Daya lost his home, his office, and regular access to the sea. Universities, libraries, fishing boats, landing sites, and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Mohammed Abu Daya is a marine ecologist from Gaza. His work focuses on spinetail devil rays, also known as giant devil rays, a critically endangered species that moves through the Mediterranean and beyond. Few scientists specialize in these […] authors: | ||
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Himalayan pangolin emerges as distinct species, 189 years after first described 07 Jul 2026 01:16:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/himalayan-pangolin-emerges-as-distinct-species-189-years-after-first-described/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Abhaya Raj Joshi content:encoded: KATHMANDU — The animal Brian Houghton Hodgson saw looked almost like a pangolin, but it didn’t tick all the boxes. It had amor-like scales from head to tail, just as the French zoologist Georges Cuvier had earlier described. But it also had ears and far more scales across its trunk than any recorded species. The year was 1836. For the 35-year-old British diplomat and pioneering naturalist, who was confined to Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, this demanded an investigation: Was it a new species, or just an outlier? Convinced he had come across an undescribed species, he gave the animal a name built entirely on those ears, Manis auritus: The Latin auritus translates to “with large ears.” But he hedged it with a backup name, Plurisquamis, “the many-scaled,” in case the ears turned out later to be an unremarkable feature. Nearly two centuries later, his question finally has a plausible answer. A team of scientists spanning Asia, the Americas and Europe has spent five years building the case that the pangolin Hodgson described in 1836 is in fact a separate species, distinct from the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) it had long been lumped together with and the seven other recorded species. Two-week-old Chinese pangolin clinging to mother at Taipei Zoo. Image courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas/New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild/Earth Aware Editions. Their recently published findings also establish its name, now called the Himalayan pangolin, and carry immediate consequences for conservation. Across their Africana and Asian ranges, they’re all endangered,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A new genomic and morphological study has revalidated Manis aurita, a pangolin species first described in Nepal in 1836 and then forgotten for some 189 years. - The species, given the common name the Himalayan pangolin, was among what researchers long assumed was a single, widespread species, the Chinese pangolin. - Confirming the species has immediate implications, including prospects of better protection and more nuanced approaches to conservation. authors: | ||
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NGO support can negatively impact allocation of Amazonian territorial rights, research finds 06 Jul 2026 21:35:20 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/ngo-support-can-negatively-impact-allocation-of-amazonian-territorial-rights-research-finds/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Aimee Gabay content:encoded: Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have played a critical role in the fight to secure title to ancestral Indigenous lands in the Amazon. They can provide financial assistance and legal representation in court, but new research shows that for groups that do not benefit from this support, the arrival of NGOs may cause more harm than good. A recent paper, published in Political Geography, highlights how this dynamic has played out in the northern Ecuadorian Amazon. There, with the backing of the NGO Amazon Frontlines, the Siekopai community of San Pablo de Katëtsiaya won title to 42,360 hectares (104,674 acres) of their ancestral land. However, the area had long been occupied by another Indigenous group, the Kichwa community of Zancudo Cocha, or Zancudo, which also had deep cultural and spiritual ties to the land but was not included in Amazon Frontline’s efforts. Such unequal support is termed “uneven territorial sponsorship” by the study authors. It can come from third parties including NGOs, states, religious organizations and others when they support one community at the disadvantage of another that may have a similar ancestral claim to the land. In Ecuador, it has led to tensions between the two communities, with reported incidents of violence and a lack of compromise. Amazon Frontlines helped the Siekopai secure title to the territory by framing their claim in a more non-Indigenous, Western, legal tradition, which defines territory as sovereign, sacred and timeless, according to the paper. Historically, before the mid-20th century, Amazonian communities saw territorial claims as…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have played a critical role in the fight to secure title to ancestral Indigenous lands in the Amazon. They can provide financial assistance and legal representation in court, but new research shows that for groups that do not benefit from this support, the arrival of NGOs may cause more harm than good. […] authors: | ||
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As East Africa’s oceans change, coastal women build new livelihoods 06 Jul 2026 21:18:50 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/as-east-africas-oceans-change-coastal-women-build-new-livelihoods/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: MALINDI, Kenya (AP) — Across East Africa’s coastline, climate change and industrial fishing are threatening the livelihoods of millions who depend on the ocean. In Kenya, women are turning to community tourism, mangrove restoration and other nature-based enterprises as declining fish stocks force them to adapt. Their experiences mirror a regional push to strengthen coastal resilience through sustainable livelihoods and marine conservation, as governments and environmental groups call for stronger action to protect fisheries, curb illegal fishing and safeguard the future of the region’s oceans. Conservation groups also are urging African governments to ratify a landmark U.N. pact establishing marine protected areas in international waters and fair sharing of marine resources. By Allan Olingo, Associated Press Banner image: An unfinished restaurant under construction by a women’s group led by Nuru Mohammed is seen in Sabaki, Malindi, Kenya, on June 15, 2026. Allan Olingo, Associated Press. This article was originally published on Mongabay description: MALINDI, Kenya (AP) — Across East Africa’s coastline, climate change and industrial fishing are threatening the livelihoods of millions who depend on the ocean. In Kenya, women are turning to community tourism, mangrove restoration and other nature-based enterprises as declining fish stocks force them to adapt. Their experiences mirror a regional push to strengthen coastal […] authors: | ||
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María Laura Tolmos, 37, turned a childhood in the Amazon into her life’s work 06 Jul 2026 19:45:35 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/maria-laura-tolmos-37-turned-a-childhood-in-the-amazon-into-her-lifes-work/ author: Rhett Butler dc:creator: Rhett Ayers Butler content:encoded: Maria Laura Tolmos Coquelet grew up in the Peruvian Amazon. As a child, she explored rivers by kayak and looked for animals along the banks. Nature was not a distant idea to her. It was home, and it shaped the course of her life. Tolmos, who died of breast cancer on June 21st in Barcelona, aged 37, became a forest scientist because the forest had never been remote to her. She studied forest sciences in Peru, then went to Germany for a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in forest sciences and forest ecology at the University of Göttingen, which she completed in 2024. Her research examined patterns of plant and tree diversity across islands, island-like ecosystems, mountains, and tropical landscapes. She studied different dimensions of biodiversity, from taxonomy to evolutionary history to function, and the environmental gradients that shape them. Her science was exacting because its source was personal. Deforestation, pollution, and the overuse of natural resources were pressures she had seen in places she knew. At Wilderness International, where she served as co-director of science and sat on the board of Wilderness International Perú, she helped turn concern into method: field knowledge, ecological assessment, institutional trust, and long-term protection. Alongside her husband, Fabian Mühlberger, and others, she helped create the team that founded Wilderness International Perú in 2019. María Laura Tolmos. From her social media. She was, colleagues said, a stickler for detail in the best sense. She wanted clean data, robust methods, and answers that could withstand…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - María Laura Tolmos, who died of breast cancer on June 21st in Barcelona, aged 37, grew up in the Peruvian Amazon, where the forest became the foundation of her life and work. - A forest scientist trained in Peru and Germany, she completed a Ph.D. in forest sciences and forest ecology at the University of Göttingen in 2024. - At Wilderness International, she served as co-director of science and helped found Wilderness International Perú, bringing rigor, field knowledge, and institutional trust to its conservation work. - In the field, she was exacting and deeply alive to nature, whether checking research methods, sleeping in a hammock in the forest, joining night surveys, or noticing the species and details others passed by. authors: | ||
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The women leading a quiet conservation revolution in a Nigerian gorilla sanctuary 06 Jul 2026 19:06:41 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-women-leading-a-quiet-conservation-revolution-in-a-nigerian-gorilla-sanctuary/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: Orji Sunday content:encoded: BOKI, Nigeria — The morning light fills Ulom with warmth and radiance. A dome of mountains, their green vegetation spread out like giant green walls, is visible at the edge of this serene village in Nigeria’s southeast. In the king’s palace, a women’s group kicks off its monthly meeting with prayers and choruses. Today’s meeting centers on river pollution, a significant issue being addressed as part of a broader initiative to save Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (AMWS), a 100-square-kilometer (39-square-mile) wildlife hotspot situated near Ulom. Gazetted in 2000, the sanctuary is inhabited by the critically endangered Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) and drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus); porcupines; duikers; and dozens of bird, bat, and butterfly species. Afi is the shared heritage of 16 villages, including Ulom, broadly known as the sanctuary’s landlords. Together, these communities have set up initiatives and bylaws aimed at protecting the hotspot, often in collaboration with nonprofits and other stakeholders. The women’s collective meeting here today is one signal of a growing surge of women’s conservation leadership across the host communities. Asu Margaret, the group secretary, reads aloud from a notebook. “In our previous meeting we discussed how to prevent wildfires in the Afi Mountains,” she says. “We rejected the felling of trees. We maintain the ban on timber dealers.” Only about 300 Cross River gorillas are estimated to survive in the wild; roughly 100 of them live in a patchwork of interconnected protected areas that includes Afi, Mbe Mountains,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Women’s conservation collectives in the communities surrounding Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary are working to defend the wildlife, forests and rivers in a protected area that’s home to threatened gorillas and chimpanzees. - Funded by membership dues, these groups carry out patrols, investigate wildlife crimes, and work collaboratively with traditional leadership structures to censure violators. - One of the groups’ notable successes comes in ensuring that rules aimed at protecting the environment are upheld without bias or favoritism. - The successes of the pioneering women’s collectives have inspired the formation of similar initiatives in other villages surrounding the sanctuary. authors: | ||
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War reveals the isolation of Iran’s scientists 06 Jul 2026 18:39:28 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/war-reveals-the-isolation-of-irans-scientists/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: John Cannon content:encoded: The smiles on the faces of Iman Ebrahimi and his colleagues in the photograph are revealing: After more than a month of war in Iran, a tenuous ceasefire in mid-April offered a brief window for the team to travel to one of Ebrahimi’s favorite field sites. Maharloo Lake is the “hottest spot for flamingo breeding in Iran,” he said excitedly on a video call during a rare period of stable internet early in the war. They saw “at least 5,000” greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) that day, he said, though there were probably more beyond the reach of their binoculars. “It was incredible.” A salt lake that tinges pink when summer heat shrinks its footprint, the lake was flush with water when they visited. “This is a very lovely place, but I’ve never seen Maharloo like this,” Ebrahimi said. The winter rains had been heavier than normal, to be sure, but he said he also suspects that agricultural and industrial activity, muted by the war, were drawing off less water from the lake — an unanticipated impact. Ebrahimi and his teammates from the NGO AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society are doing their best to track the conflict’s effects on Iran’s environment. They’ve noticed, for example, shifts in bird aggregations, apparently moving away from areas that reverberate with airstrikes. But the war has also laid bare the damage caused by international sanctions imposed by the U.S., the EU and the U.N., along with other moves to cut Iran off from the rest of…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The war in Iran has hindered scientific research, making the long-running isolation of Iranian scientists more apparent. - For decades, international sanctions and the war have limited their access to funding, professional development, and global scientific collaboration. - Beyond potential damage to wildlife populations and ecosystems, conservation efforts are often ignored during wartime. - Even amid the war, the Iran-based AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society has continued its work “reconnecting people with wetlands through birds” and protecting critical bird habitats like the Arjan wetland in the country’s southwest. authors: | ||
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Brazil boosts budget and number of firefighters amid strong El Niño forecast 06 Jul 2026 17:12:41 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/brazil-boosts-budget-and-number-of-firefighters-amid-strong-el-nino-forecast/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Shanna Hanbury content:encoded: Brazil has increased wildfire spending and has hired a record number of federal firefighters in anticipation of extreme drought in the Amazon due to what could be one of the strongest El Niño events in more than a century. The El Niño climate pattern, which emerges from unusually warm waters in the tropical Pacific, typically brings hotter, drier conditions to large parts of the Amazon. This raises the risk of severe drought and large wildfires. With a ‘strong’ to ‘very strong’ El Niño predicted this year, the impacts on the world’s largest rainforest are also expected to be more extreme. “I’m not calm. I’m very alert,” João Paulo Sotero, director of deforestation and fire policy at Brazil’s environment ministry, told Mongabay in a video interview. “We are much better prepared [now] than we were in 2024 and 2025 … we are prepared for the worst scenario.” Sotero said Brazil has increased funding for fire management in 2026 to 1.023 billion reais ($197 million), up 28% from 2025, or 24% after adjusting for inflation, rising after pro–deforestation president Jair Bolsonaro left office at the end of 2022. The budget is now five times larger than it was in 2019. The environment ministry also hired 4,410 additional federal firefighters for the 2026 fire season. In 2024, 3,224 firefighters were hired, while 4,358 firefighters were hired in 2025. Map by Emilie Languedoc/Mongabay. According to Sotero, his team has identified high-risk locations in the Amazon to focus efforts, including a new deforestation frontier in…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Brazil has increased wildfire spending and has hired a record number of federal firefighters in anticipation of extreme drought in the Amazon due to what could be one of the strongest El Niño events in more than a century. The El Niño climate pattern, which emerges from unusually warm waters in the tropical Pacific, typically […] authors: | ||
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Listen to whales to improve connection, care & ocean health (commentary) 06 Jul 2026 17:07:07 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/listen-to-whales-to-improve-connection-care-ocean-health-commentary/ author: Erik Hoffner dc:creator: David GruberSylvia Earle content:encoded: Seventy years ago, Le Monde du Silence, a film by Jacques Cousteau and Louis Malle, depicted the ocean as silent. Today, we know that the ocean is filled with the melodies of millions of vocalizing sea creatures, from the crisp snapping of shrimps to the complex singing and speaking of whales. In fact, the first life to vocalize with intent likely began in the sea. It is far from silent. Together, our careers span generations of ocean exploration. Sylvia has spent more than seven decades advancing ocean exploration and conservation, helping inspire the protection of critical marine ecosystems. And David has worked for more than three decades to better understand how marine life perceive their world, which has led him to a current focus with Project CETI translating the communication of whales. This is uncovering a vast depth and complexity in whale voices, which we are just beginning to understand. While there have been remarkable conservation successes, the overall trend is clear: the health of the ocean is declining faster than our efforts to protect it. Throughout our careers, we have witnessed extraordinary discoveries about marine life as well as humans’ ability to access even its deepest reaches, alongside dramatic changes to the ocean itself. We have celebrated conservation victories and scientific and technological breakthroughs. But we have also watched habitats disappear, species decline, and human impacts reach even the most remote corners of our oceans. David Gruber and Sylvia Earle in conversation for the Project CETI program, “The Deep…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - From establishing conservation protections to developing tools to understand whale communication, the work of marine biologist David Gruber and oceanographer Sylvia Earle is grounded in the same belief: understanding leads to connection and care. - While there have been remarkable conservation successes across the five decades of their efforts, the overall trend is clear: the health of the ocean is declining faster than efforts to protect it. - “We still have an opportunity to leave future generations an ocean filled with life, wonder, and possibility. But this window is closing. The choices we make in the next decade will firmly shape the future of marine ecosystems,” the co-authors argue. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. authors: | ||
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King vultures in Costa Rica: Photo of the week 06 Jul 2026 16:45:07 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/king-vultures-in-costa-rica-photo-of-the-week/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Shanna Hanbury content:encoded: Two king vultures (Sarcoramphus papa), one of the largest vulture species in the Americas, perch on a tree branch in Costa Rica. One leans over to nibble the other. The king vulture’s range stretches from Mexico south through the Amazon Rainforest and down to northern Argentina. These birds have a wingspan of up to 2 meters (6.6 feet), white plumage with black wingtips, and a remarkably colorful head with orange, yellow, red and purple hues. The species is featured symbolically in ancient Maya carvings, manuscripts and painted ceramics that date back millennia. More recently in the Amazon, historians detailed Indigenous oral traditions that feature king vultures as a master of fire. Peter Hudson, a professor of biology at Penn State University, U.S., captured the photo above in April 2026. “They really look very, very prehistoric,” he told Mongabay by phone. “They’re beautiful birds, absolutely stunning.” In Costa Rica, ecotourism has helped garner support for the conservation of vultures and other species, Hudson said. In the areas surrounding national parks and public nature reserves, private landowners are becoming more interested in conservation and offering tourists hides from which they can observe wildlife. It was from one of these hideouts on private land that Hudson spotted and photographed the king vultures. In total, he spotted six vultures, one which he suspects was a juvenile. “[The owner of the hideout] was going ecstatic when one of them was leaning over to sort of nibble at the other one,” Hudson said, describing the moment…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Two king vultures (Sarcoramphus papa), one of the largest vulture species in the Americas, perch on a tree branch in Costa Rica. One leans over to nibble the other. The king vulture’s range stretches from Mexico south through the Amazon Rainforest and down to northern Argentina. These birds have a wingspan of up to 2 […] authors: | ||
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Brazil’s expanding offshore oil frontier puts biodiversity at risk: study 06 Jul 2026 15:42:29 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/brazils-expanding-offshore-oil-frontier-puts-biodiversity-at-risk-study/ author: Alexandra Popescu dc:creator: Daniel Shailer content:encoded: In late August 2019, fishing communities along the northeast coast of Brazil reported black oily stains washing up on beaches, with crude clumping between the roots of mangroves, on the shells of turtles and on growing numbers of beached fish. The origin of the spill was never confirmed: Then-president Jair Bolsonaro first blamed a Venezuelan tanker, then Greenpeace. What was soon clear, however, was the scale of the disaster. Carried by strong winds and ocean currents, by early 2020 the oil had contaminated thousands of kilometers of coastline across all nine Brazilian states in the region. As the country’s government issued its first oil exploration licenses off the northeast coast in two decades earlier this year, research published last month looks to predict the scale and spread of a potential future spill. According to the study, outdated marine habitat maps and a failure to consider expansion across multiple sites in the region has led officials to underestimate the environmental risks of oil spills, especially for seagrass meadows and deepwater corals. Regions where a spill is more likely to happen should prepare an emergency response, the paper recommends, while “areas of high conservation importance but relatively lower oil spill risk” could be targeted for new or expanded Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a precaution. “Most of the licensing just looks at one activity in one location: not the whole seascape,” Rafael Magris, an ecologist at the Chico Mendez Institute for Biodiversity Conservation and lead author of the research, told Mongabay in…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Fossil fuel exploration off the northeast coast of Brazil presents a greater cumulative risk of oil spills than previously expected, according to new modeling. - Seagrass meadows and deep-water reefs in the Potiguar Basin are at greatest risk, as well as portions of the coasts of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte and Amapá states. - As the Brazilian government is pursuing rapid expansion of oil exploration in the region, researchers recommend prioritizing preparedness for emergencies where pollution would likely spread, and expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in low-risk areas. - Campaigners worry that MPAs might restrict local fishing communities or be implemented too slowly. authors: | ||
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Nepal’s birdwatchers help monitor wildlife and promote tourism 06 Jul 2026 15:09:44 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/nepals-birdwatchers-help-monitor-wildlife-and-promote-tourism/ author: Abhaya Raj Joshi dc:creator: Bibek Bhandari content:encoded: KATHMANDU — As a child, Shankar Tiwari and his friends killed birds for fun around Chitwan National Park in central Nepal, where they grew up. Years later, a foreign guest at the hotel where Tiwari worked took him birdwatching and turned the hunter into a bird lover. The striking yellow and black plumage and red eyes of the black-hooded oriole (Oriolus xanthornus), which he saw magnified through binoculars for the first time, sparked Tiwari’s lifelong passion for birds, he said. Today, the 57-year-old is one of Nepal’s leading birdwatching guides and a prominent member of the country’s growing birdwatching community that is contributing to bird conservation while promoting it as a tourism attraction. Enthusiasts look for birds in Suryabinayak, Kathmandu. Image courtesy of Prasan Shrestha. “The birdwatching community has grown significantly today,” he said. “This has helped not just in raising awareness of the birds, but the community also helps in keeping tabs on the birds — how their habitat and population have changed over the years.” A new study suggests that birdwatching is becoming increasingly popular in Nepal, particularly among the young, and that this trend “contributes to biodiversity conservation through public engagement and ecological data collection.” In Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, nonprofits like Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) and Friends of Birds organize events on weekends, drawing a diverse group of birdwatchers. Despite the increasing popularity of birdwatching, the study notes, public participation and data sharing remain limited. A black-hooded oriole, the bird that sparked Tiwari’s lifelong passion for birds.…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Birdwatching is becoming increasingly popular in Nepal, contributing to biodiversity conservation through public engagement and ecological data collection. - Despite its popularity, a lack of public participation and data-sharing practices affect record-keeping. - Researchers say documentation provided by birdwatchers helps fulfill data gaps related to bird population and habitat. - Birdwatching helps promote local destinations and generate economic activity, though Nepal as a birdwatching destination remains largely untapped. authors: | ||
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Sightings off Southern Africa suggest blue and fin whales may be rebounding 06 Jul 2026 11:59:07 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/sightings-off-southern-africa-suggest-blue-and-fin-whales-may-be-rebounding/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: David Brown content:encoded: Sightings of blue whales and fin whales off Southern Africa’s Atlantic coast have increased in recent years, according to a newly published study. This could signal recovery of the marine mammals after being virtually eliminated from the area by commercial whaling in the 20th century, the study authors say. Scientists estimate around 350,000 Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) and some 725,000 fin whales (B. physalus quoyi) were killed in the Atlantic during the industrial whaling era from 1913-1978, driving both whales to near extinction. A research team led by Bridget James of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, set out to assess if both subspecies are recovering in the Benguela ecosystem in the southeastern Atlantic. It’s a stretch of water between the west coasts of northern Angola, Namibia and South Africa, where currents bring nutrients from lower ocean depths to the surface, producing rich blooms of krill, a marine crustacean that both whale subspecies eat. The team found that between 1964 and March 2025, there were 17 reports of blue whale sightings and one report of stranding in the region. They also recorded 76 fin whale sightings and six strandings. The blue whales were most often seen between late spring to summer (October-December) and autumn (March-April) in the Benguela ecosystem, while fin whales were seen year-round. While the number of sightings is still relatively low, 95% of them were recorded since 2012. James told Mongabay by email that the Benguela ecosystem is a migratory corridor between breeding and feeding grounds for the whales, and that…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Sightings of blue whales and fin whales off Southern Africa’s Atlantic coast have increased in recent years, according to a newly published study. This could signal recovery of the marine mammals after being virtually eliminated from the area by commercial whaling in the 20th century, the study authors say. Scientists estimate around 350,000 Antarctic blue […] authors: | ||
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Dusky langurs start using new canopy bridge in Malaysia’s Penang Island 06 Jul 2026 09:42:12 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/dusky-langurs-start-using-new-canopy-bridge-in-malaysias-penang-island/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Naina Rao content:encoded: Endangered dusky langurs have successfully begun using a new artificial canopy bridge in a major tourism hub on Malaysia’s Penang Island. Camera traps set up by the Langur Project Penang (LPP) confirmed that the first dusky langur (Trachypithecus obscurus) crossed the bridge made out of old fire hoses on June 1, about two months after it was installed on April 8, 2026. Known as “The Obscura,” the bridge was installed in Batu Ferringhi, a beach resort town in the northern part of Penang Island. LPP founder Yap Jo Leen previously told Mongabay that the bridge provides a safe path for urban wildlife, such as langurs and macaques, to cross busy roads without risking death by vehicles or electric wires. LPP, a citizen science-driven conservation initiative, works to mitigate the habitat fragmentation caused by Malaysia’s rapid urban development. Mongabay previously reported that Malaysia has lost more than half its forest cover since 1900 as its human population has climbed. What forest remains is increasingly divided by roads and residential infrastructure, isolating populations of wild animals in residential areas away from their natural habitats. Yap documented eight langurs killed by vehicles during her research in Penang between 2016 and 2018. Since then, LPP has installed three bridges made of fire hoses, The Obscura being the latest, to help the langurs cross roads. The first bridge, Ah Lai’s Crossing, was installed in 2019 to help a group of langurs navigate a busy coastal road to find food. While a long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis)…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Endangered dusky langurs have successfully begun using a new artificial canopy bridge in a major tourism hub on Malaysia’s Penang Island. Camera traps set up by the Langur Project Penang (LPP) confirmed that the first dusky langur (Trachypithecus obscurus) crossed the bridge made out of old fire hoses on June 1, about two months after […] authors: | ||
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In Southeast Asia, peer-support network boosts women’s well-being in conservation 06 Jul 2026 08:21:45 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/in-southeast-asia-peer-support-network-boosts-womens-well-being-in-conservation/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: Carolyn Cowan content:encoded: When Jessa Cabaay began working in marine conservation in the Philippines, she frequently found she was the only woman in the room. Her isolation meant she often felt anxious while presenting at stakeholder meetings, sensing her audience questioned her credibility. “Most of the fishing communities I was working with were older and male,” Cabaay says, describing her experience of discussions on planning out marine protected areas (MPAs). “They didn’t listen the first few times I tried to talk to them.” Cabaay says she observed that her male colleagues were rarely under the same pressure to prove their competence. Now the technical manager of Community Centered Conservation (C3), a Philippine-based nonprofit, she says the fishers’ skepticism likely reflected cultural beliefs held in many Philippine coastal communities that place women in domestic roles rather than professional ones. “There are expectations that as a woman, you follow; you cannot lead,” she says. Lacking female colleagues to turn to for support and advice, Cabaay persevered largely alone through her early-career struggles. Now, however, she finds strength and encouragement through a peer-support network that links female conservation professionals across Southeast Asia. Connecting with other women facing similar challenges has been a game changer, she says: “I realized I’m not struggling alone. We all feel the same.” The initiative, the Network of Women (NOW), is led by the Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), a Singapore-based interagency coalition that focuses on critically endangered species of land and freshwater vertebrates. Launched in 2021, the program combines in-person leadership…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Women in conservation continue to face significant cultural and systemic challenges, despite efforts to address gender equality across the sector. - Pressures can lead to burnout, stalled careers, and women leaving the industry, reducing the diverse perspectives experts say are essential to tackling global conservation challenges. - Peer-support networks and woman-to-woman mentorship are increasingly providing women with safe spaces to share their experiences and advice, helping participants rise to leadership positions and build long-term careers. - While these networks can fill existing sector-wide gaps, experts say broader institutional and societal changes are also required to create safe, inclusive and supportive working environments for all. authors: | ||
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What are these parrots saying? 05 Jul 2026 15:47:30 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/what-are-these-parrots-saying/ author: Lucia Torres dc:creator: Julia Lemos Lima content:encoded: New research shows that the yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata), a critically endangered parrot in Central America, has a sophisticated way of communicating. Instead of just making noise, these birds perform complex “warble duets” that act like synchronized sentences to protect their territory. Using software designed for human language, scientists discovered that these parrots have a “vocabulary” of 36 different calls. Their duets follow “syntactic rules” — essentially parrot grammar — to keep their messages organized. Partners coordinate their timing and use sex-specific calls to stay in sync. This proves that these clever birds have advanced cognitive abilities similar to humans.This article was originally published on Mongabay description: New research shows that the yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata), a critically endangered parrot in Central America, has a sophisticated way of communicating. Instead of just making noise, these birds perform complex “warble duets” that act like synchronized sentences to protect their territory. Using software designed for human language, scientists discovered that these parrots have a […] authors: | ||
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Tropical mountain wildlife are at high risk from climate change impacts, study finds 03 Jul 2026 18:45:52 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/tropical-mountain-wildlife-are-at-high-risk-from-climate-change-impacts-study-finds/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Bobby Bascomb content:encoded: As the planet warms, animals living in tropical mountains may find it increasingly difficult to shift to new areas, according to a new study. Tropical mountains are particularly at risk when the impacts of climate change combine with changes in land use and human pressures, Chiara Dragonetti, co-author of the study published in June, told Mongabay in a video call. Many mountain-dwelling species are endemic to those areas and can only tolerate climatic conditions within narrow limits, researchers have previously found. Higher altitudes may be the right temperature but the wrong habitat, and species already living at high altitudes can only shift so high. Eventually, animals can run out of safe space on a mountain in a pattern scientists have dubbed an “escalator to extinction.” Changes in how mountain land is used can further limit animals’ movement. Dragonetti wanted to understand how mountain wildlife will fare in a warming world, while also considering land-use changes and the species’ dispersal abilities. She and her colleagues analyzed existing global datasets of distribution for 395 different mountain-dwelling species, including 361 birds and 34 mammals, breaking them down by animals that can easily disperse, such as birds, and those that can’t easily relocate, such as sloths. They then used computer models to project where these species could occur in 2050, under future high and low greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. The study found that under a high emissions scenario, wildlife would lose 16% more range (or places they can live) compared to a low emissions…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: As the planet warms, animals living in tropical mountains may find it increasingly difficult to shift to new areas, according to a new study. Tropical mountains are particularly at risk when the impacts of climate change combine with changes in land use and human pressures, Chiara Dragonetti, co-author of the study published in June, told […] authors: | ||
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Australia’s seagrass meadows under pressure as climate change turns up the heat 03 Jul 2026 15:19:35 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/australias-seagrass-meadows-under-pressure-as-climate-change-turns-up-the-heat/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Sean Mowbray content:encoded: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is renowned for its coral, but far less so for its expansive seagrass meadows. “People don’t dive on them, don’t snorkel on them, and don’t go rock pooling on them,” said Emma Jackson, director of the Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC) at Central Queensland University. She’s a self-confessed seagrass nerd. One reason, she said, is because “they have this wealth of different ecosystem services.” Though they’re known as the “ugly cousins” of coral reefs, these flowering grass-like plants provide a home and foraging grounds for marine life, as well as habitat for commercial fish species. These meadows stabilize sediments, help cleanse the water column and sequester substantial amounts of carbon. “I think when people understand that, then they can share my nerdiness and share that passion for seagrass,” Jackson said. Emma Jackson, who directs CMERC (right), envisions large-scale restoration using many seagrass species, with the process as routine as seeding a lawn. Image courtesy CMERC. The Great Barrier Reef is home to around 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) of seagrass, an area larger than Belgium, which accounts for about 11% of the world’s total. Australia is a global hotspot of seagrass biodiversity, hosting around half of the world’s 60 species of the plants. But as climate change ratchets up temperatures and triggers more frequent extreme weather events, Australia’s marine meadows are increasingly battered by intense storms and cyclones, flooding, and devastating marine heat waves. Algal blooms are also impacting seagrasses by blocking out sunlight…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Australia is a global stronghold for seagrasses, the flowering plants that grow in coastal waters and bays. - Seagrasses are unsung but vital ecosystem engineers: They stabilize sediments, provide habitat and food for marine species, help cleanse the water column of pollutants and sequester vast amounts of carbon dioxide. - Across Australia’s waters, these undersea meadows are suffering as coasts are developed, seas are polluted and climate change continues to raise water temperatures. - Conservationists are working to restore seagrasses and build resilience to preserve these vital marine ecosystems. authors: | ||
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New data reveals surge in human rights abuses linked to transition minerals mining 03 Jul 2026 15:01:50 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/new-data-reveals-surge-in-human-rights-abuses-linked-to-transition-minerals-mining/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Aimee Gabay content:encoded: New data released by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) finds that, worldwide, South America has the most abuse allegations associated with large-scale mining for transition minerals over the past 15 years. Such minerals are essential for the shift away from fossil fuels and are critical for other industries, such as tech and defense. Many of the allegations were associated with environmental harm including water pollution and deforestation. Roughly 36% of such abuse allegations recorded between 2010 and 2025 were in South America. Many of the abuses involved local community rights violations, labor rights violations and attacks against defenders. Of the allegations reported worldwide in 2025, 17% were related to the abuse of Indigenous People’s rights, including their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent before mining activities could take place in their territory. The researchers analyzed the BHRRC’s Transition Minerals Tracker to identify allegations of abuse related to mining nine key transitional minerals, including bauxite, cobalt, copper and lithium. They identified 329 allegations of abuse in 2025, up from 156 in 2024. Between 2010 and 2025, Peru had the most reported allegations (174), followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (151) and Chile (137). “This year’s data really lays bare the cost of conflict: we’re seeing project delays and suspensions as a direct result of human rights concerns, which poses a real threat to the transition as a whole,” author of the report Blanca Racionero Gomez, natural resources and just energy transition senior researcher at the BHRRC,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: New data released by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) finds that, worldwide, South America has the most abuse allegations associated with large-scale mining for transition minerals over the past 15 years. Such minerals are essential for the shift away from fossil fuels and are critical for other industries, such as tech and […] authors: | ||
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Malawi agroecologists see opportunity in Gulf fertilizer supply disruption 03 Jul 2026 14:04:58 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/malawi-agroecologists-see-opportunity-in-gulf-fertilizer-supply-disruption/ author: Terna Gyuse dc:creator: Charles Mpaka content:encoded: As the first rays of the sun streak through the misty morning early in June, James Singano spits into his right hand for a good grip of the hoe handle. With one swing, he brings down a shrub. Malawi’s farming season is five months away, but Singano has started clearing the land where he inter-crops maize, a staple food here, with pigeon peas. He is one of the more than 4 million smallholder farmers that depend on subsistence farming and contribute significantly to national food security by producing 80% of Malawi’s annual maize harvest. Most of them farm on less than a hectare. From his farm in the outskirts of Blantyre City in Southern Malawi, Singano’s maize harvest varies between 400kg and 600kg annually, which hardly feeds his family of six for a year. He says the land’s yield has consistently over the last 21 years, since he inherited it from his parents. “They (parents) did not need fertilizer to produce enough maize for our family,” he says, sweeping off the shrub he has cut with his bare foot onto a heap of grass nearby. “These days, farming is a lot of toil for very little harvest because the soil isn’t producing as much and fertilizer is getting harder to afford.” Maize is staple crop in Malawi and its production is heavily dependent on chemical fertilizers. Malawi imports over 90 percent of the over 400,000 tons of fertilizers it consumes annually – Image by Charles Mpaka for Mongabay. Soils losing…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Geopolitics in the Middle East that has affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz risk disrupting fertilizer supplies and drive-up prices ahead of the next planting season. - Small-scale farmers are already dealing with effects of land degradation, and high input costs, with the cost of urea increasing from $96 to $103 for a 50kg bag in a matter of months, before planting season. - Agroecologists say the instability is an opportunity for the country to refocus on manure, compost and crop diversification to reduce dependence on fertilizer and maize. - Some farmers remain hopeful that the synthetic fertilizer, on which they rely for improved harvests, will be at least available. authors: | ||
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Declining carp fishes in Bangladesh’s Kaptai Lake leave small-scale fishers struggling 03 Jul 2026 13:37:27 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/declining-carp-fishes-in-bangladeshs-kaptai-lake-leave-small-scale-fishers-struggling/ author: Abu Siddique dc:creator: Sifayet Ullah content:encoded: A faded towel draped over his shoulders, 53-year-old Khokon Jaladas sat quietly in the yard of his home. Just beyond his house, a few fishing boats moored in Kaptai Lake, the largest manmade reservoir in Bangladesh. He watched them quietly. Until a few years ago, he would have been out on the water too, spending long hours casting nets and trying to catch enough fish to feed his family. But now, fishing alone is no longer enough for him. To make ends meet, he works as a laborer in the boat building sector while continuing to fish whenever he can. “There used to be plenty of carp fish. We could catch fish easily and earned Tk 1200 ($10) to 1600 ($13) per day. But now, catches of high-value carp species dwindled,” Khokon said from Old Jelepara, a settlement on the edge of the lake in Rangamati district’s Sadar upazila (sub-district). “Sometimes, I return home empty handed from the lake. For this, it would be difficult to support my six-member family without doing other work,” Khokon said. Around Kaptai Lake, Khokon’s story is becoming far too common. For generations, the fishers met their livelihoods catching high-value carp species. As these fish become harder to find, many have no choice but to leave the profession. Created by a hydroelectric dam on the Karnaphuli River in 1960, the Kaptai Lake is one of Bangladesh’s most important hubs of inland fisheries. Fisherman Khokon Jaladas sits in the yard of his home near Kaptai Lake,…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Kaptai Lake is one of Bangladesh’s largest inland fish hubs, supporting the livelihoods of more than 27,000 registered fishers in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. - Over the past several years, catches of high value carp fishes have declined sharply, forcing many small-scale fishers to abandon or supplement the ancestral profession. - Researchers said carp species depend on specific spawning conditions including suitable breeding grounds. But the lake’s major breeding areas have been degraded, while overharvesting has further reduced the chances of natural recovery. - Experts warn that without restoring breeding grounds, increasing carp fry stocking and improving fisheries management, the decline could continue, which would deepen economic pressure on small-scale fishers. authors: | ||
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Running on empty: How the gulf war is threatening Kenya’s food security 03 Jul 2026 13:28:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/running-on-empty-how-the-gulf-war-is-threatening-kenyas-food-security/ author: Terna Gyuse dc:creator: Achieng’ Otieno content:encoded: Philip Kitur walks through a neat row of maize stalks, with budding leaves painting a picture of a bountiful harvest. The 71-year-old has a 41-acre parcel at Kipkeikei village in Trans-Nzoia County. However, hidden behind Kitur’s smile is the fear of losing a significant yield if he does not access fertilizer. “The crop is due for top dressing, but I have not accessed urea, without which I may lose up to 30% of my harvest,” he told Mongabay. Mutahi Kagwe, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, says the country has adequate stocks of fertilizer, including 2 million bags for top-dressing. He says Kenya is working around finding alternative sources for the fertilizer to ensure food security in spite of global shocks triggered by the tension between Iran and USA. “While we cannot preempt or predict how long the conflict in the Middle East will take, we have had conversations on sourcing Urea from Algeria and fertilizer from Morocco,” Kagwe told Mongabay in an interview done virtually. A maize farm belonging to Dennis Chemonges, a farmer in Cherengani, in Kenya’s Trans-Nzoia. The crop is due for top dressing. Photo by Achieng’ Otieno. Key food basket Trans-Nzoia is one of Kenya’s food baskets, especially for maize, which is a staple food. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ 2025 National Agriculture Production Report, Trans-Nzoia accounted for 423,156 (10.5%) of the 4,028,320 tons of maize produced in 2024. However, there has been immense strain in Kenya’s ability to sustain its maize production over…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Tensions in the Gulf that have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, causing fertilizer prices to rise. Despite the Kenyan government’s subsidy program, farmers have to deal with high fuel and other input costs. - At least 26% of Kenya’s fertilizer supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The government has, however, assured its citizens of adequate stocks of fertilizer, with plans to diversify imports. - Meanwhile, farmers foresee reduced yields, despite government subsidy program, while commercial fertilizer prices continue to soar amid rising fuel costs. - Kenya has to also deal with land degradation attributed to soil erosion, poor farming practices, overuse of synthetic fertilizers and climate change impacts such as floods. authors: | ||
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Iran rearrests prominent conservationists freed just two years ago 03 Jul 2026 13:13:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/iran-rearrests-prominent-conservationists-freed-just-two-years-ago/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Naina Rao content:encoded: Iranian security forces in Tehran arrested wildlife conservationists Houman Jowkar and Sepideh Kashani, alongside Sepideh’s sister, Sima Kashani, on July 1, 2026, according to reports from multiple Iranian news sources. Jowkar and Sepideh, who are married, are experts on the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) and were previously arrested in 2018 on espionage charges related to their alleged use of camera traps. The cheetah subspecies, found only in Iran, is believed to have fewer than 30 individuals remaining in the wild. Hojjat Kermani, the trio’s attorney, told media that security agents confiscated electronic devices during a raid at the couple’s residence, before taking all three into custody. The conservation NGO Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) expressed “profound concern and alarm” over the detentions. It urged Iranian authorities to clarify the group’s legal status and whereabouts. Mongabay previously reported that Jowkar and Sepideh were members of the now-defunct Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF), a Tehran-based conservation organization. They were among a group of eight conservationists arrested in January 2018 on charges alleging use of wildlife camera traps for the purpose of spying on Iran, including monitoring the country’s missile program. Those 2018 charges were widely condemned by the international scientific community as baseless. One of the arrested researchers, Kavous Seyed Emami, died in custody with Iranian authorities saying the death was a suicide, a claim doubted by Seyed Emami’s family. Jowkar and Sepideh were eventually pardoned and released in April 2024 after serving six years in Tehran’s Evin Prison. Authorities…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Iranian security forces in Tehran arrested wildlife conservationists Houman Jowkar and Sepideh Kashani, alongside Sepideh’s sister, Sima Kashani, on July 1, 2026, according to reports from multiple Iranian news sources. Jowkar and Sepideh, who are married, are experts on the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) and were previously arrested in 2018 on espionage […] authors: | ||
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Zambia’s bumper harvest masks likely food insecurity amid geopolitics and climate threats 03 Jul 2026 13:12:14 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/zambias-bumper-harvest-masks-likely-food-insecurity-amid-geopolitics-and-climate-threats/ author: Terna Gyuse dc:creator: Chisapi Kumbutso content:encoded: LUSAKA, Zambia — The escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, has prompted warnings that disruptions to the supply of fuel and fertilizer shipped through the Strait of Hormuz could cause food insecurity in some African countries. While experts say it will take time for the effects of the conflict to be felt in Zambia, they also point to vulnerabilities in the country’s food system and suggest greater resilience to possible stresses. Zambia’s food security is generally understood to rest on a single crop: maize. Zambia Statistics Agency reports that the price of a 25-kilogram bag of breakfast mealie meal declined slightly from April to May. In fact, the price of mealie meal is 15% lower than it was this time last year. The FAO’s April 2026 country briefing for Zambia said good rains since last October point to a second consecutive year of above-average harvests of maize. The rains are also expected to support a rebound of wheat harvest, as full reservoirs mean a steady supply of hydroelectric power that will allow the crop’s growers (primarily large-scale, industrial farmers) to irrigate their fields. The briefing reported that reference prices for maize were 25% lower year-on-year in March, thanks to plentiful domestic supply and a strengthening of the currency. Maize meal prices also declined by 15%, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency. Drawing on the IPC classification, the FAO said the number of Zambians facing “crisis” levels of acute food insecurity in the six months to March 2026 was…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Zambia may seem food-secure now, with recent adequate rains and bumper harvests, but experts say it could be short-lived as global geopolitical tensions drive up fertilizer and fuel costs. - Experts say the urban populations are the most likely to bear the brunt of the Gulf tensions, as they heavily depend on imported foodstuffs such as wheat. - There are calls for the country to build long-term resilience through investment in irrigation, climate-smart agriculture, locally produced fertilizer, and diversified food systems. - Zambia and the rest of Southern Africa is staring at another round of El Niño, which might disrupt rainfall patterns and affect food production. authors: | ||
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Researchers in Nigeria successfully cultivate wild mushroom in agricultural waste 03 Jul 2026 12:30:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/researchers-in-nigeria-successfully-cultivate-wild-mushroom-in-agricultural-waste/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: David Brown content:encoded: Researchers in Nigeria have cultivated a wild mushroom species using sawdust, an agricultural waste product. This could help develop farming of local mushrooms in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, they report in a recent study. Lentinus squarrosulus is a wild mushroom that typically grows on decaying logs in wild habitats across tropical forests, including in eastern Nigeria. This mushroom is both edible and has medicinal value, and is at risk of becoming scarce in the wild because of habitat destruction. If domesticated, however, this mushroom could be an inexpensive and reliable source of protein, mushroom researcher Chiemeziem Agbonma Onyeka told Mongabay by email. “Mushroom farming in Africa is still developing,” Onyeka said. “In many regions, there is still limited awareness that mushrooms can be cultivated as a reliable year-round agricultural crop rather than only collected from the wild during specific seasons.” Onyeka set out to learn how to cultivate L. squarrosulus for her doctoral work at the Federal University of Technology in Owerri, Nigeria. Her goal was to find a way to provide a year-round crop that people could grow, reliably and safely, using waste as a growing material or substrate. Onyeka and her colleagues collected wild L. squarrosulus and tried cultivating them on sawdust from three different types of wood: mango (Mangifera indica), African breadfruit (Treculia Africana) and African pear (Dacryodes edulis). Sawdust is a common byproduct of agriculture and forestry waste. The researchers found that L. squarrosulus mushrooms grew fastest and generated the greatest number of fruiting…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Researchers in Nigeria have cultivated a wild mushroom species using sawdust, an agricultural waste product. This could help develop farming of local mushrooms in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, they report in a recent study. Lentinus squarrosulus is a wild mushroom that typically grows on decaying logs in wild habitats across tropical forests, including […] authors: | ||
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Rare fungi help restore Palmyra Atoll rainforests, new study finds. Here’s how 03 Jul 2026 06:10:43 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/rare-fungi-help-restore-palmyra-atoll-rainforests-new-study-finds-heres-how/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Naina Rao content:encoded: Palmyra Atoll in the North Pacific is one of the most remote island systems on Earth. A native rainforest tree on the island performs a critical ecological service by providing nesting sites for thousands of seabirds, whose guano fuels the surrounding coral reefs. But a new study revealed that this entire cycle depends on an invisible partner: Symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi. Researchers mapped the fungal diversity across the atoll and discovered the native pisonia (Pisonia grandis) trees have a 100% with a specific genus of fungi called Tomentella — meaning the trees depend on the fungi to survive. These fungi capture intense pulses of nitrogen and phosphorus from bird guano that would otherwise wash into the ocean. This relationship was present in every tree the team sampled. “Most ectomycorrhizal fungi struggle in extremely nutrient-rich soils, but the Tomentella fungi associated with Pisonia appear to be adapted to the high phosphorus levels created by seabird guano,” study co-author Alex Wegmann told Mongabay over email. “This suggests a long evolutionary partnership between the fungi, the trees, and the massive seabird colonies that shape these atoll ecosystems.” The discovery has major implications for the ongoing effort to restore Palmyra’s native forests by removing 1.5 million invasive coconut palms. The study found that Tomentella abundance drops off sharply when there are more than 250 meters (820 feet) away from a pisonia tree. Therefore, natural regeneration might fail in large areas cleared of coconut palms, because the necessary fungi aren’t present in the soil, the study…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: Palmyra Atoll in the North Pacific is one of the most remote island systems on Earth. A native rainforest tree on the island performs a critical ecological service by providing nesting sites for thousands of seabirds, whose guano fuels the surrounding coral reefs. But a new study revealed that this entire cycle depends on an […] authors: | ||
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Can selective logging help the Congo Basin store more carbon? 02 Jul 2026 22:38:09 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/can-selective-logging-help-the-congo-basin-store-more-carbon/ author: Morgan Erickson-Davis dc:creator: Claudia Geib content:encoded: The rainforests of the Congo Basin are the planet’s largest forested carbon sink: as these 3.3 million square kilometers (1.3 million square miles) of trees in Central Africa breathe in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they turn it into leaves and bark and branches, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Yet a recently published study quantifying this carbon storage presents a surprising suggestion: that the most effective way to trap even more carbon in Congo Basin rainforests may be to cut some of its trees down. The study, published as an advance copy in April in Nature Communications, found that selectively managed logging areas make up about 57% of the net carbon removals in the Congo Basin. The authors suggest this shows these forests could provide benefits to both the planet and local communities if sustainable logging is permitted. “The question is: is logging, or any other sustainable use of those forests, only bad for the environment?” said lead researcher Le Bienfaiteur Sagang, a tropical ecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Can we use these forests, give them more value, provide jobs for the locals, and still provide a good contribution to the climate?” Sagang and his co-authors decided to put this questions to test. They designed a machine-learning program that combined land-cover data, captured between 1990 and 2020 across the Congo Basin’s six forested countries, with aboveground carbon levels estimated from other studies via lidar, which creates complex 3D landscape scans using lasers. This rainforest…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A recent study created a machine-learning program that estimated the amount of carbon dioxide already stored, and sequestered annually, by rainforests in Central Africa’s Congo Basin, the planet’s largest forested carbon sink. - They found that managed logging concessions, which remove a small number of large trees annually and strictly control other human activities, made up more than half of the net carbon removed by Congo Basin rainforests. - The authors say these results suggest that expanding logging concessions could help the Congo Basin sequester more carbon while also providing locals with a source of income. - Other experts, however, argue that addressing local conflicts that lead to illegal forest clearing would be a better way to benefit these forests. authors: | ||
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Indonesia’s ratification of fishing labor reforms will also boost conservation (commentary) 02 Jul 2026 20:46:41 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/indonesias-ratification-of-fishing-labor-reforms-will-also-boost-conservation-commentary/ author: Erik Hoffner dc:creator: Muhamad Nour content:encoded: Indonesia’s recent ratification of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (C188) is a historic milestone for the country’s fisheries sector. The ratification is expected to strengthen the protection of fishers; improve working and living conditions at sea; and enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian seafood products in international markets, where buyers increasingly require compliance with labor, human rights and sustainability standards. One of the key lessons from Indonesia’s ratification of ILO Convention No. 188 is that fisheries labor reform requires a broad coalition beyond traditional labor actors. Because the convention directly affects the fisheries sector, successful advocacy depended on active engagement from fisheries authorities, fishing companies, fishers’ organizations and other sectoral stakeholders.Indonesia’s progress was driven by an inclusive “tripartite plus” approach, which combined collaboration among government, employers and workers, with advocacy and technical support from civil society organizations and international partners, including Greenpeace, the Freedom Fund, International Justice Mission and the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). These stakeholders played a critical role in raising awareness, generating evidence, strengthening engagement and building public support for ratification. Over the years, various ILO-supported projects also created important momentum by facilitating dialogue, evidence generation and stakeholder engagement on labor issues in fisheries. A clear stakeholder mapping process helped identify the respective roles and interests of each actor, enabling more strategic advocacy and stronger ownership of the ratification process. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) emerged as a critical partner alongside the Ministry of Manpower, demonstrating that labor protection in fisheries cannot be achieved…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Indonesia’s formal ratification of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention is a historic milestone for workers and will boost the sustainability of the fishing industry, the writer argues. - Such reforms require a broad coalition beyond traditional labor actors and must include fisheries authorities, fishing companies, fishers’ organizations and conservation groups. - “Fishers working under safer and fairer conditions are more likely to engage in responsible fishing practices and support conservation measures,” the author writes. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. authors: | ||
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Dutch importers linked to suspect Amazon timber, investigation finds 02 Jul 2026 20:34:19 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/dutch-importers-linked-to-suspect-amazon-timber-investigation-finds/ author: Alexandra Popescu dc:creator: Maxwell Radwin content:encoded: Two Dutch timber importers are at the center of a new investigation that shows they may have purchased suspect wood sourced to one of the largest logging companies in Brazil, which had temporarily lost its permits and been banned from clearing. Brazilian logging company Samise Indústria Comércio e Exportação was clearing the forest to make roads and lumber yards months before receiving operating permits, according to an investigation by Earthsight, a U.K.-based nonprofit that exposes environmental and social crime. Employees also allegedly tampered with identification tags before inspections and transported illegally cleared lumber. Some of the wood was eventually moved to sawmills owned by Brazilian company Greenex S/A Indústria Comércio e Exportação de Madeira, then exported to Dutch companies Hoogendoorn Hout and Van den Berg Houtgroep, the investigation found. The transactions reveal weak points in international trade regulations and the certification process, intended to verify sustainably sourced wood, the report said. “[Trade regulations] must go beyond surface-level checks on their supply chains,” Rafael Pieroni, Earthsight’s Latin America team lead, said in a statement. “European importers must refrain from treating certification as a substitute for rigorous due diligence.” In the 2010s, Samise was one of three companies granted forestry concessions inside the 429,000-hectare (1.1-million-acre) Saracá-Taquera National Forest, which is covered almost entirely with primary forest and home to 29 mammal species found nowhere outside the Amazon. In May 2023, Samise’s operations were banned due to evidence of fraud discovered by Brazil’s Chico Mendes Biodiversity Conservation Institute (ICMBio), the agency responsible for…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Wood from a Brazilian logging company banned several times for violating regulations may have ended up in the Netherlands, according to an investigation by campaign group Earthsight. - The bans on logging company Samise stemmed from suspicions of, among other violations, illegal extraction, and resulted in fines and community service orders for the company. - Yet Samise’s timber went on to be imported by Dutch companies GWW Houtimport, Van den Berg Hardhout, and Hoogendoorn Hout, via Brazilian exporter Greenex, according to the investigation. - Earthsight called for rigorous implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which is scheduled to go into effect at the end of the year. authors: | ||
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UK deforestation rules take step forward after a long delay 02 Jul 2026 18:46:24 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/uk-deforestation-rules-take-step-forward-after-a-long-delay/ author: Bobbybascomb dc:creator: Ashoka Mukpo content:encoded: The U.K government has announced that it will advance long-delayed regulations on commodities linked to deforestation. On June 23, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) issued a press release promising to “take forward new rules” that will force companies in Great Britain to carry out due diligence on the products they sell. “Under the proposals UK businesses who trade in commodities sourced from rainforests such as soy, palm oil, cocoa and rubber will need to check that their supply chains are not contributing to illegal deforestation,” it said. The rules have been anticipated since the passage of the U.K.’s Environment Act in 2021. “Schedule 17” of the Act established a legal basis for strict rules covering forest risk commodities, but the U.K. government has yet to issue those rules or submit them to Parliament. The slow implementation of Schedule 17 has drawn the ire of environmental groups and their allies. In a press release, U.K.-based NGO Forest Coalition welcomed the latest announcement. “In our view the delay has been unacceptable because the U.K. imports deforestation-tainted commodities,” said Cassie Dummett, the group’s coordinator, in a phone interview with Mongabay. “That means members of the public are buying deforestation in the food they buy, unwittingly.” The U.K. government said the regulation will closely mirror the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which, despite repeated delays, is set to take effect at the end of 2026. Both rules will cover a similar set of commodities, including cattle, cocoa, palm oil, rubber…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: The U.K government has announced that it will advance long-delayed regulations on commodities linked to deforestation. On June 23, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) issued a press release promising to “take forward new rules” that will force companies in Great Britain to carry out due diligence on the products they sell. […] authors: | ||
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Santa Marta report by 57 nations defines rapid fossil fuel transition path 02 Jul 2026 16:17:22 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/santa-marta-report-by-57-nations-defines-rapid-fossil-fuel-transition-path/ author: Glenn Scherer dc:creator: Julian Reingold content:encoded: London Climate Action Week (LCAW) kicked off in June amid an unprecedented European heat wave and with a special statement by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warning, “We have just lived through the eleven hottest years ever recorded … with higher temperatures to come. London isn’t just calling — it’s cooking,” he said. “We cannot double down on a system based on fossil fuels that is driving both the climate crisis and the energy crisis … These twin crises have once again exposed the limits of an outdated model of development,” the U.N. chief said. “This is our moment of choice. Our moment of truth. Our moment of opportunity. Let’s seize it.” Just such an opportunity came later at LCAW with the launch of the outcome report derived from the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, which was held in April in Santa Marta, Colombia. That landmark summit was co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands and convened 57 countries, a “Coalition of the Willing” accounting for roughly 30% of global energy demand and about 20% of global energy supply — a group committed to a rapid fossil fuel phaseout. The meeting was called to serve as a viable complement to the formal U.N. climate consensus negotiating process, which has been blocked from climate action for decades by large petrostates and lobbied against by the fossil fuel industry. The new report released June 23 presents a summary of Coalition of the Willing stakeholder-led dialogues and includes strategies for a…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, which took place in April 2026, in Colombia, released its final report on June 23 at the London Climate Action Week. - The so-called Santa Marta Process, arising from a meeting between 57 nations, is not meant to replace the U.N. climate framework consensus process, but rather to complement it. The SMP explores the means for moving beyond decades of diplomatic deadlock. - The new report offers five practical pathways to a just, orderly, and equitable fossil fuels transition, a process requiring stronger international cooperation and more effective and robust governance frameworks from what currently exist. - The report’s key findings, including a shift of financing and subsides away from fossil fuels to green energy, was agreed to by 57 countries forming the so-called “Coalition of the Willing.” But Colombia and the Netherlands, which sponsored the April summit, already appear to be realigning their nations with fossil fuels. authors: | ||
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Sightings of humpback whales surge in Rio de Janeiro, fueling demand for whale-watching trips 02 Jul 2026 15:27:17 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/sightings-of-humpback-whales-surge-in-rio-de-janeiro-fueling-demand-for-whale-watching-trips/ author: Mongabay Editor dc:creator: Associated Press content:encoded: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sightings of humpback whales off Rio de Janeiro’s coast are surging as they recover from decimation due to commercial whaling, prompting an acceleration in the demand for whale-watching excursions to spot the huge marine creatures during their annual migration. The species’ population has jumped from around 2,000 to around 35,000 in approximately 40 years, close to their population before whaling, said Enrico Marcovaldi, co-founder of the Humpback Whale Project. That means they are increasingly being spotted in Rio’s postcard Guanabara Bay. “It’s wonderful. It shows that the whales are making a recovery, are healthy and thriving, and hopefully they’ll continue to do so,” said Marcovaldi. In 1982, the International Whaling Commission decided that there should be a pause in commercial whaling on all whale species and populations from the 1985/1986 season onward. Louise Raulais, who runs the Rio Ocean Club with her partner Theo Andrade, is among those who see the tourism opportunities in the whales’ resurgence. This year, the company began offering sailboat trips for between five and 10 people to observe the whales. Raulais said they always have a biologist onboard to share information, which can stimulate a desire to protect the whales and the ocean. “These animals are so iconic and charismatic that they have the power to transform people, to change the way they see the world,” said Raulais. Humpback whales are known for roaming long distances across major oceans in predictable patterns, typically following migration routes learned from their mothers. They feed on krill and…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sightings of humpback whales off Rio de Janeiro’s coast are surging as they recover from decimation due to commercial whaling, prompting an acceleration in the demand for whale-watching excursions to spot the huge marine creatures during their annual migration. The species’ population has jumped from around 2,000 to around 35,000 […] authors: | ||
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Crackdown lets rainforest reclaim illegal road in rare win for the Amazon 02 Jul 2026 14:38:40 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/crackdown-lets-rainforest-reclaim-illegal-road-in-rare-win-for-the-amazon/ author: Alexandre de Santi dc:creator: Rafael Spuldar content:encoded: In 2022, an illegal road cutting the length of a full marathon through two strictly protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon threatened to do what conservationists feared most: Split the Xingu Socioenvironmental Corridor, a mosaic of Indigenous territories and conservation units covering some 26 million hectares (64 million acres), in half. Four years later, satellite images reveal the 42.8-kilometer (26.6-mile) road is gone, swallowed by regrowing forest — something rarely seen in the region. Its disappearance runs counter to everything that typically happens when a road appears in the Amazon. “Here, the road is the beginning of everything, the beginning of the devastation,” Bruno Ferreira, a researcher at the conservation nonprofit Imazon, part of the MapBiomas mapping network, told Mongabay. Usually, roads give birth to a set of new roads (legal or illegal) that spawn from the main one, creating a fishbone pattern in satellite images. Imazon research suggests that 95% of deforestation in the Amazon happens within 5 km (3 mi) of a road, meaning that illegal cattle ranching and logging would have been virtually unstoppable had this one road been consolidated. For the organizations monitoring the region around the Xingu, a key tributary of the Amazon, the now dead road is proof that the alliance between civil society and a willing government can reverse destruction that once seemed irreversible — and a reminder of what is at stake as Brazil heads into a tightly contested presidential election in October. Uncovered in 2022, the 42-kilometer-long illegal road ran along…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Recent satellite images show forest closing over the path of an illegal road that nearly severed the Xingu Socioenvironmental Corridor in 2022. - In early 2023, civil society pressure put the road at the top of the government’s agenda, leading to enforcement operations and a sharp decline in new illegal road openings across the Xingu Basin. - Conservationists warn the gains remain fragile: Invaded Indigenous territories face violent backlash, illegal mining is regrouping, and this year’s elections could redefine Brazil’s environmental policies. authors: | ||
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Endangered West African leopards show signs of recovery, despite odds. ‘It’s a win’ 02 Jul 2026 13:13:35 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/endangered-west-african-leopards-show-signs-of-recovery-despite-odds-its-a-win/ author: Sharon Guynup dc:creator: Ruth Kamnitzer content:encoded: It’s been difficult to monitor West African leopards in Benin’s Pendjari National Park: It’s a large wilderness area, situated within a hotspot of armed conflict. The park is among the last strongholds for this geographically distinct leopard population — but a recent study shared hopeful news. Leopard density in the park increased over a six-year period, according to a study published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation. The park has been managed by the nonprofit African Parks since 2017 in partnership with the government — and this conservation effort seems to be working. “It’s a win,” said study lead author Marine Drouilly, a biologist with Panthera, the global wild cat conservation non-profit. West African leopards are geographically separated from other African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) populations. In 2025, they were listed as regionally endangered on the IUCN Red List, after suffering a 50% decline over the past two decades. Numbers are estimated at just 354 across West Africa. In addition to Pendjari, important strongholds include the Niokolo-Koba–Badiar landscape in Senegal and the Guinea, Taï and Comoé National Parks in Côte d’Ivoire and Mole National Park in Ghana. A rapidly growing human population across West Africa means wildlife habitat is disappearing and becoming more fragmented, isolating already small leopard populations, Drouilly said, while widespread bushmeat hunting leaves leopards without enough prey. There’s a growing threat from poachers continent-wide, as leopards are targeted for their spotted skins, canine teeth, bones and other body parts, killed to supply the illegal wildlife trade…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - Researchers working in Benin’s Pendjari National Park reported some promising news for West African leopards: Density rose from 2017 to 2023. - West Africa’ leopards are regionally endangered, with just 354 remaining across the region. - Pendjari National Park sits within the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, a large transboundary conservation landscape encompassing national parks, hunting reserves and buffer zones that in recent years has been infiltrated by non-state armed groups operating in the Sahel. While conservation efforts in the national park are working, the security crisis remains a major threat. authors: | ||
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Heat and pests are making it hard to grow a gourd that’s critical for Indian music 02 Jul 2026 12:35:32 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/heat-and-pests-are-making-it-hard-to-grow-a-gourd-thats-critical-for-indian-music/ author: Shreya Dasgupta dc:creator: Mongabay.com content:encoded: The tanpura is synonymous with Indian classical music. The sitar-like musical instrument has a long, wooden neck with four strings attached to a bulbous base that acts as the sound chamber. This base is traditionally made from the fruit of a vining gourd, but excessive heat, unseasonal rains, pests and diseases are an increasing threat to gourd crops in India. That’s put the future of both gourd farmers and the instrument at risk, according to a video produced by Mongabay India. To make a tanpura, one must first select a gourd of a suitable size and shape, says tanpura maker Mohsin Mirajkar in the video. The variety of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) grown especially for musical instruments such as the tanpura must be 53-60 inches (135-152 centimeters) in circumference. Musicians prefer larger gourds as they have better resonance. But in recent years, gourds have gotten smaller, Mirajkar says, “Some people complained that the sound was not right.” It’s not just the gourd’s size that matters. Sagar Hazri, a gourd farmer, says the shell should also be thick and heavy, and, when dried, should make a clear “tong tong” sound. “This is the kind we can sell,” he says. “The thin, lower-quality shells make a duller ‘dhop dhop’ sound. They get damaged easily. We have to reject those gourds.” The gourd, which is only harvested once a year, during the peak of the Indian summer, is increasingly under threat from climate change. Gourds grown especially for musical instruments such as the…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: The tanpura is synonymous with Indian classical music. The sitar-like musical instrument has a long, wooden neck with four strings attached to a bulbous base that acts as the sound chamber. This base is traditionally made from the fruit of a vining gourd, but excessive heat, unseasonal rains, pests and diseases are an increasing threat […] authors: | ||
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Illegal timber imports from Cambodia, Laos skirt Vietnam safeguards, report reveals 02 Jul 2026 11:35:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/illegal-timber-imports-from-cambodia-laos-skirt-vietnam-safeguards-report-reveals/ author: Isabel Esterman dc:creator: Carolyn Cowan content:encoded: Illegally sourced timber from Cambodia and Laos continues to enter Vietnam’s supply chains despite recent efforts to tighten legality controls, according to a new report from U.K.-based watchdog the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). Falsified paperwork, manipulated harvesting quotes, and intermixing of timber from multiple sources are just some of the ways well-established criminal networks perpetuate the illicit trade, EIA teams uncovered during a four-year investigation. “We repeatedly observed mechanisms through which timber from questionable sources could be incorporated into formal trade channels,” says Thomas Chung, forest timber campaigns lead for the EIA. Vietnam is one of the world’s largest timber exporters. As a major manufacturing hub of furniture, flooring and other wood products, it plays a key role in international supply chains, shipping roughly $17 billion in timber and timber products in 2025. Timber from neighboring Laos and Cambodia represents a relatively small share of Vietnam’s total supply, the EIA report says, accounting for less than 9% of all timber shipments into the country. However, it carries an outsized legality risk that significantly undermines Vietnam’s efforts to ensure legal sourcing. To maintain access to lucrative export markets, such as the U.S., the EU, Japan and China, the country has made several recent updates to its national timber legality framework, known as the Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS). However, the EIA investigation indicates these efforts are being grossly undermined by persistent imports of illegal timber from Cambodia and Laos, exposing key weaknesses in the VNTLAS system. A consistent issue was…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - A new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals persistent trafficking of illegal timber from Cambodia and Laos into Vietnam. - The illegal cross-border trade fuels deforestation and undermines what the report describes as “significant progress” by Vietnam in recent years to clean up its timber supply chains. - Multiple mechanisms perpetuate the illicit trade, including the falsification of paperwork, manipulation of harvesting quotas and economic land concessions, and the use of intermediary criminal networks to facilitate the trade, the report says. - The report calls on Vietnam’s timber authorities to close regulatory gaps in its timber verification system and urges regional governments to improve levels of independent oversight. authors: | ||
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Targeted conservation in Brazil could help protect the Amazon’s flying rivers 02 Jul 2026 10:41:07 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/targeted-conservation-in-brazil-could-help-protect-the-amazons-flying-rivers/ author: Alexandra Popescu dc:creator: Constance Malleret content:encoded: Twenty years ago, a meeting of scientists that included Brazilian climatologist Carlos Nobre coined the term “flying rivers” to describe the water vapor moving from east to west in the atmosphere over the Amazon Basin. These flows are carried from the Atlantic Ocean by the forest’s continuous recycling of moisture through evapotranspiration, a process where water is transferred from soil and plants to the atmosphere. Sometimes called “aerial rivers,” they provide vital rainfall across South America. Scientists have long studied the Amazon Basin’s impact on rainfall in southern Brazil, but much less attention has been given to its importance for Andean countries, even though flying rivers provide more than 70% of precipitation in parts of southern Peru and northern Bolivia. A recent white paper from the NGO Amazon Conservation highlights flying rivers’ transnational effects by showing how deforestation in Brazil risks reducing rainfall in Peru and Bolivia. It builds on earlier research by Amazon Conservation’s Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP), which mapped the flying rivers’ pathways through the wet, dry and transition seasons and identified the most sensitive areas in the Andean Amazon. The new report identifies the forests at risk of being cleared along these pathways and offers recommendations for how to protect the invisible moisture flows. “It is more critical that forest is retained along the pathway than in other places, because the [flying] rivers do take a specific course, and if forest cover was to be removed along that path, then it would affect the…This article was originally published on Mongabay description: - The Amazon’s atmospheric moisture flows known as “flying rivers” provide over 70% of rainfall in parts of southern Peru and northern Bolivia, but they are threatened by deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. - According to a new report by the NGO Amazon Conservation, the lack of protections for areas known as undesignated public forests and road development projects pose a deforestation risk that would disrupt the flying rivers during dry and transition seasons. - Research shows that the Amazon is already experiencing longer dry seasons, which in turn affects the forest’s capacity to recycle moisture for the flying rivers. - Conservation targeting the forests that are most important for recycling atmospheric moisture could help maintain the flying rivers, the report proposes. authors: | ||
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