Death toll from torrential rains in Mexico rises to 64 as search operations expand (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/death-toll-from-torrential-rains-in-mexico-rises-to-64-as-search-operations-expand/
POZA RICA, Mexico (AP) — The death toll from last week’s torrential rains in Mexico jumped to 64 on Monday, as searches expanded to communities previously cut off by landslides. Another 65 people were missing following the heavy rainfall in central and southeastern Mexico that caused rivers to top their banks, Civil Defense Coordinator Laura Velázquez Alzúa said […]
Connecting Indonesia’s environmental stories to millions (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/connecting-indonesias-environmental-stories-to-millions/
- Akhyari Hananto, Multimedia Manager for Mongabay Indonesia, combines creativity, data, and strategy to ensure environmental journalism reaches and engages audiences across the archipelago.
- His unconventional path—from musician to banker, humanitarian worker, and economic specialist—eventually led him to journalism after witnessing an orangutan shooting that deeply moved him.
- Since joining Mongabay in 2014, Hananto has helped transform its Indonesian platform into a digital force, using visuals, analytics, and storytelling to connect millions with urgent environmental issues.
- Hananto spoke with Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler in October 2025 about his journey, motivations, and the role of purpose in shaping impactful journalism.
Abandoning Antarctic krill management measure threatens conservation progress (commentary) (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/abandoning-antarctic-krill-management-measure-threatens-conservation-progress-commentary/
- Until 2024, spatial limits across four sub-areas of the Antarctic Peninsula region had reduced the risk of concentrated fishing in areas preferred by whales, seals and penguins.
- The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) had taken an ecosystem-based approach, recognizing that effects of fishing can ripple through ecosystems; but with the recent lapse of its Conservation Measure 51-07, ships can now concentrate their fishing efforts in key wildlife foraging hotspots.
- This October, as delegates gather to discuss CCAMLR priorities, the authors of a new commentary argue that, “At stake is more than a fishing rule, but also the commitment to manage fisheries proactively, rather than reactively.”
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Tanzanian conservationists mourn death of plant expert Aloyce Mwakisoma (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/tanzanian-conservationists-mourn-death-of-plant-expert-aloyce-mwakisoma/
- Aloyce Mwakisoma, a renowned plant expert from Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains, was struck and killed by a bus on Oct. 6 near the village of Sanje.
- Mwakisoma, who was born and raised in the Udzungwas, had an encyclopedic knowledge of the plants and animals found in his home in the Eastern Arc.
- His colleagues recognized him as one of the many local experts whose indigenous knowledge powerfully informs the description and protection of the continent’s biodiversity.
First oarfish sighting in Sri Lanka highlights citizen science in marine protection (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/first-oarfish-sighting-in-sri-lanka-highlights-citizen-science-in-marine-protection/
- Scientists have documented the first-ever record of an oarfish (Regalecus russellii) in Sri Lanka, a 2.6-meter (8.5-foot) specimen caught off the country’s western coast.
- The find expands the known distribution of oarfish into the Indian Ocean, offering a new baseline for studying this rarely seen deep-sea species.
- Meanwhile, another oarfish was recorded in India’s Tamil Nadu this year, while within 20 days, three oarfish have been recorded from Australia and New Zealand, puzzling naturalists.
- The importance of promoting citizen science and raising awareness among fishers is needed.
The bias in saving nature: How conservation funding favors the familiar (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/the-bias-in-saving-nature-how-conservation-funding-favors-the-familiar/
With the World Conservation Congress meeting this week, I thought it was useful to revisit a study published earlier this year on conservation funding. For decades, conservationists have warned that the planet’s attention—and its purse—are skewed toward the charismatic few. A sweeping analysis of some 14,600 conservation projects over 25 years confirms that bias […]
Indigenous voices shape UNESCO’s new 10-year plan for biosphere reserves (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/indigenous-voices-shape-unescos-new-10-year-plan-for-biosphere-reserves/
- The Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan 2026-35, adopted at UNESCO’s 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, in China, sets the global blueprint for conservation, development and research in the 759 reserves.
- Seven of the plan’s 34 targets directly address Indigenous peoples and local communities, calling for free, prior and informed consent, recognition of ancestral territories and integration of traditional knowledge into governance and livelihoods.
- Indigenous leaders and academics welcomed the recognition but noted that the plan could go further in addressing on-the-ground challenges, from limited funding and weak legal support to the need for clearer distinctions and indicators of Indigenous participation.
- UNESCO officials said the next step is to align the plan with reserve-level management strategies and to establish a monitoring and evaluation framework within two years to measure progress.
Climate change and aging drains wreak havoc on Kolkata, India (October 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/climate-change-and-aging-drains-wreak-havoc-on-kolkata-india/
On Sept. 23, the city of Kolkata in eastern India came to a standstill: The capital of West Bengal state received more than 12% of the city’s average annual rainfall in just 24 hours, some 247.5 millimeters (9.7 inches). The subsequent flooding claimed lives and caused extensive property damage. Scientists say climate change has made […]
Supporting frontline leadership in a time of crisis (commentary) (October 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/supporting-frontline-leadership-in-a-time-of-crisis-commentary/
- During Climate Week in New York, Mongabay Founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler joined discussions with grassroots leaders from the Global South that offered a sharper view of how philanthropy meets—and sometimes misses—the realities of frontline work.
- A common theme: philanthropy’s structures often clash with the realities of frontline conservation and climate work, prioritizing short-term, quantifiable outcomes over long-term, relational support that nurtures resilience and agency.
- Leaders noted that true impact often occurs outside traditional metrics—in community empowerment, social cohesion, and local leadership—yet rigid grant cycles and top-down governance continue to stifle this potential. A more durable model of giving would put more emphasis on trust, shared decision-making, mental-health support, and “disciplined optimism,” enabling frontline groups to sustain progress and adapt over decades rather than grant cycles.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Diane Keaton, actress and animal advocate, has died, aged 79 (October 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/diane-keaton-actress-and-animal-advocate-has-died-aged-79/
Fame, for Diane Keaton, was never an excuse to look away. In a profession built on performance, she turned her gaze outward—to the voiceless and the overlooked. While audiences remember her for Annie Hall’s nervous charm and The Godfather’s quiet strength, animal advocates will remember her for something else: an unflinching compassion that extended well […]
The hidden environmental cost of psychedelics (October 11, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/the-hidden-environmental-cost-of-psychedelics/
The world’s appetite for transcendence is endangering the very organisms that once mediated it. From the Sonoran Desert to the Amazon Basin, plants and animals that produce psychedelic compounds—peyote, ayahuasca vine, iboga, and even a toxin-oozing toad—are under pressure. As psychedelic therapies move from ritual to clinic, their biological sources are succumbing to overharvesting, habitat […]
In Kenya, a search for links between a changing climate and mental health (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/in-kenya-a-search-for-links-between-a-changing-climate-and-mental-health/
KILIFI, Kenya (AP) — Finding enough food to feed families can be stressful. A changing climate can bring more stress. One project in rural Kenya has been studying the possible effects of climate change on mental health. A survey of nearly 15,000 women produced some concerning signs. They say it appears that droughts and heat […]
Uphill battle to save California’s endangered mountain yellow-legged frog (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/uphill-battle-to-save-californias-endangered-mountain-yellow-legged-frog/
- Conservation organizations released 350 mountain yellow-legged frogs earlier this year, marking another step in an intensive, long-running reintroduction project for this highly endangered species in Southern California.
- Once abundant across its range, populations have declined drastically because of invasive fish species, climate change impacts, and the deadly chytrid fungus that is wiping out amphibians worldwide.
- Conservationists are testing out new ways to boost survival rates of released frogs. Though it’s hoped the species may one day recover, today they are locked in a fight against extinction.
Global treaty to end subsidies for destructive fishing takes effect (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/global-treaty-to-end-subsidies-for-destructive-fishing-takes-effect/
A landmark global treaty to curb billions of dollars in government subsidies for overfishing took effect on Sept. 15, Mongabay contributor Elizabeth Fitt reported. The agreement marks the first time the World Trade Organization (WTO) has approved an environmental sustainability agreement in its 30-year history. The deal came into effect after Brazil, Kenya, Tonga and […]
One after another, Pakistan endures successive climate disasters (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/one-after-another-pakistan-endures-successive-climate-disasters/
- Pakistan contributes less than 1% to global carbon emissions, yet it is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
- In recent years, Pakistan has withstood multiple catastrophes, including floods and heat waves that have killed thousands and affected hundreds of millions of people.
- The country has faced both “compound” climate change effects, occurring simultaneously, and “sequential” climate change effects, in which one can intensify or trigger another.
- More research is needed on these phenomena in order for Pakistan — and other countries — to prepare for climate change effects.
Malaysian farmers demand transparency over proposed seed quality bill (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/malaysian-farmers-demand-transparency-over-proposed-seed-quality-bill/
- Malaysia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is expected to propose a crop seed quality bill in 2026, which is said to protect farmers’ interests, preventing them from incurring loss from low-quality seeds or fake seeds. But critics say they think it could criminalize farmers’ seed-sharing practices.
- Fake seeds have been reported in the news; preventing farmers from planting fake seeds is important, especially for perennial crops, which can take years for farmers to realize the seeds they purchased and planted are not of the variety they had intended.
- Farmers’ groups and NGOs are demanding transparency and inclusivity in the government’s lawmaking process.
- This is one of two proposed changes to Malaysian laws that would affect seeds and the farmers who use them.
IUCN downgrades guiña threat status, prompting conservation warning (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/iucn-downgrades-guina-threat-status-prompting-conservation-warning/
- The guiña, a small wildcat, has been moved to least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Found only in Chile and Argentina, this small cat was previously listed as vulnerable.
- But the threat downgrade isn’t a sign of conservation success, researchers say. Rather, it reflects more in-depth knowledge of the species. Three out of six recognized subpopulations remain highly in danger of localized extinction and need special attention and urgent conservation action.
- Some conservationists see the downgrade in status as concerning (especially considering the daunting range of threats and number of imperiled populations) and they fear the improved listing may take attention away from the species and result in a decline in conservation funding.
Cameroon inaugurates controversial dam despite local dissent (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/cameroon-inaugurates-controversial-dam-despite-local-dissent/
- The inauguration of Cameroon’s Nachtigal dam has boosted the country’s electricity supply.
- The dam’s construction has also led to loss of livelihoods for fishers and sand miners on the Sanaga River around the dam site.
- In 2022, these workers received compensation from the dam, but as the full dimensions of their losses emerge, they say this was inadequate.
Linking biodiversity protection with community development in an era of crisis (commentary) (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/rethinking-conservation-in-an-era-of-crisis-commentary/
- Environmental discourse and momentum seem to be weakening lately, as urgent geopolitical and economic priorities push concrete action to the margins, overseas development aid and conservation finance shrinks, while conflicts, shifting power balances, and unsustainable development models in megadiverse countries continue to erode ecosystems.
- In response, the conservation sector is beginning to explore new approaches that link biodiversity protection with local development, and one of the most promising of these is the “socio-bioeconomy” concept.
- Social bioeconomies can create value from ecological stewardship, integrate conservation into daily livelihoods, and encourage new imaginaries of what prosperity can mean, a new op-ed argues: “They also remind us that biodiversity conservation is not only a technical challenge, but a profoundly political one — requiring fairness, equity, and strong civic action.”
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Big Oil isn’t part of the clean energy push, despite its claims, study shows (October 10, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/10/big-oil-isnt-part-of-the-clean-energy-push-despite-its-claims-study-shows/
A new study that mapped the portfolios of the world’s 250 biggest oil and gas companies found their deployment of renewable energy is paltry: they’re responsible for just 1.42% of the global renewable energy capacity in operation. Despite announcing ambitious plans to embrace renewables, a mere 0.1% of the primary energy they produce comes from […]