Wildlife trade regulator CITES lifts sanctions against Laos, prompting conservation concerns (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/wildlife-trade-regulator-cites-lifts-sanctions-against-laos-prompting-conservation-concerns/
- Global wildlife trade regulator CITES has lifted sanctions imposed on Laos in 2023 for its failure to control criminal networks trading illegal wildlife products and other regulatory issues.
- Laos will now be able to trade in CITES-listed animals without special restriction, but will be monitored on an ongoing basis.
- Conservationists say the decision should mark a new chapter for the country and not a return to “business as usual”, in particular in relation to Laos’ history of trading long-tailed macaques.
- At a CITES meeting in November, Laos agreed to further safeguards related to the monkey trade.
To boost conservation of kelp forests, start by naming them (commentary) (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/to-boost-conservation-of-kelp-forests-start-by-naming-them-commentary/
- A new op-ed from the team that produced the Oscar-winning film My Octopus Teacher argues it’s time for kelp forests to be named, recognized and celebrated like coral reefs are.
- Reefs, mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses have all secured their own named presence in international conservation frameworks — which boosts conservation support for them — but kelp forests so far have not.
- This oversight has led to less conservation effort and programming to protect kelp forests, of which less than 2% of are meaningfully protected, despite being one of the most biodiverse nearshore ecosystems on the planet.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
This ocean liner was the world’s fastest. It’s being sunk to make the largest artificial reef (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/this-ocean-liner-was-the-worlds-fastest-its-being-sunk-to-make-the-largest-artificial-reef/
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — An ocean liner that once was the fastest on the seas is headed to its final home on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico as the world’s largest artificial reef. Officials on Florida’s panhandle coast were scuttling the SS United States on Wednesday about 25 miles southwest of Destin, between […]
‘Developed nations are not honoring their commitments’: DRC negotiator on biodiversity finance (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/developed-nations-are-not-honoring-their-commitments-drc-negotiator-on-biodiversity-finance/
- At the U.N. biodiversity summits, finance is often the center of tense discussions and negotiations — particularly on commitments by developed nations to mobilize funds to developing nations and how those funds will be distributed.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo is an insistent advocate on the world stage for increased, and “more effective,” finance to help industrially developing countries meet global biodiversity goals, and for an independent financial mechanism away from the Global Environmental Facility.
- Daniel Mukubi is a recurring figure representing the DRC during these negotiations, often at the microphone and seeking to build alternative strategies with other parties.
- Mongabay had an exclusive interview with Mukubi about what the DRC pushes for in finance negotiations and in the future, funding access for industrially developing countries, finding other diverse sources of funding, his perspective — and those of developed nations — during tense negotiations, where Indigenous peoples and local communities fit in, economic development in the country and more.
Genetic study describes two new species of Amazonian howler monkeys (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/genetic-study-describes-two-new-species-of-amazonian-howler-monkeys/
A sweeping genetic study of howler monkeys has revealed two previously unrecognized species in the Amazon, identified a potentially distinct species in the Caribbean and prompted researchers to reconsider how several populations are classified. The new study examined genetic relationships across the genus Alouatta, using genomic data, physical characteristics and museum specimens. Researchers formally described […]
How would the Amazon react if it dried up? A 25-year-old field study has the answer (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/how-would-the-amazon-react-if-it-dried-up-a-25-year-old-field-study-has-the-answer/
- For 25 years, a pioneering experiment in Pará has subjected an area of Amazon rainforest to artificial drought to project what could happen to the biome under climate change.
- After two decades receiving only half the normal rainfall, the forest lost its largest trees while others survived, revealing that it had reached a new equilibrium.
- Project scientists reject the idea that the Amazon rainforest subjected to water stress could become a savanna. Instead, they argue, it could turn into a novel ecosystem more closely resembling a heavily degraded forest.
- The structure that diverted rainwater was removed two years ago, and researchers now want to find out whether large trees can grow back.
Epidemiologist Neil Vora joins Mongabay’s board as it expands global reach and planetary health coverage (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/epidemiologist-neil-vora-joins-mongabays-board-as-it-expands-global-reach-and-planetary-health-coverage/
- Dr. Neil Vora, a physician, epidemiologist, and conservation advocate, has joined Mongabay’s board of directors.
- Vora brings extensive experience in infectious disease outbreaks and pandemic prevention, including work with the CDC responding to Ebola and COVID-19.
- His expertise in the links between deforestation, biodiversity loss, and human health will support Mongabay’s expanding coverage of planetary health.
- His appointment comes as Mongabay’s traffic has more than doubled in 2026, with the organization expanding its language offerings, strengthening its global newsroom, and launching new mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Audit says Europe’s marine protected areas failing as 2030 deadline looms (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/audit-says-europes-marine-protected-areas-failing-as-2030-deadline-looms/
- The European Union’s independent auditing body published a report on Oct. 26 that says the bloc is “highly unlikely” to achieve its target of protecting 30% of its marine area by 2030.
- The auditors found that fishing activity is significantly higher in many marine protected areas (MPAs) than in other European waters; the main type of fishing in these MPAs is bottom trawling, a destructive method.
- They also found that many sites face staffing and funding problems; that the EU lacks a standardized way to assess MPA effectiveness; that offshore and deep-sea habitats are underprotected; and that there’s not enough ecological connectivity in the network to form a coherent system.
- In response to the report, the European Commission said it would support EU countries in implementing measures and that projects are underway to improve assessments of MPAs.
US companies apply to explore deep-sea mining in area bordering Pacific island states (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/us-companies-apply-to-explore-deep-sea-mining-in-area-bordering-pacific-island-states/
- Two U.S. companies have applied to the U.S. government for seabed mining exploration licenses in two patches of international waters in the South Pacific Ocean.
- One of the patches, known as the Eastern High Seas Pocket 3, is bounded by the exclusive economic zones of the Cook Islands, Kiribati and French Polynesia, and is a special management area for fisheries. Any future mining there could create an early test for how deep-sea mining and fishing interests interact.
- The French Polynesian government has vocally opposed one company’s proposed mining in this area, arguing that the company developed its plans without appropriately consulting regional governments and that mining activities would impact environmentally sensitive areas, including a highly protected marine area.
- These mining applications are part of a broader move by U.S. companies to stake claims to the international seabed through a controversial U.S. permitting process that bypasses the multilateral U.N.-affiliated seabed regulator.
What do a bean and a flamingo have in common? Finding the unexpected in nature photos (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/what-do-a-bean-and-a-flamingo-have-in-common-finding-the-unexpected-in-nature-photos/
Photographer Andrew Zuckerman took a moment longer than usual to look closely at a bean that was sprouting in his studio. “There was this one bean that sort of had this incredibly elegant curve, and I thought, ‘God, that’s exactly like the flamingo from like 15 years ago,’” Zuckerman tells Mongabay in a video call. […]
Angolan hunters protect Southern Africa’s internationally important wetland (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/angolan-hunters-protect-southern-africas-internationally-important-wetland/
- Conservationists in the central and southeastern Angolan highlands have an unlikely ally in their work to protect wildlife and forests: hunters.
- Local leaders have chosen experienced hunters from the Luchaze and other communities to be Watchers to curb illegal hunting and monitor and report any changes in the ecosystem.
- The work is a critical component to safeguarding a region that is also the source of major rivers that sustain millions of people in neighboring countries.
Brazil’s post-election challenge: What President Lula needs to change to keep the Amazon forest standing (commentary) (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/brazils-post-election-challenge-what-president-lula-needs-to-change-to-keep-the-amazon-forest-standing/
- Now that the environmental catastrophe of a Flávio Bolsonaro presidential administration has been averted, the ways that many of President Lula’s policies threaten the Amazon forest must be addressed.
- Climate change is near a tipping point threatening the forest with collapse, and if the forest collapses before the climate system crosses its tipping point, the resulting emission would push global warming beyond human control. Lula’s policies imply more emissions from fossil fuels, deforestation and forest degradation. Lula’s support for new oil and gas fields, including the “Mouth of the Amazon” project, puts in place an economic mechanism leading to continued fossil fuel use far beyond the point where the world must stop burning these fuels.
- Good news on current deforestation rates is tempered by policies that stimulate more deforestation, including roads opening new areas to deforesters, subsidies for pasture and soy, legalization of illegal land claims in government land, and promotion of logging that increases the risk and severity of forest fires.
- This text is a commentary and does not necessarily represent the views of Mongabay.
Funding shortages threaten search for critically endangered ‘Asian unicorn’ (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/funding-shortages-threaten-search-for-critically-endangered-asian-unicorn/
The ongoing search for the saola, a critically endangered tropical bovid that hasn’t been recorded by scientists since 2013, faces an uncertain future in Laos due to severe funding shortfalls, reports Mongabay’s Jeremy Hance. Scientists first described the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) in 1992 in the Annamite Mountains that run along the eastern border of Laos […]
Testing the next generation of wildfire tech: Interview with XPRIZE Foundation’s Andrea Santy (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/testing-the-next-generation-of-wildfire-tech-interview-with-xprize-foundations-andrea-santy/
- An $11 million competition to identify technologies to detect and respond to wildfires has culminated after final rounds of testing in Australia and Alaska.
- The XPRIZE Wildfire competition focused on two aspects: satellite-based detection, and autonomous response to wildfires.
- While no team claimed the grand prize in either category, XPRIZE Wildfire’s Andrea Santy said the technologies on display showed tremendous promise and progress over the four years of the competition.
- The XPRIZE Foundation, which organized the competition, will now work with the participating teams to scale up the solutions for real-world deployment.
US brand StarKist suspends tuna sourcing from vessels accused of exploiting Indonesian fishers (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/us-brand-starkist-suspends-tuna-sourcing-from-vessels-accused-of-exploiting-indonesian-fishers/
- An Indonesian migrant fishers’ union is pressing U.S. tuna brand StarKist to sign a binding labor agreement over allegations of forced labor in the company’s supply chain.
- StarKist says it has halted purchases from fishing vessels identified in a rights group’s report on forced labor, and hired an outside firm to investigate.
- The fishers are also calling on the brand to leverage its buying power to win protections, with their Taiwan-based union saying voluntary audits and certification schemes have failed to deliver.
Weird and wonderful wildlife revealed in underexplored mountains (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/weird-and-wonderful-wildlife-revealed-in-underexplored-mountains/
A long-term camera trap study has uncovered a treasure trove of wildlife in the Annamite mountains, that run through Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. The mountains have been called the “Amazon of Asia” owing to the huge variety of species here. With hunting and tree loss threatening the area, conservationists are racing to formulate a plan […]
In north India, women protect native bees in traditional home walls (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/in-north-india-women-protect-native-bees-in-traditional-home-walls/
In the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India, traditional homes have a dedicated space to accommodate bees. Women then care for the bees as part of a beekeeping practice that has become a crucial sanctuary for indigenous bee populations facing severe environmental threats, reports contributor Swati Thapa for Mongabay. For generations, households in the region have […]
Investigation continues in Indonesia after first conviction in 3-ton pangolin trafficking case (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/investigation-continues-in-indonesia-after-first-conviction-in-3-ton-pangolin-trafficking-case/
- Authorities in Indonesia have secured a conviction and previously arrested a Vietnamese national as part of an investigation into alleged smuggling of wildlife across borders in Southeast Asia.
- In February, customs officials at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta uncovered more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales in a shipping container en route to Cambodia from Indonesia’s largest seaport.
- All eight species of pangolins are threatened and their trade is proscribed by CITES, but demand for pangolin scales by Chinese traditional healers has created a major hunting market and criminal supply chain across much of Africa and Asia.
Cambodia’s mangrove forests offer vital refuge for threatened wildlife, 7-year study finds (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/cambodias-mangrove-forests-offer-vital-refuge-for-threatened-wildlife-7-year-study-finds/
Cambodia’s mangrove forests and the wetlands associated with them provide critical refuge for several threatened and elusive species, including fishing cats and hairy‑nosed otters, according to a recent study. Researchers from the Phnom Penh-based private company Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise (FCEE) deployed camera traps across 156 coastal and riverine mangrove sites within the Peam Krasop […]
Rising seas could reshape habitats for more than 40% of world’s land vertebrates (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/rising-seas-could-reshape-habitats-for-more-than-40-of-worlds-land-vertebrates/
- New research indicates that more than 40% of terrestrial vertebrates could see a portion of their habitats inundated due to sea level rise by the end of the century.
- The global study, which examined roughly 90% of known amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal species, found reptiles, narrow-ranging species and already threatened species are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise.
- The Amazon River delta and Southeast Asia are expected to experience the most significant losses. However, the researchers also identified multiple refugia habitats across these regions that could help species adapt to sea level rise, although 96% of these areas lie outside of existing protected areas.
- The authors say their findings highlight the need for coordinated, international action to safeguard critical habitats and help species survive.