Heavy rain shuts down Istanbul, causing flooding and 3 deaths (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/heavy-rain-shuts-down-istanbul-causing-flooding-and-3-deaths/
ISTANBUL (AP) — A heavy downpour has shut down Istanbul, flooded homes and roads and killed at least three people, officials said Thursday, as rescuers evacuated hundreds of stranded people. The downpour Wednesday night flooded homes and businesses and inundated roads and underpasses, stranding vehicles and causing traffic chaos in Turkey’s largest city. In some […]
How Indian communities earn a living from more than forest timber (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/how-indian-communities-earn-a-living-from-more-than-forest-timber/
- Erratic rainfall and changing weather patterns are disrupting the availability of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) affecting communities that depend on these products in India.
- Women account for 60-80% of India’s NTFP collection and primary processing workforce but receive a disproportionately small share of the market revenues.
- A recent review examines the challenges facing communities that depend on NTFPs even as an e-commerce initiative intends to solve the value chain problem by connecting producers directly with buyers, helping reduce middlemen and improving market access.
New tool reveals siege on Indigenous lands in Bolivia’s Amazon (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/new-tool-reveals-siege-on-indigenous-lands-in-bolivias-amazon/
- Nine out of every 10 hectares (22 of every 25 acres) of forest lost in Amazonian Indigenous territories in Bolivia were cleared illegally, new data analysis suggests.
- Between 2003 and 2023, more than 186,500 hectares (460,900 acres) of forest disappeared — an area nearly three times the size of Madrid — with illegal clearing accounting for more than 90% of that total.
- Land invasions to expand the agricultural frontier pose a constant threat to Amazonian Indigenous peoples in Bolivia: of 30 territories surveyed, 28 reported occupations by outsiders, as most of these conflicts remain unresolved.
- The yearlong investigation led to the launch of VISTA, a platform presented by the Pulitzer Center, Mongabay and Bolivian organizations RAI Bolivia and Asuntos Centrales, that tracks and analyzes key data on deforestation, fires, land clearing, soy expansion and settlements across the 48 Indigenous territories of the Bolivian Amazon.
Nations at southern bluefin tuna meeting stop short of adopting new seabird protections (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/nations-at-southern-bluefin-tuna-meeting-stop-short-of-adopting-new-seabird-protections/
- The Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT), a multilateral body that manages the stock of southern bluefin tuna, held its annual meeting Oct. 5-8 in Brussels.
- Seabird protections drew debate, and a modicum of conservation progress was made: The parties agreed on 13 priority seabird species and designated high-risk areas for them.
- However, the designations don’t carry any new mandatory protections: Due to the reluctance of some members, the commission stopped short of adopting proposed conservation measures for the high-risk areas, most notably tighter seabird bycatch mitigation requirements.
Belize looks to the deep sea to complete its 30% ocean protection pledge (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/belize-looks-to-the-deep-sea-to-complete-its-30-ocean-protection-pledge/
- In 2021, Belize made a series of time-bound marine conservation commitments as part of a landmark debt-for-nature deal known as the Belize Blue Bond.
- To complete milestone 6 of the deal, out of eight milestones in total, Belize is finalizing a national marine spatial plan that proposes three new marine protected areas in its deep offshore waters.
- Officials say the zones were chosen after a gap analysis showed Belize’s nearshore coral reef and seagrass habitats are already well represented in its protected-area network, while deepwater features are not.
- Many local fishers welcome the new protected areas, which sit well beyond the waters where they work. However, experts say they are unlikely to yield the conservation benefits Belize urgently needs to revive its declining commercial fish stocks.
Cambodia was told to clean up its monkey trade. Regulators say it still hasn’t (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/cambodia-was-told-to-clean-up-its-monkey-trade-regulators-say-it-still-hasnt/
- Cambodian monkey farms have once again come under scrutiny as the global wildlife trade regulator warns the risk of fraud and corruption persists within the industry.
- A loosely regulated trade of long-tailed macaques, which spiked to fuel the development of COVID-19 vaccines, has seen wild populations plummet in Cambodia.
- The CITES Secretariat, the international wildlife trade authority, set Cambodia a series of targets last year to prevent monkey laundering, but the latest assessment shows progress is minimal a year on.
- Animal rights experts say Cambodia’s involvement in the trade continues to pose a threat to human health and wild monkey populations globally.
Thailand seizes ivory shipment from Zambia, to launch DNA investigation (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/thailand-seizes-ivory-shipment-from-zambia-to-launch-dna-investigation/
Authorities in Thailand say they have seized about 400 pieces of African elephant ivory in a shipment of timber from Zambia, and are now testing the contraband to identify the origin of the animals. The tusks were found concealed inside logs in two containers declared as holding processed timber at Laem Chabang Port, Chonburi province, […]
World Mushroom Day: From food to plastic replacement (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/world-mushroom-day-from-food-to-plastic-replacement/
A mushroom is analogous to a flower on a plant — it’s the reproductive organ of a fungus, which protects and distributes fungal spores. Mushrooms are critical part of our ecosystems. For humans and other animals, mushrooms are also food. And they may be part of the solution for food security and solving the plastic […]
From paper parks to lasting protection, here’s what works in marine conservation (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/from-paper-parks-to-lasting-protection-heres-what-works-in-marine-conservation/
- Marine conservation has attracted ambitious commitments, including vast new protected areas and international agreements. But declaring an area protected does not necessarily mean marine life is recovering.
- Fully protected marine reserves can produce substantial biodiversity gains when fishing restrictions are enforced. Adequate staffing, funding, and political support are often what separate effective reserves from “paper parks.”
- Conservation can also succeed outside protected areas. Secure fishing rights, community-led management, and practical changes to fishing gear can reduce pressure on marine species while supporting local livelihoods.
- Restoration projects face similar challenges. Replanting mangroves or corals achieves little if the conditions that damaged the ecosystems remain. Across marine conservation, lasting gains depend on sustained management and addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss.
Artificial mangrove roots offer a stopgap for Thailand’s eroding coastline (October 15, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/artificial-mangrove-roots-offer-a-stopgap-for-thailands-eroding-coastline/
- Coastal communities living along one of Thailand’s fastest-eroding shorelines are trialing a new system of coastal protection based on artificial mangrove roots.
- A new study that assessed the results of the new system’s first year of deployment recorded positive signs of sediment buildup behind the structures, giving researchers hope that artificial mangrove roots could be a viable alternative to traditional methods that often have limited success.
- By helping establish the physical conditions that support natural mangrove recovery, the researchers say, the system could function as an effective hybrid nature-based solution — a mechanism whereby engineered or “bioinspired” structures work in consort with natural ecological processes.
- Experts caution that while useful, the artificial structures should best be viewed as a temporary solution that requires more long-term monitoring, maintenance, and ultimate removal, leaving behind a functioning natural system.
Chinese social media used to promote illegal wildlife trade in Laos (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/chinese-social-media-used-to-promote-illegal-wildlife-trade-in-laos/
- Using simple keyword searches on Chinese social media, Mongabay found hundreds of videos promoting the sale of endangered wildlife in Laos. Two major Chinese media companies have user agreements specifically barring the posting of content related to the illegal wildlife trade; a third does not have specific terms.
- Group tours leading Chinese tourists to wildlife markets in Laos are part of a recent boom in visitors following the opening of the China-Laos Railway and the lifting in pandemic travel restrictions.
- Experts say that Chinese media companies, and their counterparts in the West, must do more to keep their platforms free of content promoting the illegal wildlife trade.
- Warning: This story contains disturbing images of animals.
“Stunningly short-sighted.” NOAA grant cuts threaten US climate resilience (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/stunningly-short-sighted-noaa-grant-cuts-threaten-us-climate-resilience/
After Donald Trump began his second term as president of the U.S. in 2025, his administration moved to dramatically cut federal funding for agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which administers grants for community-based projects that often focus on climate resilience. The nonprofit Grant Witness has created a database of those awards […]
Act before El Niño: Expert worries about deepening hunger in East and South Africa (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/act-before-el-nino-expert-worries-about-deepening-hunger-in-east-and-south-africa/
- The United Nations weather agency (WMO) says El Niño is already underway and getting stronger. It is almost certain to continue through February 2027, according to the WMO.
- Regional weather forecasters predict a 90% chance of heavier-than-usual rain in southern Ethiopia, central to southern Somalia and northeastern Kenya from October to December 2026. Too much rain could cause floods and destroy crops.
- Action Against Hunger, an international aid organization, warns that failed harvests can leave families hungry months after a drought or flood. In southern Madagascar, it says, families are facing food shortages earlier than usual.
- Rotimy Djossaya, the aid organization’s chief impact officer, wants governments and donors to help families prepare now. He says repeated crises and cuts in aid leave people less able to cope with another lost harvest.
Supreme Court declines to hear the case of a lobster fisherman who opposes boat tracking (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/supreme-court-declines-to-hear-the-case-of-a-lobster-fisherman-who-opposes-boat-tracking/
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of a lobster fisherman who alleged the government requiring commercial fishing boats to use electronic tracking devices amounts to unreasonable search and seizure. Maine lobster fisherman Frank Thompson sued after his state began requiring all federally permitted lobstermen to install GPS trackers […]
Researchers uncover hidden routes and patterns of Amazon wildlife trade (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/researchers-uncover-hidden-routes-and-patterns-of-amazon-wildlife-trade/
- Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of scientific studies to provide an overview of wildlife trafficking in the Brazilian Amazon and help close the information gap about animal abuse in the region.
- Amazon birds are the main targets of wildlife traffickers, followed by mammals, reptiles and fish, the researchers found.
- Feeding and using animals in religious rituals or for medicinal purposes are main drivers of violations.
- Brazil’s neighboring countries act as export hubs for Brazilian wildlife, such as zebra pleco fish sent to Asia through Colombia.
Residents of South Africa’s Limpopo province hold breath amid fears of repeat floods (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/residents-of-south-africas-limpopo-province-hold-breath-amid-fears-of-repeat-floods/
- Tshakhuma in South Africa’s Limpopo province was ravaged by January floods, killing people and disrupting livelihoods.
- Community members say blocked drainages and overgrown river courses exacerbate the problem amid fears of future disasters.
- Residents are finding their own ways to respond, including the use of WhatsApp to warn neighbors of potential flooding.
- The Limpopo government and Makhado municipality have intensified public awareness campaigns in the area, but community members say communication alone is not enough.
Mangroves gain ground globally, marking turnaround after decades of loss (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/mangroves-gain-ground-globally-marking-turnaround-after-decades-of-loss/
- Globally, mangrove cover has grown by 477 square kilometers (184 square miles) between 1985 and 2025, marking a turnaround from the losses that have predominated for years, but gains are uneven.
- India recorded significant net increases, followed by Pakistan, Australia, the Philippines and Senegal.
- Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nigeria and Cuba led in net losses as land-use changes — agriculture, aquaculture and development — together with pollution drove mangrove destruction.
- Experts say community-led mangrove restoration works, along with greater corporate accountability and better enforcement of existing laws protecting the coastal forests.
Invasive lionfish reach Brazil’s largest coral reefs. Local fishers fight back (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/invasive-lionfish-reach-brazils-largest-coral-reefs-local-fishers-fight-back/
Fishers have caught at least 440 invasive lionfish off the coast of Porto Seguro in northeastern Brazil in recent weeks. The local government paid fishers to harvest the fish in an attempt to curb the rapid spread of a species that can decimate native fish stocks, Mariana Martins writes for Mongabay Brasil. Lionfish (Pterois volitans), […]
The jaguarundi is relatively easy to see. That may have hidden its decline (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/the-jaguarundi-is-relatively-easy-to-see-that-may-have-hidden-its-decline/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. The jaguarundi was recently recategorized from least concern to near threatened on the IUCN Red List, reports contributor Sean Mowbray for Mongabay. The small cat, which ranges from Mexico to southern Brazil and Argentina and lives in a […]
South African coal mine advances amid legal challenge and mounting water concerns (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/south-african-coal-mine-advances-amid-legal-challenge-and-mounting-water-concerns/
- Chinese-controlled MC Mining is advancing its Makhado coal mine toward full production within South Africa’s Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, amid concerns over habitat destruction and the pressure its substantial water demand could place on already scarce regional supplies.
- A 2021 appeal against an amendment to its environmental authorization remains unresolved, with appellants saying the mine cannot lawfully continue; the company disputes this interpretation, arguing that the underlying environmental authorization is valid.
- A disputed water-supply agreement has increased the mine’s reliance on groundwater in an already water-stressed region.
- Makhado is part of wider development plans centered around the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone, raising concerns about cumulative environmental impacts and growing pressure on regional water supplies.