Coast-to-coast coral assessment reveals Thailand’s reefs losing complexity (January 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/coast-to-coast-coral-assessment-reveals-thailands-reefs-losing-complexity/
- Marine scientists have documented Thailand’s coral reefs in unprecedented detail, providing a crucial baseline against which reef managers can measure future change.
- The surveys indicate that, as in other parts of the world, Thailand’s reefs are losing structural complexity, becoming dominated by simpler boulder-forming corals, while staghorn and branching species die out.
- Experts say the new baseline can help steer future strategies to prepare for future bleaching events through reef restoration and assisted reproduction.
- The surveys were conducted just before the full effects of the 2024 global bleaching event were felt in Thai waters, which will have inevitably taken an as-yet-unquantified toll on the region’s reefs.
Poaching African lions for black market could pose existential threat (January 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/poaching-african-lions-for-black-market-could-pose-existential-threat/
African lions are increasingly targeted for trade in their bones, skin, teeth and claws, according to a newly published study. Without urgent action, the authors warn, poaching may pose an existential threat to Panthera leo, which once numbered in the hundreds of thousands across Africa. Today, about 25,000 are relegated to just 6% of their […]
Tree spirits: The unintended ecology of belief (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/tree-spirits-the-unintended-ecology-of-belief/
In parts of Indonesian Borneo, forests endure not because they are fenced off or regulated, but because they are feared. Among the Indigenous Iban people of Sungai Utik, large strangler fig trees are believed to house spirits that can mislead, sicken, or even kill those who disturb them. The belief is not abstract. It […]
Vanuatu communities move to protect taro, an ancestral climate-resilient crop (analysis) (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/vanuatu-communities-move-to-protect-taro-an-ancestral-climate-resilient-crop-analysis/
- Taro is a traditional food of Vanuatu, and its culture over millennia has resulted in several hundred indigenous varieties. But cassava is more commonly grown nowadays, even as communities rely increasingly heavily upon imported food.
- A key reason that communities are now fighting to reinvigorate taro cultivation is because it’s more resilient to climate shocks: In recent years, severe storms have led to the tiny nation’s islands being cut off from food shipments, but those with healthy taro crops were able to feed themselves and others.
- “To the extent that ancient farming techniques continue to provide resilience in the face of a changing climate, it may also be a taste of the future,” an author who visited Vanuatu last year argues.
- This post is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
The long struggle of women farmers to halt a zinc mine in North Sumatra (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-long-struggle-of-women-farmers-to-halt-a-zinc-mine-in-north-sumatra/
- Women’s rights groups in Indonesia’s Dairi regency have been at the forefront of a legal challenge against a zinc mining company, which ultimately prevailed in court and set a legal precedent in the country in May 2025.
- The women farmers joined a group of 11 villagers who say their successive victories in Indonesia’s courts was due to their unrelenting consistency and not giving up throughout the last two decades.
- Developer PT Dairi Prima Mineral, backed by China Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., is now proposing for a new permit after the environment ministry revoked the old one and is hoping to gain the approval of all community elements, including villagers.
- However, according to the local activists who spoke to Mongabay, they will continue to resist the mine.
‘Political will is everything’: Interview with Kenyan Environment Minister Deborah Barasa (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/political-will-is-everything-interview-with-kenyan-environment-minister-deborah-barasa/
- William Ruto won Kenya’s 2022 presidential election on a campaign that included a pledge to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. As the country approaches another election cycle, observers and environmental experts are questioning how much progress has been made.
- Around 1.5 billion trees have been planted so far, Deborah Barasa, the environment minister, said in an interview with Mongabay. Despite concerns over planning, monitoring and funding, she said Kenya can still meet the 15 billion target.
- She added that community ownership, long-term care and tree survival matter more than the number of seedlings planted, noting that the tree plantation campaign is “about instilling a culture of protecting and caring for the environment.”
- Barasa spoke to Mongabay on the sidelines of an event celebrating the legacy of Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai built a landmark women-centric movement to plant trees and combat deforestation and desertification.
More than 5 years after Wakashio oil spill, questions linger in Mauritius (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/more-than-5-years-after-wakashio-oil-spill-questions-linger-in-mauritius/
- In 2020, amid the chaos of the pandemic, the island nation of Mauritius was hit by one of the worst environmental disasters in its history when the MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping, crashed into the coral reef barrier off the southeastern part of the island.
- The ship spilled around 1,000 metric tons of oil into the waters near three sites of ecological importance; more than five years on, conservationists and fishers say the Mauritian government quietly allowed the entire episode to fade from public memory, with little scrutiny.
- When Mongabay visited mangroves in 2025 that had been affected by the oil spill, fuel oil still lingered in the water-soaked earth; it could persist for decades, experts warn.
- Vikash Tatayah at the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation facilitated the evacuation of animals considered at risk due to the oil spill, including lesser night geckos, to the U.K.; eggs from the geckos and their descendants were returned to Mauritius in 2025.
DRC plans to export 100,000 metric tons of copper to the US (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/drc-plans-to-export-100000-metric-tons-of-copper-to-the-us/
- DRC’s state-owned Gécamines SA announced the sale of copper and cobalt to the U.S. following an agreement signed between the two countries at the end of 2025.
- The minerals agreement was signed alongside a U.S.-mediated peace deal between Rwanda and the DRC; the former gives the U.S. preferential access to critical minerals mined in the DRC, which are currently mainly exported to China.
- The U.S.-DRC export arrangement could strengthen the DRC’s control over its mineral resources and boost revenues. Still, it is unclear whether a new export partner would signify a change in how minerals are extracted in the DRC.
- NGOs warn of persistent risks related to the governance of the state-owned Gécamines and to unresolved environmental and health impacts around the Tenke Fungurume mine, from which the copper slated for export to the U.S. originates.
Patagonia fires reignite debate over Argentina’s underfunded environmental agencies (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/patagonia-fires-reignite-debate-over-argentinas-underfunded-environmental-agencies/
- Two major fires broke out in early January in Argentina’s southern Chubut province, threatening parts of Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The fires have destroyed at least 21,000 hectares (52,000 acres) of forest and grassland in and around the park, home to the alerce tree (Fitzroya cupressoides), a cypress that can live for more than 3,600 years.
- Critics pointed to recent budget cuts and staff shortages for environmental programs, which make it difficult to both prevent fires and put them out when they start.
José Zanardini, the priest who tried to reconcile faith and Indigenous autonomy (January 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/jose-zanardini-the-priest-who-tried-to-reconcile-faith-and-indigenous-autonomy/
- Missionaries in South America have often brought schooling and support alongside coercion, acculturation, and lasting harm, especially in Indigenous communities where the legacy of “contact” remains contested.
- Father José (Giuseppe) Zanardini, an Italian-born Salesian priest and anthropologist, arrived in Paraguay in 1978 and spent decades working among Indigenous peoples, particularly the Ayoreo of the Gran Chaco.
- He combined pastoral work with scholarship and education initiatives, including support for Indigenous schooling and documentation of language and culture, while advocating for a more open church approach to Indigenous spirituality.
- His story sits uneasily within a wider history of mission-driven disruption and abuse, raising the enduring question of whether a single life of listening can meaningfully offset the institutions that sent him
Many Amazon climate disasters are missing from official records, study finds (January 24, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/many-amazon-climate-disasters-are-missing-from-official-records-study-finds/
More than 12,500 extreme climate events were registered in the Amazon biome between 2013 and 2023, according to a recent study. But many more events were never recorded, as some Amazonian countries provided no or limited information, Gonzalo Ortuño López reported for Mongabay Latam. The study aggregated available national data but found that the national […]
Honeyguide birds learn local human dialects (January 23, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/honeyguide-birds-learn-local-human-dialects/
In northern Mozambique, local honey-hunters use vocal signals to communicate with wild honeyguide birds to locate and harvest honey. New research finds that human calls used across the region vary, but the birds learn these subtle differences and continue to cooperate with their human partners, guiding them to wild bees’ nests. The study focused on […]
Staying with the story: Isabel Esterman on long-term nature reporting in Southeast Asia (January 23, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/staying-with-the-story-isabel-esterman-on-long-term-nature-reporting-in-southeast-asia/
- Isabel Esterman is Mongabay’s managing editor for Southeast Asia, overseeing reporting across one of the world’s most complex environmental and political regions.
- Her work is defined by long-term coverage of critical issues, including Sumatran rhinos, carbon credit land deals in Malaysia, and the illegal ape trade in both Asia and Africa.
- Esterman values collaboration across bureaus, particularly with Mongabay Indonesia, and sees supporting freelance journalists and building sustainable career paths as a meaningful part of her role.
- This interview is part of Inside Mongabay, a series that spotlights the people who bring environmental and conservation stories to life across our newsroom.
Kirtida Mekani, Singapore’s tree lady, has died, aged 66 (January 23, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/kirtida-mekani-singapores-tree-lady-has-died-aged-66/
Singapore sells itself as an engineered miracle: a dense city that works, where heat, rain, and scarcity are managed rather than endured. Greenery is part of that bargain. Trees soften the concrete and help make the place livable, but they are also a kind of civic language. They signal order, foresight, and the idea that […]
In Brazil, planting forests for carbon credits could help ecosystem restoration (January 23, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/in-brazil-planting-forests-for-carbon-credits-could-help-ecosystem-restoration/
- The sale of carbon credits from forest restoration is taking off in Brazil, but the sector still needs to tackle mistrust, the complexity of ecosystem restoration and the long-term nature of the projects.
- Founded in 2021, Brazilian firm re.green commercially restores forests by selling carbon credits and has projects spanning 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest.
- The company aims to restore 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of tropical forests across Brazil. Its work so far has been recognized through an EarthShot Prize in 2025.
- As well as restoring ecosystems to sell high-integrity carbon credits, the company also works with the community and produces data and knowledge on forest restoration.
World Bank watchdog looks into Nepal cable car project amid Indigenous outcry (January 23, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/world-bank-watchdog-looks-into-nepal-cable-car-project-amid-indigenous-outcry/
- The World Bank Group’s Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO) is assessing a complaint by Nepal’s Indigenous Yakthung (Limbu) people over the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) advisory involvement in the controversial Pathibhara cable car project, formally registered in December 2025.
- The cable car, planned on land sacred to the Yakthung people and near the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, has sparked protests over alleged violations of Indigenous rights, forest clearance, threats to wildlife and inadequate environmental assessment.
- Complainants argue the IFC failed to transparently disclose its advisory support to IME Group until late in the project, raising questions about accountability and compliance with IFC safeguards, despite the IFC saying it exited the advisory agreement early and did not directly support the Pathibhara project.
- The case will undergo a 90-day CAO assessment to determine whether it proceeds to dispute resolution or a compliance review, amid ongoing legal challenges and community protests.
What it will take to protect the Amazon, according to Virgilio Viana (January 22, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/what-it-will-take-to-protect-the-amazon-according-to-virgilio-viana/
The first time Virgilio Viana saw the Amazon, he was a 16-year-old traveling with two school friends, moving along dirt roads, then continuing by boat as the forest rose around them. The trip set something in motion. It stayed with him through a forestry degree, a Ph.D. on the region, and later a professorship in […]
Making 60% of the ocean manageable (Commentary) (January 22, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/making-60-of-the-ocean-manageable-commentary/
- A new UN treaty, BBNJ, has entered into force to create the first global framework aimed explicitly at conserving biodiversity on the high seas, where industrial activity has expanded faster than oversight. The agreement matters less for its text than for whether it can be translated into real-world governance and enforcement.
- The high seas have never been lawless, but they have been managed through fragmented sector-by-sector institutions, leaving biodiversity as a secondary concern. BBNJ attempts to close that gap without replacing existing bodies, which creates both opportunity and friction.
- The treaty’s success will hinge on practical systems: transparent environmental assessments, credible monitoring, and the capacity for more countries to participate meaningfully. Technology can make harmful activity harder to hide, but it cannot substitute for political will and durable enforcement.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Interpol-backed police make nearly 200 arrests in Amazon region gold mining sweep (January 22, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/interpol-backed-police-make-nearly-200-arrests-in-amazon-region-gold-mining-sweep/
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Police and prosecutors from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname have arrested nearly 200 people in their first-ever joint cross-border operation targeting illegal gold mining in the Amazon region, authorities said Thursday. The operation was backed by Interpol — the international police cooperation agency that helps law enforcement agencies in different countries […]
Francis Hallé, the botanist who took a raft into the rainforest canopy (January 22, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/francis-halle-the-botanist-who-took-a-raft-into-the-rainforest-canopy/
- The richest part of a tropical rainforest is often the hardest to study: the canopy, where much of its biodiversity lives beyond reach from the ground. Francis Hallé helped change that by finding ways to observe the treetops without cutting them down.
- A French botanist, biologist, and illustrator, he became known for the “canopy raft,” a platform set onto the crowns of trees by a balloon. It turned the upper forest from a place described in theory into one examined up close.
- Hallé was an expert in tropical forest ecology and “the architecture of trees,” a way of identifying trees by how they grow and branch. He paired field science with drawing and plain speech, and he was unsparing about the forces driving deforestation.
- In his later years he pursued a long-term plan to restore a “primeval forest” in Western Europe, left to evolve with minimal human interference over centuries. It was, in his view, a test of whether societies could think beyond the political moment.