New study reveals the genetic history – and possible future – of four Asian hornbills (September 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/new-study-reveals-the-genetic-history-and-possible-future-of-four-asian-hornbills/
Researchers from India have generated reference genomes for four threatened species of Asian hornbills, reports contributor Nikhil Sreekandan for Mongabay India. The scientists from the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) in Mysore and the CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad assembled high-quality genomes for threatened Asian hornbill species including the great hornbill (Buceros […]
Tight Brazil election challenges fragile gains for Amazon conservation (September 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/tight-brazil-election-challenges-fragile-gains-for-amazon-conservation/
- Under President Lula, Amazon deforestation dropped to a 10-year low, but experts warn a victory by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro could reinstate policies favoring agribusiness and mining.
- Enforcement rollbacks could have tangible effects on deforestation spikes, Indigenous land invasions, new illegal roads in reclaimed forests, and expanded river dredging that spreads mercury contamination.
- As neighboring right-wing governments reshape regional dynamics, the election will also determine Brazil’s stance in international climate diplomacy and its adherence to global environmental targets.
H5N1 bird flu jumps to marine mammals and wildlife in Australia (September 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/h5n1-bird-flu-jumps-to-marine-mammals-and-wildlife-in-australia/
H5N1 avian influenza is spreading rapidly across southeastern Australia owing to infected wild bird species, including little penguins, magpies, crested terns and pelicans. Bird aggregations during breeding seasons will likely accelerate transmission to mammals, said Victoria’s chief biodiversity officer James Todd. In late August, H5N1 jumped to a mammal, a red fox (Vulpes vulpes), in […]
‘How did you come to be here?’ Study digs into origins of Zambian wildlife crime (September 19, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/how-did-you-come-to-be-here-study-digs-into-origins-of-zambian-wildlife-crime/
- Wildlife crimes are committed by a wide range of offenders, from local people who may stumble upon a salable animal to professional poachers and middlemen traffickers and all the way up to kingpins behind the trade that rule over international trafficking syndicates.
- The NGO Wildlife Crime Prevention Zambia investigated how and why people incarcerated for wildlife crimes in the country got involved in this black-market industry. They found that opportunity was the major driver.
- About one-third of the jailed respondents said or implied they would not be involved in poaching or wildlife trade when they were freed.
- Experts note that helping offenders find work after they’re released could be one way to lower the risk of wildlife crime recidivism. Wildlife Crime Prevention Zambia recently completed a pilot program aimed at connecting inmates with family before their release and helping them plan for ways to generate legal income after prison.
Canada shuts down corporate watchdog. Critics say its replacement lacks teeth (September 19, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/canada-shuts-down-corporate-watchdog-critics-say-its-replacement-lacks-teeth/
- After eliminating its corporate watchdog, Canada is relying on its little-known National Contact Point (NCP) to handle complaints against Canadian corporations operating overseas — including mining companies.
- But the Canadian NCP has a weak track record: just three of 33 cases since 2000 have resulted in formal joint agreements, and critics say it lacks the independence and investigative powers needed to uncover abuses.
- Complainants are now being pushed to the NCP despite years of concerns about the mechanism, with some refusing to transfer their cases because they have little faith in the process.
- The stakes are particularly high for communities affected by Canadian mining companies abroad, leaving advocates calling for an independent watchdog with powers to investigate, compel evidence, and recommend meaningful remedies.
‘You Belong with Me:’ Taylor Swift has a new genus of bug named after her (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/you-belong-with-me-taylor-swift-has-a-new-genus-of-bug-named-after-her/
You may have heard her songs, seen her videos, maybe even attended one of her concerts … but have you seen the new genus of Australian plant bugs named after Taylor Swift? Scientists at the University of California, Riverside recently described a new genus of plant bugs, they’ve named Swiftiephylus, in honor of the Grammy-winning […]
Britain’s Prince William reveals finalists for Earthshot environmental prize (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/britains-prince-william-reveals-finalists-for-earthshot-environmental-prize/
LONDON (AP) — How does a grizzly bear cross the road? With the help of Indigenous people, ranchers and governments. That’s the idea behind the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, which is working to keep the Rocky Mountains an unfettered migration route for wildlife from Wyoming to northwestern Canada. To do so, the group works […]
Rooftop rainwater sprinkler systems could help cool warming cities, study says (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/rooftop-rainwater-sprinkler-systems-could-help-cool-warming-cities-study-says/
- Researchers have designed a model to simulate how widely distributed rooftop rainwater collection tanks combined with smart rooftop sprinkler systems could help moderate urban heat island effects.
- The model used Tokyo as a case study and found temperature reduction benefits inside homes and outdoors during heat waves. The more rooftop sprinkler systems installed, the more significant the cooling benefits would be.
- The researchers say the model could be adapted to predict how the system would help reduce heat in cities around the globe, and serve as an economical natural defense against intensifying global warming. Field tests would be the next step.
Five orangutans found in India face long road back home to Indonesia (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/five-orangutans-found-in-india-face-long-road-back-home-to-indonesia/
- On Sept. 8, five infant orangutans were found in an Indian forest, thousands of kilometers from their native range, raising questions about where they came from, how they got there, and who moved them.
- The Sumatran (Pongo abelii) and Tapanuli orangutans (Pongo tapanuliensis) are both found only in Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra.
- The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is found only in Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo; the island is shared between the two countries and Brunei.
- The government of Indonesia has engaged its counterparts in India in a bid to identify the animals and return them to Indonesia.
Global ocean breaks records with 100 days of heat as El Niño adds new threat (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/global-ocean-breaks-records-with-100-days-of-heat-as-el-nino-adds-new-threat/
- Data indicates that the global ocean sustained 100 consecutive days of record heat between June 2 and Sept. 10, and the high sea surface temperatures don’t give any indications of dropping in the near future.
- Experts attribute this episode to climate change, which they say the current El Niño weather pattern is amplifying.
- The record-breaking ocean heat has drawn concerns from experts about the effects on marine ecosystems, global weather patterns, and economies that depend on the ocean.
At 86, Sri Lanka’s ‘father of herpetology’ inspires a new conservation generation (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/at-86-sri-lankas-father-of-herpetology-inspires-a-new-conservation-generation/
Anslem de Silva is widely regarded as the father of modern herpetology in Sri Lanka. He has spent more than six decades documenting the island’s rich reptile and amphibian diversity while mentoring generations of researchers. De Silva spoke with Mongabay contributor Malaka Rodrigo as he, at 86 years old, prepares to host the first World […]
US move to loosen restrictions on fishing could harm vital ecosystems, experts warn (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/us-move-to-loosen-restrictions-on-fishing-could-harm-vital-ecosystems-experts-warn/
- The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries published a list of 34 priorities in early September that outline its intention to loosen restrictions on domestic fishing.
- The list includes walking back restrictions on fishing near protected species, removing fishing restrictions at marine national monuments and weakening NOAA Fisheries’ national standards, the regulatory guidelines that have shaped the agency since its inception.
- What NOAA Fisheries is proposing to strip back are “the absolute basics of conserving a healthy ocean ecosystem,” Andrea Treece, deputy managing attorney for the Oceans Program at the San Francisco-based NGO Earthjustice, told Mongabay.
- The agency’s priorities list also emphasizes updating fisheries monitoring technology and data-sharing methods, and including fishers in planning and decision-making.
Now exempt from EU deforestation rules, leather industry moves to repair reputation (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/now-exempt-from-eu-deforestation-rules-leather-industry-moves-to-repair-reputation/
- In July, the European Commission confirmed leather’s exclusion from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) — this week, the change became official.
- The leather sector’s EUDR exemption is a victory for an industry that has lobbied hard for its removal, but challenges remain ahead of the deforestation regulation’s 2030 review, when policymakers will reassess whether hides should comply with deforestation rules.
- The industry is now seeking to rebuild its reputation through science, voluntary standards and stronger supply chain traceability, executives attending the Sustainable Leather Forum in Paris said, but traceability remains one of the sector’s biggest obstacles.
- Leather representatives maintain that hides’ low economic value means leather should not be held responsible for the environmental impacts of cattle production, but environmental group Earthsight has called the argument “misleading.”
Tapanuli orangutans face mining, landslides, and fire threats — with no recovery plan (September 18, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/tapanuli-orangutans-face-mining-landslides-and-fire-threats-with-no-recovery-plan/
- In late 2025, extreme rainfall associated with Cyclone Senyar wiped out swaths of North Sumatra’s Batang Toru ecosystem, home to the largest known population of Tapanuli orangutans.
- Nearly a year later, there are is still no coordinated recovery strategy for the critically endangered ape, and its habitat faces multiple threats.
- Satellite footage from June this year shows new ground disturbances in the area; plans to expand a gold mine are proceeding even as an environmental audit of the mine is underway; and meteorologists warn that Indonesia faces an unusually severe fire season.
Mekong’s Irrawaddy dolphins find cautious hope amid a river in crisis (September 17, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/mekongs-irrawaddy-dolphins-find-cautious-hope-amid-a-river-in-crisis/
- Irrawaddy dolphins, the Mekong River’s sole cetaceans, are viewed as sacred animals by Mekong communities, and are also an important source of tourism revenue.
- The species’ population has dropped steeply since the 1990s, due to hunting, entanglement in fishing gear and habitat degradation.
- The Anlong Chheu Teal pool, along the Laos-Cambodia border stands as a cautionary tale: The pool’s last dolphin died in 2022, and tourism subsequently cratered.
- Six calves were confirmed to be born this year in Cambodia, increasing the population to 118 and bringing hope that the species can rebound if dolphins and their habitats are protected
Heavy rain and floods in northern Vietnam submerge homes and disrupt economy (September 17, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/heavy-rain-and-floods-in-northern-vietnam-submerge-homes-and-disrupt-economy/
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Heavy rain caused flooding across parts of northern Vietnam on Thursday, disrupting travel, inundating homes and pushing several rivers above dangerous levels, authorities and state media said. Rain has fallen across northern and north-central Vietnam this week, with some areas receiving more than 50 centimeters (19.7 inches), according to the disaster […]
India’s tiger success brings a new challenge: Living alongside the big cats (September 17, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/indias-tiger-success-brings-a-new-challenge-living-alongside-the-big-cats/
- As tiger populations in India grow and disperse beyond protected areas, encounters with people are increasing, prompting repeated capture and relocation operations by the forest department.
- High density doesn’t necessarily mean India has too many tigers. Experts caution that a region’s carrying capacity is influenced by available habitat and prey, the human population and other factors.
- While some landscapes support large tiger populations, potential habitat is relatively empty in other areas. Distribution and landscape management are top challenges, conservationists say.
- With around 30% of India’s tigers living outside its 58 tiger reserves, a landscape-scale management that maintains and reconnects wildlife corridors is crucial to keep both people and tigers safe, as well as careful monitoring of dispersing tigers, and better management of human-wildlife conflict.
Community-based conservation is a good climate investment in Brazil & beyond (commentary) (September 17, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/community-based-conservation-is-a-good-climate-investment-in-brazil-beyond-commentary/
- In Brazil, community-based land management of collective territories has produced striking results for conservation.
- The social situation of these communities is less encouraging, though, with nearly half of households living a precarious existence, suggesting income-transfer programs linked to conservation, like the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), could make a difference — if implemented well.
- “Community-based conservation, with its proven effectiveness, would be a compelling focus [for] this type of investment, especially in Brazil,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
As drought shrinks Sri Lanka’s water holes, poisoning poses threat to wildlife (September 17, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/as-drought-shrinks-sri-lankas-water-holes-poisoning-poses-threat-to-wildlife/
- Sri Lanka will keep the two most visited sections of Yala National Park closed from Sept. 14 to Oct. 15 as drought conditions and extreme heat intensify pressure on wildlife.
- Wildlife officers are supplying water to animals as natural water sources have largely dried up but concentrating thirsty wild animals around remaining water holes could spark new conservation risks.
- Poachers have previously poisoned water holes during droughts to kill deer and other animals for meat, with similar incidents reported in and around several protected areas across Sri Lanka.
- The crisis highlights how climate-driven water shortages expose wildlife to an array of fresh threats.
World’s smallest crocodile in high demand for bushmeat trade in Nigeria (September 17, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/worlds-smallest-crocodile-in-high-demand-for-bushmeat-trade-in-nigeria/
- The African dwarf crocodile is found in dense swamps and flooded forests across large parts of West and Central Africa.
- Experts say these reptiles, which are widely hunted and sold, are under pressure from overexploitation and loss of habitat.
- A recently published study set out to assess how many of the reptiles were sold in three bushmeat markets in the Niger Delta.