Chinook salmon return to historical habitat following removal of four US dams (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/chinook-salmon-return-to-historical-habitat-following-removal-of-four-us-dams/
The Klamath River in the U.S. was heavily dammed over the 20th century, blocking spawning Chinook salmon. As a result, the population of salmon that spawned in the river, which runs through Southern Oregon and Northern California, declined by roughly 90%. However, a recent study found that removing the dams resulted in a quick return […]
Wildfires threaten Indonesia’s orangutans as rescuers find injured animals (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/wildfires-threaten-indonesias-orangutans-as-rescuers-find-injured-animals/
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Wildfires sweeping across parts of Indonesia’s Borneo island have left endangered orangutans struggling to survive, prompting rescuers to evacuate animals found injured, stranded and surrounded by thick haze. A female Bornean orangutan nicknamed Novita was among dozens of apes rescued from wildfires in parts of Sumatra and Borneo in recent months. […]
Indigenous women bring leadership, creativity & joy to clean water action (commentary) (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/indigenous-women-bring-leadership-creativity-joy-to-clean-water-action-commentary/
- “On Indigenous Peoples Day, let’s honor the leadership and contributions of Indigenous women in water,” a new op-ed says.
- Women bring people together, build partnerships, solve problems, and move important work forward every day, the author writes, and Indigenous women in particular exhibit the kinds of community knowledge and relationship-building skills that lead to greater health outcomes, like access to clean water.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
First Nation-led effort replants kelp forests in Clayoquot Sound (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/first-nation-led-effort-replants-kelp-forests-in-clayoquot-sound/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In Clayoquot Sound, in the Canadian province of British Columbia, a partnership between the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, the Redd Fish Restoration Society, and West Coast Kelp is helping rebuild degraded kelp forests, reports contributor Jennifer Cole for Mongabay. […]
Researcher who listens to forests wins 2026 Pritzker Environmental Genius Award (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/researcher-who-listens-to-forests-wins-2026-pritzker-environmental-genius-award/
Zuzana Burivalova, a tropical forest ecologist who uses sound to understand the health of forests globally, was recently named the winner of the 2026 Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award. The award is an initiative of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). “Receiving this award feels really […]
Oil pollution is drifting into marine protected areas, report finds (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/oil-pollution-is-drifting-into-marine-protected-areas-report-finds/
Oil slicks from vessels and offshore oil operations repeatedly drifted into marine protected areas around the world between 2022 and 2025, a new analysis has found. The report raises concerns for important habitats for a variety of marine life, including whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. Researchers from SkyTruth, a U.S.-based nonprofit that tracks oil pollution […]
Indonesia says it no longer needs forests for rice. What happens to projects underway? (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/indonesia-says-it-no-longer-needs-forests-for-rice-what-happens-to-projects-underway/
- A government official announced that Indonesia had achieved rice self-sufficiency three years ahead of schedule and no longer needed the previously announced 2 million hectares for food production.
- Instead, future food and biofuel production would be directed toward degraded land.
- But the government has yet to clarify how the announcement will affect food and energy projects already underway, raising questions about whether policy and implementation will follow its stated shift.
As Colombo heats up, passive cooling offers a low-energy solution — but at a cost (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/as-colombo-heats-up-passive-cooling-offers-a-low-energy-solution-but-at-a-cost/
- As temperatures soar, Sri Lanka’s urban dwellers are becoming more dependent on mechanical or active-cooling methods such as fans and air conditioners.
- The urban residential sector consumes nearly a third of Sri Lanka’s total energy demand to heat and cool buildings, and run lights, devices, and appliances.
- Passive cooling is an approach that uses natural energy flows such as wind to lower indoor temperatures, engineers say.
- Proponents say natural ventilation is one of the most effective passive-cooling strategies and especially suitable for humid climates such as Sri Lanka’s.
Community action to protect Cambodia’s seas: Interview with commune leader Sorn Srenh (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/community-action-to-protect-cambodias-seas-interview-with-commune-leader-sorn-srenh/
- Sorn Srenh is a local commune leader in Cambodia’s Koh Sdach archipelago, where he also serves as a marine advocate, working with fishing communities to protect ocean ecosystems and livelihoods.
- He describes how community patrols, stronger fisheries enforcement, plastic-waste initiatives and women’s participation are helping address illegal fishing and other threats to Koh Sdach’s waters.
- Srenh also discusses the challenges of balancing conservation with community livelihoods, gaps in law enforcement, and the need for stronger collaboration and long-term support from government and conservation groups.
- In a recent interview with Mongabay, Srenh discussed his path into marine conservation, the challenges facing Koh Sdach’s waters, and his vision for community-led protection of Cambodia’s seas.
Wildlife disease surveillance at global scale needs stronger local networks: Study (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/wildlife-disease-surveillance-at-global-scale-needs-stronger-local-networks-study/
A recent study has proposed a road map for countries to better monitor wildlife health and disease outbreaks. Previous research found that nearly 60% of the 107 countries it surveyed showed no evidence of a functional wildlife health surveillance system. This leaves ecosystems, agriculture, and human populations vulnerable to catastrophic outbreaks, the researchers say. The […]
Damming the Xingu (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/10/damming-the-xingu/
As the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in the Brazilian Amazon marks 10 years of operation, it faces a contentious environmental license renewal. At the heart of the debate are urgent calls to revise the dam’s discharge into the Xingu River. But by holding back up to 70% of the river flow, water scarcity is pushing […]
This is a South African cheetah, and it’s in trouble (October 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/this-is-a-south-african-cheetah-and-its-in-trouble/
When researchers mapped almost 100,000 square kilometers of South Africa, or nearly 40,000 square miles, they only found 83 mature adults. They called their project the Free-Roaming Cheetah Census, and it’s the most comprehensive survey of cheetahs ever conducted in the region. The cheetahs that inhabit the unprotected areas here move naturally across borders, going […]
Rheas are back to Chilean Patagonia (October 10, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/10/these-women-are-bringing-darwins-rheas-back-to-chilean-patagonia/
PATAGONIA NATIONAL PARK — Chile. Mongabay traveled to Chile’s Patagonia National Park to follow a women-led team on a mission to bring 13 Darwin’s rheas back to the wild in April 2026. Working with Rewilding Chile Foundation, these dedicated rangers care for the birds around the clock, facing harsh weather, predators like pumas, illegal livestock grazing, […]
Paraguay meets UN deadline for improving governance in Chaco Biosphere Reserve (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/paraguay-meets-un-deadline-for-improving-governance-in-chaco-biosphere-reserve/
Paraguay has provided updated information to the United Nations about the Chaco Biosphere Reserve, a protected area where deforestation from farming and cattle ranching threatens the survival of Indigenous communities. The country had until the end of September to respond to a UNESCO request to provide updated management plans and zoning, which critics say are […]
Brazilian ranchers block government officials from demarcating Indigenous land (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/brazilian-ranchers-block-government-officials-from-demarcating-indigenous-land/
Since Sept. 23, a group of rural producers has maintained a blockade on the road to the Paquiçamba Indigenous Land in the Volta Grande do Xingu region of Brazil’s Pará state. The blockade is supported by local politicians and aims to prevent government officials from physically demarcating the land traditionally occupied by the Juruna (Yudjá) […]
Painted wind turbines can dramatically reduce bird deaths, study finds (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/painted-wind-turbines-can-dramatically-reduce-bird-deaths-study-finds/
Wind energy is a valuable tool for addressing the climate crisis, but wind turbines can be deadly for birds. A recent study found that a low-tech, relatively inexpensive fix can dramatically reduce bird collisions with turbines: A can of paint. When wind turbines rotate their massive white blades can become a transparent blur, making them […]
Sri Lanka elephant found with a gunshot wound. How can tuskers be protected? (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/sri-lanka-elephant-found-with-a-gunshot-wound-how-can-tuskers-be-protected/
- Sri Lanka’s tallest living tusker Kavantissa was recently found with a gunshot wound on the right foreleg, prompting urgent veterinary treatment.
- The recent incident has renewed calls for armed protection of iconic tuskers such as Kavantissa, Agbo and Mahasen, echoing Kenya’s measures to protect famous elephants such as Ahmed and Craig.
- Conservationists caution that Africa’s individual-elephant protection models may not be easily translated to Sri Lanka’s densely settled, human-dominated landscapes.
- A recent assessment valued an individual wild elephant in Sri Lanka to be around 3.8 billion rupees ($11.5 million), highlighting the ecological, cultural and economic significance of elephants.
In Ecuador, Indigenous youth turn to rap music to defend the Amazon (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-ecuador-indigenous-youth-turn-to-rap-music-to-defend-the-amazon/
- In the Ecuadorian Amazon, young people from several Indigenous nationalities are turning to rap to speak out against the toll extractive industries take on their home territories.
- Each track is performed in the artist’s native language (some of which are on the verge of disappearing), with some incorporating Spanish verses to connect with listeners from other cultures.
- Indigenous rappers include Willan Gualinga (Taki Supay) of the Kichwa nationality of Sarayaku; Misael Elías Criollo Grefa (Misa17), from the A’i Cofán community; Raúl Vargas (Robenban), Kichwa from Pastaza; and Tzitzanu, from Sapara.
- Their music is reaching national and international audiences, with Misa17’s track “Ingi Tsampi” drawing more than 400,000 views on TikTok just a month after its release.
Vietnam mobilizes troops after heavy rains trigger flash floods and raise risks of landslides (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/vietnam-mobilizes-troops-after-heavy-rains-trigger-flash-floods-and-raise-risks-of-landslides/
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Heavy rains lashed much of central Vietnam on Friday and caused flooding in parts of the historic city of Hue, a day after floods and landslides hit the coastal port city of Danang. Troops were mobilized and amphibious armored vehicles readied for rescue operations, state media reported. More rainfall was forecast […]
Lawmakers in Suriname call for investigation, stricter oversight amid new mining activity (October 9, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/lawmakers-in-suriname-call-for-investigation-stricter-oversight-amid-new-mining-activity/
- Mining activity in Pelin Bergi, near Kwakoegron, in northern Suriname, has allegedly undergone substantial excavation, and could be using polluting chemicals like cyanide.
- Two members of the National Assembly, Rabindre Parmessar and Michael Marengo, sent a letter to President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons calling for an immediate investigation and temporary halt to all mining activity in the area.
- The lawmakers questioned the government’s ability to regulate mining impacts on the environment and public health, and said they wanted to see all permits, concessions and other documents granting the right to operate in the area.