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‘We do not have time’: Interview with MEP Delara Burkhardt on the EUDR’s second delay (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/we-do-not-have-time-interview-with-mep-delara-burkhardt-on-the-eudrs-second-delay/ - In 2023, the European Parliament passed a sweeping law meant to curb the import of goods and products linked to deforestation. - After right-wing parties won the 2024 EU elections, the law, called the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), was weakened and postponed. - Late last year, the European Parliament postponed the EUDR’s implementation for a second time. - Mongabay spoke to German MEP Delara Burkhardt, the lead EUDR negotiator for the Socialists and Democrats Group, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. | |
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Rights violations prompt world’s largest sovereign wealth fund to divest from Bolloré (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/rights-violations-prompt-worlds-largest-sovereign-wealth-fund-to-divest-from-bollore/ The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund has decided to divest from French conglomerate Bolloré, the target of long-running allegations of human rights violations, sexual violence and labor rights abuses at plantations in Africa and Southeast Asia. The decision followed a recommendation issued in 2024 by the ethics council of Norway’s $2.2 trillion Government Pension Fund […] | |
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Growing number of Indigenous Twa forced out of DRC’s forests and into towns (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/growing-number-of-indigenous-twa-forced-out-of-drcs-forests-and-into-towns/ - In the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the number of Indigenous Twa families leaving forests their ancestors relied on in the Congo Basin for urban centers in northern North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. - According to reports seen by Mongabay, the number of Indigenous peoples climbed by 5,000 in some small towns. - For some Twa people, moving to the city is not only a consequence of expulsion from protected areas, but also a choice motivated by insecurity, trying to escape land conflicts with Bantu communities and finding alternative livelihoods as extractive activities take up forests. - These displacements have profound social, cultural, and environmental consequences, say environmental activists, as Twa people severe ties with the forest, and traditional ecological knowledge built over millennia declines. | |
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Belugas facing euthanasia at shuttered Canada theme park may find new homes in US (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/belugas-facing-euthanasia-at-shuttered-canada-theme-park-may-find-new-homes-in-us/ - In August 2025, Canada’s only entertainment park with cetaceans, Marineland of Canada, closed for good, prompting concern about the fate of 30 beluga whales and four dolphins remaining at the facility. - After a plan to transfer them to a theme park in China was blocked by the Canadian government, Marineland called for euthanizing the animals. The Canadian government has now conditionally approved their possible transfer to four U.S. institutions. - Keeping highly intelligent and social creatures in concrete-lined tanks adversely affects their health and well-being, experts say. - With changing public perceptions and a growing number of countries, including Canada, banning the keeping and breeding of whales and dolphins, conservationists are calling for alternatives to house the more than 3,700 cetaceans in captivity worldwide, including building seaside sanctuaries. | |
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Rush to put AI data centers in space poses poorly understood dangers (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/rush-to-put-ai-data-centers-in-space-poses-poorly-understood-dangers/ - Recently announced plans by companies and nations to send AI data centers into space come as experts warn of a perilous situation developing in Earth orbit as thousands of new satellites are launched, orbit the planet, risk collision, and burn up on reentry. - Concerns are that the booming numbers of satellites could incur an as yet undefined toll on Earth’s environment — with potential pollution impacts on the atmosphere, ozone layer and even terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. - Lack of regulation of space activity is a major challenge as researchers work to understand potential impacts of launching and decommissioning satellites. - Though arguments are made that AI data centers in space could relieve environmental pressures on Earth, there are multiple trade-offs to consider, experts say. Researchers underline the need to embrace the precautionary principle and define possible hazards before satellites multiply further. | |
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Scientists use rapid 3D scanning to create a digital library of 800 ant species (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/scientists-use-rapid-3d-scanning-to-create-a-digital-library-of-800-ant-species/ Scientists have designed a new technique using robotics to rapidly generate high-resolution, three-dimensional images of ants. Antscan is the world’s first digitized library of nearly 800 ant species belonging to 212 genera from around the globe. They used microtomography, a technique akin to human CT scans, to capture images of internal ant organs with X-rays. […] | |
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Brazil Supreme Court opens path to mining in Indigenous land for first time (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/brazil-supreme-court-opens-path-to-mining-in-indigenous-land-for-first-time/ - Last month, the Brazilian Supreme Court authorized the possibility of mining exploration and exploitation inside an Indigenous territory for the first time, at the request of an Indigenous Cinta Larga association in the southwestern Amazon. - While the decision does not automatically authorize mining within Cinta Larga land, it has set a deadline for Congress to regulate mining in Indigenous lands and has established provisional rules in case mining authorization is approved by Congress, such as allowing mining on only 1% of the territory. - A representative of the Cinta Larga Patjamaaj Association told Mongabay that the absence of such a law has prevented them from being able to benefit economically from mining on their land, leading to a lack of income for health, education and sustainability projects. - Brazil’s Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI), several public prosecutors and other Indigenous peoples and organizations have raised concerns about the precedent this could set, and say that by establishing these rules, it can be interpreted as opening the door to future exploration requests while on-site environmental compliance inspections in Brazil remain rare. | |
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Towering lava fountains of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano trigger park and highway closures (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/towering-lava-fountains-of-hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-trigger-park-and-highway-closures/ HONOLULU (AP) — The latest lava fountaining episode of an erupting Hawaii volcano reached 1,000 feet (300 meters) high Tuesday, prompting temporary closures at a national park and part of an important highway because of falling glassy volcanic fragments, including ash. Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, has been dazzling residents and visitors for more than year with […] | |
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Plastic, from home and abroad, spills into Türkiye’s waters (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/plastic-from-home-and-abroad-spills-into-turkiyes-waters/ - Türkiye has become a major destination for plastic waste recycling, notably from Europe and the U.K. Most of this scrap heads to the roughly 180 waste facilities handling plastic in Adana province. - But large quantities are dumped along riverbanks or escape the facilities through their wastewater and eventually flow downstream into the Mediterranean Sea. - The resulting pollution is taking a toll on riverine and marine ecosystems, including important sea turtle nesting sites. - Some experts say Türkiye should stop importing plastic altogether to stem the tide of pollution, but the government has said the recycling industry plays an important economic role. | |
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Thai data center boom sparks fears of water shortage, air pollution (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/thai-data-center-boom-sparks-fears-of-water-shortage-air-pollution/ - Thailand is experiencing a rapid data center boom, with more than 70 projects planned or underway, many clustered in the industrial Eastern Economic Corridor. - Residents and farmers in Chonburi and Rayong provinces say they fear the facilities will intensify water shortages and pollution in a region already struggling with industrial impacts. - Data centers require large volumes of water for cooling and major electricity supply, raising concerns about wastewater contamination and increased burning of fossil fuels. - Critics say the sector is expanding with little transparency or community consultation, leaving locals uncertain about environmental safeguards and benefits. | |
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The Wild League aims to turn sports mascots into conservation champions (March 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/the-wild-league-aims-to-turn-sports-mascots-into-conservation-champions/ - A new study found that 727 professional sports teams across 50 countries use wild animals in their branding. The most popular species (lions, tigers, and wolves) face threats in the wild. - The lead author has launched The Wild League, a framework to engage sports clubs, sponsors and fans in conserving the species represented in their mascots. - Clemson University’s Tigers United program offers a working model, using the school’s tiger mascot to fund tiger conservation in India. - The authors argue that with more than a billion people following wildlife-branded teams on social media, sports offer an unrivaled platform for education and fundraising. | |
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How elephants experience time, and what this tells us about protecting them (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/03/how-elephants-experience-time-and-what-this-tells-us-about-protecting-them/ Khatijah Rahmat, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Germany, says she’s trying to build legitimacy around the concept of animal temporality — the ability to experience time — specifically in elephants. Doing so could have implications for conservation and beyond. “How we envision an animal’s relationship to […] | |
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US development bank left without oversight after watchdog let go (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/us-development-bank-left-without-oversight-after-watchdog-let-go/ The International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the lending and investment arm of the U.S. government and a key foreign policy tool, has abruptly terminated the director of its Independent Accountability Mechanism (IAM), which handles complaints about environmental and social harm. The unexpected move leaves no staff in the congressionally mandated IAM office. Mehrdad Nazari was […] | |
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Human rights commission calls on Peru to protect isolated Kakataibo people (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/human-rights-commission-calls-on-peru-to-protect-isolated-kakataibo-people/ The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has requested that the Peruvian government take action to protect the isolated Kakataibo Indigenous people in the Amazonian departments of Ucayali, Huánuco and Loreto. The group lives in voluntary isolation in the Kakataibo North and South Indigenous Reserve, where it’s under threat from illegal loggers and other invaders who […] | |
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Beyond the Potomac River, sewage spills threaten cities with old infrastructure and little funds (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/beyond-the-potomac-river-sewage-spills-threaten-cities-with-old-infrastructure-and-little-funds/ WASHINGTON (AP) — A major sewer pipe collapse has dumped hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage into the Potomac River, highlighting a nationwide problem involving failing infrastructure. The Potomac spill was a huge, but rare event that led to an emergency declaration and federal help. But across the country, sewer overflows happen tens of […] | |
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Works on planned luxury resort on Pemba island go ahead despite concerns (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/works-on-planned-luxury-resort-on-pemba-island-go-ahead-despite-concerns/ - A 4 meter high perimeter wall was built alongside a village bordering Ngezi Forest Reserve as construction to a luxury resort estate has started on Zanzibar’s Pemba island. - A dirt road cutting through the protected forest has been widened to facilitate the transport of goods. - Researchers warn that no environmental planning has been done and that animal and plant species could go extinct if the development goes ahead. | |
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From forest to flatpack, IKEA faces timber traceability test under EUDR (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/from-forest-to-flatpack-ikea-faces-timber-traceability-test-under-eudr/ - As the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) nears implementation this year, furniture giant IKEA may need stronger traceability systems to prove its timber isn’t linked to post-2020 deforestation. - Although nearly all IKEA wood is FSC-certified or recycled, past investigations show this voluntary scheme can miss illegal or unsustainable logging. - The EUDR requires geolocation data and stricter due diligence than existing certifications or regulations, but repeated delays and possible rule changes have created uncertainty for companies like IKEA preparing to comply. - Industry watchdogs say high-profile companies like IKEA can “do more” to champion the landmark regulation and implement leading wood traceability systems, rather than relying solely on existing — voluntary— certification schemes. | |
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Sumatra officials stress environment checks continue in wake of deadly cyclone (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/sumatra-officials-stress-environment-checks-continue-in-wake-of-deadly-cyclone/ - More than three months after flash flooding caused by the landfall of Cyclone Senyar over Sumatra killed more than 1,000 people in three provinces, officials continue to face pressure to review companies operating in forests and watersheds. - In West Sumatra province, environmental officials point to sanctions issued against quarries operating near Mount Sariak, a short distance to the north of Padang, the provincial capital. - However, West Sumatra is a mountainous province larger than Switzerland, with many extractive areas operating in forests that can take inspectors at least a day to reach from the provincial capital. - At least 267 people were killed in West Sumatra, with 70 people still missing at the time of writing, after Cyclone Senyar struck on Nov. 26 and 27. | |
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Promising breakthrough creates plastics that self-deconstruct on cue: Study (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/promising-breakthrough-creates-plastics-that-self-deconstruct-on-cue-study/ - Plastic pollution is an evolving global environmental crisis. More than 90% of all plastics manufactured end up polluting the environment, where they can harm ecosystems and impact human health. This “take-make-waste” linear manufacturing model stands in contrast to the circularity of natural systems. - Inspired by the natural, timely breakdown of organic materials like proteins and DNA, chemists at Rutgers University in the U.S. have now modified existing plastics so that they can be programmed to break down into their molecular components at the end of a specific period of time, or in response to a trigger, such as sunlight. - Historically, plastics manufacturers have faced a trade-off between material strength and degradability, but this innovation could offer the best of both worlds: plastics that retain their strength and durability for exactly as long as their use requires, and then automatically self-deconstruct for disposal or reuse. - Global plastics treaty talks remain in limbo, but if a final accord places cradle-to-grave responsibility for plastics on manufacturers, then they would have a financial incentive to invest in self-deconstructing technologies, even though such techniques would likely be more costly than current manufacturing methods. | |
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The promise and perils of the 1995 Mekong River Agreement (commentary) (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/the-promise-and-perils-of-the-1995-mekong-river-agreement-commentary/ - Thirty years after the 1995 Mekong Agreement, the treaty and the Mekong River Commission have failed to stop cumulative damage to the river from dams, sediment loss, sand mining and altered flows. - Hydropower expansion and major projects such as Laos’s mainstream dams and Cambodia’s Funan Techo Canal are accelerating ecological decline, harming fisheries, sediment flows and the Tonle Sap–Mekong system despite consultation processes meant to prevent such impacts. - “This is not cooperation,” the author writes of the agreement. “It is a rat race tearing the Mekong apart.” - This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Middle East conflict exposes Africa’s fossil fuel risks & the case for clean energy (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/middle-east-conflict-exposes-africas-fossil-fuel-risks-the-case-for-clean-energy/ A deepening crisis in the Middle East could send economic shockwaves across sub-Saharan Africa, raising fuel costs, food prices and inflation across the region, according to a new analysis by energy consultancy Zero Carbon Analytics. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran, Oman and […] | |
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Can Singapore rewild its lost reptiles? (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/can-singapore-rewild-its-lost-reptiles/ - Singapore has lost most of its primary forest since the 19th century, and roughly a third of terrestrial vertebrate species have disappeared locally, often through gradual habitat thinning rather than sudden collapse. - Snakes and lizards show a two-stage pattern of decline tied first to plantation-era deforestation and later to rapid urbanization, with forest specialists hardest hit while adaptable species persist in degraded habitats. - Despite losses, reptiles have proven relatively resilient; many can survive in disturbed environments, but fragmented populations remain vulnerable and natural recolonization is unlikely across the sea barrier to Malaysia. - Maturing secondary forests and restoration efforts create conditions for cautious rewilding, and scientists suggest targeted translocation—such as reintroducing the forest gecko Gekko hulk—could restore some lost ecological functions even if the original ecosystem cannot be fully recovered. | |
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Cambodian market survey a snapshot of a resilient — but stressed — Mekong (March 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/cambodian-market-survey-a-snapshot-of-a-resilient-but-stressed-mekong/ - In February, an international team of researchers conducted a two-week survey of fish species sold in markets in the Mekong River towns of Stung Treng and Kratie in Cambodia. - The survey builds on a benchmark set by a 1994 survey in Stung Treng, allowing scientists to detect patterns in the size and diversity of fish being pulled from the river. - The team identified 130 species, compared with 113 in the 1994 survey; 46 species were newly documented, many of them linked to aquaculture, while 29 species documented in 1994 were not found. - Survey members say the tally shows the resilience of the Mekong, especially in places like Stung Treng where it remains undammed, but also points to worrying trends such as smaller fish dominating catches. | |
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Indigenous knowledge helps guide conservation of Australia’s endangered northern quoll (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/indigenous-knowledge-helps-guide-conservation-of-australias-endangered-northern-quoll/ - A new study from northern Australia has highlighted the importance of Indigenous cultural and ecological knowledge (ICEK) in conservation efforts of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), an endangered carnivorous marsupial. - This study, published in Wildlife Research, was led by the Martu people, whose lands lie in the state of Western Australia. - The study finds that cultural knowledge has helped provide a historical baseline for the northern quoll in areas that were previously undocumented by Western science. - By integrating cultural knowledge with contemporary conservation strategies, the study shows that culturally and ecologically informed approaches can be developed to conserve northern quoll populations on Martu lands, ensuring the resilience of both the species and the landscapes they inhabit. | |
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Ecuador’s new ecological corridor connects Andes and Amazon ecosystems (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/ecuadors-new-ecological-corridor-connects-andes-and-amazon-ecosystems/ - This month, officials in Ecuador announced a 2,159-square-kilometer (833-square mile) biodiversity corridor, connecting Llanganates National Park with Yasuní Biosphere Reserve. - The Llanganates–Yasuní Connectivity Corridor is unique because it allows “altitudinal connectivity” between the high-elevation Andes mountains and the low-elevation Amazon Rainforest. - Experts say some species could start to move between the ecosystems in response to climate change and habitat loss. | |
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Mining rush for critical minerals threatens Amazon land reform settlements (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/mining-rush-for-critical-minerals-threatens-amazon-land-reform-settlements/ - A survey of mining records found dozens of requests for copper, manganese and nickel targeting land reform settlements in northern Brazil’s Carajás region in the last five years. - The rush for critical minerals is creating potential “sacrifice zones” of contaminated waterways and declining fish populations in the Amazonian settlements. - These minerals are vital for cars, batteries and war industries, linking increasing global demand to local Amazon conflicts and poverty, despite a local tax boost. | |
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In Malawi, farmers rebuild soil and livelihoods through agroecology (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/in-malawi-farmers-rebuild-soil-and-livelihoods-through-agroecology/ - Climate change and high input costs are worsening food insecurity in Malawi, leaving millions of people vulnerable and soils degraded. - But a gradual embrace of agroecology is boosting resilience, cutting fertilizer costs by more than 40% and improving yields. - Local organizations like Small Producers Development and Transporters Association (SPRODETA) are leading farmer training and seed preservation efforts. - Government support is increasing, but scaling up agroecology nationwide remains a challenge, proponents say. | |
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Study maps tree-planting risks and rewards for climate and biodiversity (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/study-maps-tree-planting-risks-and-rewards-for-climate-and-biodiversity/ - Afforestation and reforestation (AR) have emerged as key climate change mitigation strategies. - Forestation can be a benefit for biodiversity, but poorly planned projects can do more harm than good. - A recent study offers a new way of gauging the potential of AR to achieve both carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation, across different biomes. - The study finds that some biomes have higher potential than others for AR, but considerable variation exists within biomes. The researchers caution that careful planning is needed. | |
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The Cerrado is threatened but crucial for Brazil’s biodiversity & water security (commentary) (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/the-cerrado-is-threatened-but-crucial-for-brazils-biodiversity-water-security-commentary/ - The Cerrado is a massive and biodiverse ecodomain that also plays an important role in carbon storage and water cycling, making it a crucial asset for Brazil. - Yet more than 55% of the Cerrado’s native vegetation has been lost since the 1970s, and less than 3% is under full protection, far below what is needed to maintain biodiversity and ecological processes. - Biodiversity loss advances silently, with species disappearing before they are even formally described by science, as several co-authors of a new review article explain. - This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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David Chivers, student of the singing apes (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/david-chivers-student-of-the-singing-apes/ Field primatology expanded rapidly in the late 20th century as biologists began to study apes and monkeys where they lived rather than only in museums or laboratories. Southeast Asia’s rainforests became an important setting for that shift. Among the researchers who helped shape the discipline there was David Chivers, a British primatologist whose work […] | |
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Critically endangered kākāpō parrot has standout breeding season (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/critically-endangered-kakapo-parrot-has-standout-breeding-season/ A total of 59 healthy kākāpō chicks have hatched over the last few weeks, according to the latest tally by Aotearoa New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. This marks one of the most successful recent breeding seasons for this critically endangered bird, whose last breeding season was four years ago. The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus), a flightless bird […] | |
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U.S.’ hunger for Halloween trinkets is killing Vietnam’s painted woolly bats (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/u-s-hunger-for-halloween-trinkets-is-killing-vietnams-painted-woolly-bats/ - Taxidermied, framed bats are sold as souvenirs in shops across Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City that cater to international tourists, according to a new study documenting the trade. - Painted woolly bats — one of the world’s most colorful bats, with wings streaked in orange and black — were the top-selling species both in these markets and online, and are in demand as decorations in the U.S.,as well as Europe and Canada. - Vendors told researchers that most of the painted woolly bats they sold were pulled from the wild. Evidence suggests these mammals have almost disappeared from the country’s Mekong Delta region, partly because of this intensive trade. - Experts urge Vietnam to outlaw harvest and trade of these bats, and ask that all 11 countries where these bats are found protect them under CITES, a global wildlife trade treaty, to regulate and monitor international sales. | |
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Electrocution, conflict, poaching mark grim start to year for Sumatran elephants (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/electrocution-conflict-poaching-mark-grim-start-to-year-for-sumatran-elephants/ - The office of Indonesia’s state conservation agency in the semiautonomous region of Aceh said an elephant found dead in Central Aceh district on Feb. 20 likely died due to electrocution following contact with an electric fence. - Local residents in Karang Ampar village told Mongabay that human-elephant encounters have become increasingly frequent. Police in the province of Riau announced they had made multiple arrests over the fatal shooting of an elephant on an industrial palm oil concession. - One day after the discovery of the deceased female Sumatran elephant in Central Aceh, a farmer in neighboring Bener Meriah district died after being trampled by an elephant near a corn field. - Indonesia’s state conservation agency in Aceh said the recent Cyclone Senyar may also be driving human-elephant conflict, after floods from the November storm that killed more than 1,000 people across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra disrupted wildlife movement corridors. | |
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Ugandans affected by pipeline discontented over rehabilitation efforts: Report (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/ugandans-affected-by-pipeline-discontented-over-rehabilitation-efforts-report/ - In a survey of people impacted by the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline in Uganda, a third of the participants said the livelihood restoration program implemented to rehabilitate them has not improved their lives. - Project-affected persons say that agricultural inputs given to them were delivered late and that some of the seeds and seedlings were of poor quality with low germination rates. - Some of those who received cash compensation to purchase alternative land said the compensation was inadequate and they were unable to buy land plots of similar sizes to those they had lost to the pipeline. - People living along the pipeline route expressed concerns about safety, environmental risks and potential loss of property value. | |
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Thailand tightens embrace of fossil fuels amid Middle East conflict (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/thailand-tightens-embrace-of-fossil-fuels-amid-middle-east-conflict/ On March 4, Thailand’s government ordered the Ministry of Energy to secure new energy sources within a week to reduce the nation’s reliance on Middle Eastern oil. The directive follows the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, after the Feb. 28 bombing of Iran by the U.S. […] | |
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Precision conservation: the rise of place-specific strategies where protection works best (March 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/where-conservation-works-best-the-rise-of-place-specific-strategies/ - A recent perspective by Spake et al. (2025) argues that conservation could be more effective if interventions were tailored to specific places, using data and causal analysis to predict where actions will deliver the greatest benefits rather than relying on average results across landscapes. The approach, termed “precision ecology,” draws inspiration from precision medicine but focuses on ecosystems rather than individuals. - Many conservation practices already incorporate elements of targeted action, including spatial prioritization, adaptive management, remote sensing–guided interventions, and payments for ecosystem services directed toward critical areas. The new framework seeks to refine these approaches by emphasizing measurable impact relative to what would happen without intervention. - Implementing such precision at scale faces significant constraints, including uneven data availability, measurement error, complex ecological interactions, and social and political realities that influence where projects can occur. Large programs often favor standardized methods, while effective management typically depends on local conditions and knowledge. - Advocates argue that more precise targeting could help stretch limited conservation funding further, but caution that models can create an illusion of certainty and may not capture the full complexity of real-world systems. Rather than replacing existing strategies, precision approaches are likely to complement them as part of a broader shift toward evidence-informed conservation. | |
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Pascale Moehrle pressed Europe to take its seas seriously (March 7, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/pascale-moehrle-pressed-europe-to-take-its-seas-seriously/ - Pascale Moehrle, who led Oceana’s European office from 2019 to 2025, spent more than four decades working on wildlife conservation and ocean policy. - Her death was announced by Oceana on March 4, 2026. - Moehrle pushed European governments to follow scientific advice on fisheries, curb destructive fishing practices and enforce protections in marine protected areas. - Her work focused on turning Europe’s commitments on ocean protection into practical policy that could restore marine ecosystems and sustain fisheries. | |
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200 dead, more missing in another DRC mine collapse (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/200-dead-more-missing-in-another-drc-mine-collapse/ More than 200 people have died and dozens are missing after a landslide on March 3 at the Kasasa site in the Rubaya mining area in Masisi territory, North Kivu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. “I saw the ground collapse and [bury] many people who were there. I can’t say exactly how many, […] | |
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Restoration of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest may hinge on market for native plants (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/restoration-of-brazils-atlantic-forest-may-hinge-on-market-for-native-plants/ - Brazil’s Atlantic Forest is one of the richest biomes on the planet, hosting around 5% of Earth’s vertebrate species, but deforestation has decimated the region, with less than a quarter of original forests still standing. - Reforestation efforts provide varying environmental, economic and societal values, also known as bioeconomics. - New research weighs the economic potential of native plants to bolster the bioeconomics of reforestation projects, supporting conservation efforts and supporting small landowners and Indigenous communities. | |
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Sri Lankan waters under ‘close watch’ following wreckage of Iranian warship (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/sri-lankan-waters-under-close-watch-following-wreckage-of-iranian-warship/ - At least 90 bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the IRIS Dena, an Iranian warship that was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine on March 4. - The Sri Lanka Navy has spotted oil patches and life rafts during the rescue mission but no oil spill reported so far. - Maritime experts say Sri Lanka will have an opportunity to raise a claim for environmental damage following the sinking of the frigate. - If the Indian Ocean island intends to seek damages, the government may have to claim environmental damages through an international tribunal, considering the frigate was sunk under conditions of war. | |
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Nations not on track to meet UN 2030 pesticide risk reduction targets: Study (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/nations-not-on-track-to-meet-un-2030-pesticide-risk-reduction-targets-study/ - New research finds that most countries are trending in the wrong direction when it comes to meeting the U.N.’s 2030 global pesticide risk reduction target, with the goal unlikely to be met without substantial changes to agricultural systems worldwide. - To determine global pesticide risk, researchers used data on pesticide use from 2013 to 2019 in 65 countries, along with data on the toxicity of 625 pesticides as related to eight different species groups. - Researchers found that just one country, Chile, is on track to meet the U.N. target of reducing pesticide risk by 50% by 2030. The team noted that while overall ecological toxicity of pesticides is rising worldwide, just four nations — the U.S. Brazil, China and India — accounted for more than half of global total applied toxicity (TAT). - The researchers also discovered that global pesticide risk is dominated by just a few highly toxic chemicals, and they suggest that if this finding is acted upon, targeted reductions in use of these particular chemicals could be one of the best opportunities for nations to get back on track to meet the 2030 pesticide risk reduction goal. | |
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The rate of global warming is accelerating, study finds (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/the-rate-of-global-warming-is-accelerating-study-finds/ Earth has been steadily warming since the start of the Industrial Revolution, when humans began emitting greenhouse gases at scale. And while the rate of warming has been largely constant for the past half-century, a recent study finds it has accelerated over the last decade — an alarming trend for Earth systems, biodiversity and human […] | |
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Indonesian communities push to reclaim lands following company permit revocations (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/indonesian-communities-try-to-reclaim-lands-following-company-permit-revocations/ - In January, the Indonesian government ordered the revocation of PT TPL’s forest utilization permit, along with those of 27 other companies, for allegedly violating environmental and forestry regulations that contributed to deadly floods and landslides in November 2025. - Twenty-nine communities whose customary lands overlap with the pulpwood company’s concession are demanding the return of 37,219 hectares after decades of conflict with the enterprise. Some people have reoccupied lands. - According to officials, the state-owned investment agency Danantara will take over the companies’ concessions, but community leaders say the legal status of customary lands and forests is still unclear after meetings with government officials. - Community leaders and NGOs have drafted next steps for the lands, including reforestation following decades of eucalyptus plantations and land titling. | |
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This bird is disappearing from Indonesia’s forests for its song (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/this-bird-is-disappearing-from-indonesias-forests-for-its-song/ The rising popularity of songbird singing competitions in Indonesia has led to the dramatic decline of the white-rumped shama, a bird known locally as murai batu. Mongabay Indonesia video contributor Rizky Maulana Yanuar recently reported that keeping such birds is deeply rooted in local culture. In Javanese society, a man is considered to be successful […] | |
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Climate or biodiversity? Global study maps out forestation’s dilemma (March 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/climate-or-biodiversity-global-study-maps-out-forestations-dilemma/ - A new study maps areas designated for potential carbon dioxide removal projects, such as planting forests or bioenergy crops, that might conflict with biodiversity hotspots. - Such climate strategies could harm species if they change existing ecosystems or use too much land. - The study points to the importance of more careful site selection for these projects. - The authors of the study also note the importance of reducing humanity’s CO2 emissions, rather than relying solely on removing CO2 from the atmosphere later on. | |
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Antarctic krill sustainability label questioned (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/antarctic-krill-sustainability-label-questioned/ The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently released a draft report for its fourth recertification of krill fishing in Antarctica by Aker QRILL Company. The certification would allow Aker to put an MSC label on its products that tells consumers the krill came from a sustainable well-managed fishery. However, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), […] | |
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Satellite images identify vulture breeding colonies by their droppings (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/satellite-images-identify-vulture-breeding-colonies-by-their-droppings/ - A new study reveals that colonies of critically endangered Rüppell’s vultures are visible via satellite images. - A group of researchers scanned more than 6 million square kilometers (2.3 million square miles) in seven countries in East and Central Africa to look for the tell-tale whitewash formed by droppings deposited by the birds beneath their nests. - In all, the team pinpointed 232 potential nesting sites, mostly in Sudan, South Sudan and Chad. - Following declines of more than 90% for the species over the past 40 years, knowing where Rüppell’s vultures nest can help conservationists ensure their protection. | |
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25 years after ‘disaster’ declaration, major U.S. fishery makes a comeback (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/25-years-after-disaster-declaration-major-u-s-fishery-makes-a-comeback/ - In 2000, the U.S. commerce secretary declared the groundfish fishery on the U.S. West Coast a “disaster,” with 10 key species overfished to below a quarter of their healthy levels. - Fisheries authorities empowered by federal conservation laws took drastic action: They cut off vast tracts of the ocean to trawling, slashed fishing quotas and bought fishing vessels to remove them from operation. Many fishers were thrown into painful retirement. - Careful management and innovation in the intervening years has led to a remarkable turnaround: In October 2025, fishery officials declared the last of the 10 overfished species to be rebuilt, years earlier than expected, and fishers have catches they thought would never be possible again. - Even so, fishers’ profits have been low, and experts worry that key conservation programs could lose their teeth to cost-cutting measures and deregulation. | |
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Bringing storytelling to science: John Cannon’s approach to reporting on nature (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/bringing-storytelling-to-science-john-cannons-approach-to-reporting-on-nature/ - John Cannon is a staff features writer at Mongabay, where he has reported since 2014. - Cannon says that what inspires him is the chance to tell stories that connect conservation science with the daily lives of people affected by climate change, deforestation and land dispossession. - He values curiosity, collaboration and the power of storytelling, and is especially proud of his reporting on carbon credit projects in Borneo and entanglement threats to endangered northern right whales. - This interview is part of Inside Mongabay, a series that spotlights the people who bring environmental and conservation stories to life across our global newsroom. | |
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Climate change is messing with tropical plants’ flowering times, study shows (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/climate-change-is-messing-with-tropical-plants-flowering-times-study-shows/ The flowering times for many plant species have shifted due to climate change, with most of the change occurring in temperate zones. Researchers assumed the tropics, which are largely the same temperature year-round, would be insulated from such climate change-driven changes to flowering times. However, a new study challenges that assumption. Researchers examined more than […] | |
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Seafood fraud is rampant, imperiling fish populations, report finds (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/seafood-fraud-is-rampant-imperiling-fish-populations-report-finds/ - Up to roughly 20% of aquatic products are intentionally mislabeled as the wrong species or otherwise fraudulent, posing environmental and health risks, according to a new report. - Inaccurate representation of species is one of the most frequent forms of fraud, the report says. - Other cons include misrepresenting place of origin or eco-certification status, and adulterating a product to affect its weight or appearance of freshness. - The report calls for governments and industry stakeholders to establish better traceability systems, use advanced detection methods, and educate the public. An NGO expert says government action on traceability is key. | |
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A sanctuary… for glacier ice? (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-sanctuary-for-glacier-ice/ Scientists in Antarctica have just inaugurated the first global repository of mountain ice cores. As the climate crisis melts glaciers all around the world, this frozen vault aims to preserve the history of the Earth’s atmosphere for future generations to study. | |
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Beetle known for ravaging mango trees now killing baobabs, study finds (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/beetle-known-for-ravaging-mango-trees-now-killing-baobabs-study-finds/ - Researchers say baobabs face a potential new threat from the mango stem borer, a beetle long known to devastate other trees. - The warning comes from research in Oman, where scientists found the pest had killed six baobabs and severely infested a dozen more in a small valley population. - Authorities there are fighting the infestation with pesticides, light traps and manual removal of larvae from the trees. - Scientists note that similar infestations have not yet been recorded in other countries where baobabs grow. | |
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DNA fingerprinting convicts Zimbabwe lion poachers in landmark case (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/dna-fingerprinting-convicts-zimbabwe-lion-poachers-in-landmark-case/ - Prosecutors in Zimbabwe used lion DNA forensics for the first time to successfully convict two people for poaching and trafficking a male lion near Hwange National Park. - Investigators analyzed DNA from confiscated lion parts and were able to match it to a radio-collared lion in their database that was killed in 2024. - Proving that the seized parts came from a poached wild lion provided the evidence that sent the two poachers to prison for two years. - Experts say DNA forensics provide invaluable proof in hard-to-prosecute wildlife crimes, and this recent conviction sets a precedent for bringing poachers to justice in court using the forensic technology. | |
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Archived camera-trap images bring Thailand’s tapirs into focus (March 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/archived-camera-trap-images-bring-thailands-tapirs-into-focus/ Archived camera-trapping images have revealed a new stronghold for Asian tapirs in Khlong Seang–Khao Sok Forest Complex, in southern Thailand. Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan reports that a recent study found camera-trap “bycatch” data — images of species that researchers hadn’t intended to photograph — can be used to monitor Asian tapirs (Tapirus indicus). The camera traps […] | |
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Emotional and psychological stresses beleaguer conservation professionals (commentary) (March 4, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/emotional-and-psychological-stresses-beleaguer-conservation-professionals-commentary/ - The well-being of conservationists has never been a priority in the sector, but new cultural norms and expectations of this workforce are urgently needed. - The unhealthy culture of self-sacrifice coupled with growing pressure within the sector — driven by the worsening ecological crisis and changes in the funding and geopolitical landscape — are driving a crisis of poor mental health and well-being among conservationists. - Yet change is possible with investment in the well-being of the conservation workforce, through the implementation of evidence-based interventions that promote individual and team well-being, which can lead to improvements in well-being, performance and retention. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Across South America, canopy bridges evolve as a lifeline for tree-dwelling wildlife (March 4, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/across-south-america-canopy-bridges-evolve-as-a-lifeline-for-tree-dwelling-wildlife/ - In the Amazon and Atlantic forests, field research is seeking new ways to understand the behavior of mammals like monkeys and sloths that depend on the treetops to move around and survive in different types of vegetation. - Using photographic equipment on artificial bridges — whose ropes, nets and platforms are intertwined with trees to protect wildlife — researchers are mapping fauna in both continuous forests and fragmented areas, providing new scientific insights. - Experts working to reduce the risks of roadkill and species’ isolation in fragmented forest areas say studies are crucial to improving the installation of artificial crossings over highways. | |
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Attention is scarce. Storytelling strategy matters more than ever (March 4, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/attention-is-scarce-storytelling-strategy-matters-more-than-ever/ Environmental journalism has long struggled with a practical problem: how to make distant ecological change feel relevant to people whose daily lives are shaped by more immediate concerns. Scientific reports document trends in temperature, biodiversity and land use with increasing precision, yet such findings often fail to travel far beyond specialist audiences. Video, once expensive […] | |
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Colombia’s coffee industry well placed but wary as EU deforestation rule looms (March 4, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/colombias-coffee-industry-well-placed-but-wary-as-eu-deforestation-rule-looms/ - About a quarter of coffee exports from Colombia, the world’s No. 3 producer, go to Europe, which means coffee companies need to prepare to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which should enter into force at the end of this year. - Colombia’s Coffee Information System (SICA), a georeferenced database managed by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC), contains detailed records on around 1.8 million coffee lots and socioeconomic data on nearly 500,000 coffee-growing families, most of them smallholders. - This long-established system could help Colombian coffee growers demonstrate compliance with EUDR, placing them ahead of competitors in Africa and parts of Asia. - Nevertheless, while many large companies say they’re prepared for the EUDR, small-scale farmers, including Indigenous coffee growers, often have limited knowledge about the requirements and are less prepared to comply. | |
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Proposed shark net near Club Med resort in South Africa sparks conservation clash (March 4, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/proposed-shark-net-near-club-med-resort-in-south-africa-sparks-conservation-clash/ - A proposal by municipal authorities in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province to install shark nets at a public beach has triggered a public debate about the need to install gear that’s highly lethal to sharks and other marine life, and raised questions about its legality. - The proposal, which authorities say will protect beachgoers from shark attacks, was made in anticipation of increased visitor numbers to Tinley Manor Beach once a new Club Med resort opens in the area later this year. - Some scientists and environmentalists argue that shark nets and drum lines are outdated as they cull and kill nontarget species indiscriminately, including those protected under South African law. - South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said it’s considering whether installing the net should trigger an environmental impact assessment. Some experts also question the legality of existing nets. | |
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