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Why are forests vanishing in southeastern Liberia? (July 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/07/why-are-forests-vanishing-in-southeastern-liberia/ GRAND GEDEH, Liberia – In the past century, most of West Africa’s Upper Guinean rainforest has been lost to commercial agriculture, infrastructure development and logging. More than half of what’s left is in Liberia, and the remaining rainforest now faces a threat that’s already driven much of the region’s deforestation: cacao production. In the past […] | |
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Can ‘fog harvesting’ help solve water scarcity in Chile’s Atacama Desert? (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/can-fog-harvesting-help-solve-water-scarcity-in-chiles-atacama-desert/ - Communities living in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, look for creative ways to fight water scarcity, including “harvesting” water droplets from the foggy climate. - Local groups erect large mesh structures that can intercept thousands of liters of water droplets per day from fog being carried by the wind. The water is used for drinking and cultivating fruits and vegetables. - Researchers have studied the factors that increase harvesting results, including sea level, temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed. - With more research and support for pilot programs, they say local governments could one day adopt the strategy into their water management plans. | |
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US government announces plans to lease deep-sea mining rights in American Samoa (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/us-government-announces-plans-to-lease-deep-sea-mining-rights-in-american-samoa/ The U.S. government has taken another definitive step toward launching a deep-sea mining industry, starting in the waters of American Samoa, despite public opposition. On July 17, the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), a new U.S. agency formed by merging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, announced intentions […] | |
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Beavers flourish in tidal habitats in the Pacific Northwest, study finds (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/beavers-flourish-in-tidal-habitats-in-the-pacific-northwest-study-finds/ Beavers are well-known residents of rivers, lakes and streams across North America. New research finds they are also far more common in estuaries and tidal wetlands than was previously understood. The study suggests the rodents are critical ecosystem engineers in a habitat where twice-daily tides raise and lower water levels, bringing saltwater inland from the […] | |
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How Costa Rica’s extreme climate changes the social behaviors of white-faced capuchin (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-costa-ricas-extreme-climate-changes-the-social-behaviors-of-white-faced-capuchin/ - For 33 years, a research team has studied white-faced capuchin monkeys in the tropical dry forests of Costa Rica, gathering data on their complex social lives. - A new study from the team shows that during extreme climate events, large groups of capuchins may go hungry, while smaller groups may fare better. - Climate extremes alter the physical landscape, causing animals to change their societal behaviors. For capuchins, this means greater competition for food, heightened territorial sensitivity and fluctuating group sizes. - While capuchins can adapt to environmental changes over time, there are limits to their resilience, as seen during the severe droughts caused by the El Niño in 2014-2016, when dwindling food sources caused capuchins to abandon societal norms in search of food. | |
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Can harpy eagles attack humans? Amazon case rekindles scientific debate (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/can-harpy-eagles-attack-humans-amazon-case-rekindles-scientific-debate/ - An attack by a harpy against a tourist in French Guiana has sparked a debate about interactions between humans and the world’s largest eagle. - Field reports indicate that these episodes are uncommon and usually associated with defending prey, but they can result in serious injuries. - Although rare, these cases expose a conservation dilemma: They may reinforce stigma against the species but also reveal real conflicts about which there is little public debate. | |
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India launches first hydrogen-powered train built in the country to expand clean energy on railways (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/india-launches-first-hydrogen-powered-train-built-in-the-country-to-expand-clean-energy-on-railways/ NEW DELHI (AP) — India rolled out its first domestically built, hydrogen-powered train on Friday, a move aimed at expanding the use of clean energy in its vast rail network. The train made up of two hydrogen-powered driving cars and eight passenger coaches will operate in the northern state of Haryana. It can run at […] | |
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How a community is helping sea turtles hatch in the Philippines (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-a-community-is-helping-sea-turtles-hatch-in-the-philippines/ - The municipality of San Vicente in the Philippines’ Palawan is a vital nesting ground for Olive Ridley sea turtles. - Nesting turtles and their eggs face an array of challenges. Predation by dogs is the most immediate threat, but rising sea levels, more severe storms and tourism development plans also loom large. - To try to protect the turtles, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, a Philippine-based NGO, runs a research project and works with paid patrollers to monitor and protect turtles and their nests. - Community involvement is key to the group’s conservation efforts. | |
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Melanesian nations announce intention to create massive ocean reserve corridor (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/melanesian-nations-announce-intention-to-create-massive-ocean-reserve-corridor/ - Solomon Islands is the latest Pacific island nation to sign on to a new network of marine protected areas (MPAs) known as the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, or MOCOR, which was announced by Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji at the first Melanesian Ocean Summit in May. - Located in the southwestern Pacific, Melanesia is a hotspot for marine biodiversity and the discovery of new species. - While large marine corridors can be more effective than isolated MPAs, researchers caution that robust management and enforcement are necessary to prevent them from becoming so-called “paper parks.” - Details about MOCOR’s size, configuration, precise location, governance, enforcement mechanisms and community consultation processes are scarce. | |
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Fighting new oil blocks in the Congo Basin: Interview with activist Pascal Mirindi (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/fighting-new-oil-blocks-in-the-congo-basin-interview-with-activist-pascal-mirindi/ - Pascal Mirindi is a Congolese environmental activist fighting oil exploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. - In 2022, as the Congolese government promoted new oil blocks in eastern DRC, Mirindi and his friends created a movement to raise community awareness of the dangers of fossil fuel exploitation. - In late 2024, the Congolese government initiated a green corridor extending from the eastern to the western side of the country, aiming to establish the “largest protected tropical forest in the world,” yet a few months later, the country launched new oil blocks covering 60% of the country’s surface. - Mirindi spoke with Mongabay in June about his activism and the future of the DRC. | |
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Rivers are not just water bodies: Interview with the Waterman Of Odisha (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/rivers-are-not-just-water-bodies-interview-with-the-waterman-of-odisha/ - Ranjan Panda — social ecologist, journalist and researcher — is popularly known as the Waterman of Odisha. - Panda highlights the invisible and noneconomic losses that communities living in coastal areas deal with due to climate change. - In this interview, he highlights how rivers should be seen beyond their two boundaries of flow; how there is a stark difference in the ways rural and urban India see rivers. | |
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Ancient rock structures help restore biodiversity on the US-Mexico border (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/ancient-rock-structures-help-restore-biodiversity-on-the-us-mexico-border/ - On the border between the United States and Mexico, ranchers are struggling under shifting climatic conditions, including extreme drought and intense flooding. - Small rock structures known as trincheras are an ancient method of slowing water flow, reducing erosion and improving subsoil quality, allowing life to rebound in degraded rangelands. - A growing body of research indicates that rock detention structures like trincheras help improve drought resilience, increase biodiversity and water yields. - In Sonora, a state dominated by private rangelands, momentum is growing to build these structures and adopt a wider range of “regenerative ranching” practices, as conservationists and ranchers work together. | |
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Nepal’s birdwatchers can fill gaps in conservation data (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/nepals-birdwatchers-can-fill-gaps-in-conservation-data/ Nepal’s expanding birdwatching community offers a vital lifeline for both biodiversity monitoring and ecotourism, reports contributor Bibek Bhandari for Mongabay. According to a recent study, a growing interest in birdwatching, particularly among younger generations, is helping bridge gaps in ecological data while promoting Nepal as a birdwatching destination. Nepal is home to more than 900 […] | |
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Ronald Sanabria sought to make tourism more sustainable (July 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/ronald-sanabria-sought-to-make-tourism-more-sustainable/ - Ronald Sanabria helped turn sustainable tourism from a set of good intentions into a discipline of standards, training, certification, and market access. - His work at the Rainforest Alliance focused on making tourism useful to the places it depended on, especially small businesses and community-based enterprises. - He understood that tourism could protect forests and support local livelihoods only if hotels, tour operators, governments, and buyers changed how they worked. - His influence endured less through public recognition than through the institutions he helped build and the many people he helped make sustainability usable. | |
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‘Chasing Deforestation’ in Liberia: Behind the scenes with Mongabay (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/chasing-deforestation-in-liberia-behind-the-scenes-with-mongabay/ - In a new episode of “Chasing Deforestation,” Mongabay investigates the emergence of a cocoa industry in southeastern Liberia that is destroying its forests. - Mongabay reporters traveled deep into the Liberian rainforest to find illegal cacao farms with the help of forest rangers and eco-guards. - The investigation was led by Mongabay Africa bureau features writer Ashoka Mukpo. | |
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The vanishing forests on Liberia’s cocoa frontier (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-vanishing-forests-on-liberias-cocoa-frontier/ - Liberia’s remote southeast, home to some of West Africa’s last remaining rainforests, is facing a deforestation crisis driven by cacao farming. - Tens of thousands of workers from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire have migrated across the border in recent years, driven by land shortages and a price boom. - This “cocoa rush” destroyed more forest in Liberia’s Grand Gedeh county last year than in any county on record since 2002. | |
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From Mardi Gras to marsh: Glass Half Full turns party glass into Louisiana coastline (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/from-mardi-gras-to-marsh-glass-half-full-turns-party-glass-into-louisiana-coastline/ - A New Orleans based business, Glass Half Full, collects glass from bars, restaurants, and drop-off sites, recycling it into new bottles and fine silica sand. - The recycled sand is used by ReCoast, the nonprofit’s restoration arm, to restore land by building small experimental islands and berms. - Louisiana loses roughly a football field of land to the sea every hour, a crisis that Glass Half Full’s young founder, Franziska Trautmann, describes as a looming threat. - Early results from the glass sand restoration is promising: vegetation is returning, sediment is sticking, and wildlife is moving in; but the work is constrained by two bottlenecks: not enough glass, and not enough funding. | |
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Gray whales are suffering catastrophic population decline in the Pacific Ocean (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/gray-whales-are-suffering-catastrophic-population-decline-in-the-pacific-ocean/ Gray whales are experiencing a potentially catastrophic population decline, a sharp reversal from what had been considered a conservation success. As of July 6, 2026, there were 145 gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) stranding deaths in the Pacific, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. The environmental non-profit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) […] | |
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Amazon deforestation falls to 10-year low in first half of 2026 (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/amazon-deforestation-falls-to-10-year-low-in-first-half-of-2026/ Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to its lowest level in the past 10 years, according to satellite data published by Brazil’s National Space Agency (INPE). Between January and June 2025, a total of 2,090 square kilometers (807 square miles) of deforestation was recorded in the Brazilian Amazon. In the same months of 2026, […] | |
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Invasive giant prawn spreads through protected areas in Brazil (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/invasive-giant-prawn-spreads-through-protected-areas-in-brazil/ - A study led by researchers from Brazil and Uruguay confirmed the presence of invasive prawns in several conservation areas along the Brazilian coast, including estuaries listed by UNESCO as Natural World Heritage Sites. - Considered an opportunistic predator and highly adaptable to different marine conditions, the giant river prawn competes with native species for food and shelter, in addition to being a potential vector for diseases. - While scientists demand concrete actions to stop the advancement of this intrusive crustacean, small-scale fishers report significant drops in their capture of native animals, warning about the impact of invasive species on their livelihoods. | |
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‘Beasts of the East’ chronicles the unheralded restoration successes of America’s eastern wildlife (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/beasts-of-the-east-chronicles-the-unheralded-restoration-successes-of-americas-eastern-wildlife/ - The new book “Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness” chronicles how the U.S. East Coast has seen an inspiring resurgence of wildlife in recent decades. - From elk to moose, sandhill cranes to bear and bison, author Andrew Moore answers Mongabay’s questions about the findings contained in his engaging new read timed perfectly for “beach read” season in the U.S. | |
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In the Canadian Arctic, an experiment aims to stabilize thinning sea ice (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/in-the-canadian-arctic-an-experiment-aims-to-stabilize-thinning-sea-ice/ - Climate tech startup Real Ice is trialing sea-ice thickening in the Arctic coastal community of Ikaluktutiak, also known as Cambridge Bay, in Nunavut, Canada, where thinning ice affects many aspects of residents’ lives. - The company is attempting to thicken the ice by drilling holes in it and pumping seawater onto the surface during winter, which activates refreezing. - Work has been limited to a 1-square-kilometer (0.4-square-mile) test site in Ikaluktutiak, but the team hopes to scale up the project if it proves viable and environmentally safe. - While the results have been promising, geoengineering projects like Real Ice’s work have also attracted controversy for the possible risks they pose to the environment. | |
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Indigenous advocates push for rights protections around AI data centers (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/indigenous-advocates-push-for-rights-protections-around-ai-data-centers/ - At a meeting of the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), Indigenous advocates called for attention to the need for AI to be developed in ways that align with Indigenous rights and priorities. - Data centers, the infrastructure that powers AI technology, require large amounts of energy and water to operate, yet many are constructed in water-stressed regions, leading to widespread opposition among local residents. - Many sources who spoke to Mongabay raised concerns about their land, water and food sovereignty. - Some said they believe the infrastructure could create opportunities for Indigenous people, so long as it complies with the principles of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and meaningful participation, among other steps. | |
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What living in one of the world’s hottest towns feels like (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/what-living-in-one-of-the-worlds-hottest-towns-feels-like/ BANDA, India (AP) — The northern Indian town of Banda has endured weeks of extreme heat, with daytime temperatures repeatedly reaching 115 Fahrenheit and nighttime lows staying above 93 F. Banda has repeatedly ranked among India’s hottest cities, with temperatures peaking at 118 F. Climatologist and weather historian Maximiliano Herrera also said Banda was the […] | |
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Meat giant JBS silently ditches bolder environmental targets in latest review (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/meat-giant-jbs-silently-ditches-bolder-environmental-targets-in-latest-review/ The world’s largest meatpacking company, JBS, has scrapped two of its key environmental goals in its latest annual sustainability report. JBS’s “Net Zero by 2040,” which aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout its supply chain, and zero deforestation targets were substantially rolled back compared to previous years, according to its 2025 Sustainability report, published July […] | |
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European Commission excludes leather from landmark deforestation law (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/european-commission-excludes-leather-from-landmark-deforestation-law/ The European Union has dropped leather from its final list of products targeted under the bloc’s landmark antideforestation law. Experts say the July 13 decision is the result of industry lobbying rather than a true reflection of leather’s deforestation footprint. The EU deforestation regulation, or EUDR, mandates that companies selling commodities such as cattle, soy, […] | |
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War heightens isolation of Iran’s scientists (July 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/war-heightens-isolation-of-irans-scientists/ The ongoing war in Iran, which began following a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Feb. 28, has intensified the long-standing isolation of the country’s wildlife conservation community, Mongabay’s John Cannon reports. While the current war has directly hindered research and damaged educational facilities, conservationists and researchers said that decades of international sanctions and political disconnect had […] | |
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Like ‘climbing Kilimanjaro’ without help: Interview with a Limpopo conservationist (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/like-climbing-kilimanjaro-without-help-interview-with-a-limpopo-conservationist/ - In South Africa’s Limpopo province, one man, Tshilidzi Mulugana, spearheaded a community project to educate youth about conservation and replant indigenous trees. - The project received some initial funding, which lasted a few months; despite current financial constraints, Mulugana and his wife continue the push to change the way local residents view trees. - He says some community members make a living from cutting and selling firewood, and many people are not interested in conservation without compensation; meanwhile, repeated floods have washed away trees and vegetation. - Mulugana spoke with Mongabay about the challenges he and his wife face in running a community conservation effort on their own. | |
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New colobus monkey, ‘Likweli’, confirmed in DRC (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/new-colobus-monkey-likweli-confirmed-in-drc/ In 2008, wildlife researchers surveying a massive, underexplored forested region in the Democratic Republic of Congo photographed a black monkey. That region eventually became Lomami National Park. And now, nearly 20 years later, the team has confirmed in a study that the black primate is a new-to-science species of colobus monkey. The monkey isn’t well […] | |
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No corporation can buy the ‘right to destroy’: Interview with activist Raja Waseem Ahmed (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/no-corporation-can-buy-the-right-to-destroy-interview-with-activist-raja-waseem-ahmed/ - Raja Waseem Ahmed, a dedicated activist in Pakistan’s Chakwal district, is well-known for his decades-long fight to conserve the natural resources and heritage of the Kahoon Valley. - Through the Kahoon Protection Committee, he led a legal battle against mega cement factories, ultimately prompting the Supreme Court of Pakistan to issue a historic ruling that banned the corporations from extracting local groundwater. - His persistent advocacy against unchecked industrial expansion recently earned him the WWF-Pakistan Al-Mizan Award for Environmental Justice. - Raja Waseem Ahmed spoke to Mongabay about his work and steps needed for using the judicial system to safeguard the region’s environment. | |
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Community conservation under fire: Interview with Myanmar’s Clean Mountains founder (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/community-conservation-under-fire-interview-with-myanmars-clean-mountains-founder/ - Since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, environmental degradation has worsened, but one small women-led team works on grassroots conservation in conflict areas. - Clean Mountains helps local communities in Karenni and Karen states with waste management, water conservation, sustainable agriculture and forest conservation. - Founder Ou Ou discusses how the ongoing conflict has fueled natural resource destruction and also silenced the voices of conservationists. - She also speaks about the role of gender in conservation work, why women participate more often in waste management efforts and how long-standing traditional beliefs continue to leave women out of decision-making roles. | |
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Brazil lists the Amazon river turtle as endangered for the first time (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/brazil-lists-the-amazon-river-turtle-as-endangered-for-the-first-time/ - The cágado-iaçá, or six-tubercled Amazon River turtle, had its risk elevated from near threatened to endangered, entering Brazil’s official list of fauna species threatened with extinction for the first time. - Despite protection and conservation efforts, cágado-iaçá’s populations over the past 36 years declined by more than 50% in Amazonas and western Pará states, according to official data. - The species is widely consumed in the northern region, alongside the yellow-spotted river turtle and the Amazon turtle, which remain in a less concerning category, according to ICMBio. - The hyacinth macaw, the black howler monkey and the red silky anteater were reclassified as vulnerable, adding to the list of 790 species recently published. | |
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Sitesh Ranjan Deb turned a hunter’s knowledge to saving wildlife (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/sitesh-ranjan-deb-turned-a-hunters-knowledge-to-saving-wildlife/ - Sitesh Ranjan Deb gave up hunting after a bear attack left him badly injured and cost him an eye. - He turned the grounds of his home in Sreemangal into a wildlife treatment center that cared for injured, confiscated, and displaced animals. - His knowledge of animal behavior, learned during years in the forest, helped him capture, treat, and release wildlife ranging from slow lorises and pythons to bears and monkeys. - He also campaigned against wildlife killing and trafficking and warned that shrinking forests were driving more animals into conflict with people. | |
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South Africa’s free-roaming cheetahs in steep decline, first national census finds (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/south-africas-free-roaming-cheetahs-in-steep-decline-first-national-census-finds/ - The first thorough census of free-roaming cheetahs in South Africa finds less than 100 mature adult individuals, much less than previous estimates. - The researchers confirmed cheetahs in less than half of what is currently defined as suitable habitat by the IUCN and called for the adjustment of habitat maps based on current field data. - The biggest threats are habitat fragmentation due to development and infrastructure, and persecution by landowners who perceive cheetahs as threats to their livestock. | |
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In India’s Western Ghats, sacred groves are better at growing future forests (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/in-indias-western-ghats-sacred-groves-are-better-at-growing-future-forests/ - A study of “giant” trees in India’s Western Ghats finds that sacred groves, forest patches that communities protect, because they believe the trees belong to their gods, hold nearly twice the giant-tree species of nearby villages. - The groves also grow far more young trees from large, bird-spread seeds, making them nurseries for the next forest. - Researchers call giant trees “ecological catcher’s mitts” and say conservation should protect whole forests and the cultures around them, not just single animals. - The groves are under pressure as simple forest shrines are replaced with concrete temples and young people leave villages, taking their knowledge with them. | |
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Deep sea mining identified as biggest threat to known and unknown deep-sea creatures (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/deep-sea-mining-identified-as-biggest-threat-to-known-and-unknown-deep-sea-creatures/ In its most recent update to the Red List of threatened species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) identified deep-sea mining as the biggest threat to a critically endangered deep-sea snail. Discovered in 2021, scientists named the mollusk Lirapex felix — the lucky lirapex — because of the luck it took to find […] | |
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Warming world could push Southeast Asia forests toward thermal limits, new study (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/warming-world-could-push-southeast-asia-forests-toward-thermal-limits-new-study/ - Countless forest-dwelling species depend on the cooler, moister and more stable conditions found in the understory, beneath leafy tree canopies. - A new study from Southeast Asia finds the combined pressures of global warming and habitat degradation could send forest understory heat levels soaring within the next three decades, potentially exposing species to unprecedented levels of thermal stress. - The findings can help prioritize conservation action on vulnerable landscapes, intact forests and heat-resilient areas that could become important refuges for forest species, the research team says. - Experts say gaining a fuller picture of how forest-dwelling species will be affected by climate change will ultimately require further studies that consider additional factors, such as humidity, wind and ecosystem feedbacks. | |
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Mongabay, Scientific American, and Project Multatuli release a documentary on Indonesia’s new capital (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/07/mongabay-scientific-american-and-project-multatuli-release-a-documentary-on-indonesias-new-capital/ PEMALUAN, East Kalimantan — Indonesia’s plan to build a new capital in the province of East Kalimantan has captured global attention. Called Nusantara, the project is intended to ease pressure on Jakarta, a sinking and overcrowded megacity, by shifting the country’s administrative centre to the island of Borneo. But the new city is also reshaping […] | |
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How Brazil’s federal fiscal policy hinders Amazon Rainforest conservation (commentary) (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-brazils-federal-fiscal-policy-hinders-amazon-rainforest-conservation-commentary/ - The three Brazilian states whose territory is mostly Amazon Rainforest — and carry the heaviest share of its conservation burden — are among the poorest and most fiscally dependent in the country. - Amapá, Acre, and Amazonas operate on budgets so dependent on federal funding that they have almost no ability to act on their own, yet they are also precluded from developing their economies within their vast and federally protected swaths of forest. - “It is a design flaw in Brazil’s fiscal constitution, and it is getting worse,” a new op-ed argues. “Brazil cannot credibly lead global climate diplomacy while its Amazonian states remain fiscally trapped.” - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Wildfires expose millions in the Midwest and Northeast US to dangerous smoke (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/wildfires-expose-millions-in-the-midwest-and-northeast-us-to-dangerous-smoke/ Heavy smoke from several large wildfires blazing in Canada and Minnesota is expected to engulf large swaths of the Midwest and Northeast U.S. this week, exposing millions of people to dangerous air pollution. Minnesota officials issued an air quality alert from Tuesday through Friday for areas including the Twin Cities metro area, Alexandria and Two Harbors, with very […] | |
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‘Bear-dar’ aims to give Arctic communities a heads-up on nearby polar bears (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/bear-dar-aims-to-give-arctic-communities-a-heads-up-on-nearby-polar-bears/ - An early-warning system, aided by radar and AI, aims to help mitigate human-polar bear encounters in the Arctic. - Bear-dar scans the landscape for polar bears and alerts people if a bear is spotted approaching human settlements. - In May, the system detected a polar bear family and helped people at a weather station guide them back onto sea ice. - As sea ice rapidly melts due to global warming, polar bears are losing their habitats; as a result, they’re increasingly foraging for food on land, putting them in growing contact with humans. | |
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How a spiritual practice is preserving Benin’s mangroves (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/how-a-spiritual-practice-is-preserving-benins-mangroves/ In the West African nation of Benin, Vodun, an ancient spiritual religion rooted in a deep connection between humans and nature, has become a primary tool for protecting the country’s disappearing mangroves. By invoking the authority of the Zangbéto deity, local communities and conservationists create spiritual sanctuaries that forbid the destruction of mangroves under threat […] | |
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Bill Montevecchi showed what seabirds could tell us about the sea (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/bill-montevecchi-showed-what-seabirds-could-tell-us-about-the-sea/ - Bill Montevecchi spent more than five decades showing how seabirds could reveal changes in the North Atlantic, helping establish them as indicators of ocean health, fisheries, pollution, and climate change. - Based at Memorial University in Newfoundland, he combined field research with public communication, believing scientists had a responsibility to explain their work beyond academic journals. - His research informed marine conservation, fisheries management, and environmental policy, while his mentorship and interdisciplinary collaborations influenced generations of seabird scientists. - Montevecchi approached birds as sources of evidence rather than symbols, arguing that careful observation and rigorous science offered one of the clearest ways to understand a rapidly changing ocean. | |
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Laos’s illegal wildlife shops keep growing despite enforcement, investigators find (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/laoss-illegal-wildlife-shops-keep-growing-despite-enforcement-investigators-find/ - Illegal wildlife shopping sites targeting Chinese tour groups in Laos appear to have expanded despite recent law raids, with investigators identifying up to 35 suspected locations, nearly double the number Mongabay documented in 2025. - Investigators say the shops, embedded in low-cost package tours, continue to pressure tourists into buying illegal wildlife products, while some restaurants are reportedly serving highly threatened pangolins to tour groups. - Laotian authorities say they’ve seized illegal wildlife products and launched investigations, but conservation groups argue enforcement remains too limited to disrupt the broader network. - Experts warn the trade could undermine Laos’s efforts to improve its standing under the global wildlife trade convention, and say a coordinated regional response is needed to prevent the business model from spreading elsewhere in Southeast Asia. | |
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The unsung biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea needs urgent protection (July 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/07/the-unsung-biodiversity-of-the-mediterranean-sea-needs-urgent-protection/ The Mediterranean Sea accounts for less than 1% of the world’s ocean surface water, but it contains roughly 18% of global marine biodiversity. It is home to 150 million people along its coastline (roughly equivalent to Russia’s population). And it sequesters 17.2 million metric tons of CO2 each year. Joining the Newscast this week to […] | |
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Rising seas, garbage and heat threaten Brazil’s migratory shorebirds (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/rising-seas-garbage-and-heat-threaten-brazils-migratory-shorebirds/ - Among the many effects linked to climate change and damages to estuarine ecosystems, research indicates that migratory birds that depend on coastal wetlands could lose half of their habitats by 2050 - The impact is significant for Brazilian shorebirds: besides depending on a continuous chain of healthy wetlands to complete their long journeys between hemispheres, they suffer from the degradation of feeding areas such as mangroves. - One the most threatened species is the red knot (Calidris canutus): low food availability could impair the bird’s preparation for the 8,000-kilometer (5,000-mile) journey it makes from Brazil’s northeast coast to the U.S. coast. - Researchers are conducting censuses and conservation projects in areas of high shorebird biodiversity, including the Potiguar Basin in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Norte state, considered a “regionally important site” for these migratory birds. | |
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The US government says habitat destruction no longer counts as ‘harm’ to endangered species (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/the-u-s-government-says-habitat-destruction-no-longer-counts-as-harm-to-endangered-species/ The U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration recently finalized a rule that narrows what qualifies as “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. Under the new definition of harm, only actions that directly harm or kill endangered species will be prohibited. Until recently, the definition of harm also included damaging the habitat endangered wildlife depend on for […] | |
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Waste, women & environmental justice: Interview with Nubian activist Malasen Hamida (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/waste-women-environmental-justice-interview-with-nubian-activist-malasen-hamida/ - Malasen Hamida, a Nubian Muslim woman from Nairobi’s Kibera, hopes to gain a seat in the Kenyan Parliament as she continues her work in environmental activism. - Hamida founded the Mazingira Women Initiative, focusing on waste management, smart farming, land rights and women’s leadership. - She spoke with Mongabay about the history of her people, who were brought to East Africa as soldiers in the King’s African Rifles and given 1,698 hectares, an area that has since diminished to 116 hectares. - She says the fact that Mazingira is women-led is strategic: “If an environmental issue becomes a priority for a woman, she will ensure it works because she knows it is not for her alone. It is for the long-term well-being of the whole family.” | |
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Trump reduces size of 2 national monuments in Utah as Republicans reshape land management (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/trump-reduces-size-of-2-national-monuments-in-utah-as-republicans-reshape-land-management/ President Donald Trump is sharply reducing the size of two national monuments in Utah. The move to shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by about 90% unravels protections established by former presidents for areas with unique archaeological and historical features. It comes as Republicans under Trump have sought to drastically reshape the management […] | |
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Gus Mills, hyena expert and ‘the cheerful pessimist of the Kalahari’, has died (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/gus-mills-spent-a-lifetime-studying-africas-carnivores/ - Gus Mills spent more than four decades studying hyenas, wild dogs, cheetahs, and other African carnivores. - After struggling in school, he found his vocation in field biology and began long-term research in the Kalahari in 1972. - His work challenged common misconceptions about hyenas and showed the value of patient observation, public participation, and ecosystem-based management. - Even after retiring from SANParks, he returned to the Kalahari for a six-year cheetah study that involved 7,000 hours of observation. | |
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Celebrating World Chimpanzee Day (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/celebrating-world-chimpanzee-day/ Happy World Chimpanzee Day. On July 14, as the world celebrates one of humans’ closest living relatives, here’s a roundup of recent Mongabay stories about chimpanzees and their world: Chimps at war in Kibale National Park Chimpanzees, like humans, sometimes fight wars with each other. Mongabay contributor Keith Anthony Fabro reported on a chimpanzee (Pan […] | |
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Research offers nature-positive path to end and reverse biodiversity loss (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/research-offers-nature-positive-path-to-end-and-reverse-biodiversity-loss/ - A recent paper in Frontiers in Science argues that tracking ecosystem health and natural processes — not just counting species numbers — is essential to stop and reverse biodiversity loss. - The paper promotes the “Three Global Conditions Framework” (3Cs), which categorizes regions by human-impact level to guide targeted conservation efforts ahead of the 2030 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework deadline ending the loss of biodiversity. - Experts say implementation is a lingering challenge, in part because the Global Biodiversity Framework isn’t legally binding. - They say real progress depends on the actions of individual countries and addressing who bears the social and economic costs of these solutions. | |
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Why Africa should link nutritional data with fisheries management (commentary) (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/why-africa-should-link-nutritional-data-with-fisheries-management-commentary/ - The Our Ocean Conference in Kenya last month put Africa’s ocean future in the global spotlight, but the real test now is whether new commitments help countries build the systems needed to manage aquatic foods for people and not just for production, trade and conservation, a new op-ed argues. - Fisheries ministries count landings, and health ministries count nutritional deficiencies, but rarely do the two talk to each other — a problem which can be addressed when the right data is gathered and communicated. - “If Africa can pivot to managing fisheries not only for how much is produced, but for what the catch means for its people’s nutrition, the next generation of fisheries management will be able to harness its oceans for greater social impact and inclusive development,” writes Essam Yassin, director general of research organization WorldFish. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Kent Carpenter spent half a century counting the life of Philippine reefs (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/kent-carpenter-spent-half-a-century-counting-the-life-of-philippine-reefs/ - Kent E. Carpenter spent more than 50 years studying the fish, reefs, and marine biodiversity of the Philippines. - His mapping of 2,983 species helped identify the central Philippines as the “Center of the Center” of marine shore-fish biodiversity. He combined taxonomy, genetics, conservation, teaching, and policy work to document both the richness of marine life and the pressures reducing it. - At 73, he was still conducting field research and contributing to new surveys of Philippine reefs. - Carpenter was shot dead at his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on July 12th. An investigation is under way, according to authorities. | |
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How birders in Chad ‘found’ the rusty lark, a bird lost to science for nearly a century (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-birders-in-chad-found-the-rusty-lark-a-bird-lost-to-science-for-nearly-a-century/ - In February, French ornithologists and their Chadian colleagues spotted a bird not seen, heard or recorded by scientists in nearly a century while surveying water birds in Chad’s wetlands. - The team, which included birders Pierre Defos du Rau and Julien Birard, photographed the rusty lark, a wetland species native to the Sahel, producing the first images of this mysterious bird. - Though known to science for more than a century, the bird has remained an enigma, with little known about its life cycle, habitat or the threats it faces. - Bird enthusiasts say they hope this accidental rediscovery could help Chad secure the money it needs for conservation in a game reserve devoid of the charismatic megafauna associated with Africa. | |
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Ecuador’s Amazon coffee farmers get ahead of Europe’s deforestation rules (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/ecuadors-amazon-coffee-farmers-get-ahead-of-europes-deforestation-rules/ - Since 2019, nearly 400 coffee producers in the Ecuadorian Amazon have adopted a deforestation-free production model that combines traceability, geospatial monitoring, and certification. - In 2025 alone, the initiative exported as much deforestation-free coffee as it had during the previous three years combined, totaling 172.5 metric tons of coffee between 2022 and 2025. - The project currently involves 373 producers across nearly 5,000 hectares (12,300 acres), of which more than 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of natural forest remain conserved. - The model is designed to anticipate the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will require geographic proof that commodities such as coffee aren’t linked to deforestation after 2020. | |
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Small-scale farming, logging eclipse megaprojects as top threats to Tapanuli orangutan habitat (July 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/small-scale-farming-logging-eclipse-megaprojects-as-top-threats-to-tapanuli-orangutan-habitat/ - A new study finds that while large-scale development projects have accelerated forest loss in a key orangutan habitat in Indonesia, small-scale agriculture and logging now account for roughly 70% of direct habitat loss. - Researchers link the increase in clearing of the Batang Toru ecosystem to changing rural livelihoods, commercial banana farming, and widespread abuse of a legal community logging mechanism. - The findings raise particular concern for Batang Toru’s eastern forest block, where continued habitat loss threatens one of the smallest and most vulnerable subpopulations of the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan. - The authors say protecting the species will require tackling both large development projects and the cumulative pressures from small-scale forest clearing, while expanding conservation beyond Indonesia’s formal protected areas. | |
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Humans’ relationship with nature: Interview with ethnobotanist Pavel Partha (July 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/humans-relationship-with-nature-interview-with-ethnobotanist-pavel-partha/ - Ethnobotanist and activist Pavel Partha says Bangladesh’s environmental policies overlook the critical relationship between plants and humans; despite an emphasis on conservation, there is no ecological justice. - Partha says development decisions should account for both ecological and social impacts, arguing that the two are inseparable. - He also warns that ongoing environmental destruction erases languages, cultural practices and traditional ecological knowledge alongside ecosystems. - Partha spoke with Mongabay about his activism and how scientific research can support Indigenous communities facing environmental destruction. | |
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Women Defenders of the Colombian Amazon (July 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/07/women-defenders-of-the-colombian-amazon/ Colombia is among the most dangerous countries for environmental defenders. Yet here, women stand as frontline defenders of both nature and culture. Mongabay is documenting the women protecting forests, rivers and ancestral territories by strengthening traditional governance and reviving ancestral stewardship while confronting coca traffickers and illegal miners. In this Special Issue, meet the women […] | |
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Cutting back vines lets recovering forests grow faster, Borneo study shows (July 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/cutting-back-vines-lets-recovering-forests-grow-faster-borneo-study-shows/ - A new study in Borneo finds that cutting lianas increases canopy height in regenerating logged forests three times faster than tree planting alone. - Lianas are fast growing woody vines that are a key part of tropical forests, but can proliferate in logged or disturbed forest. - Researchers around the world are exploring how removing or thinning lianas by cutting their stems influences forest regeneration. - Using Light Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, the new study found that accelerated tree growth and lower tree mortality contributed to increased canopy height following liana cutting. | |
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