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After years of progress, Indonesia risks ‘tragedy’ of a deforestation spike (January 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/after-years-of-progress-indonesia-risks-tragedy-of-a-deforestation-spike/ - Deforestation is accelerating, underscoring Indonesia’s reputation as a big greenhouse gas emitter and potentially inviting more scrutiny of its commodity exports. - Gross deforestation in Indonesia in 2025 was on track to at least match 2024’s tally, which reflected the most extensive losses since 2019, Indonesia’s forestry minister, Raja Juli Antoni, told a parliamentary committee in December. - Indonesia’s Merauke Food Estate project involves clearing at least 2 million hectares of forest, and worries are mounting that commodity exports may suffer if big markets like the EU force importers to prove they are not buying palm oil and other products that have resulted from clearing rainforest. - A reacceleration in the rate of Indonesia’s deforestation risks is also drawing attention to the country’s spotty climate record: At No. 6, Indonesia ranks among the top greenhouse gas emitters after China, the U.S., India, the EU and Russia. | |
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Three Andean condor chicks hatch in Colombia as species nears local extinction (January 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/three-andean-condor-chicks-hatch-in-colombia-as-species-nears-local-extinction/ Since July 2024, three Andean condor chicks have hatched at an artificial incubation program located near Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city, contributor Christina Noriega reported for Mongabay. The artificial incubation program is run by the Jaime Duque Park Foundation, a Colombian conservation nonprofit that has worked since 2015 to counter the birds’ population decline. Globally, the […] | |
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Ants need urgent protections from global trade, conservationists say (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/ants-need-urgent-protections-from-global-trade-conservationists-say/ As the recent seizure of more than 5,000 endemic ants in Kenya reveals, ants have become part of a thriving global wildlife trade. Transnational traffickers are mopping up ants from the wild to sell them to hobbyists and collectors worldwide. In a recently published letter, conservationists are now calling for greater trade protections for all […] | |
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Study tracks fishing boats to see how heat waves affect fish distribution (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/study-tracks-fishing-boats-to-see-how-heat-waves-affect-fish-distribution/ - A new study suggests an early way to detect ecological shifts during marine heat waves: Use fishing vessel tracking data. - The study found that tracking data could provide early detection of extreme northward and inshore shifts in albacore tuna and Pacific bluefin tuna distribution in response to heat waves and showed when such shifts weren’t happening despite high sea surface temperatures. - The authors position fishers as “apex predators” and build on research that finds that predators are good ecosystem sentinels. | |
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South Africa’s great white shark population worries researchers (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/south-africas-great-white-shark-population-worries-researchers/ Great white shark populations in South Africa are disappearing, driven largely by human activities that are likely responsible for the collapse of a locally critical apex predator. That’s the conclusion of a review paper published by a group of scientists and conservationists who analyzed data on the abundance of great whites in South African waters. […] | |
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Formalizing Amazon gold mining can transform a toxic liability into an economic opportunity (analysis) (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/formalizing-amazon-gold-mining-can-transform-a-toxic-liability-into-an-economic-opportunity-analysis/ - The toxic legacy of gold mining in the Amazon Rainforest could finance its own remediation while creating more than 200,000 jobs that transform illegal extraction into a regulated industry, a new analysis explains. - Across the Amazon Basin, informal and illegal gold mines degrade forests and rivers while using mercury to extract the ore in an outdated, toxic and inefficient process. - If the leftover “tailings” of these outdated operations were treated with modern methods via formalized processing facilities, thousands of jobs could be created and watersheds could be saved from ongoing destruction. - This post is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Canceled tourism project still threatens local communities in Tanzania (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/canceled-tourism-project-still-threatens-local-communities-in-tanzania/ Roughly one year ago, the Tanzanian government canceled a multimillion-dollar tourism project funded by the World Bank, citing concerns over human rights violations. However, community members near the project in Ruaha National Park report that they continue to face violence by park guards. Civil society groups say the government threatens people with eviction. Local residents […] | |
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North Atlantic right whale births increase (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/north-atlantic-right-whale-births-increase/ Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Scientists monitoring North Atlantic right whales have recorded an increase in births this winter. Fifteen calves have been identified so far, an encouraging figure for a population that has struggled to sustain itself. There were an estimated 384 […] | |
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Myanmar’s botanical data gaps risk its unique flora, collaborations could help, study says (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/myanmars-botanical-data-gaps-risk-its-unique-flora-collaborations-could-help-study-says/ - Home to snowcapped mountains, drought-prone savannas and tropical rainforests, Myanmar hosts tremendous botanical diversity among its richly varied habitats. - There are 864 known plant species that are found only in the conflict-torn country, yet critical knowledge gaps remain. - Researchers recently compiled what is known about Myanmar’s flora, identifying key research gaps and priority areas where conservation efforts for plants are most urgently needed. - They urge collaborative and systematic action to fill in data gaps and protect floristically diverse areas and avoid irreversible species losses. | |
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Mauritania’s fishmeal fever ends as government tightens regulation (January 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/mauritanias-fishmeal-fever-ends-as-government-tightens-regulation/ - Until recently, Mauritania was a major fishmeal producer, home to the world’s second-highest number of processing plants, with the boom driven largely by lax regulations and the rapid issuance of permits between 2007 and 2021. - By 2021, more than half of Mauritania’s total pelagic fish catches were being used for fishmeal. - That same year, however, the government began introducing stricter regulations and strengthening enforcement of rules governing the sector. - Only eight fishmeal plants in Mauritania remain active as of September 2025, according to Mongabay’s estimates, and fishmeal production has fallen by more than half since its peak in 2020. | |
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Photos: Kew Gardens’ top 10 newly named plants and fungi for 2025 (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/photos-kew-gardens-top-10-newly-named-plants-and-fungi-for-2025/ - Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, formally named 125 plants and 65 fungi in 2025, including a zombie fungus that parasitizes Brazilian spiders, a bloodstained orchid from Ecuador, and a fire-colored shrub named after a Studio Ghibli character. - Up to three out of four undescribed plant species are already threatened with extinction, with at least one species described this year possibly already extinct in its native Cameroon habitat. - An estimated 100,000 plant species and between 2 million and 3 million fungal species remain to be described and formally named by science. - Many newly described species face immediate threats from habitat loss, illegal collection and climate change, highlighting the urgent need to protect areas before species disappear. | |
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Cowboy boots made from pirarucu leather fund Amazon’s sustainable fishery (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/cowboy-boots-made-from-pirarucu-leather-fund-amazons-sustainable-fishery/ - Sustainable pirarucu fisheries in Brazil’s Amazonas are restoring once-depleted populations of this freshwater giant, thanks to community-led management systems and sales to brands overseas. - Selling pirarucu skin to the fashion industry, especially for Texas-bound cowboy boots, is key to financing the fishery, helping maintain fair prices for fishers and cover part of the high costs of transport, storage and community monitoring. - The system depends on heavy collective labor and constant protection against illegal fishing, with communities traveling long distances, patrolling lakes and facing armed threats — all while receiving limited recognition or policy support from authorities. | |
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One year on, TGBS benchmark shows how to restore forests for biodiversity (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/one-year-on-tgbs-benchmark-shows-how-to-restore-forests-for-biodiversity/ - The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) is a certification scheme for forest restoration projects that show positive outcomes for biodiversity. - Each assessment includes a field visit by experts from regional hubs, who have been trained in TGBS methodology. - The regional hubs also offer ongoing mentoring to projects, to promote internationally recognized best practices in restoration. - One year on, TGBS has certified six sites, and 15 regional hubs offer mentoring. | |
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Silvopasture gains momentum in the Amazon, but can it shrink beef’s footprint? (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/silvopasture-gains-momentum-in-the-amazon-but-can-it-shrink-beefs-footprint/ - Silvopastoral systems, which combine trees and pasture, are still not widely used across Latin America, mainly because of prohibitive costs and lack of technical knowledge, experts say. - In the Peruvian Amazon, ranchers are being trained to practice rotational grazing, setting up silvopasture pilots, in particular over degraded areas. Research has shown that when done correctly, silvopasture can provide extensive carbon sequestration and forage for cattle; however, the system is not fit for all ecosystems. - Ranchers need extensive financial support with silvopasture; experts say that payments for ecosystem services or tax breaks could prevent people from switching back to more lucrative monocultures that harm the environment. - Some experts are worried that promoting more efficient animal husbandry could further promote carbon-intensive meat consumption and overshadow efforts to promote plant-based diets. | |
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When Indigenous knowledge enters the scientific record (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/when-indigenous-knowledge-enters-the-scientific-record/ Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. For most of Peru’s scientific history, Indigenous knowledge has existed outside the formal record. It shaped how forests were used, how species were managed, and how risk was understood, but rarely appeared in journals or policy. The boundary […] | |
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New species of burrowing snake described from coffee farm in India (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/new-species-of-burrowing-snake-described-from-coffee-farm-in-india/ A decade after tour guide Basil P. Das stumbled upon a small black-and-beige snake while working on his coffee farm in southern India, researchers have described it as a new-to-science species. They’ve named it Rhinophis siruvaniensis, the species name referring to the Siruvani Hills, the only place the snake is currently known from, according to […] | |
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Conservation’s unfinished business (January 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/conservations-unfinished-business/ - A recent Nature paper argues that many persistent failures in conservation cannot be understood without examining how race, power, and historical exclusion continue to shape the field’s institutions and practices. - The authors contend that conservation’s colonial origins still influence who holds decision-making authority, whose knowledge is valued, and who bears the social costs of environmental protection today. - As governments pursue ambitious global targets to expand protected areas, the paper warns that conservation efforts risk repeating past injustices if Indigenous and local land rights are not recognized and upheld. - To address these challenges, the authors propose a framework centered on rights, agency, accountability, and education, emphasizing that more equitable conservation is also more durable. | |
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A catastrophe that might offer a glimpse of hope for Indonesia (commentary) (January 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-catastrophe-that-might-offer-a-glimpse-of-hope-for-indonesia/ - A sequence of disasters in late 2025, including floods, landslides, and a rare cyclone in Sumatra, killed more than 1,100 people and devastated communities and wildlife in landscapes already weakened by forest loss. - Public anger and political attention have converged, with deforestation emerging as a central topic of national debate and senior Indonesian leaders acknowledging failures in forest protection and governance. - Amid tragedy, there are signs of possibility, as investigations, policy commitments, and evidence of resilient wildlife suggest Indonesia still has a narrow window to change course and protect its remaining forests, argues Aida Greenbury, a sustainability leader and forestry expert with decades of experience in Indonesia’s forest sector. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Bob Weir, a musician who took the environment seriously (January 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/bob-weir-a-musician-who-took-the-environment-seriously/ Bob Weir, who died on January 10th, was best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. For decades he was also an unusually persistent environmental advocate, one who treated land, forests, and climate not as metaphors but as material systems under pressure. His activism ran alongside his music for most of his adult […] | |
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Twin infant mountain gorillas born in DRC (January 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/twin-infant-mountain-gorillas-born-in-drc/ The birth of twin mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is raising hopes for the survival of one of the world’s most threatened great apes. “For me, it is a huge sign of hope and a great way to start the new year,” Katie Fawcett, science director with the DRC-based Gorilla Rehabilitation […] | |
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Minerals treaty proposed by Colombia & Oman gets pushback at UN meeting (January 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/minerals-treaty-proposed-by-colombia-oman-gets-pushback-at-un-meeting/ An international minerals treaty proposed by Colombia and Oman at the seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) encountered resistance from several member states, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, Chile and Uganda. The initiative ultimately emerged as a nonbinding resolution after days of negotiations. The proposal was debated at UNEA-7 in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 8-12. Colombia […] | |
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AI-centered conservation efforts can only be ethical if Indigenous people help lead them (commentary) (January 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/ai-centered-conservation-efforts-can-only-be-ethical-if-indigenous-people-help-lead-them-commentary/ - How can the world ensure that emerging technologies, including AI, will truly benefit the planet and the people who protect it, a new op-ed asks. - At COP30, attendees claimed that AI has enormous potential to effectively advance environmental data science to address some of our biggest challenges, but experts urge caution and inclusion. - “Western science should look to Indigenous experts to guide the development of ethical AI tools for conservation in ways that assert their own goals, priorities and cautions,” the authors argue. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Soy giants drop Amazon no-deforestation pledge as subsidies come under threat (January 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/soy-giants-drop-amazon-no-deforestation-pledge-as-subsidies-come-under-threat/ The world’s largest buyers of Brazilian soy have announced a plan to exit from a landmark antideforestation agreement, the Amazon Soy Moratorium. The voluntary agreement between soy agribusinesses and industry associations prevented most soy linked to deforestation from entering global supply chains for nearly two decades. The decision was communicated on Dec. 25, just before […] | |
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From sea slugs to sunflowers, California Academy of Sciences described 72 new species in 2025 (January 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/from-sea-slugs-to-sunflowers-california-academy-of-sciences-described-72-new-species-in-2025/ - California Academy of Sciences researchers and collaborators described 72 new-to-science species in 2025, including a bird, fish, plants, sea slugs, and insects found across six continents, from ocean depths to national parks. - The discoveries include the first new plant genus found in a U.S. national park in nearly 50 years — a fuzzy wildflower called the woolly devil spotted by a volunteer in Texas — and the Galápagos lava heron, a commonly seen bird that DNA analysis revealed is actually a distinct species. - Marine expeditions uncovered colorful new species like a shy perchlet with red spots in the Maldives and 11 new sea slugs, while also revealing significant plastic pollution threatening these poorly understood twilight zone ecosystems. - One newly described cardinalfish came from a 1997 Cuban expedition that Fidel Castro joined, with the specimen sitting in the academy’s collection for 30 years before being formally studied — demonstrating how preserved specimens can lead to new discoveries as technology advances. | |
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Helping Cape Town’s toads cross the road: Interview with Andrew Turner (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/helping-cape-towns-toads-cross-the-road-interview-with-andrew-turner/ - Endangered western leopard toads have lost habitat to urban development in Cape Town, and crossing roads during breeding season adds another danger: getting “squished.” - Mongabay interviewed Andrew Turner, scientific manager for CapeNature, who discussed underpasses to help the toads safely reach their destinations: ponds for mating and laying eggs. - Citizen science offers a useful data source, as volunteers record and photograph the toads they help cross the road; “It’s hard for scientists and researchers to be everywhere, but citizenry is everywhere,” Turner says. | |
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Madhav Gadgil, advocate of democratic conservation, has died at 83 (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/madhav-gadgil-advocate-of-democratic-conservation-has-died-at-83/ - Madhav Gadgil argued that conservation was not a technical problem but a political one, centered on who decides how land and resources are used, and on what evidence. - Trained as a scientist but shaped by fieldwork, he rejected elite, top-down conservation models in favor of approaches that treated local communities as part of ecosystems rather than obstacles to be managed. - He became nationally prominent after chairing the 2011 Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, which proposed strict safeguards and a democratic, bottom-up decision-making process that governments largely resisted. - Until the end of his life, he remained a sharp critic of development that ignored law, ecology, and consent, insisting that democracy, not convenience, should guide environmental decisions. | |
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Environmental crime prevention is moving into the diplomatic mainstream (commentary) (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/environmental-crime-prevention-is-moving-into-the-diplomatic-mainstream-commentary/ - Environmental crime used to be treated as a niche concern for park rangers, customs officers and a handful of conservation lawyers to tackle, but not anymore if recent intergovernmental initiatives are any indication. - From the UNFCCC to UNTOC and governments like Brazil and Norway, to agencies like Interpol, a new international consensus on tackling environmental crime like illegal deforestation, mining and wildlife trafficking is forming. - “Governments can allow environmental crime to remain a para-diplomatic side issue, or they can lock it into the core of crime, climate and biodiversity agreements, with concrete timelines, enforcement tools and financing. If they choose the latter, the emerging coalitions around UNTOC and COP30 could become the backbone of a global effort to dismantle nature-crime economies,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Beekeepers in Brazil worry lithium mining puts their bees in jeopardy (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/beekeepers-in-brazil-worry-lithium-mining-puts-their-bees-in-jeopardy/ - In Brazil’s Jequitinhonha valley, honey production using both native and nonnative bee species is being impacted by climate change and possibly nearby mining activity. - Residents have reported a decline in bee populations in recent years, coinciding with the start of lithium mining and processing by companies like Sigma Lithium, while eucalyptus plantations have also altered the valley’s landscape. - While bees are impacted by climate change and deforestation, researchers say there’s a gap in studies about how bees are also impacted by mining activities in the lithium belt, which feeds renewable energy technologies meant to mitigate climate change. - Mineral governance and biodiversity safeguards remained sidelined at the latest international climate talks and ministries in Brazil say efforts are underway to strengthen this topic in national frameworks — including the research and protection of bees in mining areas. | |
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Ghana repeals legislation that opened forest reserves to mining (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/ghana-repeals-legislation-that-opened-forest-reserves-to-mining/ - The Ghanaian government repealed Legislative Instrument 2462, which had empowered the president to allow mining in forest reserves previously closed to the extractive activity, including globally significant biodiversity areas. - An act of Parliament enacted in December effected the change, with green groups describing it as a major victory for forest protection and environmental governance. - Some experts cautioned that Ghana’s forests continue to face serious threats, stressing that concrete reforms in forestry governance must accompany the revocation. | |
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Methane chasers: Hunting a climate-changing gas seeping from Earth’s seafloor (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/methane-chasers-hunting-a-climate-changing-gas-seeping-from-earths-seafloor/ - Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that can pack more than 25 times the global warming punch of carbon dioxide, and atmospheric methane emissions have been growing significantly since 2007. So it’s vital that humanity knows how and where methane emissions are coming from, including the world’s oceans. - Scientists first raised the alarm over methane releases from shallow waters in the Arctic Ocean between 2008 and 2010. But recently, they were surprised to discover new releases in shallow waters off Antarctica. Researchers continue spotting additional seafloor seeps there and elsewhere, as methane bubbles escape seafloor sediments. - In shallow waters, methane bubbles that break the ocean’s surface add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, but to learn how much climate risk these bubbles pose, scientists first have to find them. The hunt for methane bubbles requires everything from underwater microphones and sonar maps to scuba divers and submersibles. - Methane seeps are more than a potential climate change threat. They also form the basis of unique chemosynthetic ecosystems that influence the deep sea and may hold clues about the origin of life. Finding and studying those seeps present fascinating challenges, requiring ingenuity and creative thinking by researchers. | |
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Marine protected areas expanded in 2025, but still far from 30% goal (January 8, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/marine-protected-areas-expanded-in-2025-but-still-far-from-30-goal/ In December 2022, nearly 200 nations committed to protecting 30% of Earth’s lands and waters by 2030. As of 2025, about 9.6% of the world’s oceans are now covered by marine protected areas, according to the latest global tracking data by the World Database on Protected Areas. This marks a 1.2% increase in 2025, up […] | |
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Indigenous women lead a firefighting brigade in Brazil’s Cerrado (January 7, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/indigenous-women-lead-a-firefighting-brigade-in-brazils-cerrado/ When a 2018 fire burned across 73,000 hectares (180,000 acres) of the Santana Indigenous Territory, located in Brazil’s Cerrado savanna, the local Bakairi people waited helplessly for authorities who came far too late. That devastating experience was a turning point. The community mobilized to create a volunteer fire brigade, largely composed of Indigenous women, Mariana […] | |
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Chimpanzees and gorillas among most traded African primates, report finds (January 7, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/chimpanzees-and-gorillas-among-most-traded-african-primates-report-finds/ - A new report finds thousands of African primates, including chimpanzees and gorillas, are being traded both legally and illegally. - Most of the legal trade in great apes is for scientific and zoo purposes, but the report raises some concerns on the legality of recent trade instances for zoos. - Chimpanzees topped the list of the most illegally traded African primates, as the exotic pet trade drives the demand for juveniles and infants. | |
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North Atlantic right whale birth rate is up but extinction still looms (January 7, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/north-atlantic-right-whale-birth-rate-is-up-but-extinction-still-looms/ PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — One of the world’s rarest whale species is having more babies this year than in some recent seasons, but experts say many more young are needed to help stave off the possibility of extinction. The North Atlantic right whale’s population numbers an estimated 384 animals and is slowly rising after several years of […] | |
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Indonesia’s illegal gold boom leaves a toxic legacy of mercury pollution (January 7, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/indonesias-illegal-gold-boom-leaves-a-toxic-legacy-of-mercury-pollution/ - A nearly 70% rise in global gold prices has accelerated illegal gold mining across Indonesia, including in Bukit Gajah Berani, a forest buffer next to Kerinci Seblat National Park, threatening critical tiger habitat and protected forests nationwide. - Despite decades of evidence and Indonesia’s commitments under the Minamata Convention, illegal gold mining remains the country’s largest source of mercury emissions, contaminating rivers, fish, crops and communities, with documented health impacts ranging from toxic exposure to malaria spikes. - While Indonesia has strong regulations on paper, including a pledge to eliminate mercury use in illegal mining by 2025, enforcement is weak, agencies operate in silos, illegal cinnabar mining continues, and attempts to formalize “community mining” have largely failed in practice. - Illegal mining has destroyed forests, farmland and waterways, reducing rice production, worsening floods, and eroding traditional forest-based livelihoods, leaving communities with polluted landscapes and long-term ecological and economic costs as criminal networks adapt faster than regulators. | |
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Indonesia launches sweeping environmental audits after Sumatra flood disaster (January 7, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/indonesia-launches-sweeping-environmental-audits-after-sumatra-flood-disaster/ - After Cyclone Senyar killed more than 1,100 people across Sumatra, the Indonesian government has acknowledged that deforestation and land-use changes — not extreme weather alone — amplified the scale of floods and landslides. - In a significant shift, authorities are now explicitly linking disaster impacts to development decisions and corporate activity, signaling that permits will not shield companies from accountability. - The government has launched a three-track response: rapid disaster impact assessments, reviews of provincial zoning plans, and environmental audits of more than 100 companies across extractive and infrastructure sectors. - Civil society groups have cautiously welcomed the move, but note that meaningful reform will depend on whether Jakarta is willing to revise permissive zoning plans that legally enable large-scale forest conversion. | |
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An inventory of life in California (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/an-inventory-of-life-in-california/ - California is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, yet much of its life—especially insects and fungi—remains undocumented, even in a state rich in scientific institutions. - The California All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (CalATBI) is working to build a verifiable, statewide record of life, combining fieldwork, DNA analysis, and museum collections. - By focusing on evidence that can be revisited and tested over time, the effort provides a baseline for understanding ecological change rather than prescribing solutions. - Mongabay’s reporting follows how this foundational work underpins later decisions about protection, restoration, and management—showing why counting still matters. | |
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Plastic pollution requires urgent action, says author Judith Enck (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/01/plastic-pollution-requires-urgent-action-says-author-judith-enck/ Judith Enck is a former regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, appointed by President Barack Obama, and the founder of Beyond Plastics, an organization dedicated to eradicating plastic pollution worldwide. She joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss how governments can implement policies to turn off the tap on plastic pollution, which harms human health […] | |
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An endangered menu (cartoon) (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/01/an-endangered-menu-cartoon/ Amidst the ongoing battle for survival against logging and hunting, Madagascar’s lemurs face a new and unprecedented threat — the demand for lemur meat among the country’s urban elite, falsely believed to have health benefits. | |
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Urban sprawl and illegal mining reshape a fragile Amazon frontier (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/illegal-mining-and-urban-sprawl-reshape-a-fragile-amazon-frontier/ - Ever since Mitú was first established as a settlement in 1935, it has rapidly transformed into an expanding urban town in one of Colombia’s most isolated departments. - The Amazonian forests, rivers and Indigenous communities who surround Mitú are impacted by urbanization, the overexploitation of natural resources, cattle ranching, illegal mining and timber extraction which have caused deforestation, soil degradation and water pollution. - Researchers say the construction of a highway from Mitú to Monfort has attracted settlers who cleared land around the road to expand the urban center and develop agricultural production and cattle ranching. - Mongabay found 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) of tree cover loss in Mitú since 2014. | |
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EUDR antideforestation law officially delayed for second year in a row (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/eudr-antideforestation-law-officially-delayed-for-second-year-in-a-row/ The European Union’s antideforestation law, known as EUDR, has officially been delayed for a second year. The amendment was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Dec. 23, 2025. The EUDR bans the import of commodities, including cocoa, coffee, soy, beef, timber, palm oil and rubber, that come from areas deforested after […] | |
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After Cyclone Senyar, Indonesia probes whether development amplified scale of disaster (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/after-cyclone-senyar-indonesia-probes-whether-development-amplified-scale-of-disaster/ - Cyclone Senyar triggered catastrophic floods and landslides in northern Sumatra in late 2025, but scientists and activists say decades of deforestation and landscape alteration in upland watersheds largely determined the scale of the destruction. - The heavily hit Batang Toru landscape, home to the world’s only Tapanuli orangutan population, has become a national test case after the government ordered eight mining, energy and plantation companies to halt operations pending rare watershed-wide environmental audits. - Investigations have raised concerns that forest clearing by a pulpwood producer, a hydropower project and a gold mine on steep terrain may have destabilized slopes and worsened runoff during extreme rainfall. - Experts warn that once forest cover is lost in fragile tropical watersheds, disaster risks can persist for decades, making effective law enforcement — rather than weather alone — decisive for Batang Toru’s future. | |
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7 hopeful wildlife sightings that researchers celebrated in 2025 (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/7-hopeful-wildlife-sightings-that-researchers-celebrated-in-2025/ Once in a while, an animal shows up where it’s least expected, including places from where it was thought to have gone extinct. These rare sightings bring hope — but also fresh concerns. These are some of the wildlife sightings Mongabay reported on in 2025. Colossal squid recorded for the first time in its deep-sea […] | |
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Amazon entrepreneur spreads seeds of growth with recycled paper (January 6, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/amazon-entrepreneur-spreads-seeds-of-growth-with-recycled-paper/ - In the Brazilian city of Altamira, a small business transforms recycled paper into seed-embedded sheets that grow into flowers, herbs and even local plants, merging creativity and sustainability. - Founder Alessandra Moreira turned personal adversity into purpose, building a backyard business that inspires sustainable entrepreneurship. - Experts say initiatives like Ecoplante embody the future of the Amazon’s bioeconomy, where innovation, inclusion and forest conservation can grow hand in hand. | |
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Cultural changes shift an Indigenous community’s relationship with the Amazon forest (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/cultural-changes-shift-an-indigenous-communitys-relationship-with-the-amazon-forest/ - In the southeastern Colombian department of Vaupés, members of the Indigenous Macaquiño community have maintained a healthy territory through rituals and prayers that govern the use of natural resources and their deep respect for the spirits that guard sacred sites. - A series of cultural transformations that began with the arrival of rubber tappers, missionaries and other non-Indigenous outsiders since the 19th century has led to a decline in many spiritual and cultural traditions, undermining the area’s sacred sites and the communities’ relationship with their territory. - More recent changes, such as government education policies and laws that hand more power to Indigenous peoples to manage their territories, have also impacted the generational transfer of spiritual and cultural knowledge. - Members Mongabay spoke to said they welcome some of the changes that have come with these cultural transformations, such as the opportunity to obtain a formal education and return with knowledge that can complement their Indigenous knowledge. | |
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Massive Amazon conservation program pledges to put communities first (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/massive-amazon-conservation-program-pledges-to-put-communities-first/ - The Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA) is a massive conservation program that has helped reduce deforestation across 120 conservation areas in the Brazilian Amazon and avoided 104 million metric tons of CO2 emissions between 2008 and 2020. - A new phase of the program, called ARPA Comunidades, will now focus on supporting the communities who live in and protect the forest, by helping them increase their revenue through the bioeconomy or sale of sustainable forest products. - Backed by a $120 million donor fund, ARPA Comunidades aims to increase protections across 60 sustainable-use reserves in the Brazilian Amazon spanning an area nearly the size of the U.K., directly impacting 130,000 people and helping raise 100,000 out of poverty. | |
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Azores must respect its exceptional network of marine protected areas (commentary) (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/azores-must-respect-its-exceptional-network-of-marine-protected-areas-commentary/ - Just over a year ago, the Azores created the largest network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the North Atlantic, becoming a beacon of hope and a global leader in ocean conservation. - Then, in early 2025, a proposal to allow tuna fishing in “no-take” areas there was submitted to the Regional Assembly; this is currently under discussion and could come to a vote this week or next week. - “Such a retreat from ocean protection would not only be a local tragedy but also a disheartening contribution to the global backpedaling on environmental political will,” a new op-ed argues. - This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Poaching down but threats remain for forest elephants, recent population assessment finds (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/poaching-down-but-threats-remain-for-forest-elephants-recent-population-assessment-finds/ - The first authoritative population assessment for African forest elephants estimates there are more than 145,000 individuals. - Researchers say new survey techniques relying on sampling DNA from elephant dung provide the most accurate estimate of a species that’s difficult to count in its rainforest habitat. - Central Africa remains the species’ stronghold, home to nearly 96% of forest elephants, with densely forested Gabon hosting 95,000 individuals. - Conservationists say the findings can help inform the design of targeted conservation actions and national plans for forest elephants. | |
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Carving up the Cardamoms (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/01/carving-up-the-cardamoms/ The Cardamom Mountains sprawl across southwestern Cambodia and are among the best-preserved rainforests in the country. Protected by rugged terrain, heavy rains and a low population density, the Cardamoms remain a biodiversity hotspot, providing habitat for threatened elephants, pangolins and the region’s last viable fishing cat population. This Special Issues documents the myriad threats facing […] | |
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The climate fight may not be won in the Amazon, but it can be lost there (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/the-climate-fight-may-not-be-won-in-the-amazon-but-it-can-be-lost-there/ Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. After five decades studying the plants and peoples of the Amazon, Mark Plotkin, an ethnobotanist and co-founder of the Amazon Conservation Team, is still asked whether the rainforest’s glass is half-full or half-empty. His answer is unchanged. “By […] | |
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Snowy owl, striped hyena, sharks among migratory species proposed for greater protections (January 5, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/snowy-owl-striped-hyena-sharks-among-migratory-species-proposed-for-greater-protections/ Countries under the international treaty to protect migratory animals have proposed increasing protections for 42 species. These include numerous seabirds, the snowy owl, several sharks, the striped hyena, and some cheetah populations. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) aims to protect species ranging from butterflies and fish to birds […] | |
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Biologist kidnapped in Mexico (January 4, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/biologist-kidnapped-in-mexico/ In the mountains of central Veracruz, scientific work is rarely abstract. It means walking narrow paths through cloud forest, speaking patiently with communities, and learning to read landscapes that yield information slowly. It also means accepting risk as a condition of knowledge. Field research unfolds in places where the state is often distant and authority […] | |
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What Craig’s long life reveals about elephant conservation (January 3, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/what-craigs-long-life-reveals-about-elephant-conservation/ - The death of Craig, a widely known super tusker from Amboseli, drew attention not just because of his fame, but because he lived long enough to die of natural causes in a period when elephants with tusks like his are rarely spared. - Craig’s life reflected decades of sustained protection in Kenya, where anti-poaching efforts and community stewardship have allowed some elephant populations to stabilize or grow after catastrophic losses in the late 20th century. - His passing is also a reminder of what has been lost: Africa’s elephant population fell from about 1.3 million in 1979 to roughly 400,000 today, with forest elephants in particular still in steep decline. - There are signs of cautious progress, including slowing demand for ivory and stronger legal protections, but continued habitat loss means that survival, even for the most protected elephants, remains uncertain. | |
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‘I’m proud to be the first published Asháninka researcher’: Richar Antonio Demetrio on bees (January 2, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/im-proud-to-be-the-first-published-ashaninka-researcher-richar-antonio-demetrio-on-bees/ - Richar Antonio Demetrio is the first Indigenous Asháninka scientist to publish in a high-impact journal, combining traditional ecological knowledge with scientific methodology to study meliponiculture, the farming of stingless bees. - His first paper, published in March 2025, reveals that Asháninka communities can identify more than 14 plant species used by stingless bees to build their nests, and apply sustainable practices in honey production. - His second warns that more than 50% of the habitat of stingless bees in the Avireri-Vraem Biosphere Reserve overlaps with areas at high risk of deforestation. - In an interview with Mongabay, Demetrio talks about the challenges he faced from both the scientific and Indigenous communities during his studies, and about the importance of balancing Western scientific methods with age-old traditional knowledge. | |
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Camera traps in China capture first-ever footage of Amur tigress with five cubs (January 2, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/camera-traps-in-china-capture-first-ever-footage-of-amur-tigress-with-five-cubs/ Camera traps installed in the world’s largest tiger reserve, in China, have captured footage of an Amur tigress and her five cubs for the first time. Recorded in November 2025, the footage from Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park shows an adult tigress ambling along a dirt road, and four young cubs tootling behind […] | |
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5 unexpected animal behaviors we learned about in 2025 (January 2, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/5-unexpected-animal-behaviors-we-learned-about-in-2025/ Every year, researchers and people out in nature capture some aspect of animal behavior that’s unusual or unexpected in some way, changing how we understand the natural world. Here are five such examples that Mongabay reported on in 2025: Massive fish aggregation seen climbing waterfalls in Brazil For the first time, scientists observed a “massive […] | |
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From Chipko to Nyeri: The enduring logic of the tree hug (January 2, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/01/from-chipko-to-nyeri-the-enduring-logic-of-the-tree-hug/ Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. When Truphena Muthoni stepped up to a royal palm in Nyeri and wrapped her arms around its trunk, few expected her to stay there for three days. Even fewer thought the gesture would spark a national conversation. Muthoni […] | |
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Guatemala’s eco defenders reel from surge in killings and persecution (January 2, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/guatemalas-eco-defenders-reel-from-surge-in-killings-and-persecution/ - In 2023, there were four recorded killings of environmental defenders in connection to their work; in 2024, this figure shot up to at least 20, according to advocacy group Global Witness. - An ongoing political crisis, persistent criminalization, and the spread of organized crime have all fed the rise in violence against Indigenous and campesino communities and defenders. - This is happening despite a change of government, led by President Bernardo Arévalo, whose movement was backed by Indigenous communities. - Land grabbing, mass arrest warrants and judicial persecution are increasingly common, together with the use of force, say human rights defenders and activists. | |
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Brickmaking keeps eating farmland as Bangladesh misses clean-build goal (January 2, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/brickmaking-keeps-eating-farmland-as-bangladesh-misses-clean-build-goal/ - Despite a 2019 mandate to switch to concrete blocks and other alternatives by June 2025, most government projects continued using clay-fired bricks, with only the Ministry of Housing and Public Works fully complying. - About 7,000 brickfields strip an estimated 9.5 million cubic meters (3.35 billion cubic feet) of topsoil each year, rendering farmland uncultivable for years, while the sector accounts for roughly 3% of Bangladesh’s greenhouse gas emissions due to coal- and wood-fired kilns. - Concrete alternatives are available, along with government-developed lower-cost options such as compressed stabilized earth blocks made from dredged river sediment, which can cut costs and conserve topsoil, yet their adoption remains limited. - A 15% VAT on alternative building materials has made them less competitive than traditional bricks, discouraging investment and demand, even as officials plan a new deadline and stricter enforcement to revive the stalled transition. | |
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The conservation ledger: What we lost and what we gained in 2025 (January 1, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-ledger-what-we-lost-and-what-we-gained-in-2025/ - 2025 was a year shaped by both loss and persistence, marked by species formally declared extinct, hundreds of organisms newly described, and uneven conservation outcomes across forests, reefs, and the open ocean. - The year showed that extinction and discovery are rarely moments, but slow processes driven by delay, uncertainty, and institutional choices—often recognizing loss long after it occurs and naming life only as threats close in. - 2025 also revealed the human cost of environmental protection, through the lives of scientists, rangers, Indigenous leaders, and advocates whose endurance, rather than visibility, sustained ecosystems under pressure. - Rhett Ayers Butler, founder and CEO of Mongabay, concludes that what was lost was not only species but time—and that what remains is proof the future is still shaped by policy, financing, enforcement, and whether protection is built to last. | |
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