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Taiwan’s tea growers let nature take back control as climate pressures mount (October 26, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/taiwans-tea-growers-let-nature-take-back-control-as-climate-pressures-mount/ - Alishan, a mountain region in central Taiwan, is famous for producing the prized high-mountain tea, but its tea production has declined in recent years. - Tea growers are facing threats not only from soil degradation but also from climate change, leading a handful of tea growers to adopt more environmentally friendly farming methods and nature-based solutions. - Tea farmer Lin Kuang-lin credits his nature-based approach for enabling his plants to weather the ecological challenges. - Tea growers Yeh Hsin-wen and Chang Chih-tsung have chosen an even more radical approach with their tea farm, with their yefang, or wild-grown, method. | |
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Corals keep a record of pollution, pointing to a new monitoring method: Study (October 26, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/corals-keep-a-record-of-pollution-pointing-to-a-new-monitoring-method-study/ - A recent study found 25 contaminants, including from cosmetic products, medicines and agricultural runoff, in coral tissues from reef sites in Hawaii. Contaminant levels were higher at sites subject to greater human influence. - The study is among the first to use metabolomics — the study of small molecules in tissues and organisms — to monitor chronic human-caused stress on corals in the wild. - While a water sample of a coral reef site provides a snapshot of what contaminants are present, coral tissue can reveal those that have accumulated over time. - The researchers also found that the sites with healthier coral metabolomes seemed to have maintained more coral cover during a 2015-2016 marine heat wave; this suggests that local threats like pollution may leave reefs less resilient to global ones, like rising temperatures, they write. | |
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A millennium of evidence reveals colonial roots of Australia’s wildfire vulnerability (October 26, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/a-millennium-of-evidence-reveals-colonial-roots-of-australias-wildfire-vulnerability/ A 1,000-year ecological reconstruction reveals that Australia’s ongoing wildfire crisis stems from the colonial disruption of Indigenous fire management rather than climate change alone, according to a study published in Nature. For more than 800 years prior to British colonization in 1788, the Indigenous Gunaikurnai people maintained stable, open eucalypt woodlands across southeastern Australia using […] | |
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5 million Nigerians gain clean cooking access annually, but it’s not enough, experts say (October 26, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/5-million-nigerians-gain-clean-cooking-access-annually-but-its-not-enough-experts-say/ - Nigeria has spent more than a decade trying to shift households away from traditional cooking fuels and has made impressive gains, yet the overall picture shows progress is “uneven.” - Between 2020 and 2024, the country recorded Africa’s third-fastest growth in clean-cooking access, behind Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya. The number gaining clean cooking access each year averaged 5.4 million in the same time period. - Yet 168 million Nigerians — more than two-thirds of the population — still cook with polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal and kerosene. - Nigeria is home to the world’s second-largest biomass-dependent population after India, according to a U.N.-World Bank assessment, and data show that household fuelwood consumption has risen almost every year between 2019 and 2023. | |
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International Gibbon Day: Stories of threats and survival (October 24, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/international-gibbon-day-stories-of-threats-and-survival/ Twenty species of gibbons swing through the tropical forests of Asia, all are threatened by human activities like deforestation, hunting and trafficking baby gibbons for the exotic pet trade. In recognition of International Gibbon Day on Oct. 24, here are three recent Mongabay stories about the threats gibbons face and the people working to protect […] | |
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Sri Lanka mourns iconic tusker amid renewed calls to address human-elephant conflict (October 24, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/sri-lanka-mourns-iconic-tusker-amid-renewed-calls-to-address-human-elephant-conflict/ - The death of Kavantissa, one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic wild tuskers, sparked widespread public grief, political attention and criticism of wildlife authorities over elephant protection and veterinary care. - Questions over the treatment provided before his death have prompted calls for an independent, evidence-based investigation, with experts cautioning against drawing conclusions before clinical findings are assessed. - Sri Lanka recorded 455 wild elephant deaths in 2025, including 79 from gunshot injuries as the primary cause, highlighting the continuing threat posed by human-elephant conflict. - Kavantissa’s head was separated and buried securely to protect his tusks, but conservationists argued that cremating the entire body would send a stronger message that a living tusker is worth more than its ivory. | |
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Can a swamp stop an army? (October 24, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/can-a-swamp-stop-an-army/ In Poland’s ancient Białowieża Forest, scientists say wetlands and dense forests could act as natural military defences. At the same time it could be the lifeline the forest needs. | |
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Restoring a 12,000-year-old forest to help defend Poland’s border (October 24, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/10/restoring-a-12000-year-old-forest-to-help-defend-polands-border/ POLAND — Białowieża Forest. Białowieża Forest, one of Europe’s last remaining primeval forests, straddles the border between Poland and Belarus. Its wetlands and ancient trees support a dazzling array of life, but decades of drainage, drought and fragmentation have left the ecosystem under pressure. Now, it faces a new challenge. As the threat from Russia […] | |
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World Kangaroo Day: How climate change impacts Australia’s macropods (October 24, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/world-kangaroo-day-how-climate-change-impacts-australias-macropods/ - World Kangaroo Day celebrates the iconic Australian animal and the special place it has in the country’s environment and First Nations cultures. - Kangaroos, and the broader macropod family, are losing habitat from worsening drought and bushfires in Australia. Critically endangered species, including Gilbert’s potoroo and the mala, face extinction amid added pressures from climate change. - There are growing concerns over super El Niño, expected to bring increased droughts, extreme heatwaves and severe bushfires in 2026-2027. - Balancing urban development and prioritizing conservation will be critical to protecting species from worsening climate events. | |
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Mozambique safari operator wins conservation award at COP17 (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/mozambique-safari-operator-wins-conservation-award-at-cop17/ YEREVAN, Armenia — A Mozambican safari operator credited with helping restore wildlife populations in Mozambique’s Zambezi Delta, has won the 2026 Markhor Award, which recognizes contributions to conservation through sustainable wildlife management. Zambeze Delta Safaris, led by professional hunter Mark Haldane, received the award on Oct. 22, 2026, at the ongoing U.N. Biodiversity Conference, COP17, […] | |
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Bangladesh’s climate migrants are arriving in cities unprepared to protect them (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/bangladeshs-climate-migrants-are-arriving-in-cities-unprepared-to-protect-them/ - Climate migration is often considered an adaptation strategy, as it moves people out of harm’s way from the immediate shocks of climate change. - But a new study involving climate migrants in informal settlements in southwest Bangladesh finds that relocation can create new forms of vulnerabilities. - As climate migration increases, Bangladesh’s secondary cities lack policy implementations that ensure migrants can access safe housing, services and stable livelihoods after they arrive. | |
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Environmental officials fear new wave of harassment if Flavio Bolsonaro wins in Brazil (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/environmental-officials-fear-new-wave-of-harassment-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-in-brazil/ - Federal employees in the environmental and Indigenous affairs sectors fear a return to the institutional harassment and dismantling of institutions they faced during the Jair Bolsonaro administration if his son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, wins the runoff election Sunday, Oct. 25. - Complaints of harassment and violence filed with the Federal District Labor Prosecutor’s Office nearly tripled during Jair Bolsonaro’s four-year term. - The weakening of regulatory agencies has led to record levels of deforestation in the Amazon and intensified violence against Indigenous groups that protect the forest. - Environmental officials and Indigenous experts have launched campaigns and open letters to mobilize the public to vote for incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and defend them and regulatory agencies. | |
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Critics call for halt to road construction in Mexico’s Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/critics-call-for-halt-to-road-construction-in-mexicos-sian-kaan-biosphere-reserve/ - A road through Mexico’s Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, on the Caribbean coast, threatens mangroves and forest ecosystems, environmental groups say. - Local communities have filed an injunction to permanently cancel the project and restore areas that have been damaged by construction. - In early October, the country’s environment ministry published a statement about minimizing infrastructure inside the reserve — but environmental groups say they want more information about the future of the road project specifically. - They argue the courts should address an ongoing injunction request against the road, saying it would guarantee protections for the reserve. | |
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Amazon communities lose water as mining and deforestation reshape rivers (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/amazon-communities-lose-water-as-mining-and-deforestation-reshape-rivers/ - An investigation analyzed 722 micro watersheds that feed the Beni River in Bolivia, the Caquetá River in Colombia, the Madre de Dios River in Peru, and the Caroní River in Venezuela. These areas are home to 74 Indigenous groups spread across 202 territories. - In all four river basins, natural water resources are under pressure. Mining activity has left behind large pools of artificial or anthropogenic (human-made) water, and where livestock ranching has taken hold, the water has disappeared. - Over the 25 years analyzed, the four catchment areas lost nearly 33,000 hectares (81,500 acres) of natural water, an area more than double the size of Colombia’s Tayrona National Park. The greatest loss occurred in the Colombian Caquetá catchment area, which crosses a department where extensive livestock ranching has long been the main economic activity. - In the three basins with mining activity — the Madre de Dios, Beni, and Caroní — artificial water sources appeared: four in every five hectares of these water sources are on Indigenous territory. | |
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What if Flávio Bolsonaro wins? High stakes for the environment in Brazil’s 2026 elections (commentary) (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/what-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-high-stakes-for-the-environment-in-brazils-2026-elections-commentary/ - If Flávio Bolonaro wins Brazil’s 25 October runoff election the consequences for the environment will be enormous, especially in the Amazon but also for the world, argues Philip Fearnside, a researcher who has worked in the Brazilian Amazon for 50 years. - Flávio, son of Brazil’s anti-environmental former president Jair Bolsonaro, is slightly ahead of incumbent President Lula in the polls, but the difference is within the margin of error. Flávio, who denies anthropogenic climate change and has supported a series of anti-environmental bills as senator, plans to follow in his father’s footsteps. - The Amazon rainforest is near a series of tipping points, beyond which risk of the forest collapsing rises sharply. If the forest collapses, the emission of greenhouse gases would push global climate past the point where warming escapes from human control. Flávio’s policies would increase this risk. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Nearly all the world’s coral reefs are at risk of collapse within 50 years, IUCN warns (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/nearly-all-the-worlds-coral-reefs-are-at-risk-of-collapse-within-50-years-iucn-warns/ Nearly every shallow-water coral reef ecosystem on Earth is at high risk of ecological collapse by 2075, according to the first coral reef assessment of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE). The RLE is a scientific framework for assessing the risk of ecosystem collapse. More than 250 experts assessed shallow water coral reef ecosystems […] | |
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COP17: Open letter urges governments to keep extractives out of protected areas (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/cop17-open-letter-urges-governments-to-keep-extractives-out-of-protected-areas/ YEREVAN, Armenia — More than 80 conservation, Indigenous and civil society organizations have called on governments meeting at the COP17 U.N. biodiversity summit in Armenia to keep mining, oil and gas operations out of protected areas. “Meeting a numerical target will mean little”, if areas designated for conservation remain exposed to industrial activities, the organizations […] | |
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Taiwan shuts schools and grounds flights as Typhoon Champi brushes by (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/taiwan-shuts-schools-and-grounds-flights-as-typhoon-champi-brushes-by/ TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan shut down schools and offices and grounded hundreds of flights as Typhoon Champi brushed by the island Friday, packing strong winds and torrential rains. Champi peaked at 298 kph (185 mph) maximum sustained winds earlier this week but has weakened to 155 kph (96 mph) winds as it approached Taiwan […] | |
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Death of iconic elephant in Sri Lanka pushes authorities to fast-track protection efforts (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/death-of-iconic-elephant-in-sri-lanka-pushes-authorities-to-fast-track-protection-efforts/ - Kavantissa was a much-loved elephant among residents in Galgamuwa in north western Sri Lanka and, despite a worsening human-elephant conflict in the area, had no record of attacking humans. - Considered the tallest elephant in the island, Kavantissa died on Oct. 16 owing to gunshot injuries. - As public outrage escalates over the elephant’s death and the alleged mismanagement of the keystone species, authorities say that daily raids to confiscate illegal firearms and curb wildlife crimes will be launched to ensure protected areas and elephant habitats remain safe for all the species. - Following tusker Kavantissa’s death, Thailand-based animal rights groups are pressuring their government to repatriate two elephants donated by Thailand to Sri Lanka. | |
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Indonesians allege social media posts on wildfires and haze are being censored (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/indonesians-allege-social-media-posts-on-wildfires-and-haze-are-being-censored/ - Indonesian social media users, from celebrities, civil society organizations and public officials, say that their accounts and posts have been restricted or even taken down after posting about Indonesia’s wildfires and haze. - The Indonesian government is under criticism for its handling of months-long wildfires and haze, which has spread to neighboring countries. - Many internet users suspect the communications ministry is responsible for taking down and limiting accounts and posts related to the wildfires or critical of the government. - Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid has denied the accusation, saying there had been “no content takedowns or takedown requests from the ministry to limit information related to wildfires.” | |
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Two Indigenous Brazilians denied their language interpreter at election voting booth (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/two-indigenous-brazilians-denied-their-language-interpreter-at-election-voting-booth/ Two Indigenous women who do not speak Portuguese were denied assistance from their interpreter while voting in Brazil’s Oct. 4 election. The translator who accompanied them to the polls, community leader Mitore Tiriyó Kaxuyana, is a relative of the women and spoke to Mongabay about what happened. Racela Tiriyó, 23, and Mirami Tiriyó, 33, are […] | |
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Two decades after crash, Nepal still searching for new generation of conservation visionaries (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/two-decades-after-crash-nepal-still-searching-for-new-generation-of-conservation-visionaries/ Twenty years after a helicopter crash killed some of Nepal’s most prominent environmental figures, the nation is celebrating ecological gains while grappling with a void in visionary leadership, reports Mongabay’s Abhaya Raj Joshi. On Sept. 23, 2006, a Russian-built Mi-8 helicopter crashed near the high-altitude mountain village of Ghunsa, killing all 20 passengers and four […] | |
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This spider catapults ants (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/this-spider-catapults-ants/ A newly discovered Australian ballista spider has evolved one of the most specialized hunting strategies ever seen. Instead of chasing prey, it builds a spring-loaded silk snare that appears to target a single species: The aggressive green tree ant. Scientists think the spider may even lure the ants into attacking the trap, causing them to […] | |
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Ahead of landmark climate trial in Canada, Indigenous youth eye impacts in the North (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/ahead-of-landmark-climate-trial-in-canada-indigenous-youth-eye-impacts-in-the-north/ - On Oct. 26, 2026, 15 youth will begin a landmark trial against Canada and its attorney general over the country’s net-zero emissions plan they say contributes to the climate crisis and is undermining their Charter rights to life, liberty and security. - At the trial, young indigenous plaintiff Leandrea Taylor Reeves of the Yukon, in the North, will offer her lived experience of how climate change disrupts her cultural practices and endangers her community. - Canada’s North, especially the Yukon, is warming faster than the rest of the country and most of the world. - Reeves details reductions in available groundberries, declining snow, unpredictable seasons and impacts on hunting, accessibility and culture. | |
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World Snow Leopard Day: Community action and new science foster coexistence with humans (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/world-snow-leopard-day-community-action-and-new-science-foster-coexistence-with-humans/ Snow leopards range across Asia’s rugged mountains, where they face mounting threats from climate change, declining wild prey, and retaliatory killings from local herders. Today, on Oct. 23, International Snow Leopard Day, we look back at recent Mongabay reporting highlighting how innovative science, climate-ready habitat, and community-centered conservation are helping these big cats share mountain […] | |
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Googly-eyed buoys and kites help keep seabirds out of fishing nets, study finds (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/googly-eyed-buoys-and-kites-help-keep-seabirds-out-of-fishing-nets-study-finds/ - A study off Cornwall, England, found that nets fitted with bird-of-prey kites had 71% lower odds of catching guillemots and razorbills, and nets with spinning “looming-eye” buoys had 59% lower odds. - Ten fishers set more than 1,000 camera-monitored nets over about 17 months, and the nets caught 191 non-fish animals, most of them seabirds that drowned. - Bycatch peaked in January and February in sea bass and mackerel nets, which suggests short, targeted winter deployments could protect birds without year-round rules. - The devices have limits: kites struggled in light and strong winds, the buoys may have attracted seals, and a separate Danish study found the buoys stopped deterring birds after about a month. | |
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Mass sloth deaths prompt US bill calling for import ban (October 23, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/mass-sloth-deaths-prompt-us-bill-calling-for-import-ban/ On Oct. 20, International Sloth Day, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. Congress to ban the import of wild sloths into the United States. The proposed legislation comes months after the deaths of 58 of the approximately 69 sloths imported to Sloth World, a Florida-based tourist attraction. “We owe it to these animals, […] | |
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Scorched sanctuaries: The race to save Borneo’s orangutans from fires (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/scorched-sanctuaries-the-race-to-save-borneos-orangutans-from-fires/ - As forest and peatland fires engulf Indonesian Borneo, orangutans and other endangered wildlife are losing habitat and food, as well as being caught directly in the fires. - In 2026, more than 48,500 hectares (120,000 acres) have burned in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, an area larger than Vienna. - More than 50 orangutans have been rescued this fire season, through joint operations involving the NGO YIARI and local environment authorities. | |
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Another mining-linked pollution incident raises alarm over Zambia’s Kafue River (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/another-mining-linked-pollution-incident-raises-alarm-over-zambias-kafue-river/ The Zambian government has ordered a copper miner to assess its infrastructure for weaknesses and clean up areas affected by pollution of the Kafue River, after residents downstream of the plant that processes the mine’s waste reported changes in the river’s color, taste, and smell on Sept. 28. The order also requires Konkola Copper Mines […] | |
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Water, carbon & the ‘tree of life’: Interview with Venezuela’s guardian of morichales (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/water-carbon-the-tree-of-life-interview-with-venezuelas-guardian-of-morichales/ - Morichales, ecosystems which consist of the moriche palm (Mauritia flexuosa), regulate freshwater bodies and rank among the ecosystems with the greatest carbon sequestration capacity (up to 590.8 metric tons per hectare). - The ecosystem and culture of the Warao people, who consider the palm their “tree of life,” are facing serious pressures due to urbanization, industry and weak protection laws. - Miguel Ángel Sánchez-Mercado, a Venezuelan biologist and professor, spoke to Mongabay about his research on this species. - He advocates for an integrated approach to science that combines biological research with ethnographic work in communities, fostering a collective awareness in which human beings play an active role in the solution. | |
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Facing pushback on data centers, tech giants are promising hosts more money and fewer secrets (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/facing-pushback-on-data-centers-tech-giants-are-promising-hosts-more-money-and-fewer-secrets/ With host communities across the U.S. turning against their gargantuan data centers, America’s technology giants are promising to take fewer taxpayer handouts, keep fewer secrets or shower more money onto the communities willing to allow the server warehouses. The promises come as anti-data center sentiment has become a potent issue in the midterm election with […] | |
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Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado savanna at lowest rate ever recorded (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/deforestation-in-brazils-amazon-and-cerrado-savanna-at-lowest-rate-ever-recorded/ As Brazilians head to the polls to vote in a runoff election, Amazon deforestation is also on the ballot. New data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) find that incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presided over the lowest deforestation levels ever recorded in both the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna. Between […] | |
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Deadly gold rush continues as latest landslide kills four in Sumatra (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/deadly-gold-rush-continues-as-latest-landslide-kills-four-in-sumatra/ - A recent mining landslip in South Solok district on the Indonesian island of Sumatra buried four miners, after nine were killed in a similar incident in the same province in May. - Globally, more than 20 million people work in the so-called artisanal and small-scale mining sector, many exposed to environmental disasters and dangerous levels of mercury, a potent neurotoxin used to separate gold from ore that causes permanent neurological and physical harms. - International gold prices remain at an historically high value amid global inflationary pressures and geopolitical tensions, potentially incentivizing more people to enter illegal mining despite the significant health and environmental risks. | |
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‘A decision to decide’: Greenland moves to suspend seabed mining until 2029 (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/a-decision-to-decide-greenland-moves-to-suspend-seabed-mining-until-2029/ Greenland’s parliament has asked the government to pause licensing on seabed mining amid concerns about foreign interests in mining and potential environmental consequences for marine life. The Oct. 15 measure directed the government, called Naalakkersuisut, to present a law to the parliament, called Inatsisartut, in early 2027 to suspend seabed mining until at least 2029. […] | |
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Rare Indonesian maleo birds face new threat from international exotic pet trade (October 22, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/rare-indonesian-maleo-birds-face-new-threat-from-international-exotic-pet-trade/ Wildlife traffickers are increasingly targeting critically endangered maleo birds from coastal Indonesia for the international exotic pet trade, according to a recent study. In 2024, enforcement agencies recorded three separate seizures totaling 25 live juvenile maleo birds (Macrocephalon maleo) en route to or within India. The ground-dwelling, black-and-white birds are endemic to the Indonesian island […] | |
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Extractive industries threaten global goal to protect 30% of nature by 2030, report finds (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/extractive-industries-threaten-global-goal-to-protect-30-of-nature-by-2030-report-finds/ - A new report finds that more than 61.5 million hectares of protected areas analyzed across tropical countries overlap with oil and gas blocks, while another 42.7 million hectares overlap with mining concessions. - It identifies major gaps in protection for key biodiversity areas, with more than 40% in the Amazon, 29% in the Congo Basin and more than half in Southeast Asia and Central America still unprotected. - Ahead of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP17) in Armenia, the report authors call on governments to restrict extractive activities in high-biodiversity areas and strengthen Indigenous peoples and other local communities’ land rights and role in conservation. - The report says that meeting the 30×30 target requires more than expanding protected areas, arguing that governments should ensure that conservation protects the right ecosystems, is effectively enforced and prevents large-scale extractive and industrial activities from undermining biodiversity. | |
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Nature has a new Noah’s Ark moment at the biodiversity summit (commentary) (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/nature-has-a-new-noahs-ark-moment-at-the-biodiversity-summit-commentary/ - As delegates assemble this week in Yerevan, Armenia, for a summit on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17), an environmental leader argues in a new op-ed that it’s a moment of seemingly Biblical importance and resonance. - Set in view of Mount Ararat, where Noah’s Ark is said to have found dry land and wildlife species rescued from the Biblical flood disembarked, it’s an opportunity for world leaders to chart a new course for biodiversity conservation, which lately appears to be faltering. - “Thousands of years later, our fellow creatures need another rescue in the shadow of Mount Ararat, via this summit,” he writes. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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A ‘Treasury of Ice’ goes on show, revealing relics as Swiss glaciers rapidly melt (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/a-treasury-of-ice-goes-on-show-revealing-relics-as-swiss-glaciers-rapidly-melt/ LUCERNE, Switzerland (AP) — A bow once used to fire arrows in an ancient hunt. A crunched tube of mayonnaise and a discarded wine bottle. An alpinist’s cracked helmet. A statuette dating back to Roman times. The Glacier Garden in Lucerne is showcasing artifacts like these in a new exhibit of relics that have emerged […] | |
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Seabird guano and native trees keep islands above rising seas: Study (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/seabird-guano-and-native-trees-keep-islands-above-rising-seas-study/ - Seabirds and native forests build climate resilience in atoll islands, a new study finds. - Using data collected on 28 atoll islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans, the study finds that nutrients from seabird guano, along with native vegetation, boost island building and maintenance processes. - Researchers find that on rat-free islands with abundant seabird populations, reef accretion (growth) will be able to keep pace with levels of sea-level rise projected under 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming, until 2100. - The study shows that rewilding atoll islands by removing invasive predators and planting native vegetation would build resilience to sea-level rise. | |
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Bangladesh garment factory workers bear the brunt of rising temperatures (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/bangladesh-garment-factory-workers-bear-the-brunt-of-rising-temperatures/ - Extreme heat is becoming a workplace health crisis for Bangladesh’s garment workers amid rising temperatures and prolonged heat waves, increasing concerns about occupational heat exposure. - But comprehensive health data remain limited as experts say systematic monitoring of heat exposure is needed to understand the scale of the problem and identify workers most at risk. - Besides health risks, extreme heat also creates economic losses for factories. - Experts say protecting workers requires enforceable standards and shared responsibility among governments, garment manufacturers and international fashion brands. | |
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Just transition remains elusive for Kenyan women despite robust policies (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/just-transition-remains-elusive-for-kenyan-women-despite-robust-policies/ - Kenya has made significant progress in climate legislation and policy, but a gap remains between its commitments to a just transition and women’s lived realities, particularly the unequal burden of unpaid care work. - Experts say women’s experiences of climate stress, from collecting firewood and water to navigating floods and losing income, constitute critical expertise that must inform climate financing, policy decisions and adaptation strategies. - The researchers say a just transition needs three things: The costs and benefits of environmental action must be fairly distributed, people affected by environmental decisions must have a say in those decisions, and historical inequalities leaving some communities exposed to environmental harm cannot be carried forward into a changing climate. | |
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IUCN’s Madhu Rao on the world’s protected areas: Progress, pressures and the race to 2030 (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/iucns-madhu-rao-on-the-worlds-protected-areas-progress-pressures-and-the-race-to-2030/ - Madhu Rao, chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) told Mongabay governments must confront the conflict between industrial development and biodiversity protection and that expanding protected areas alone will not be enough. - Rao said that countries must invest in effective management, protect critical ecosystems, support rangers and ensure Indigenous peoples and local communities have a meaningful role in conservation. - As governments prepare to review progress toward protecting 30% of the world’s land and waters by 2030, Rao identifies a serious gap between international commitments and what happens on the ground. - Yet she remains cautiously optimistic, arguing that stronger national institutions, better funding and clearer restrictions on damaging industrial activities could still make a difference. | |
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Sustainable silvopasture is popular with US farmers despite waning financial supports (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/sustainable-silvopasture-is-popular-with-u-s-farmers-despite-waning-financial-supports/ - A recent survey of American farmers revealed that many are practicing an ecological form of agriculture that incorporates woody perennials like trees and shrubs — agroforestry — including a livestock-centric brand of this called silvopasture. - Grazing animals on pasture with trees has many advantages for them and their keepers, and many U.S. farms are working to implement these systems despite waning federal support for such highly climate- and biodiversity-positive methods. - Silvopasture seems to be growing in popularity across Vermont that Mongabay recently visited, and nationally too, since it increases the quality of forage while providing shade to animals during the hotter and drier conditions that are increasingly prevalent due to climate change. | |
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Heavy rains during critical period of cacao cultivation hit Ghana’s yields (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/heavy-rains-during-critical-period-of-cacao-cultivation-hit-ghanas-yields/ - A new study describes how short periods of heavy rainfall play a key role in low cacao harvest yields in Ghana. - Using newly available data on daily temperatures and precipitation in Ghana, the authors found that rains occurring during the flowering season damage the plants, leading to poorer harvests. - The findings build on previous research which has found that heat and drought impact cacao harvests, ultimately pushing up global chocolate prices and presenting new challenges to farmers. | |
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Six beluga deaths cast a shadow over rescue from Canada’s Marineland (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/six-beluga-deaths-cast-a-shadow-over-rescue-from-canadas-marineland/ - Six belugas from the 30 transferred from Marineland, a shuttered marine park in Canada, have died after an unprecedented two-month-long rescue operation. - Four of the beluga deaths occurred at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, one at SeaWorld San Diego, and one at Oceanogràfic València in Spain, which also reported the death of a bottlenose dolphin. - The deaths aren’t surprising considering the cetaceans suffered from ill health for years as Marineland was unable to provide them adequate care for months after it closed, according to a marine mammal biologist. - Conservationists have called for an end to keeping cetaceans in captivity around the world to prevent a repeat of situations like this that put animals in harm’s way. | |
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Wildlife photography’s dirty little secret (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/wildlife-photographys-dirty-little-secret/ Have you ever seen a wildlife photograph so spectacular that you’ve wondered if it was even real? Enter “photography game farms”: captive facilities where photographers can create photographs of wild animals, which they can then sell to stock sites, magazines and enter into awards. Photographers like @MelissaGroo are trying to put an end to this […] | |
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Delegates at biodiversity COP17 should follow the lead of Global South women (commentary) (October 21, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/delegates-at-biodiversity-cop17-should-follow-the-lead-of-global-south-women-commentary/ - Delegates gathering for the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conference of the parties (COP17) will debate how to protect biodiversity and finance its conservation, and they should start by listening to Global South women already doing this work, a new op-ed argues. - Women-led solutions to crises like biodiversity loss and climate change provide ready examples for the delegates, if they are open to learning about them. - “Working with the women behind these initiatives [has] shown me that documenting their solutions is only part of the task,” the author writes. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Search for the ‘Asian unicorn’ faces an uncertain future amid funding losses (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/search-for-the-asian-unicorn-faces-an-uncertain-future-amid-funding-losses/ - The saola, a tropical bovid that superficially resembles an antelope, was only discovered by scientists in 1992, and has not been recorded since 2013. - A search for the saola in the Annamite Mountains in Laos risks coming to a halt due to a loss of funding. - In addition to searching for the saola, the research team is documenting the wildlife of a particularly remote corner of the Annamites, a global biodiversity hotspot. | |
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Mozambique’s Maputo National Park showcases biodiversity and shelters migratory birds (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/mozambiques-maputo-national-park-showcases-biodiversity-and-shelters-migratory-birds/ A recent State of the World’s Birds report found nearly half of the migratory birds assessed are declining. The stark finding comes as world governments are gathered in Armenia for the ongoing U.N. Biodiversity Conference to review progress toward global conservation goals. In southern Mozambique, Maputo National Park illustrates the biodiversity importance of conserving key […] | |
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For Australia’s Indigenous Desert Alliance, caring for Country starts with a story (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/10/for-australias-indigenous-desert-alliance-caring-for-country-starts-with-a-story/ This week on the Mongabay Newscast, Samantha Murray, CEO of the Indigenous Desert Alliance, joins the program to discuss the IDA’s recent nomination for an Earthshot Prize. The alliance is a network of 70 ranger teams across the Australian desert, covering 270 million hectares (667 million acres), an area almost as large as Argentina. This […] | |
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US deep-sea mining claims in Pacific’s high seas now rival the area set aside by international regulator (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/10/us-deep-sea-mining-claims-in-pacifics-high-seas-now-rival-the-area-set-aside-by-international-regulator/ The International Seabed Authority (ISA), a U.N.-associated body, has long managed activities related to deep-sea mining in international waters. But after the Trump administration issued an executive order in 2025 calling for the U.S. to develop its deep-sea mining sector, companies have been applying to the U.S. for rights to explore and exploit the international […] | |
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The women keeping Uttarakhand’s native bees alive (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-women-keeping-uttarakhands-native-bees-alive/ - In the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India, traditional homes include wall hives for native bees. - It’s the women of the household who typically care for the bees and hives. - These indigenous bees, Apis cerana indica, face numerous threats — climate change, habitat fragmentation, pesticide exposure and even the loss of the traditional wall hives, as modern homes often do not include them. - Women play a vital role in the survival of this native bee species. | |
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As silky sharks decline, Costa Rica’s dominant trade faces a reckoning (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/as-silky-sharks-decline-costa-ricas-dominant-trade-faces-a-reckoning/ - The silky shark, a large, slender species that swims the tropical seas and is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, is heavily hunted for its fins and, to a lesser degree, for meat —and is caught in nets as bycatch. - Between 2020 and 2024, Costa Rica accounted for 82% of global exports of silky shark products, according to a recent report from the United Nations Environment Programme. - Its exports are under review under CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty: If Costa Rica can’t prove its fishery is sustainable, the CITES Animals Committee will recommend new management measures; without implementation, the country’s export of silky sharks could be suspended. - Meanwhile, a Costa Rican NGO has questioned the exports’ sustainability and alleged that the silky shark trade is being unduly influenced by the Costa Rican fishing industry. | |
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‘Stay alive’: Brazil’s Indigenous people mobilize to vote for Lula to protect their rights (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/stay-alive-brazils-indigenous-people-mobilize-to-vote-for-lula-to-protect-their-rights/ “It’s such a simple phrase: stay alive! The other side is necropolitics.” This appeal was made by philosopher and prominent Indigenous leader Ailton Krenak to Brazilians to reelect President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over far-right candidate, senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Flávio’s statement that he will not demarcate any Indigenous lands “reveals his malicious intent to […] | |
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Can larger batteries safely power residential buildings? A project in New York aims to show how (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/can-larger-batteries-safely-power-residential-buildings-a-project-in-new-york-aims-to-show-how/ A battery system that stores excess energy when it’s plentiful will power an apartment building in Buffalo, New York, when the grid is strained and electricity is costly. The manufacturer and state officials hope it will show that larger batteries can safely operate where people live and work. Buffalo-based battery storage manufacturer Viridi and developer […] | |
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Recycled glass offers a potential new tool to restore a vanishing coastline (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/recycled-glass-offers-a-potential-new-tool-to-restore-a-vanishing-coastline/ - To help address Louisiana’s serious coastal erosion problem, a recent study investigated how native estuarine animals were impacted by an innovative fill material for coastline restoration: Sand made from recycled glass. - The study, which is part of a larger five-year research project examining the impacts of the sand on coastal ecosystems, found “no significant differences” in survival of animals exposed to the recycled glass sand compared with other sediment types. - The researchers recorded interactions between five species and five types of sediment, as well as a control group without sediment, over the course of about a month. - Sand made from recycled glass has potential to help mitigate environmental impacts of sand mining, researchers say, but the supply is limited, and scalability constraints mean a range of other approaches will be needed. | |
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Brazil election puts unprecedented Indigenous ministry at risk if Flávio Bolsonaro wins (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/brazil-election-puts-unprecedented-indigenous-ministry-at-risk-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins/ - Indigenous People Minister Eloy Terena warned that all achievements and historical reparation agreements for native peoples since 2023 could be undone if far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro is elected Brazil’s president. - In almost four years, the ministry has celebrated the full demarcation of 20 Indigenous lands, the eviction of intruders from 12 territories and a 98.77% drop in illegal gold mining in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory, in addition to “historical agreements” for the reparation of Indigenous peoples and the creation of the country’s first Indigenous Federal University. - Philosopher and Indigenous leader Ailton Krenak told Mongabay that Bolsonaro’s policy could corrupt the management of federal bodies that defend Indigenous interests, even if they are not abolished. | |
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Six new calves offer hope amid ongoing threats to Cambodia’s Irrawaddy dolphins (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/six-new-calves-offer-hope-amid-ongoing-threats-to-cambodias-irrawaddy-dolphins/ Cambodia’s population of critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins has increased to an estimated 118 individuals since the confirmed birth of six calves this year. They were born along a 120-kilometer (75-mile) stretch of the river in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces, in the country’s northeast. Conservation officials say the births are a strong sign that the […] | |
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Nigeria’s parks chief stresses conservation gains amid struggle to protect wildlife (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/nigerias-parks-chief-stresses-conservation-gains-amid-struggle-to-protect-wildlife/ - Nigeria’s National Park Service, with support from the military and conservation organizations, closed the Kila gold mine in Gashaka-Gumti National Park in July, the country’s largest. The operation drove out an estimated 4,000 miners. - Parks chief Ibrahim Musa Goni calls the intervention a conservation success in an exclusive interview with Mongabay but warns that the miners could return. - Goni acknowledges broader conservation challenges facing Nigeria’s protected areas, including the deaths of park rangers, inadequate funding and growing insecurity. However, he insists that all 13 operational national parks remain under government control. - Goni discusses the fate of displaced miners, the role of private conservation partners, wildlife trafficking and his ambition to develop Nigeria’s parks along the ecotourism models of East Africa. | |
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Bank credit remains scarce in Bangladesh where climate risks are highest (October 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/bank-credit-remains-scarce-in-bangladesh-where-climate-risks-are-highest/ - The flow of bank credit to climate-vulnerable regions remains low, with lending heavily concentrated in major commercial areas, including Dhaka. - In the coastal districts Satkhira, Patuakhali and flood-prone Sunamganj, the volume of loans is significantly lower than that of deposits. - Low-cost and affordable loans on favorable terms are needed to support climate-resilient agriculture, fisheries and local businesses, climate finance researcher Md Shamsuddoha says. - However, the central bank says the low lending levels are partly due to a scarcity of local businesses and a lack of profitable projects. | |
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