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José Albino Cañas Ramírez, a defender of Indigenous territories, aged 44 (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/jose-albino-canas-ramirez-a-defender-of-indigenous-territories-44/ - José Albino Cañas Ramírez, a prominent Indigenous leader and member of the governing council for the Resguardo Cañamomo Lomaprieta, was shot and killed at his home in Caldas, Colombia. - His death highlights the “double victimization” faced by the Emberá Chamí people, who navigate pressure from both illegal armed groups and extractive development projects. - As a dedicated community figure, Cañas Ramírez spent his life strengthening local institutions and managing essential services in a region where state support is often absent. - The killing is part of a broader, persistent pattern of violence against territorial defenders in Colombia, with at least 21 social leaders killed already this year. | |
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Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island 180 years after relatives went extinct (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/giant-tortoises-return-to-galapagos-island-180-years-after-relatives-went-extinct/ For the first time in nearly two centuries, giant tortoises are once again roaming Floreana Island in the Galápagos, a conservation milestone more than a decade in the making. Early settlers on Floreana Island altered the landscape and hunted the Floreana giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger niger) into extinction about 180 years ago. But while working […] | |
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Torrential rains unleash landslides that kill 7 in southern Philippines (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/torrential-rains-unleash-landslides-that-kill-7-in-southern-philippines/ MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Torrential rains set off two landslides that killed seven people and floods that displaced more than 3,000 villagers in the southeastern Philippines, officials said Friday. A boulder-laden landslide buried a house and killed a couple and their two daughters Friday in the coastal city of Mati in Davao Oriental province, disaster-response […] | |
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In Thailand, a coral cryobank tries to buy time for dying reefs (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/in-thailand-a-coral-cryobank-tries-to-buy-time-for-dying-reefs/ - Scientists in Phuket are freezing coral larvae and their symbiotic algae, aiming to create a “living seed bank” to preserve Thailand’s reef genetic diversity amid accelerating climate stress. - Thailand’s reefs, home to more than 300 coral species, have experienced repeated mass bleaching events since 2022, with damage compounded by tourism pressure, wastewater runoff, sedimentation and overfishing. - Researchers describe coral cryobanks as a form of “genetic insurance” and ex-situ conservation, but stress they can’t replace in-water protection and must be integrated into broader restoration and marine management strategies. - Conservation experts say improving water quality, regulating tourism impacts and strengthening community-led marine protection are essential if preserved coral material is to be successfully restored to the wild. | |
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Recycling startups test limits of private solutions to deluge of waste in Lagos (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/recycling-startups-test-limits-of-private-solutions-to-deluge-of-waste-in-lagos/ - Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous state, generates nearly 5.5 million metric tons of solid waste every year. - The state’s formal waste management system handles less than half of this, with homes and businesses improvising disposal of the rest wherever they can: an estimated 40% of this waste is recyclable. - Pakam Technology Limited is one of several private companies trying to profitably retrieve a greater share of the roughly 6,000 metric tons of recyclable materials thrown away every day. - Recycling companies say inconsistent enforcement of regulations is a major obstacle to improving recycling rates. | |
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Migrant fishers’ deaths at sea tied to unchecked captain power, study shows (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/migrant-fishers-deaths-at-sea-tied-to-unchecked-captain-power-study-shows/ - A new study finds migrant fishers’ deaths at sea stem from systemic labor and governance failures, not isolated safety lapses. - Far from shore, captains control food, medical care and even how deaths are recorded, with little oversight or accountability. - Researchers documented 55 cases of Indonesian fishers who died or went missing, showing deaths occur through both direct abuse and prolonged neglect. - The authors call for stronger international cooperation, mandatory death reporting and supply chain transparency, arguing existing rules alone cannot prevent further fatalities | |
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Malawi’s solar boom is leaving a toxic legacy of lead waste (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/malawis-solar-boom-is-leaving-a-toxic-legacy-of-lead-waste/ - The rapid adoption of solar home systems in Malawi is producing a matching increase in the use of lead-acid batteries. - These batteries have a relatively short lifespan, especially when used with photovoltaic systems, and informal recycling processes release toxic lead and acid into the environment. - There are more durable, less toxic batteries available, but they cost more. - Malawi and other countries need better regulation and recycling infrastructure to ensure the benefits of small solar systems are not accompanied by environmental harms. | |
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Sumatra province plan to permit ‘community’ mines alarms civil society (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/sumatra-province-plan-to-permit-community-mines-alarms-civil-society/ - The devolved government in West Sumatra province, which is home to 5.8 million people on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, intends to present new zoning plans to the central government that could regulate currently illegal mines operated by small groups of people. - The small-scale gold mining sector is responsible for lasting environmental damage to both environment and public health, owing in large part to the use of mercury, a banned heavy metal and neurotoxin, to separate gold particles from ores retrieved from valley sides and river basins. - It remains unclear how the government would treat the use of mercury, which is the subject of international agreement under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. - The international price of gold has surged by more than 70% since the beginning of last year as central banks and investors buy precious metals to mitigate political uncertainty and high inflation. This has led to a surge in illegal gold mining in forests from the Amazon to Indonesia. | |
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Indonesia faces scrutiny over permit revocations following deadly floods and landslides (February 20, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/indonesia-faces-scrutiny-over-permit-revocations-following-deadly-floods-and-landslides/ - The Indonesian government is facing new scrutiny of its revocation of 28 forestry, plantation and mining permits following Cyclone Senyar, which triggered landslides and flash floods that killed around 1,200 people. - An analysis by the NGO Auriga Nusantara found that some of the permits cited in the announcement had already been revoked years earlier, while others had expired before the floods occurred. - The discrepancies add to growing confusion over which companies are actually linked to the November 2025 floods and landslides and what will happen to former concession areas now slated for transfer to state-owned enterprises under the sovereign wealth fund Danantara. | |
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Loosely social animals at higher risk of decline than social species (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/loosely-social-animals-at-higher-risk-of-decline-than-social-species/ Social interactions are crucial for the survival of most animal species. Living in groups helps animals spot predators, find food and raise more successful young than they could alone. Conventional wisdom has long held that highly social animals, like lions or capuchin monkeys, are highly vulnerable when their populations decline. But new research suggests that […] | |
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How seabird poop helped fuel ancient civilizations in Peru (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/how-seabird-poop-helped-fuel-ancient-civilizations-in-peru/ The Chincha Islands off the coast of Peru are home to many seabird species that cover their island homes with thick layers of poop, or guano. New research now suggests that ancient Peruvians in the Chincha Valley on the Peruvian mainland hunted these seabirds, collected their guano, and used it to fertilize their maize crops, […] | |
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Alcoa pays Australian feds $36 million for ‘unlawful’ forest clearing (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/alcoa-pays-australian-feds-36-million-for-unlawful-forest-clearing/ Pittsburgh-based Alcoa will pay the Australian government a settlement the company put at $36 million for “unlawfully” clearing tracts of endangered forest without approvals between 2019 and 2025. The metals giant began mining bauxite — the raw ingredient for aluminum — from beneath Australia’s Northern Jarrah forest in the 1960s, but its footprint has swelled […] | |
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Argentina considers weakening glacier safeguards in pursuit of critical minerals (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/argentina-considers-weakening-glacier-safeguards-in-pursuit-of-critical-minerals/ - A bill to reform Argentina’s National Glacier Law would scale back protections that currently restrict mining and other development near glaciers in the Andes and beyond. - Argentina has 8,484 square kilometers (3,276 square miles) of ice cover spanning 12 provinces and 39 river basins; together, they provide the country with freshwater for drinking, agriculture and other needs. - If approved, the reform would weaken national environmental standards by allowing provinces to decide whether certain glaciers have a “strategic water function” worth protecting. - The bill is expected to go to a vote in the Senate later this month and, if passed, would then move on to the lower house of Congress. | |
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New study assesses geoengineering marine ecosystem risks, knowledge gaps (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/new-study-assesses-geoengineering-marine-ecosystem-risks-knowledge-gaps/ - A new review study examines the current research regarding the risks that various geoengineering approaches pose to marine ecosystems. - The study looked particularly at a range of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) methods, along with solar radiation modification (SRM) technologies, and found that some approaches carry fewer risks than others. - Electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement and anoxic storage of terrestrial biomass in the deep ocean (utilizing crop waste, for example) carry fewer risks to marine ecosystems than some carbon dioxide removal methods, such as those that would add nutrients to seawater to promote major plankton growth. - However, better models, increased field testing, and better geoengineering regulatory oversight are needed to fully assess potential geoengineering marine ecosystem impacts, especially if commercialization proceeds. Public fears over field testing also need to be allayed. | |
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Africa’s vulture safe zones face tough test across vast landscapes (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/africas-vulture-safe-zones-face-tough-test-across-vast-landscapes/ - Vulture safe zones have multiplied across Southern Africa to address the numerous threats facing these scavengers. - The vulture safe zone concept originated in Asia as a response to the drastic decline in the region’s vulture populations due to diclofenac poisoning. - Opinions are mixed on their effectiveness to address the multitude of threats facing species in Africa. - In the coming months, conservation organizations are aiming to streamline the concept in Africa, with the aim of standardizing how these safe zones operate and monitor populations, and ultimately how they protect threatened species. | |
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The Amazon’s most valuable export isn’t timber — it’s rain (February 19, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/the-amazon-generates-20-billion-of-dollars-worth-of-rainfall-each-year-study-finds/ - Tropical forests actively generate rainfall by releasing moisture into the atmosphere, with each square meter producing hundreds of liters of rain annually across surrounding regions. Clearing even small portions can measurably reduce precipitation, especially during dry seasons. - Much of the rain that falls far inland originates from forests through long-distance moisture transport known as “flying rivers,” meaning farms, cities, and reservoirs may depend on ecosystems located hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. - Reduced rainfall from deforestation can undermine agriculture, river flows, and hydropower, revealing forests as a form of natural water infrastructure that supports food production, energy systems, and economic stability. - By assigning a monetary value to forest-generated rainfall, researchers estimate the service in the Amazon alone is worth on the order of tens of billions of dollars annually, underscoring that forest loss threatens not only biodiversity and carbon storage but regional climate systems themselves. | |
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Peru mining pollution linked to children’s cognitive impairment: Study (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/peru-mining-pollution-linked-to-childrens-cognitive-impairment-study/ A recent study in Forensic Science International suggests a link between exposure to heavy metals from mining operations and reduced cognitive performance in children in Peru. Researchers say the findings highlight the long-term impact of mining pollution on children’s neurocognitive development and demonstrate that exposure is not a one-time event. The research focused on children […] | |
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Why so many mangrove restoration projects fail (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/why-so-many-mangrove-restoration-projects-fail/ Mangroves have become a favored solution in climate and conservation circles. They absorb carbon, blunt storm surge and support fisheries. Funding has followed. Yet outcomes often lag ambition. In parts of Southeast Asia and Latin America, research suggests that roughly 70% of restoration projects struggle to establish healthy forests. Seedlings die. Sites flood incorrectly. Community […] | |
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Amazon villages build autonomous energy systems after mega-dam failed pledges (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/amazon-villages-build-autonomous-energy-systems-after-mega-dam-failed-pledges/ - A pilot project in the Tapajós-Arapiuns Reserve is providing 24-hour electricity through an integrated system of solar panels and river-based hydrokinetic turbines. - The project’s hydrokinetic turbines use specialized filter systems and slow-rotation grids designed to generate electricity without harming local river fauna. - Roughly 990,000 people in the Brazilian Amazon still lack access to electricity despite the region hosting some of the world’s largest hydropower facilities. | |
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In Ecuador’s Chocó, roads shape the fate of the rainforest (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/in-ecuadors-choco-roads-shape-the-fate-of-the-rainforest/ - The Chocó rainforest in northwestern Ecuador has experienced some of the worst deforestation in the world, with only around 3% tree cover remaining in the western lowlands. - A lot of the deforestation can be traced to an influx of loggers in the 1990s and the many roads and trails that they created in the process, which are now being used by new settlers. - In an effort to save a part of the Chocó, the Jocotoco Conservation Foundation has been building a reserve by buying up parcels of land, one at a time. Its Canandé Reserve has grown to roughly 19,000 hectares (47,000 acres) but still faces pressure from roads and trails built by expanding communities. - Residents respect the need to conserve the forest but also express a desire to improve connectivity, with the ability to travel within the area and to nearby cities. | |
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‘Ridiculous’ plan developed at Florida zoo saves wild rhino’s eyesight in Africa (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/ridiculous-plan-developed-at-florida-zoo-saves-wild-rhinos-eyesight-in-africa/ WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Corralling a wild rhinoceros into a small chute to give it eyedrops might seem like a crazy plan. But if it’s crazy and it works, then it’s not crazy. Animal behaviorists partnering with the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in Florida traveled to Africa in August to help an endangered […] | |
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Banks must step in before the Amazon Soy Moratorium collapses (commentary) (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/banks-must-step-in-before-the-amazon-soy-moratorium-collapses-commentary/ - Finance is often portrayed as distant from environmental destruction, but in reality, it sits at the center: banks and investors decide which business models survive and which harms they will tolerate. - Right now, a successful agreement called the Amazon Soy Moratorium, which has helped protect millions of hectares of forest by stopping major traders from buying soy grown on Amazon land deforested after 2008, is on the brink of collapse due to industry pressure — but banks can play a role in ensuring these traders stay in the pact and don’t let it unravel. - “Financial institutions should make continued access to capital conditional on compliance with the moratorium’s core principles: no deforestation after 2008, full traceability, and zero tolerance for forest destruction in the Amazon biome,” 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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Researchers eye jaguar conservation wins under Brazil Indigenous stewardship project (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/researchers-eye-jaguar-conservation-wins-under-brazil-indigenous-stewardship-project/ - The jaguar is listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List due to threats such as habitat loss and overhunting, but finds a safe haven in Brazil within protected areas and Indigenous lands. - A pioneering new Brazilian initiative seeks to strengthen the protection of 15 Indigenous territories and their biodiversity through land sovereignty, environmental restoration and monitoring. - The initiative may benefit jaguar conservation in one of the big cat’s last remaining strongholds. - The initiative is still in its early stages, and so far there are little to no links between the project and jaguar conservation programs. But researchers say they hope conservation efforts, even if not explicitly aimed at jaguars, can have a ripple effect on protecting the species. | |
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The most desirable songbird in Indonesia is disappearing from the wild (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/02/the-most-desirable-songbird-in-indonesia-is-disappearing-from-indonesias-forests-wild-targets/ SUMATRA, Indonesia — Armed with a machete, some sticky gum and a recording of birdsong on his phone, “Peni” makes his way into the forest. He’s searching for songbirds in the Sumatran jungle, specifically the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), known locally as murai batu. The popularity of murai batu has boomed in the past decade […] | |
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Scientists discover a new whale highway after tagging a pygmy blue whale by drone (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/scientists-discover-a-new-whale-highway-after-tagging-a-pygmy-blue-whale-by-drone/ - Scientists in Indonesia have tagged a pygmy blue whale for the first time using a drone. - Data from the tag revealed a previously unknown path used by the species on its southern migration from Indonesia to the west coast of Australia. - The biggest threats to the pygmy blue whale include ship strikes in busy shipping lanes, ocean noise pollution, and climate change. - A team from Timor-Leste will now repeat the drone tagging protocol in their waters. | |
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Coral bleaching: How warming seas are transforming the world’s reefs (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/coral-bleaching-how-warming-seas-are-transforming-the-worlds-reefs/ - Mass coral bleaching occurs when unusually warm ocean temperatures disrupt the partnership between corals and the microscopic algae that supply most of their energy, leaving corals weakened and often leading to widespread mortality if heat stress persists. - The 2014–2017 Global Coral Bleaching Event was the most severe on record, affecting more than half of the world’s reefs, and a new global bleaching event that began in 2023 suggests that large-scale damage is continuing as oceans warm. - Bleaching interacts with other pressures — including ocean acidification, overfishing, pollution, coastal development, and destructive fishing — reducing reefs’ ability to recover and increasing the risk of long-term degradation. - While conservation, restoration, and experimental interventions may help protect resilient reefs or buy time locally, scientists emphasize that limiting global warming is critical to preserving coral reefs as diverse, functioning ecosystems. | |
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Southern elephant seals recover in Southern Africa, but global picture is mixed (February 18, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/southern-elephant-seals-recover-in-southern-africa-but-global-picture-is-mixed/ - The southern elephant seal’s conservation status in South Africa has improved from near threatened to least concern, with experts citing four decades without major threats to its breeding colonies on Marion and Prince Edward islands. - About 5,500 seals are estimated across the two islands, with nearly 1,400 pups recorded in 2023; strong legal protections and marine protected area status have supported recovery. - Scientists caution that the causes of a sharp population decline in the late 20th century remain poorly understood, with possible links to food availability, climate change and oceanographic shifts. - While South Africa’s population is recovering, other southern elephant seal populations face threats, including a devastating bird flu outbreak in Argentina, prompting debate about the species’ global conservation status. | |
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From chemistry to regeneration: Agriculture’s next transformation has begun (commentary) (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/from-chemistry-to-regeneration-agricultures-next-transformation-has-begun-commentary/ - Just as the Green Revolution shifted farming from sun and soil to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, we are now seeing a new revolution, one of returning to an agriculture based on biology rather than chemistry. - The current, chemically dependent model has produced a lot of food but at great cost to soil health, biodiversity and livelihoods. - “Society must recognize the truth: we cannot continue to poison our environment in the name of food production, and regeneration is the only viable future,” 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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Kiliii Yüyan puts Indigenous ‘Guardians of Life’ and their planetary stewardship in focus (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/02/kiliii-yuyan-puts-indigenous-guardians-of-life-and-their-planetary-stewardship-in-focus/ National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan returns to the Mongabay Newscast to share his experience creating his new book, Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet from specialty publisher Braided River. This book documents the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of nine Indigenous communities worldwide, featuring contributions and essays from many members of […] | |
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Some forest restoration linked to short-term rise in zoonotic diseases (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/some-forest-restoration-linked-to-short-term-rise-in-zoonotic-diseases/ Deforestation and land use change can accelerate the spread of zoonotic diseases — infectious illnesses that can spread from animals to humans — including malaria and COVID-19. While habitat restoration is crucial for addressing biodiversity loss and climate change, new research suggests counterintuitively that it can also temporarily increase the risk of certain zoonotic diseases […] | |
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Amazon deforestation on pace to be the lowest on record, says Brazil (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/amazon-deforestation-on-pace-to-be-the-lowest-on-record-says-brazil/ - Near-real-time satellite alerts show Amazon deforestation in Brazil continuing to decline into early 2026, with clearing from August through January falling to its lowest level for that period since 2014. - Over the previous 12 months, detected forest loss also dropped to a 2014 low, reinforcing a broader downward trend that is corroborated by official annual data and independent monitoring. Clearing in the neighboring Cerrado savanna has also fallen - Environment Minister Marina Silva attributed the decline to strengthened enforcement and municipal cooperation, saying Brazil could record the lowest Amazon deforestation rate since record-keeping began in 1988 if current efforts continue. - While the data is positive for conservation advocates, short-term satellite data can fluctuate seasonally, and long-term outcomes will depend on economic pressures, infrastructure expansion, and climate-driven risks such as drought and fire. | |
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Malaria outbreak among Indigenous Pirahã linked to forest loss, satellite data find (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/malaria-outbreak-among-indigenous-piraha-linked-to-forest-loss-satellite-data-find/ - According to data from Global Forest Watch, the Pirahã Indigenous Territory in Brazil lost 7,000 hectares of tree cover from 2002-24. - A large spike occurred in 2024, when the territory lost 3,200 hectares of tree cover. - Government officials told Mongabay that the recently contacted Pirahã people are facing a malaria outbreak, and the deforestation is the result of an effort by Brazil’s Indigenous affairs agency to improve food security. - The situation is complex, conservationists say, and although the clearings to plant crops may exacerbate the risk of malaria, the Pirahã people need food to improve their ability to fight the disease. | |
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Scientists can’t agree on where the world’s forests are (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/scientists-cant-agree-on-where-the-worlds-forests-are/ - A global comparison of ten satellite-based forest datasets found striking disagreement about where forests are located, with only about a quarter of mapped forest area recognized by all sources. Differences in definitions, resolution, and methodology mean that estimates of forest extent vary widely depending on the map used. - The inconsistencies are greatest in dry forests and fragmented landscapes, where sparse tree cover makes classification difficult. Even small technical choices—such as canopy thresholds or sensor type—can determine whether an area counts as forest at all. - These discrepancies translate into large differences in real-world indicators. Estimates of forest carbon in Kenya, forest-proximate poverty in India, and habitat loss in Brazil varied dramatically across datasets, with potential implications for funding, policy, and conservation priorities. - Because forest maps underpin climate targets, biodiversity planning, and development decisions, the authors urge treating estimates as ranges rather than precise figures and testing results across multiple datasets. Greater standardization and transparency, they argue, will be essential for credible monitoring of global environmental goals. | |
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Kenya launches a carbon registry to boost climate finance and credibility (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/kenya-launches-a-carbon-registry-to-boost-climate-finance-and-credibility/ NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya has launched its first national carbon registry, a centralized system to track carbon credit projects, prevent double counting and strengthen transparency in climate markets. The platform positions Kenya to attract global climate financing as demand grows for credible carbon offsets under the Paris Climate agreement. Officials say the registry will […] | |
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That “butterfly” you saw? It was probably a moth (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/that-butterfly-you-saw-it-was-probably-a-moth/ Most people think moths are dull, nocturnal, and nothing like butterflies. That couldn’t be more wrong. In the Amazon rainforest, moths come in every color, shape, and size — and many are active during the day. In fact, while there are only about 18,000 species of butterflies worldwide, there are over 160,000 species of moths. […] | |
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Helicopter translocation brings isolated banteng to safer grounds in Cambodia (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/helicopter-translocation-brings-isolated-banteng-to-safer-grounds-in-cambodia/ - Earlier this month in northeastern Cambodia, conservationists deployed helicopters, trucks and more than 50 personnel to translocate a group of critically endangered banteng into a protected reserve. - Banteng, a type of wild cattle that once roamed widely across Southeast Asia, have suffered crippling population declines due to hunting and deforestation. - The effort is part of wider plans to secure a future for the species in Cambodia while rewilding Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary, a site that experts say is one of Cambodia’s best protected sites. - Against the backdrop of intense forest loss, even within protected areas, experts say translocation of isolated animals away from frontiers of development could offer a viable future for conservation in Cambodia. | |
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UN recognition is latest boost to restoring spekboom across South Africa’s semidesert Karoo (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/un-recognition-is-latest-boost-to-restoring-spekboom-across-south-africas-semidesert-karoo/ - Since 2004, the South African government has been working to restore spekboom thickets in a semiarid region of the country. - This biome, anchored by the hardy, carbon-sequestering spekboom plant, has been massively degraded by two centuries of expanding farming and livestock herding. - That long arc of conversion of thicket landscapes to farm and rangeland is now dying, as overgrazing, climate change and shifting markets for agricultural products take their toll. - Dozens of private operators have joined the government in trying to restore this biome’s original thicket cover, attracted by the potential for income from carbon credits. | |
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Indonesia says intervention in notorious Sumatran national park part of new ‘model’ (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/indonesia-says-intervention-in-notorious-sumatran-national-park-part-of-new-model/ - Tesso Nilo National Park was established in 2004 and expanded in 2009 in Sumatra’s Riau province, but has since lost more than three-quarters of its old-growth forest, largely to smallholder oil palm farms, according to remote-sensing platform Global Forest Watch. - Last year, officials working under a new nationwide forestry task force began work to relocate hundreds of farming families living inside the park, in a radical attempt to regain control of a protected area that’s been almost entirely destroyed. - The government is framing the Tesso Nilo policy around efforts to save Domang, one of the critically endangered Sumatran elephant calves living within the national park. - The intervention in Tesso Nilo sparked some low-intensity violence last year, including destruction of a shelter in the forest used by national park staff as a base for fieldwork, prompting a surge in military presence to bolster security as the operation proceeds. | |
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Floods linked to climate change hit nearly 1 million in Southern Africa (February 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/floods-linked-to-climate-change-hit-nearly-1-million-in-southern-africa/ - A rapid analysis of heavy floods that occurred between December 2025 and January 2026 in Southern Africa finds that climate change has exacerbated extreme rainfall events. - Scientists found that rainfall events in the region seem to be becoming more intense, and the likelihood of extreme precipitation occurring is higher in a warmer world. - Despite limitations of climate models in the African context, scientists say they’re confident that weather patterns are shifting due to climate change. - The study also revealed that the impacts were heightened due to structural and social vulnerabilities in the affected countries, with Mozambique being the hardest hit. | |
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Texas sea turtles have lost a conservation hero (commentary) (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/texas-sea-turtles-have-lost-a-conservation-hero-commentary/ - A dedicated sea turtle conservationist on the Texas Gulf Coast has passed away. - Carole Allen — the founder of HEART (Help Endangered Animals Ridley Turtles)— passed away this month at the age of 90. - “Some of Carole’s accomplishments are documented in Edward Humes’ 2009 book “Eco Barons” and the 2011 PBS documentary “The Heartbreak Turtle.” But her true legacy lives on in the countless children and adults she inspired over generations,” a new op-ed says. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Costa Rica’s top court orders action to shield wildlife from power line hazards (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/costa-ricas-top-court-orders-action-to-shield-wildlife-from-power-line-hazards/ Costa Rica’s highest court has ruled that government agencies and the national electricity utility failed to adequately protect wildlife from electrocution caused by power lines. The case centers on the Nosara region in northwestern Costa Rica, but conservationists say the landmark ruling could strengthen wildlife protections across the country. The lawsuit was filed with the […] | |
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Study refutes claim that Indonesia’s legal turtle trade supports livelihoods (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/study-refutes-claim-that-indonesias-legal-turtle-trade-supports-livelihoods/ - Tens of thousands of freshwater turtles and tortoises are legally harvested each year in Indonesia for their meat and exported primarily to China, while many species teeter on the brink of extinction. - Although this turtle trade is thought to provide livelihoods for harvesters, a study finds that with current market prices, it only supports a few hundred people nationwide with a barely sustainable minimum wage income. - A big proportion of the trade must be illegal to keep it profitable, researchers say. They question whether it should be permitted at all, given that many targeted species are threatened with extinction. - To prevent illegal trade, conservationists urge Indonesian authorities to enforce harvest quotas, ban the trade of threatened species and provide alternative livelihoods for harvesters to save the country’s chelonians. | |
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PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are falling in North Atlantic whales after phaseout (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/pfas-forever-chemicals-are-falling-in-north-atlantic-whales-after-phaseout/ Levels of some of the most persistent industrial chemicals in the North Atlantic appear to be falling, at least in one unlikely place. Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) now carry markedly lower concentrations of several legacy PFAS compounds than they did a decade ago, according to a new multidecade analysis of tissue samples from the […] | |
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US ocean regulator faces criticism over changes to right whale protection rule (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/us-ocean-regulator-faces-criticism-over-changes-to-right-whale-protection-rule/ PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S.’s ocean regulator plans to make industry-friendly changes to a longstanding rule designed to protect vanishing whales, prompting criticism from environmental groups who cite the recent death of an endangered whale. The rules protect the North Atlantic right whale, which numbers less than 400 and lives off the East Coast. The […] | |
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A hundred-year vision: Gary Tabor on the rise of large landscape conservation (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/a-hundred-year-vision-gary-tabor-on-the-rise-of-large-landscape-conservation/ - Gary Tabor’s career marks a shift in conservation from protecting isolated “island” parks to designing vast, interconnected ecological networks. - Informed by his early years in the Adirondacks and a decade in East Africa, Tabor’s work emphasizes that wildlife survival depends on the “connective tissue” between protected areas. - Through founding the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, he has moved connectivity into the global mainstream, focusing on practical engineering like wildlife crossings and the human work of community organizing. - Tabor spoke with Mongabay’s Founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler in February 2026. | |
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Seven years after Brazil’s worst dam disaster, mining operations bounce back (February 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/seven-years-after-brazils-worst-dam-disaster-mining-operations-bounce-back/ - Seven years after a dam holding mining sludge collapsed in Brumadinho, southeastern Brazil, killing 272 people, mining giant Vale and its partner Itaminas are resuming operations at the very same mining complex. - The reopening of the Jangada mining site threatens the local community’s water security by potentially lowering the water table and compromising springs that supply hundreds of families in Brumadinho’s rural area, residents say. - Residents, victims’ relatives and civil society organizations have flagged the lack of information about the environmental risks that persist in a territory scarred by one of the worst mining-related disasters in Brazil. | |
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Snooping on stingrays (February 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/snooping-on-stingrays/ Biologging trackers have long been used to track and monitor marine animals like whales, sharks and dolphins. But it has been a challenge to use them on stingrays because of their smooth skin and the lack of a prominent fin. Scientists have now developed a multisensor tag which can be securely attached to sting rays. […] | |
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When environmental reporting has to outlast the news cycle (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/when-environmental-reporting-has-to-outlast-the-news-cycle/ In parts of Africa most affected by biodiversity loss and climate stress, the problem is not an absence of events worth reporting. It is the difficulty of translating slow-moving ecological change, fragmented governance and contested evidence into journalism that travels beyond borders. The signals are often local, technical and politically inconvenient. Yet they shape global […] | |
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Storm aftermath leaves 2 dead in France; flood alerts to remain Saturday (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/storm-aftermath-leaves-2-dead-in-france-flood-alerts-to-remain-saturday/ PARIS (AP) — The aftermath of a deadly storm continued to disrupt parts of France on Friday, with flooding concerns persisting in the southwest even as wind alerts were lifted, according to weather service Météo-France. Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said on TF1 that France had recorded two deaths linked to Storm Nils: one on Thursday […] | |
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Forests don’t just store carbon. They keep people alive, scientists say (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/forests-dont-just-store-carbon-they-keep-people-alive-scientists-say/ - Forests influence climate not only by storing carbon but by cooling the air, moderating extreme temperatures, and regulating water flows in ways that directly affect human well-being, concludes an academic review published this week in the journal Science. - These effects are strongest at the local level: intact forests can make surrounding areas markedly cooler, stabilize rainfall, and create microclimates that support agriculture, health, and daily life. - When forests are cleared, those protections can disappear quickly, often producing hotter, drier conditions and exposing large populations to increased heat stress and associated health risks. - The greatest climate benefits occur where forests are native, underscoring that protecting and restoring natural ecosystems can be as important for adaptation to climate change as for reducing emissions, argues the paper. | |
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Insects are moving pharmaceutical pollutants from rivers to land; risks unknown (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/insects-are-moving-pharmaceutical-pollutants-from-rivers-to-land-risks-unknown/ - Pharmaceuticals have a wide range of detrimental side effects on people. Scientists also know that pharmaceutical pollution is widespread in aquatic ecosystems, largely due to wastewater outflows and runoff. - Studies now show pharmaceutical waterway contaminants can accumulate in aquatic insects at various life-cycle stages. These pollutants can then be transferred to terrestrial ecosystems as the insects are consumed by other species, including birds and bats. - Research also shows that pharmaceuticals can cause changes in the physiology and behavior of insects, with potential knock-on effects for populations and wider ecosystems. - But the full consequences of the transfer of a wide range of pharmaceutical contaminants to aquatic insects, and then via their predators to terrestrial environments and food webs, is largely unknown. | |
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Baby gorilla seized from traffickers languishes in Turkish zoo (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/baby-gorilla-seized-from-traffickers-languishes-in-turkish-zoo/ - Türkiye has refused to return a western lowland gorilla named Zeytin, who was smuggled out of Africa a year ago; Turkish authorities seized him as an infant from the cargo hold of an airplane headed to Bangkok. - The decision marks an about-turn in Türkiye’s plans to return him to Africa, where he’d be in a Nigerian sanctuary with other gorillas, after a DNA test ruled out Nigeria as his country of origin. Turkish authorities announced he will remain in the country permanently. - Gorillas are social animals that live in family groups, and with no other gorillas in the country, conservationists worry Zeytin will be doomed to a life of isolation in a zoo. - Conservationists urge Turkish officials to reconsider their decision and send the baby gorilla to a sanctuary in Africa as soon as possible so he has a better chance of possible release into the wild. | |
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From land acquisitions to local ownership: Alternatives for carbon offsetting (commentary) (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/from-land-acquisitions-to-local-ownership-alternatives-for-carbon-offsetting-commentary/ - Land-based carbon offsetting poses serious risks, including inflated climate benefits and harmful livelihood impacts. A recent Land Matrix Initiative report argues that large-scale land acquisitions in the Global South under the auspices of carbon markets are adding substantial risks to global climate policies. - Given these developments, the Land Matrix provides critical, evidence-based scrutiny by documenting the scale and diversity of carbon-related land deals and advancing harm-reduction measures such as transparency, land governance, and accountability. - Among the recommendations, prioritizing community-based projects — while not risk-free — may offer a conditional alternative, provided there is genuine ownership, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), and strong safeguards, with communities ultimately deciding whether and how to engage. - This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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The bug that makes bubbles with its butt: Froghopper (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/the-bug-that-makes-bubbles-with-its-butt-froghopper/ Meet the froghopper: a tiny insect that builds a bubble fortress out of sap, pee and air to protect itself from predators. Fully grown, it’s one of the best jumpers on Earth, leaping to heights nearly 100 times its body length. This is Episode 6 of Stranger Creatures, a series where biologist Romi Castagnino ventures […] | |
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Thousands of peat fires flare across Indonesia despite rainy season (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/thousands-of-peat-fires-flare-across-indonesia-despite-rainy-season/ - More than 5,000 fire hotspots were detected across Indonesia’s peatlands in January, according to an independent watchdog — an alarming spike despite peak rainy season conditions and recent severe flooding in parts of Sumatra and Borneo. - About a third of the hotspots were inside company concessions, mostly oil palm, reinforcing long-standing evidence that drained and degraded peatlands are highly flammable even after short dry spells, with fire risk now shaped more by hydrology than by calendar seasons. - Provinces such as West Kalimantan and Aceh were hardest hit, with fires producing thick haze in cities like Pontianak and contributing to respiratory illness, underscoring how degraded peat amplifies both flood and fire risks. - After a presidentially appointed peat restoration agency was allowed to lapse in 2024, watchdogs say fragmented oversight, weak monitoring and uncertainty over responsibility have created setbacks in peat protection, raising concerns ahead of potential future El Niño conditions. | |
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US cuts legal foundation for federal climate regulation (February 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/us-cuts-legal-foundation-for-federal-climate-regulation/ On Feb. 12, the United States repealed the so-called endangerment finding, a 2009 cornerstone rule that enabled the federal government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as a pollutant. Established under former President Barack Obama, the rule codified the long-held scientific consensus that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions “threaten the public health and welfare of current and […] | |
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The business case for biodiversity (February 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/the-business-case-for-biodiversity/ - Biodiversity loss is emerging as a systemic economic risk, affecting supply chains, financial stability and long-term growth across sectors, argues a new assessment from the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). - Despite widespread dependence on nature, an estimated $7.3 trillion in annual finance still flows to activities that harm biodiversity, far outweighing conservation spending, says the report. - Few companies currently disclose biodiversity impacts, and measurement remains uneven, though existing tools can already inform operational and portfolio decisions. - Without changes in incentives, policy and financial systems, what is profitable will often remain misaligned with what sustains the natural systems on which the economy depends, says IPBES. | |
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Fishers denounce plummeting fish stocks following Amazon hydroelectric dam (February 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/fishers-denounce-plummeting-fish-stocks-following-amazon-hydroelectric-dam/ A hydroelectric dam impacting Brazil’s Amazonas and Rondônia states have slashed fished populations by as much as 90% in some locations, according to a new a study based on on-the-ground research in partnership with riverine communities. The 2008 construction of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric dam dramatically reduced the natural flow of the Madeira River, which […] | |
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A 410-pound manatee rescued from a Florida storm drain is recovering at SeaWorld Orlando (February 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/02/a-410-pound-manatee-rescued-from-a-florida-storm-drain-is-recovering-at-seaworld-orlando/ FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A manatee that got stuck in a Florida storm drain while seeking warmer waters is on the mend at SeaWorld Orlando after a coordinated rescue effort. Multiple fire rescue units and officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the University of Florida and even Jack’s Wrecker Service were brought in […] | |
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Guanacos’ return to Gran Chaco restirs debate around wildlife translocations (February 12, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/guanacos-return-to-gran-chaco-restirs-debate-around-wildlife-translocations/ - Five guanacos have been translocated from Patagonia to Argentina’s Dry Chaco as part of a reintroduction program. - Rewilding supporters say the animals will help bring the local population back from the brink of extinction as well as help recover a threatened ecosystem. - However, some scientists in Argentina argue that moving animals like this is unethical, can spread disease and lead to genome extinction. - But as conservation budgets are slashed in Argentina, others argue that preserving biodiversity requires more collaboration between the public and private sectors. | |
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