Trump moves to begin deep-sea mining despite environmental and legal concerns
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/trump-moves-to-begin-deep-sea-mining-despite-environmental-and-legal-concerns/
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 24 to expedite the process of exploring and mining for valuable minerals found on the deep ocean seafloor, in both U.S. and international waters. It’s a highly controversial move that critics say imperils an important but poorly understood ecosystem and flouts international rules on deep-sea […] Discovery of critically endangered bat in Rwanda leads to conservation talks
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/discovery-of-critically-endangered-bat-in-rwanda-leads-to-conservation-talks/
- Bats are one of the most diverse orders of mammals and represent an important component of ecological balance. They may make up a large portion of the mammal diversity — including in countries like Rwanda where much of the natural forest and savannah habitats have been lost, changed or degraded.
- Researchers recently discovered two rare bat species in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park, and the IUCN lists 54 species of bats as occurring in the country.
- Research shows that killing bats to control zoonotic diseases can make things worse.
- Several studies show that bats are important predators of insects and are, therefore, a natural asset for agrarian productivity, suppressing pest populations.
Whales and dolphins at risk as report reveals ecological decline in Gulf of California
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/whales-and-dolphins-at-risk-as-report-reveals-ecological-decline-in-gulf-of-california/
- The recent “Assessment of the Ecological Health of the Gulf of California” report shows a decline in several populations of animals throughout the narrow sea flanked by the Mexican mainland and Baja California.
- The report was compiled by the Next Generation Sonoran Desert Researchers (N-Gen) in the U.S. in collaboration with Prescott College’s Kino Bay Center field station in Mexico, and draws on long-term monitoring studies.
- Many of the assessed groups, such as seabirds, whales, giant squid, crabs, starfish and fish, are in decline.
- Basic primary productivity, which nurtures species diversity and abundance in the Gulf of California, remains stable.
‘It has been worth it’: The local women saving Yucatán’s mangroves
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/it-has-been-worth-it-the-local-women-saving-yucatans-mangroves/
- Mangrove forests provide important ecosystem services, from acting as nurseries for fish to buffering coasts from storms.
- Mangroves along the northern coast of the Mexican state of Yucatán have been impacted by deforestation and highway and port development.
- A group of women called Las Chelemeras has for the past 15 years worked to restore the region’s mangrove forests and ecosystem function.
- Their restoration tasks involve opening and maintaining channels so that water can infiltrate and drain with the tides, and planting mangrove tree seedlings.
Indigenous delegates at the U.N. raise alarm for isolated peoples in the Amazon
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/indigenous-delegates-at-the-u-n-raise-alarm-on-voluntary-isolated-peoples/
- Indigenous delegates at the 24th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues called attention to the threats faced by Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact, or PIACI.
- Isolated peoples are affected by the exploitation of natural resources in their territories, drug trafficking, logging, and other illegal economies.
- Indigenous peoples and organizations at the forum urged states to adopt a territorial corridors initiative and to implement policies, standards and cross-border mechanisms to secure their territories and rights.
- There are 188 records of isolated Indigenous peoples in South America, however national governments officially recognize 60.
Beyond the Safari
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2025/04/beyond-the-safari/
The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa, as protected areas become battlegrounds over history, human rights, and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss. Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins, and trying to forge a path forward […] UN report recommends ‘deep change’ theory to address global crises
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/un-report-recommends-deep-change-theory-to-address-global-crises/
Major changes in outlook and societal structures are needed to address the global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, a recent United Nations report says. Its 2025 “Interconnected Disaster Risks” report identifies five “deep changes” that need to happen. These are premised on the “Theory of Deep Change” (ToDC), a problem-solving approach that […] Fishing cats misunderstood, misidentified in Nepal’s Kapilvastu
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/fishing-cats-misunderstood-misidentified-in-nepals-kapilvastu/
- Fishing cats in Nepal are often misunderstood and mistaken for leopards or blamed for fish losses, leading to retaliation and conflict with fish farmers.
- Surveillance measures like CCTV and myths have fueled fear and misinformation, despite little evidence showing fishing cats as major threats to aquaculture.
- A conservation initiative called “fish banks” tried to reduce conflict by compensating farmers with fish instead of money but had mixed results and eventually lost funding.
- Experts emphasize the need for science-based conservation, better population data and public education to protect fishing cats and promote coexistence in human-altered landscapes.
‘Snow-white’ monkeys of Sri Lanka draw in tourists
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/snow-white-monkeys-of-sri-lanka-draw-in-tourists/
For a small village near the Sinharaja Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka, “snow-white monkeys” have become a major tourist attraction, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. These white monkeys are a color variant of the endangered purple-faced langur (Semnopithecus vetulus), also known as the purple-faced leaf monkey, found only in Sri Lanka. Purple-faced langurs typically […] An interview with orangutan conservationist and advocate Gary Shapiro
(April 25, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/an-interview-with-orangutan-conservationist-and-advocate-gary-shapiro/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Orangutans, with their expressive eyes and human-like behaviors, have long fascinated us. Few people, however, have delved as deeply into their world as Gary L. Shapiro. His five-decade career began with a groundbreaking study in primate communication, where […] Paying to prevent deforestation is positive, not ‘nothing’ (commentary)
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/paying-to-prevent-deforestation-is-positive-not-nothing-commentary/
- Should the world pay people to refrain from their destroying forests, a new commentary asks?
- There is something inherently uncomfortable about paying someone to do ‘nothing’ like not cut down their rainforest, but in reality, the value of these places’ ecosystem services and climate regulation is not much different from dividends shareholders earn by owning stocks.
- “By compensating landholders for the services their forests provide, we recognize their true value and offer a pragmatic response to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and climate change,” the author argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
EV supply chain & transport need redesign, Mongabay podcast shows
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/ev-supply-chain-transport-need-redesign-mongabay-podcast-shows/
Reducing transportation’s carbon footprint is not as easy as replacing internal combustion engine (ICE) cars with electric vehicles (EVs). Producing EVs and disposing their components have environmental and human rights impacts, which also need to be carefully considered and mitigated, Mongabay’s Mike DiGirolamo found in an episode of Mongabay Explores podcast in November. In this […] AmeriCorps budget slashed, raising concerns for community service and public lands
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/americorps-budget-slashed-raising-concerns-for-community-service-and-public-lands/
Every year, the U.S. National Civilian Community Corps, better known as AmeriCorps NCCC, organizes teams of volunteers to help communities across the U.S. with environmental work, including habitat restoration, emergency response and wildfire mitigation. It’s also the latest federal agency on the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) chopping block. Most of the staff have been […] Global warming hits hardest for those who can’t escape it
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/global-warming-hits-hardest-for-those-who-cant-escape-it/
- The world’s most vulnerable people, including refugees, migrants and the poor, increasingly face threats related to climate change.
- Many lack the ability to move away from impacts like heat, flooding and landslides.
- A new study reveals a lack of data showing the causes of this involuntary immobility.
- Experts say governments and organizations can invest in low-cost interventions aimed at reducing suffering.
Indigenous nations fought for a new national monument. Will it survive Trump?
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/indigenous-nations-fought-for-a-new-national-monument-will-it-survive-trump/
- After decades of activism by the Ajumawi–Atsugewi Nation (Pit River Nation) to protect its ancestral homelands from extractive industries, vandalism and looting, President Joe Biden created Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in northern California in 2025.
- Sáttítla’s management plan supports co-stewardship by Indigenous nations with connections to the landscape.
- The Trump administration has sown confusion over Sáttítla’s fate by releasing and then deleting documents and proclamations online that said the monument would be rescinded.
Pope Francis’ uncompromising defense of nature may be his greatest legacy
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/pope-francis-uncompromising-defense-of-nature-may-be-his-greatest-legacy/
- The world has never before seen a pope like Francis, who died this week at the Vatican in Rome. He spoke with uncompromising conviction for all of nature, the poor, Indigenous and traditional peoples, and for all those who lack a voice in the halls of corporate and political power.
- His spiritual writings on climate change are unprecedented. From 2015 onward, he spoke out in official papal documents in defense of all living beings — recognizing the importance of preserving the complex web of life, melding science and faith, and urging humanity to embrace an iron-willed resolve to conserve “our common home.”
- His lofty words directly inspired the preamble of the landmark 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and helped launch conservation advocacy alliances between people of all faiths. But Francis met with great opposition and was often minimized or ignored by many in the Catholic Church, by the business community and global leaders.
- Mongabay contributor Justin Catanoso has reported on the pope’s progress as conservationist and humanist over the last decade. Here he offers a sampling of the pontiff’s words urgently imploring all of us, but especially consumers, the business community and world leaders, to live into our sacred duty as Earth stewards.
Report accuses Starbucks of tax avoidance through ‘ethical’ Swiss subsidiary
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/report-accuses-starbucks-of-tax-avoidance-through-ethical-swiss-subsidiary/
- A report accuses Starbucks of shifting $1.3 billion in profits over the past decade to its Swiss subsidiary to avoid higher taxes in other countries.
- The little-known outfit in Lausanne sources unroasted beans — about 3% of the global coffee trade — and handles the café giant’s ethical sourcing program.
- Critics say the scheme is unethical and deprives countries of tax revenue, while Starbucks insists it complies with all laws and defends its “essential” subsidiary.
The wisdom of the elders: Why the oldest animals matter
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/the-wisdom-of-the-elders-why-the-oldest-animals-matter/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In the twilight of their lives, the world’s oldest creatures carry the weight of wisdom, experience, and resilience. Yet, these elders — fish that spawn in abundance, coral that shelters marine life, or elephants that guide their herds […] Remembering Pope Francis and his visit to typhoon-hit Philippines
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/remembering-pope-francis-and-his-visit-to-typhoon-hit-philippines/
Pope Francis was well known for his environmental activism. Time called him the “Climate Pope” for his prominent role in the global climate movement. He consistently talked about the consequences of human action on the planet and described the destruction of the environment as a “structural sin,” calling on people to act with urgency. As […] In West Africa, hooded vultures vanish as abattoirs modernize
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/in-west-africa-hooded-vultures-vanish-as-abattoirs-modernize/
- For centuries, hooded vultures in West Africa have lived in close association with people in towns and cities.
- The vultures’ dependence on scraps thrown out has grown in line with the overhunting of large-bodied mammals in the wild.
- But changes in the way these scraps are disposed of at slaughterhouses in many districts appears to be impacting the vultures.
- The birds now face fierce competition from feral dogs, and from people who harvest slaughterhouse waste to feed their livestock.
In Borneo village, Indigenous Dayaks leave farming amid stricter fire rules
(April 24, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/in-borneo-village-indigenous-dayaks-leave-farming-amid-stricter-fire-rules/
- Rice growers from an Indigenous Dayak community in Central Kalimantan province say stricter rules enacted to prevent wildfires have contributed to a decline in the number of farmers growing rice, potentially elevating risks of food insecurity among rural communities on Indonesian Borneo.
- Remie, a 46-year-old from Mantangai subdistrict, said higher input costs have also worsened the business case for growing rice. Many Dayak farmers have migrated in search of alternative work, local officials said.
- “We don’t burn the forest,” the kepala adat, the customary law authority, in Mantangai Hulu village told Mongabay Indonesia.
New research finds substantial peat deposits in Colombia’s conflicted Amazon
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/new-research-finds-substantial-peat-deposits-in-colombias-conflicted-amazon/
- A new study of Colombia’s lowland forests and savannas finds that the nation may have extensive peatlands — organic wetland soils formed over thousands of years — holding as much as 70 years’ worth of Colombia’s carbon emissions. Protecting them from agricultural development is essential to preventing greenhouse gas releases.
- Researchers made peatland estimates by taking sediment cores in 100 wetlands, quantifying peat content, then building a model to predict locales for other peat-forming wetlands using satellite imaging. Peat was found in unexpected ecosystems, such as nutrient-poor white-sand forests, widespread in northern South America.
- Sampling in many locations was only possible due to the ongoing but fragile peace process between the Colombian government and armed rebel groups. In some places, security has already deteriorated and further sampling is unsafe, making this study’s scientific estimate a unique snapshot for now.
- Most Colombian peatlands are remote, but deforestation is intensifying along the base of the Andes, putting some wetlands at risk. Colombia’s existing REDD+ projects have been controversial, but opportunities may exist to combine payments for ecosystem services with peacebuilding if governance and security can be improved.
How a remote diner in India is fueling a culinary and ecological revival
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/video/2025/04/how-a-remote-diner-in-india-is-fueling-a-culinary-and-ecological-revival/
CHUNG VALLEY, India — Tucked away in the remote Chug Valley of Northeast India, Damu’s Heritage Dine is quietly leading a food revolution. Run by a group of Monpa women in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, this humble diner is bringing ancient mountain flavors back to life, one traditional dish at a time. […] Armed groups and junta profit as toxic mines devour southern Myanmar
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/armed-groups-and-junta-profit-as-toxic-mines-devour-southern-myanmar/
- Since Myanmar’s 2021 coup, lead mining in the country’s southern Tanintharyi region has exploded, with the number of mining sites more than doubling as lawlessness enables rapid expansion.
- The environmental impact has been severe, with polluted rivers, dying crops, and communities losing access to clean water.
- Armed groups and junta officials profit from the boom by collecting bribes and taxes, turning mining into a revenue source across all control zones.
- Environmentalists warn that without immediate action and sustainable planning, the region’s ecosystems and natural resources may be permanently lost.
Global agarwood trade heavily dependent on wild, threatened trees: Study
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/global-agarwood-trade-heavily-dependent-on-wild-threatened-trees-study/
- The global agarwood trade heavily depends on wild-harvested endangered tree species, despite international regulations for protection, with significant volumes going undocumented in official trade records, a new study reveals.
- About 70% of the trade depend on Aquilaria filaria and Aquilaria malaccensis, both threatened species, sourced from the wild, raising major sustainability concerns. Meanwhile, there are some tree species that are not even covered by CITES, the global wildlife trade convention.
- Due to discrepancies between CITES and customs data, along with weak enforcement and outdated regulations, researchers suggest the illegal trade is far larger than reported.
- Researchers urge stronger monitoring, updated data, expanded species protection, and a shift to cultivated sources. They also call on consumers and wealthy importers to support conservation and governments to promote sustainable practices.
Indian trawlers leave Sri Lankan small-scale fishers a ravaged, bereft sea
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/indian-trawlers-leave-sri-lankan-small-scale-fishers-a-ravaged-bereft-sea/
- Bottom trawlers from India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu have been encroaching Sri Lanka’s northern waters for years, carrying out destructive fishing practices that have caused serious depletion of fish stocks and damaged marine habitats.
- Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s local small-scale fishers continue to struggle due to reduced catches, destruction of their fishing nets and financial loss while being forced to fish in limited nearshore areas or abandon fishing temporarily to avoid conflict with the trawlers.
- In this political bone of contention, Tamil Nadu has been demanding reclamation of Katchatheevu — an uninhabited island between India and Sri Lanka — to gain unrestricted fishing rights, and the past bilateral promises to phase out bottom trawling have gone unfulfilled.
- Sri Lanka banned bottom trawling in 2017 and now needs to take specific actions to prevent illegal bottom trawling in its northern waters to avoid the risk of fisheries there from collapsing.
DRC’s Kinshasa could see deadly rain and floods every 2 years: Study
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/drcs-kinshasa-could-see-deadly-rain-and-floods-every-2-years-study/
In early April, extreme rainfall and flooding in and around Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killed at least 33 people. Such catastrophic rainfall events are predicted to hit Kinshasa every two years in today’s warming climate, according to a new rapid study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a network of […] Indonesia defies global coal retreat with captive plant boom
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/indonesia-defies-global-coal-retreat-with-captive-plant-boom/
- Indonesia added 1.9 gigawatts of new coal capacity in 2024, the third-highest globally, mainly to power metal smelters supporting the electric vehicle industry — despite global efforts to phase out coal.
- Captive coal plants built for industry have tripled in capacity since 2019, exploiting a loophole in Indonesia’s coal moratorium and undermining its climate pledges under the Paris Agreement and Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).
- Indonesia now has the fifth-largest coal fleet in the world and plans to expand by another 26.7 GW by 2030, with serious concerns about economic viability, environmental damage, and public health in regions like Sulawesi and North Maluku.
- Government-backed alternatives like biomass cofiring and carbon capture are criticized as costly and ineffective, while experts urge Indonesia to shift meaningfully toward renewables to align with global energy and climate trends.
Nepal announces its snow leopard population after first-of-its-kind assessment
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/nepal-announces-its-snow-leopard-population-after-first-of-its-kind-assessment/
- Nepal has released its first consolidated national estimate of snow leopards, placing the population at 397 individuals, after synthesizing multiple studies conducted between 2015 and 2024.
- Despite covering just 2% of global snow leopard habitat, Nepal hosts nearly 10% of the global population, making it the fourth largest population of the species.
- The estimate contributes to the Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopards (PAWS), a global initiative aiming for standardized and robust population assessments across all 12 snow leopard range countries.
- While the estimate is a milestone, it’s based on just 43% of Nepal’s potential snow leopard habitat, with key areas like Dhorpatan and Api-Nampa still under-surveyed.
Pangolins help biodiversity recover after fires
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/pangolins-help-biodiversity-recover-after-fires/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. A forest may burn to the ground, but beneath the ashes, a pangolin is already rebuilding. Pangolins are best known for their misfortune. As the world’s most trafficked mammal, their numbers have been decimated by poaching for scales […] Indonesia court hands down ‘heaviest sentence’ yet for tiger poacher in Sumatra
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/indonesia-court-hands-down-heaviest-sentence-yet-for-tiger-poacher-in-sumatra/
A court in Indonesia has sentenced a man to five years in prison for the killing of a critically endangered Sumatran tiger in September last year in North Sumatra province. “As far as I know, it’s the heaviest sentence ever imposed for crimes involving protected wildlife in Indonesia,” Iding Achmad Haidir, chair of the Sumatran […] Ongoing global coral bleaching event affects 84% of world’s reefs
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/ongoing-global-coral-bleaching-event-affects-84-of-worlds-reefs/
Coral reefs around the world have been subjected to unprecedented heat stress since early 2023. A new report finds heat-related coral bleaching has damaged corals in more than 80 countries, making it the most extensive bleaching event ever recorded, with no clear end in sight. Between January 2023 and April 2025, heat stress impacted 84% […] Loss of great white sharks triggers domino effect down food chain, study shows
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/loss-of-great-white-sharks-triggers-domino-effect-down-food-chain-study-shows/
- A new study shows how the disappearance of an apex predator, the great white shark, from South Africa’s False Bay triggered changes throughout the food chain.
- With the loss of the top predator in the area, populations of its prey species, such as fur seals and sevengill sharks, increased; the latter’s prey, meanwhile, small fish and smaller benthic sharks, declined.
- The changes also coincided with shifts in the behavior of animals that live in the orbit of great whites.
- Over a 20-year period, the authors observed a significant drop in numbers of great white sharks beyond the study area, raising concern that the overall population of the protected species might be in decline.
Data discrepancies suggest Laos monkey smuggling persists, despite trade ban
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/data-discrepancies-suggest-laos-monkey-smuggling-persists-despite-trade-ban/
- A new report highlights widespread monkey laundering in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, where wild-caught long-tailed macaques are illegally funneled into breeding farms before being exported for biomedical research as captive-bred animals.
- Despite growing concerns over the ethics and effectiveness of animal testing, the biomedical industry continues to rely on macaques, fueling a multibillion-dollar trade, with some shipments worth millions of dollars.
- Thailand has emerged as a hotspot for poaching, with poachers capturing monkeys in urban areas before smuggling them across the Mekong River into Laos and Cambodia, often using concealed transport methods.
- Laos has significantly increased its estimate of wild macaques to justify legalizing their capture, raising concerns of official complicity in laundering monkeys for the biomedical industry, despite international skepticism over the accuracy of the data.
Church pressure spurs scrutiny of Indonesian geothermal projects
(April 23, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/church-pressure-spurs-scrutiny-of-indonesian-geothermal-projects/
- In early April, the governor of Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province said his administration would review all geothermal development on Flores Island.
- The statement followed a campaign by the Catholic Church, led by the Archdiocese of Ende, which advocated for local residents concerned about environmental damage.
- Indonesia has the world’s largest potential for geothermal energy, and use of the technology has grown in recent years as the country seeks to expand renewables to meet its international climate commitments.
- The Vatican assumed a leadership role on climate change under the late Pope Francis, who died over Easter at the age of 88.
Indigenous women in Peru lead wildcat conservation initiative
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/indigenous-women-in-peru-lead-wildcat-conservation-initiative/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. The queuña forests in Peru, once covering vast stretches of the mountains, have dwindled to a mere fraction of their former glory, leaving behind a landscape where biodiversity and water security hang in the balance. This ecological collapse […] Mexican government looks to correct Tren Maya environmental damages
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/mexican-government-looks-to-correct-tren-maya-environmental-damages/
- Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena said the government is considering ways to correct some of the damage done by Tren Maya to cenotes and rainforests in the Yucatán peninsula.
- Officials want to remove fencing along the tracks, create new protected areas and ban the construction of additional roads connecting the train with harder-to-reach tourism activities in rainforests.
- At the same time, the government plans to expand the Tren Maya route and build several other trains across the country that could threaten protected areas.
Cyclone Tam brings widespread flooding to New Zealand for days
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/cyclone-tam-brings-widespread-flooding-to-new-zealand-for-days/
New Zealand experienced heavy flooding and damage due to Cyclone Tam last week through this weekend. What started out as a tropical low hovering over the South Pacific Ocean nation of Vanuatu was upgraded to Cyclone Tam on April 14 by the Fiji meteorological service, media reported. The cyclone then moved southeast toward New Zealand, […] Three moon bears rescued in first closure of Laos bile farm
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/three-moon-bears-rescued-in-first-closure-of-laos-bile-farm/
The government of Laos has for the first time shut down a farm where live bears were harvested for their bile, after convincing the farm’s owner to voluntarily hand over three bears. The rescued Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus), two males and one female, are now being quarantined at the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary, operated […] Amazon illegal miners bypass enforcement by smuggling gold into Venezuela
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/amazon-illegal-miners-bypass-enforcement-by-smuggling-gold-into-venezuela/
- Criminal groups are operating to smuggle illegal gold from the Brazilian Amazon into Venezuela, where the metal is laundered and exported overseas.
- Illegal gold traders adopted this new strategy after Brazil’s administration increased control over the metal’s commerce.
- Mongabay followed the steps of Adriano Aguiar de Castro, who, according to authorities, jumped from one gold laundering scheme to another and now is also involved with gold smuggling into Venezuela.
- The need to cross national borders brings gold trading groups closer to organized crime and poses new challenges to authorities.
Earth Day: The wonder of iconic satellite images
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/earth-day-the-wonder-of-iconic-satellite-images/
There’s something about viewing Earth from space — the shift in perspective has for decades moved us emotionally, scientifically, and philosophically. The iconic Earthrise image of our planet rising above the lunar horizon, taken in 1968 by astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 mission, is widely credited with fueling the environmental movement that led to the […] With deep-sea mining plans in limbo, Norwegian companies fold or dig in
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/with-deep-sea-mining-plans-in-limbo-norwegian-companies-fold-or-dig-in/
- Norway’s plans to mine seabed minerals in Arctic waters remain in limbo after the first licensing round was delayed in December 2024. However, the government maintains that progress will resume soon, with a licensing round tentatively set for 2026.
- Some deep-sea mining companies have faced significant financial struggles due to the delay, with one company going bankrupt and another slashing costs; yet, other firms remain optimistic, insisting the industry’s future is still secure.
- Experts warn that considerable knowledge gaps must be addressed before deep-sea mining can proceed, particularly regarding environmental impacts.
- In Norway, the industry also continues to face heavy opposition from environmental groups, the fishing sector, and several political parties.
New EU plastic pellet rules greeted with caution
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/new-eu-plastic-pellet-rules-greeted-with-caution/
- The EU has agreed binding rules to reduce plastic pellet pollution, aiming to tackle up to 184,000 metric tons of annual leakage into the environment.
- Provisional measures will require companies to prevent spills, implement risk management, and report losses — but reliance on self-reporting may limit accountability, environmental groups argue.
- Campaigners have welcomed the deal but criticized loopholes, delays for maritime transport, and lighter rules for small businesses, warning these could undermine the regulation’s impact.
Critically endangered Sumatran elephant found dead near Leuser; cause uncertain
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/critically-endangered-sumatran-elephant-found-dead-near-leuser-cause-uncertain/
LANGKAT, Indonesia — A critically endangered Sumatran elephant was found dead April 4 on the border of the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra’s Langkat district, officials said. The elephant was male, around 10 years old, and weighed no more than 2 tons. Officials said they believe the individual had been dead for several days […] In the shadow of Angel Falls: How Auyán-Tepuí sparked my reverence for nature
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/in-the-shadow-of-angel-falls-how-auyan-tepui-sparked-my-reverence-for-nature/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. It’s difficult to describe the feeling of standing beneath Auyán-Tepuí, that towering table mountain in southern Venezuela, except to say that something in me changed. In the mid-1990s, I visited Auyán-Tepuí, part of Canaima National Park, drawn by […] Earth Day check-in: Planetary boundaries in peril
(April 22, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/earth-day-check-in-planetary-boundaries-in-peril/
Scientists have identified nine planetary boundaries that help regulate a livable planet. Human activities have pushed six of those nine critical Earth systems beyond safe limits, threatening the stability of life as we know it. Mongabay has consistently reported on all nine systems: Climate change, largely driven by fossil fuel emissions, is causing sea level […] Sweeping cuts and deregulation imperil U.S. fisheries, experts warn
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/sweeping-cuts-and-deregulation-imperil-u-s-fisheries-experts-warn/
- The United States has long had one of the best systems of fisheries management in the world, supporting 2.3 million jobs and a relatively high number of healthy fish populations.
- The Trump administration is enacting sharp cuts to the budget, staff and facilities of the agency that manages U.S. fisheries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and on April 17 ordered widespread deregulation of fisheries.
- The administration says the changes are necessary to reduce government waste and fraud, save taxpayer money, create jobs and enhance profitability, but experts and former NOAA employees told Mongabay these moves have been poorly planned and will be “devastating” for U.S. fisheries.
- The staff cuts, regulatory changes and facilities downsizing are not easy for the public to track, raising questions about the transparency of the Trump administration’s moves.
The 2025 U.N. Forum on Indigenous Issues starts today with hopes and concerns on the agenda
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/the-2025-un-forum-on-indigenous-issues-starts-today/
- The 24th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the largest convening of Indigenous peoples globally, began on April 21st, 2025.
- Indigenous peoples come from around the world to discuss a range of issues affecting their rights and the environment, including deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, the preservation of traditional knowledge, mining and sustainable development.
- A number of people hoping to attend the global forum have encountered visa delays or denials this year, prompting concerns less people will be able to address issues in their countries.
- The State Department and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency did not respond to questions by the time of publication but some researchers suspect Trump’s crackdown on immigration is playing a role.
15 years after the BP oil spill disaster, how is the Gulf of Mexico faring?
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/15-years-after-the-bp-oil-spill-disaster-how-is-the-gulf-of-mexico-faring/
- The Deepwater Horizon disaster on April 20, 2010, was the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, releasing an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over nearly three months.
- Fifteen years later, the gulf ecosystem shows a complicated picture of both resilience and lingering damage, with some species, like brown pelicans, recovering, while others, like humans, dolphins and deep-sea corals, continue to struggle with long-term health impacts.
- The disaster prompted an unprecedented legal settlement directing billions toward restoration projects, though experts debate whether these funds have been used effectively for ecosystem-scale recovery.
- Climate change remains the “800-pound gorilla in the room,” threatening the gulf’s future resilience, one expert said, with others warning that continued pressure from fossil fuel development, agricultural runoff and other threats could push the system beyond its capacity to recover.
Meet the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/meet-the-2025-goldman-environmental-prize-winners/
- Each year, the Goldman Environmental Prize honors grassroots activists from each of the six inhabited continental regions.
- The 2025 prize winners are Semia Gharbi from Tunisia, Batmunkh Luvsandash from Mongolia, Besjana Guri and Olsi Nika from Albania, Carlos Mallo Molina from the Canary Islands, Laurene Allen from the United States and Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari from Peru.
Critically endangered right whales spotted in the Bahamas for first time
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/critically-endangered-right-whales-spotted-in-the-bahamas-for-first-time/
Two North Atlantic right whales, among the most at-risk marine mammals, were spotted swimming in the Bahamas on April 15, marking the first time the species has been seen in the nation’s waters. “That moment for me was breathtaking, and I couldn’t fully gather myself. I thought it was fake at first,” Isaac Ellis, a […] Mangroves mount a fragile green revival in Iraq’s toxic south
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/mangroves-mount-a-fragile-green-revival-in-iraqs-toxic-south/
- Sea-level rise and upstream damming have worsened saltwater intrusion in the Shatt al-Arab River, pushing brine deep into Iraq’s interior and threatening agriculture, fishing and marshland ecosystems.
- A mangrove-planting project has been launched as a nature-based solution to combat coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion and pollution — threats that not only endanger Basra’s coastline but also the freshwater marshlands farther inland.
- Despite scientific backing and community support, the project faces significant obstacles like untreated sewage and industrial waste, while limited government support further hampers the project’s long-term viability and impact.
Why captive elephants formed a circle during the San Diego earthquake
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/why-captive-elephants-formed-a-circle-during-the-san-diego-earthquake/
When a 5.2-magnitude earthquake shook the U.S. city of San Diego on April 14, a video showing five African elephants huddling together in the middle of their enclosure at San Diego Zoo Safari Park made headlines. It showed three older female elephants, Ndlula, Umngani and Khosi, moving quickly to protect 7-year-old calves Zuli and Mkhaya. […] Indonesia strengthens forest monitoring with new tool to meet EU deforestation law
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/indonesia-strengthens-forest-monitoring-with-new-tool-to-meet-eu-deforestation-law/
- Indonesia is stepping up traceability efforts to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which bans imports of deforestation-linked commodities like palm oil, timber and coffee starting in December 2025.
- A new platform, Ground Truthed.id (GTID), combines field-based evidence and geolocation data to detect and document environmental violations in real time, offering a bottom-up alternative to satellite-reliant systems.
- GTID emphasizes collaboration with Indigenous peoples, civil society and law enforcement, using a verification process to turn grassroots reports into legally actionable cases.
- The platform is expected to complement a government-run traceability dashboard by acting as an independent watchdog, helping prevent illegally sourced or conflict-ridden products from entering international supply chains.
Ecologists are spending less time in the field. That could be a problem.
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/ecologists-are-spending-less-time-in-the-field-that-could-be-a-problem/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. There was a time when an ecologist’s education was not complete without the mud of a marsh on their boots or the scent of damp earth after a rainforest downpour. Increasingly, however, the discipline is moving indoors. A […] Agroforestry can reduce deforestation, but supportive policies matter, study finds
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/agroforestry-can-reduce-deforestation-but-supportive-policies-matter-study-finds/
- Agroforestry is recognized as a way to boost local biodiversity, improve soils and diversify farming incomes. New research suggests it may also benefit nearby forests by reducing pressure to clear them.
- The study found agroforestry has helped reduce deforestation across Southeast Asia by an estimated 250,319 hectares (618,552 acres) per year between 2015 and 2023, lowering emissions and underscoring its potential as a natural climate solution.
- However, the findings also indicate agroforestry worsened deforestation in many parts of the region, highlighting a nuanced bigger picture that experts say must be heeded.
- Local social, economic and ecological factors are pivotal in determining whether agroforestry’s impacts on nearby forests will be positive or negative, the authors say, and will depend on the prevalence of supportive policies.
Report alleges criminality in Cambodian, Vietnamese monkey trade
(April 21, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/report-alleges-criminality-in-cambodian-vietnamese-monkey-trade/
- A new report is the latest to bolster long-standing allegations that many long-tailed macaques imported into the U.S. for biomedical research were illegally caught from the wild and falsely labeled as captive-bred, with suspiciously high birth rates at breeding facilities in Southeast Asia.
- Cambodia became a major supplier of monkeys for research after China stopped exports in 2020, but investigations found indications of large-scale monkey-laundering operations, leading to legal cases, failed prosecutions, and a 64% drop in exports by 2023. Despite concerns, global wildlife trade regulator CITES did not ban the trade.
- Vietnam’s reported monkey exports also show discrepancies, with new “satellite breeding facilities” appearing without proper documentation, raising concerns that wild monkeys are also being trafficked into breeding farms.
- A tuberculosis outbreak linked to Vietnamese monkey exports highlights the public health risks, while U.S. company Charles River Laboratories faces scrutiny over its alleged role in the illegal monkey trade, seeming to benefit from political ties to evade accountability.
Vital Mekong fish corridors tracked for first time, but funding cuts threaten future research
(April 18, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/vital-mekong-fish-corridors-tracked-for-first-time-but-funding-cuts-threaten-future-research/
- By implanting fish with small electronic transmitters, researchers were able to track key migration corridors in the Mekong River.
- The findings underscore the threat that dozens of planned dams along the Mekong will cut off these vital migratory paths.
- The study, which the lead author describes as a “pilot effort,” was funded by USAID; the funding gap caused by the U.S. foreign aid freeze leaves the future of such research in question.
Armed groups, cattle ranchers drove 35% rise in Colombia’s deforestation in 2024
(April 18, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/armed-groups-cattle-ranchers-drove-35-rise-in-colombias-deforestation-in-2024/
- Colombia lost 1,070 km² (413 mi²) of forest in 2024, according to data from the country’s environment ministry, representing a 35% increase from 2023.
- Illegal agriculture is thought to be the main driver behind this increase, with cattle ranching spreading inside national parks.
- The environment ministry notes that despite the increase in deforestation last year, the 2024 figure is still one of the lowest in the past 23 years.
- However, experts fear that the increase will continue in 2025 and that armed groups will continue to strengthen their hold over the Colombian Amazon, hindering the progress of conservation strategies with communities.
Locals, researchers race to save unique biodiversity of PNG’s Torricellis
(April 18, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/locals-researchers-race-to-save-unique-biodiversity-of-pngs-torricellis/
Torricelli Mountains, a tiny mountain range in northern Papua New Guinea, is estimated to host roughly 4% of the world’s known species, many found nowhere else on Earth, Mongabay’s John Cannon reported in March. “I mean, for 0.003% of the world’s land area — it’s a ‘wow’ factor for me,” Jim Thomas, CEO of the […]