Traffic noise turns Galápagos warblers into angry birds
(April 3, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/traffic-noise-turns-galapagos-warblers-into-angry-birds/
Traffic noise isn’t just unpleasant; in the Galápagos Islands, it can also make songbirds aggressive, a recent study has found. Once famed for their undisturbed natural ecosystems, the Galápagos Islands have seen a rise in road infrastructure and traffic in recent decades. Researchers wanted to understand how birds react to the increased noise. So they […] Maltese Falcon Poachers: European hunters endanger Egypt’s birds
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/maltese-falcon-poachers-european-hunters-endanger-egypts-birds/
- A 15-month-long investigation has exposed the cracks in international conservation efforts around the hunting of Maltese falcons and other species in Egypt.
- Millions of euros have flowed from EU conservation funds to protect these species, only for them to be gunned down by Europeans in Egypt.
- With exclusive accounts from conservationists and hunting trip organizers, alongside public records of raids and arrests, this investigation highlights the urgent need for international cooperation to uphold global conservation commitments.
Photos: Colombia’s Indigenous Nasa push back against cultural loss to reconnect with nature
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/photos-inside-the-ritual-to-reconnect-colombias-indigenous-nasa-people-to-nature/
- Ofelia Opocué, a Nasa elder, was forced to leave her community in southwestern Colombia 23 years ago, and is now reviving her culture by creating an Indigenous governing body and bringing back the Saakhelu ritual.
- The ritual celebrates life and Mother Earth, uniting Nasa people displaced by Colombia’s decades-long violent conflict through dance, music and planting seeds.
- Ofelia and her family are among the more than 5 million internally displaced people in the country, many of whom are Indigenous people.
- Indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to cultural loss following displacement, as their cultural and spiritual practices are intricately tied to their ancestral lands, researchers say.
Nearly one-third of fungi on IUCN Red List are threatened with extinction
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/nearly-one-third-of-fungi-on-iucn-red-list-are-threatened-with-extinction/
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently updated its Red List of Threatened Species to include an additional 482 fungi, bringing the total to roughly 1,300 species of mushrooms, puffballs and other fungi. More than 400 of the species assessed are at risk of extinction, primarily threatened by agricultural expansion, deforestation and climate […] Global seabed regulator concerned by mining company’s unilateral actions
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/global-seabed-regulator-concerned-by-mining-companys-unilateral-actions/
The International Seabed Authority has expressed concern following reports that the U.S. subsidiary of The Metals Company is seeking deep-sea mining permits from the U.S. instead of waiting for the global regulator’s finalization of a mining code. Mongabay recently reported that The Metals Company (TMC), based in Canada, has started a process to apply for […] The price for Europe’s packing paper boom
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/video/2025/04/the-price-for-europes-packing-paper-boom/
The rapid rise of e-commerce and food delivery services has transformed consumption patterns worldwide. In an effort to reduce plastic waste, the European Union introduced policies such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, aimed at a shift from single-use plastics to single-use paper products. While these initiatives aim to address the environmental crisis, they […] An oil-rich West African island offers decades of insight into the wild meat trade
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/an-oil-rich-west-african-island-offers-decades-of-insight-into-the-wild-meat-trade/
- Bioko Island, a biodiversity hotspot and part of Equatorial Guinea, is home to seven primate species and others like duikers, which are sold in local markets catering to the urban rich.
- A recent study, part of the longest wild meat market study in the world, investigates the drivers of the trade on the island and tracks how it has changed over the last 30 years amid economic downturns, conservation actions and public health concerns.
- The study found that public health messaging and on-the-ground conservation interventions such as patrolling and monitoring help create a dent in the trade, but that a lack of law enforcement drives up the trade.
- Conservationists say the study’s findings can help decision-makers understand how socioeconomic factors and shifting demographics impact both demand and wild meat supply.
Ground-level ozone pollution poses growing threat to planetary health
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/ground-level-ozone-pollution-poses-growing-threat-to-planetary-health/
- In the stratosphere, ozone acts as a protective layer. But in the troposphere, at ground level, this colorless gas is incredibly harmful to human health and the environment in ways scientists are still working to fully understand. The problem exists worldwide, but may become especially bad in tropical nations this century.
- Ground-level ozone is a major air pollutant that shortens human lives and kills thousands each year, resulting in major economic impacts. It is formed when methane, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (released from vehicles, industry, power plants and crops) react in the presence of sunlight.
- Climate change worsens tropospheric ozone, with higher temperatures accelerating the chemical reaction that creates it, and because stalled weather systems (especially heat domes) allow buildup of ozone in stagnant polluted air. Ozone pollution not only impacts urban area, but also rural agricultural areas.
- Ozone impacts on biodiversity are significant and growing — harming pollinators, reducing crop yields and limiting forest growth, with global implications for food security and humanity’s reliance on forests as carbon sinks. Effectively tackling climate change and reducing ozone precursors are major solutions.
Peruvian fishers sue for additional compensation after big December oil spill
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/peruvian-fishers-sue-for-additional-compensation-after-big-december-oil-spill/
- On Dec. 22, 2024, a pipeline leak at the New Talara Refinery in northern Peru spilled oil into the Pacific Ocean, coating 10 kilometers (6 miles) of coastline in black.
- Three days later, the Peruvian environment ministry declared a 90-day environmental emergency, paralyzing tourism and work for more than 4,000 artisanal fishers.
- Now, more than three months later, the fishers have returned to work on a sea dominated by the oil industry. They say the compensation they received from the refinery owner, state-owned oil company Petroperú, is insufficient and they are seeking more.
- For its part, the company says it has met its commitments.
Innovators battling wildfires with AI, drones & fungi get $50k grants to scale up
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/innovators-battling-wildfires-with-ai-drones-fungi-get-50k-grants-to-scale-up/
To address the devastating effects of wildfires in Western North America, the nonprofit Conservation X Labs (CXL) and its partners have awarded $50,000 each to 12 shortlisted teams seeking to scale up novel technologies and processes to lower wildlife risk and increase ecosystem and community resilience. CXL announced the 12 finalists of its first Fire […] Longer periods of drought threaten Brazilian amphibians
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/longer-periods-of-drought-threaten-brazilian-amphibians/
- According to a study, global warming will increase droughts in up to 33% of the habitats of frogs, toads and treefrogs; in Brazil, the strongest impacts will be felt on the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest — precisely those with the greatest diversity of amphibians.
- Drought and amphibians are not a viable combination: These animals depend on water and humidity to survive; without that, they may dehydrate in a few hours and die.
- The Atlantic Forest is home to more than 700 species of anuran amphibians, more than 50% of which are endemic; in the Amazon, the greatest focus of potential extinction is the Arc of Deforestation.
- In a warmer and drier climate, the question is whether there will be time for these animals to adapt or evolve over generations to survive these new conditions.
Rare polar bear cub footage offers crucial conservation insights
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/rare-polar-bear-cub-footage-offers-crucial-conservation-insights/
- Scientists have captured rare footage of female polar bears and their newborn cubs emerging from maternal dens in the Arctic.
- Using remote cameras and satellite collars, researchers were able to track down polar bear dens in Norway’s Svalbard region and get insights into their behavior.
- On analyzing the data, researchers found that the bears typically stayed in and around the dens for 12 days after first emerging from them; they were also found to abandon the dens earlier than previously thought.
- Polar bear denning and the subsequent den emergence is a crucial period during which cubs transition from the warm environment of the dens to the harsh environment outside; the amount of time cubs spend in the dens is believed to have implications for their survival.
New strategy launched to protect Tanzanian biodiversity hotspot
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/new-strategy-launched-to-protect-tanzanian-biodiversity-hotspot/
- A conservation strategy for the next 20 years has been launched to protect Tanzania’s most biologically rich landscape.
- The Udzungwa Mountains are home to rare and endemic plants and animals, including a small population of kipunjis, a genus of monkeys only revealed to the world in 2006.
- Sustainable financing is being sought to fund the conservation strategy and boost livelihoods and social well-being in communities surrounding three core protected areas.
- A key part of the strategy will be the rollout of energy-efficient stoves, seen as a priority by local communities who depend on firewood and charcoal.
The vast venomous world of plants, fungi, bacteria: Study
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/the-vast-venomous-world-of-plants-fungi-bacteria-study/
Venom isn’t just a feature of some animals; it’s found across the living world, from plants and fungi to bacteria and viruses, says a new study. Lead author William Hayes, an ecologist at Loma Linda University, U.S., has long studied venomous rattlesnakes. It was while teaching a course on the biology of venom that he […] Brazilian rescue center returns trafficked animals to the wild
(April 2, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/brazilian-rescue-center-returns-trafficked-animals-to-the-wild/
A wildlife rescue center in Rio de Janeiro is giving animals a second chance after they’ve been torn from the Atlantic Forest by poachers, a Mongabay short documentary showed. At the Vida Livre (Free Life) Institute, the team of volunteer veterinarians and biologists rehabilitate thousands of wild animals — from parrots with broken beaks to […] Colombia’s coffee farmers try to balance innovation and tradition to adapt to climate change
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/colombias-coffee-farmers-try-to-balance-innovation-and-tradition-to-adapt-to-climate-change/
- Researchers and coffee farmers in Colombia are trying to find strategies to adapt to unpredictable weather, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, which are disrupting Colombia’s coffee industry by fueling pests and diseases like the coffee berry borer and coffee leaf rust.
- Cenicafé, the national coffee research center, is continuously developing new hybrid coffee varieties that are resistant to diseases and climate change for farmers, but pests are evolving, requiring more research and genetic diversification.
- Some farmers are restoring the much slower traditional shade-grown coffee practices through reforestation and agroforestry, which help them access premium high-end coffee markets while tackling and adapting to climate change.
- With the limited options presented, some researchers say coffee growers must at times choose between high-yield hybrids or eco-friendly organic farming, weighing sustainability against economic survival.
Rethinking carbon: The climate movement needs to be a human one, says Paul Hawken
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025/04/rethinking-carbon-the-climate-movement-needs-to-be-a-human-one-says-paul-hawken/
Celebrated author, thinker and entrepreneur Paul Hawken joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss his new book, Carbon: The Book of Life, and argues that the jargon and fear-based terms broadly used by the climate movement alienate the broader public and fail to communicate the nuance and complexity of the larger ecological crises that humans are causing. […] The newest wildlife crime-fighting superheroes in town (cartoon)
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2025/04/the-newest-wildlife-crime-fighting-superheroes-in-town-cartoon/
You might think that ‘hero rats’ are the lead characters of a new Pixar movie, but these happen to be actual African Giant Pouched Rats, trained by the organization APOPO. Their prolific portfolios include detection of landmines, tuberculosis and wildlife contraband, helping nab illegal trafficking and smugglers at East African ports! Meet the giant rats […] As US agroforestry grows, federal funding freeze leaves farmers in the lurch
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/as-us-agroforestry-grows-federal-funding-freeze-leaves-farmers-in-the-lurch/
- Agroforestry has been steadily gaining ground over the past eight years in the U.S., with the number of projects increasing 6% nationwide according to a new study.
- A federal funding freeze imposed on Jan. 27 put many agroforestry projects on hold pending a 90-day review.
- The freeze has had immediate impacts on farmers and the nonprofit organizations that support them, including a halt on reimbursements and stop work orders.
- Appalachian farmers and their communities are facing a loss in income and the dissolution of important community food resources.
Mongabay investigation finds gorilla trade more widespread than previously thought
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/mongabay-investigation-finds-gorilla-trade-more-widespread-than-previously-thought/
A Mongabay investigation has uncovered exclusive details about the clandestine market for gorilla and chimpanzee body parts in northeastern Nigeria, revealing that the trade works in a larger area than previously believed and kills more critically endangered gorillas than previously acknowledged. Speaking to hunters, traffickers and customers of a trade steeped in both taboo and […] Wildfires in South Korea kill at least 30 people
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/wildfires-in-south-korea-kill-at-least-30-people/
At least 30 people were killed and more than 48,000 hectares, or 119,000 acres, of land was burned in fires that raged over the last week of March in South Korea, media reported. According to NASA’s Earth Observatory, the fires started on March 21 and were accompanied by strong winds and dry weather. Local authorities […] Bangladesh continues promotion of biodegradable bags amid battle against polythene
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/bangladesh-continues-promotion-of-biodegradable-bags-amid-battle-against-polythene/
- Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban plastic bags in 2002. However, due to weak law enforcement, the country still sees a high usage of plastic.
- Approximately 24 kilograms (53 pounds) of plastic per capita are discarded yearly in the capital city, Dhaka, alone.
- Alternatives to plastic bags have been created using cassava, potato starch, cloth and jute, but they are more expensive than polythene.
- The high cost of these reusable bags is hindering the adoption of everyday eco-friendly alternatives.
Key transit province in DRC bans gray parrot capture and trade
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/key-transit-province-in-drc-bans-gray-parrot-capture-and-trade/
African gray parrots, one of the world’s most trafficked birds, can no longer be captured or traded across the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tshopo province, a key transit route for traffickers, according to a recent decree passed by the provincial government. Known for their intelligence and ability to mimic human speech, gray parrots (Psittacus erithacus) […] A Kichwa women’s collective uses ecotourism to safeguard Ecuador’s Amazon
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/a-kichwa-women-collective-uses-ecotourism-to-safeguard-ecuadors-amazon/
- Sani Warmi is a women’s collective that runs ecotourism activities and practices agroecology to generate income and conserve the Ecuadorian Amazon.
- Its members guide tourists around the traditional chacra — a diversified agroecological system — and introduce them to their traditional foods and practices.
- The group produces organic chocolate with cacao grown on a community plot and on their smallholdings and has a fish-farming project.
- These initiatives reduce the need to extract resources from the forest, protecting this area which is home to approximately 600 bird species.
Colombia’s women clam collectors protect Pacific mangroves and mollusks
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/colombias-women-clam-collectors-protect-pacific-mangroves-and-mollusks/
- Along Colombia’s Pacific coast, women belonging to the Afro-Colombian community who harvest piangüa mollusks have united in efforts to conserve these small, black-shelled clams.
- For generations, piangüa collecting has been their livelihood, a nutrient-rich food source and important symbol of cultural heritage.
- But piangüa populations have diminished in recent years, due to commercialization and overharvesting as well as exports to Ecuador.
- The women piangüeras monitor the local mangroves, crucial to piangüa conservation, and when they observe signs of human disturbance or logging, they encourage people to leave the area alone during “rest periods” so the mangroves can recover.
Smuggling networks exploit migrant debt to fuel tiger poaching in Malaysia, study shows
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/smuggling-networks-exploit-migrant-debt-to-fuel-tiger-poaching-in-malaysia-study-shows/
- Fewer than 150 critically endangered Malayan tigers (Panthera tigris jacksoni) remain in the wild, and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade poses a major threat to their survival.
- A new study links human trafficking to Malayan tiger poaching, tracing how indebted Vietnamese migrant workers in Malaysia enter the illegal wildlife trade, and how network managers and fishing boat captains smuggle tiger parts to Vietnam by boat.
- Unlike a single kingpin-controlled network, Malayan tiger trafficking is driven by interconnected, nonhierarchical and small Malaysia-based groups that adaptively cooperate to maintain a seamless supply chain, according to the study.
- To slow the illegal Malayan tiger trade, the authors call for increasing penalties for traffickers, deterring poachers through clear messaging, and prioritizing key coastal communities in both countries for interventions aimed at disrupting transboundary crime and diverting economically vulnerable people from joining the trade.
A third of US bird species are in decline, report warns
(April 1, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/04/a-third-of-us-bird-species-are-in-decline-report-warns/
A recent report assessing the health of U.S. bird populations presents a grim outlook: Birds in the U.S. are declining, and a third of the species — 229 to be precise — are in need of urgent conservation actions. Among the 112 “Tipping Point species” that have lost more than half of their population in […] UK delays to environment law have led to massive deforestation, report says
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/uk-delays-to-environment-law-have-led-to-massive-deforestation-report-says/
- U.K. lawmakers have spent the last four years delaying the implementation of “forest risk” regulations on imported commodities like beef, soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee and rubber.
- A law passed in 2021 needs secondary legislation to implement the regulations, which would establish what supply chain information needs to be collected by businesses and how it should be reported to the government.
- As the country waits for the law’s implementation, U.K. imports have resulted in more than 39,300 hectares (97,100 acres) of deforestation, according to a report from NGO Global Witness.
Leaked data reveals decades of unreported pollution by Colombia oil giant
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/leaked-data-reveals-decades-of-unreported-pollution-by-colombia-oil-giant/
Colombia’s state-led oil company Ecopetrol caused more than 600 instances of major environmental damage between 2010 and 2016, according to internal data leaked by one of their former employees. Mongabay contributor Mie Hoejris Dahl reports that the leaked information suggests the company kept track of spills internally but did not adequately report them to the […] Forest restoration is booming but biodiversity isn’t
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/forest-restoration-is-booming-but-biodiversity-isnt/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay’s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives, and story summaries. Global efforts to restore forests are gathering pace, driven by promises of combating climate change, conserving biodiversity and improving livelihoods. Yet a recent review published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity warns that the biodiversity gains from these initiatives […] PNG’s Torricelli Mountains teem with life — and the risk of extinction
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/pngs-torricelli-mountains-teem-with-life-and-the-risk-of-extinction/
- The Torricelli Mountain range in northern Papua New Guinea holds a staggering amount of biodiversity in a tiny area.
- A recent analysis suggests that the threat of extinction to species living in the Torricellis if the land were cleared of its forests would be among the highest on Earth.
- A community conservation group called the Tenkile Conservation Alliance has worked to end the hunting of critically endangered tree kangaroos in the Torricellis and has proposed a 1,250-square-kilometer (483-square-mile) protected area to further protect the mountains’ forests and species.
- But the government of Papua New Guinea has stopped short of officially recognizing the conservation area as the threat from industrial logging companies in the region remains.
Brazil plans new Amazon routes linking the Pacific & China’s New Silk Road
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/brazil-plans-new-amazon-routes-linking-the-pacific-chinas-new-silk-road/
- New roads and riverways integrating the Brazilian Amazon and ports on the Pacific coast of South America are expected to be announced in 2025, reducing shipment costs to supply China.
- Brazil’s plans to build ports and roads to help move grains, beef and iron ore from the rainforest echo a development vision that dates back to the military dictatorship in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Environmentalists warn the new routes boost deforestation and encourage land-grabbers and ranchers to keep exploring the Amazon as a commodity hub.
‘Substantial’ transshipment reforms adopted at North Pacific fisheries summit
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/substantial-transshipment-reforms-adopted-at-north-pacific-fisheries-summit/
- The annual meeting of the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC), a multilateral body that manages most non-tuna fisheries in the region’s international waters, was held March 24-27 in Osaka, Japan.
- In a bid to deter illegal fishing, the NPFC’s nine members agreed to require independent observers on ships that transfer fish at sea.
- The parties agreed to study the impact of bottom fishing on ocean habitats and to protect two small areas on one seamount. They also increased transparency in the NPFC compliance process and reduced the total allowable catch for two key pelagic species.
Australia’s environment minister sued for failure to act on threatened species
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/australias-environment-minister-sued-for-failure-to-act-on-threatened-species/
Australian conservation NGO The Wilderness Society has launched a court case against the country’s environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, alleging her failure to put in place formal recovery plans for a number of threatened species. The public interest legal organization Environmental Justice Australia recently announced that its lawyers are representing The Wilderness Society in the federal […] Madagascar highway pushes on through controversy
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/madagascar-highway-pushes-on-through-controversy/
- More than a hundred Malagasy civil society organizations have called on the government to halt construction of a major highway after thousands of farmers were affected by unusual flooding linked to the project.
- They are calling for compensation for affected communities and inclusive consultations before the project continues.
- The highway, intended to link the capital Antananrivo to the port of Toamasina, has also been criticized for threatening ecologically important forests and a significant heritage site.
Belize’s natural heritage deserves even stronger conservation strategies (commentary)
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/belizes-natural-heritage-deserves-even-stronger-conservation-strategies-commentary/
- “Belize has made significant progress in protecting its natural heritage, yet growing environmental and economic pressures demand stronger, long-term conservation strategies,” a new op-ed says.
- The country’s National Protected Areas System draft plan lays important groundwork, but additional policy measures, sustainable funding and community-driven governance will be necessary to secure its forests, wildlife and marine ecosystems for future generations, the writer argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
How a young beekeeper’s initiative brought hope and profit to Sierra Leone communities
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/how-a-young-beekeepers-initiative-brought-hope-and-profit-to-sierra-leone-communities/
- Near Sierra Leone’s Tiwai Island, Aruna Bangura, a young beekeeper, started a beekeeping initiative using modern hives after observing a decline in bees and increased deforestation in the region.
- The initiative began with less than 20 frame hives and has now expanded to 400 beekeepers from eight communities who have built more than 300 modern hives.
- The modern hives attract more bees compared to the traditional ones and generate money for locals so they can reduce their dependence on logging to sell charcoal, which, in turn, can help reduce pressure on the forests that the bees depend on.
- Bangura faced challenges in the initial phases of the project but has since won money from the Iris Project’s Stem Prize to kick off the project with plans to expand it.
Chain-link fencing protects livestock from big cat attacks in Tanzania: Study
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/chain-link-fencing-protects-livestock-from-big-cat-attacks-in-tanzania-study/
- Livestock farmers in the environs of Ruaha National Park in Tanzania have to remain vigilant at night to protect their animals from lion and leopard attacks in an area hosting 10% of the world’s wild lions.
- But a study reveals that fortified enclosures in neighborhoods can protect livestock from carnivore attacks, benefiting both the owners and their neighbors.
- Researchers discovered that predators avoid neighborhoods when pastoralists construct corrals using chain-link fencing, a more effective method than traditional African boma fences made of thorny bushes.
- Carnivores in neighborhoods with multiple enclosures face “more work,” making it difficult to pull animals out. The fences reduce availability and attractiveness, leading carnivores to avoid neighborhoods with high-density fortifications, according to Jonathan Salerno, the study’s lead author.
For wandering elephants, path of least resistance could help map out safe corridors
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/for-wandering-elephants-path-of-least-resistance-could-help-map-out-safe-corridors/
A new study reveals how African elephants plan their elaborate journeys: they strategically choose the least energy-consuming routes to reach food sources. These findings, researchers say, can help conservationists design elephant corridors to connect fragmented habitats. African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana), considered endangered, can travel vast distances for water, food or mates. Some landscapes they […] Life on Earth is changing — not just in numbers, but in essence
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/life-on-earth-is-changing-not-just-in-numbers-but-in-essence/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Human activity is reshaping life on Earth in profound and alarming ways. A landmark study published in Nature offers the most comprehensive synthesis to date of how five primary anthropogenic pressures — habitat change, pollution, climate change, resource […] Smallholder agriculture blossoming with the use of renewables in Africa
(March 31, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/smallholder-agriculture-blossoming-with-the-use-of-renewables-in-africa/
- With agriculture employing more than 60% of Africa’s workforce, experts emphasize boosting energy access as a critical input to enhancing productivity and food security.
- The World Resources Institute (WRI) has collaborated with local partners and policymakers to support the integration of clean energy in the smallholder agriculture sector.
- The Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) aims to support efforts to integrate renewable energy into agricultural value chains.
- Innovative irrigation systems with solar panels are now becoming important job creators in Africa, yet the capital investment for ordinary farmers to acquire the technology is still high.
Mysterious sloth bear deaths raise alarm at Sri Lanka’s largest national park
(March 29, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/mysterious-sloth-bear-deaths-raise-alarm-at-sri-lankas-largest-national-park/
- Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest and a prime location for year-round sloth bear sightings, has sparked concern after the sudden deaths of three sloth bears (Melursus ursinus inornatus) occurred within a span of a few weeks.
- As sloth bears like to feed on carrion, there are often concerns about these animals contracting swine flu, which is generally present in wild boar populations due to consumption of carcasses, posing a risk of zoonotic transmission.
- Veterinary surgeons are awaiting laboratory analysis of the recently dead bear’s organ samples to finalize the autopsy report, but they indicate that tick fever is a likely cause of death due to heavy tick infestation.
- The sloth bear is an elusive and iconic species, recognized as a key wildlife attraction and a member of Sri Lanka’s “Big Five” wildlife species, alongside the elephant and leopard, making its conservation essential to the country’s nature-based tourism industry.
The effort to save Syria’s northern bald ibis population failed, but much can be learned (analysis)
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/the-effort-to-save-syrias-northern-bald-ibis-population-failed-but-much-can-be-learned-analysis/
- The bald ibis once lived across the Middle East, North Africa and Southern and Central Europe, but has disappeared from most of these areas and is currently considered endangered.
- A strenuous effort to save one of the last breeding populations in Syria succeeded briefly, but eventually failed due to multiple reasons, including the recent civil war.
- However, much good resulted from the program and insights were revealed, a new analysis explains.
- This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Siamese crocodile release into the wild marks conservation milestone in Cambodia
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/siamese-crocodile-release-into-the-wild-marks-conservation-milestone-in-cambodia/
- This month, conservationists released 10 captive-bred Siamese crocodiles into Cambodia’s Virachey National Park as part of a regionwide effort to boost wild populations of the critically endangered crocodilian.
- The release marked the first such attempt in Virachey. Since the species was rediscovered in Cambodia in 2000, nearly 200 crocodiles have been released in Cambodia’s Cardamom mountains region.
- Efforts to restore or boost Siamese crocodile populations are underway in protected areas in Laos and Thailand, too.
Huge iceberg breaks from Antarctica, revealing a rich seafloor ecosystem
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/huge-iceberg-breaks-from-antarctica-revealing-a-rich-seafloor-ecosystem/
A massive iceberg broke off from the George VI Ice Shelf in Antarctica in January, giving researchers a rare opportunity to observe a part of the planet never before seen by humans. Coincidentally, a team of researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute in California, U.S., happened to be nearby when the ice spanning 510 square […] Deep-sea miner TMC seeks U.S. approval, potentially bypassing global regulator
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/deep-sea-miner-tmc-seeks-u-s-approval-potentially-bypassing-global-regulator/
- The Metals Company (TMC) has announced that it is in discussions with U.S. regulators to apply for an exploration license and commercial recovery permit under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA), a U.S. law that oversees deep-sea mining activities.
- This move could serve as an alternative to TMC seeking approval from the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the U.N.-mandated body overseeing deep-sea mining in international waters, that has previously issued exploration licenses to the company.
- However, legal experts warn that if TMC is able to move forward with its plans, it would be in violation of international law and strain relations with Pacific communities.
- While TMC argues that deep-sea mining is vital for U.S. national security and mineral independence, critics warn of irreversible ecological damage and financial risks.
Elisabeth Vrba, the woman who timed evolution, died February 5th, aged 82
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/elisabeth-vrba-the-woman-who-timed-evolution-died-february-5th-aged-82/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay’s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives, and story summaries. Elisabeth Vrba did not set out to overturn the way scientists understood evolution. But her relentless inquiry, guided by a keen mathematical mind and a sharp eye for patterns in the fossil record, challenged some of Darwin’s most […] In Pakistan, sea level rise & displacement follow fisherfolk wherever they go
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/in-pakistan-sea-level-rise-displacement-follow-fisherfolk-wherever-they-go/
- Rising sea levels are displacing fisherfolk in Pakistan’s coastal areas, forcing them to move to higher ground, such as Karachi, where they now face saltwater intrusion and other climate impacts.
- For many, this displacement is not just about losing homes, but also cultural heritage, traditions and livelihoods, with women, in particular, losing economic freedom as fishing communities decline.
- The Pakistani government lacks a formal policy for the voluntary migration of climate refugees, and while efforts like mangrove restoration have been attempted, they have not significantly alleviated the fishing community’s problems.
- Karachi is projected to receive 2.3 million climate migrants by 2050, primarily due to rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, and other climate-related catastrophes.
Kenya’s cities adopt Miyawaki method to restore lost ecological glory
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/kenyas-cities-adopt-miyawaki-method-to-restore-lost-ecological-glory/
- Due to urbanization and human settlements destroying natural forests, African cities are increasingly experiencing high traffic noise, harmful emissions, and a “concrete jungle” development.
- In Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, forest cover decreased from 14% in 1976 to 3.3% in 2000. The city’s natural vegetation, too, decreased from 15% in 1979 to 2.7% in 2000.
- Since 2007, a restoration practice known as the Miyawaki method has successfully established mini forests in three areas in the capital, Nairobi, planting over 236,212 seedlings between 2011 and 2020.
- The project has benefited local communities by providing tree seedlings and forest maintenance activities; one resident has provided over 30,000 seedlings to the reforestation company and is currently working on their projects.
Panama conducts large illegal fishing bust in protected Pacific waters
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/panama-conducts-large-illegal-fishing-bust-in-protected-pacific-waters/
- Panamanian authorities seized six longliner vessels on Jan. 20 for fishing illegally in protected waters. They also opened an investigation into an additional 10 vessels that surveillance data showed had apparently been fishing in the area but left by the time authorities arrived.
- The seizures took place in the Cordillera de Coiba, a marine protected area that’s part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, which connects several MPAs in four countries. It was the largest illegal fishing bust in the history of Panama’s MPAs.
- The vessels, whose activity is still under investigation, were Panamanian-flagged, meaning they were registered in the country, but the identity and nationality of the owners isn’t clear.
- The surveillance work in the case was done in part through Skylight, an AI-powered fisheries intelligence platform, and was supported by a group of fisheries monitoring nonprofits.
The Turtle Walker: Satish Bhaskar, sea turtle conservationist
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/the-turtle-walker-satish-bhaskar-sea-turtle-conservationist/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. For months on end, he would maroon himself on remote islands — no phone, no company, no fanfare. Just a transistor radio, a hammock, and the possibility of seeing a turtle. It was enough. For Satish Bhaskar, the […] Superstitions fuel trafficking of India’s red sand boa
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/superstitions-fuel-trafficking-of-indias-red-sand-boa/
In India, superstitions and myths have fueled a rampant illegal trade in the red sand boa, a docile, nonvenomous snake, reports Shatabdi Chakrabarti in a video for Mongabay India. The red sand boa (Eryx johnii), as its name suggests, is a thick reddish snake that burrows in loose mud and sand. It’s found in dry, […] The untold environmental toll of the DRC’s conflict
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/the-untold-environmental-toll-of-the-drcs-conflict/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay’s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo isn’t just killing people — it’s tearing down forests, silencing activists, and fueling an illicit trade worth millions of dollars. The resurgence of the M23 rebel group in the eastern […] Community-based conservation cuts thresher shark fishing by 91% in Indonesia: Study
(March 28, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/community-based-conservation-cuts-thresher-shark-fishing-by-91-in-indonesia-study/
- A conservation effort in eastern Indonesia helped reduce thresher shark catches by 91% among participating fishers by providing alternative income opportunities, according to a recent study.
- The program, which ran from 2021 to 2023, supported nine voluntary fishers with resources to transition to new livelihoods, leading to increased income for some, though a few struggled due to personal challenges and job instability.
- However, some fishers felt pressured by family or community expectations to continue shark fishing, and conflicts with local leaders also influenced participation.
- The study highlights the need for long-term conservation efforts that involve local communities, address socio-political challenges and receive strong government support.
Polar sea ice continues steep decline; but will a troubled world notice?
(March 27, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/polar-sea-ice-continues-steep-decline-but-will-a-troubled-world-notice/
- Polar sea ice has reached record, and near-record, lows for this time of year, pushing the pace of global warming and alarming scientists. The just declared 2025 Arctic sea ice extent winter maximum is the lowest on record, at 14.33 million km² (5.53 million mi²). That’s 80,000 km² (31,000 mi²) below the previous low seen on March 7, 2017.
- The 2025 Antarctic sea ice extent summer minimum on March 1 tied for the second lowest on record, at 1.98 million km² (764,000 million mi²). The all time record Antarctic summer low was 1.79 million km² (691,000 million mi²) reached on February 21, 2023. Polar ice satellite records have been continuous since 1979.
- Sea ice loss is expected to continue its slide based on climate models, with scientists warning that the Arctic landscape is likely to be transformed beyond recognition within decades. Sweeping changes will devastate Indigenous polar communities, disrupt Arctic ecosystems, and ultimately lead to the demise of iconic polar wildlife.
- Inhospitable polar conditions continue challenging scientists’ ability to gather data and make precise polar forecasts vital for knowing our climate future. But it may be even more challenging to raise public awareness and political will to reduce carbon emissions and reverse polar ice loss before it passes dangerous tipping points.
Famous bonobo Kanzi, known for smarts & gaming, dies at age 44
(March 27, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/famous-bonobo-kanzi-known-for-smarts-gaming-dies-at-age-44/
Kanzi, the world’s most celebrated bonobo who learned to communicate and play Minecraft with humans, died last week in Iowa, U.S., at the age of 44. Ape Initiative, a research organization in the city of Des Moines dedicated to the study and conservation of endangered bonobos (Pan paniscus) and where Kanzi lived since 2004, said […] Researchers find new killifish species in Kenya
(March 27, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/researchers-find-new-killifish-species-in-kenya/
- According to a new study, a new species of killifish, Nothobranchius sylvaticus, has been found in seasonal swamps in the ephemeral marshes of Kenya’s historic Gongoni Forest at the coast.
- Scientists from Canada, France, Kenya and South Africa report that the severely restricted habitat of the seasonal Mkurumudzi River in southeastern coastal Kenya is threatening the survival of the fish species.
- The killifish, a unique species with iridescent blue scales, red markings and vibrant fins, has been deposited at the National Museums of Kenya and the Royal Museum for Central Africa.
- An expert is calling for the formal designation of the Gongoni Forest as a key biodiversity area and local communities’ engagement to protect the small freshwater fish, ensuring its recovery and avoiding threats.
Netherlands’ largest forest biomass plant canceled, forest advocates elated
(March 27, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/netherlands-largest-forest-biomass-plant-canceled-forest-advocates-elated/
- Vattenfall, the Netherlands’ third-largest energy producer, has announced it is abandoning plans to build the country’s largest wood pellet burning power plant.
- Forest advocates, who launched a campaign to derail Vattenfall’s plans in 2019, declared victory. They note that burning wood pellets to make energy produces more carbon emissions per unit of energy than coal, despite industry claims that the technology is carbon neutral.
- Increasing scientific evidence shows that burning forest biomass for energy is a false climate solution that increases deforestation and biodiversity loss, while releasing significant carbon emissions at the smokestack — worsening climate change.
- In a recent pivot, EU officials now seem more willing to admit the error of past carbon neutrality claims for wood pellet burning power plants, though they now say those emissions can be eliminated by installing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BCCS) at the facilities — an untested, unready technology, scientists say.
Exploring India, finding new species: Interview with biologist Zeeshan Mirza
(March 27, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/exploring-india-finding-new-species-interview-with-biologist-zeeshan-mirza/
- Indian biologist Zeeshan Mirza has identified more than 60 new-to-science species, including snakes, tarantulas and geckos across India’s biodiversity hotspots.
- The Western Ghats and Himalayan regions are particularly rich areas for biological discoveries, though many species remain undocumented and threatened.
- Human encroachment is the greatest conservation challenge, according to Mirza, while the illegal pet trade threatens species, with rare specimens sometimes appearing in online markets shortly after scientific documentation.
- Mirza advocates for withholding precise location data in scientific publications and encourages proper identification skills among young naturalists to document India’s biodiversity before species disappear due to habitat destruction.
Are your tires deforestation-free? Even their makers can’t tell, report finds
(March 27, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/are-your-tires-deforestation-free-even-their-makers-cant-tell-report-finds/
Only one out of the world’s 12 major tire manufacturers have shown evidence their supply chain is deforestation-free, a recent assessment has found. The report, released March 26 by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), assessed 30 natural rubber companies, including 12 that manufacture tires, to see what portion of their supply chain is independently […]