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Energy crisis revives push to drill in Philippines’ largest intact wetland (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/energy-crisis-revives-push-to-drill-in-philippines-largest-intact-wetland/ - Liguasan Marsh is the largest intact wetland in the Philippines, a key area for both resident and migratory birds, and a source of livelihood for the thousands of families who live there. - Since the 1990s, the marsh has been known to hold vast reserves of oil and gas, but decades of armed conflict in the region prevented exploration from progressing. - A 2014 peace deal brought renewed interest to the marsh’s reserves, but little development on the ground. - The global fuel crisis triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has led to renewed calls to extract oil and gas from the marsh, prompting warnings from conservation groups. | |
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Rehab center opens for Brazil’s golden-headed lion tamarins amid urban sprawl threat (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/rehab-center-opens-for-brazils-golden-headed-lion-tamarins-amid-urban-sprawl-threat/ Brazil has opened its first rehabilitation center for golden-headed lion tamarins, an endangered monkey species threatened by urban expansion and the loss of agroforestry farms to monocrop plantations. The tamarins, Leontopithecus chrysomelas, have been filmed in and around Ilhéus, a coastal city in Bahia state, eating fruit inside a supermarket or running across high-voltage electricity […] | |
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In Sri Lanka, animals pay the price for overcrowding and speeding jeeps (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-sri-lanka-animals-pay-the-price-for-overcrowding-and-speeding-jeeps/ - Yala National Park in southern Sri Lanka attracted more than 380,000 visitors in the first half of 2025, generating an income of more than $5 million. - Among the most popular national parks, overcrowding at Yala Block I is a recurring problem, intensified since the social media boom, conservationists say. - Most leopards at Block I have become acclimatized to humans and safari jeeps, creating more interest among visitors. - Despite regular training programs, speeding jeeps have become a serious challenge to animals there, and authorities now plan to limit the number of jeeps and open other blocks to reduce the pressure on Block I. | |
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Virtus Minerals signs first major deal under US-DRC critical minerals partnership (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/virtus-minerals-signs-first-major-deal-under-us-drc-critical-minerals-partnership/ In a major advance for the U.S. push to secure critical minerals and compete with Chinese firms in Central Africa, U.S.-based Virtus Minerals has signed a megadeal for copper and cobalt deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After lengthy negotiations that reportedly included heavy behind-the-scenes pressure by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on […] | |
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Chimp ‘civil war’ follows rare community split in a Ugandan national park (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/chimp-civil-war-follows-rare-community-split-in-a-ugandan-national-park/ - A 30-year study documents a rare split within a chimpanzee community in Uganda’s Kibale National Park — one that sparked a deadly war. - Two rival chimp groups have staged coordinated raids that killed both adult males and infants. - Researchers recorded at least 24 attacks between 2018 and 2024, suggesting unusually intense violence. - The findings show how shifting social ties can fracture animal societies and trigger collective violence. | |
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Thomas J. Walker studied the songs of crickets and katydids (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/thomas-j-walker-studied-the-songs-of-crickets-and-katydids/ - Thomas J. Walker, who died on April 8th 2026 aged 94, spent his career studying the behavior and acoustics of crickets and katydids, treating their songs as a way to understand species and ecology. - Over more than four decades at the University of Florida, he questioned conventional taxonomy by arguing for the importance of studying living insects rather than relying mainly on preserved specimens. - He was an early advocate of making research freely available, helping to move scientific publishing online and creating the “Singing Insects of North America” website, which allowed both specialists and amateurs to identify species and access data. - His legacy also includes the protection and development of the Natural Area Teaching Laboratory, reflecting a practical commitment to conservation, education, and public engagement with the natural world. | |
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Colombia announces plan to cull Pablo Escobar’s feral hippos (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/colombia-announces-plan-to-cull-pablo-escobars-feral-hippos/ The Colombian government has authorized a plan to euthanize dozens of hippos descended from animals smuggled into the country by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. There are an estimated 200 hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) scattered throughout Colombia, according to a 2022 census, which could exceed 1,000 by 2035. The animals are not native to […] | |
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EU deforestation law nudges timber trade, Indonesia probe shows, but risks persist (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/eu-deforestation-law-nudges-timber-trade-indonesia-probe-shows-but-risks-persist/ - An investigation tracing Indonesian timber to recently cleared forests shows EU-bound supply chains still carry deforestation risks, even as the bloc prepares to enforce stricter rules. - The upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is already shifting behavior, with some European buyers and Indonesian suppliers cutting ties and tightening traceability. - But trade data from 2025 show high-risk imports continue, highlighting uneven progress and persistent loopholes in complex, opaque supply chains. - Researchers and advocates say only full, consistent enforcement of the EUDR, alongside stronger due diligence and reforms in Indonesia, will meaningfully curb deforestation-linked timber trade. | |
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Community-led ecotourism protects rebounding wild cattle in Thailand (April 17, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/community-led-ecotourism-protects-rebounding-wild-cattle-in-thailand/ The critically endangered banteng is making a comeback in Thailand’s Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, and has become a unique community-led conservation icon, reports Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan. Thailand’s population of banteng (Bos javanicus), one of the world’s rarest wild cattle species, was once reduced to just a few hundred individuals due to decades of deforestation, […] | |
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Landmark US Magnuson-Stevens fisheries law turns 50 amid budget cut concerns (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/landmark-us-magnuson-stevens-fisheries-law-turns-50-amid-budget-cut-concerns/ April 13 marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), a landmark conservation law credited with saving numerous U.S. fisheries from collapse and protecting vital ocean habitats. Despite decades of success, conservationists warn that recent federal funding cuts could undermine those gains. The MSA was passed in 1976, in the same decade the […] | |
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In Tasmania, the mines have closed but the rivers remember (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-tasmania-the-mines-have-closed-but-the-rivers-remember/ - Legacy copper mining in Tasmania, carried out for more than 100 years, has left parts of the King River ecosystem severely degraded, with scientists describing sections as “biologically dead” due to acid mine drainage and metal contamination. - Globally, legacy mine waste has polluted hundreds of thousands of miles of rivers, exposing an estimated 23 million people to toxic metals, mostly through long-term sediment contamination rather than major disasters. - Long-closed mines, which often operated with minimal or no environmental oversight, continue to leach waste from quarry and mine sites and tailings piles, causing long-term and ongoing contamination of rivers, streambeds and floodplains. Remediation across widely polluted landscapes is difficult and costly to carry out. - Tasmania’s rivers are now a test case for the world: Despite decades of research and mitigation efforts, legacy pollution persists there, offering a warning as demand for critical minerals accelerates globally, with large amounts of copper and other metals required for electric vehicles, AI data center servers and other uses. | |
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BP sued in Kenya over alleged toxic waste from 1980s oil exploration (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/bp-sued-in-kenya-over-alleged-toxic-waste-from-1980s-oil-exploration/ NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The High Court in Kenya ruled Thursday that a class action lawsuit can move forward against multinational oil and gas company BP alleging that decades-long toxic waste disposal contaminated drinking water in northern Kenya. The lawsuit, filed by 299 petitioners in February at the Land and Environment Court in Isiolo, alleged […] | |
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From the Atlantic Forest to the Amazon: Alexandre de Santi on camaraderie and uncovering hidden truths in Brazil (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/from-the-atlantic-forest-to-the-amazon-alexandre-de-santi-on-camaraderie-and-uncovering-hidden-truths-in-brazil/ - Alexandre de Santi is Mongabay’s managing editor for Brazil, where he leads coverage of the Amazon and other national environmental issues. - His career spans more than two decades, from founding the investigative studio Fronteira to serving as deputy editor at The Intercept Brazil, where he helped lead landmark investigations. - Since joining Mongabay in 2022, Santi has brought a collaborative approach to investigative reporting, including editing a 2024 story that exposed links between Amazon carbon credits and timber laundering. - This interview is part of Inside Mongabay, a series that spotlights the people who bring environmental and conservation stories to life across our global newsroom. | |
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Drones aid dugong conservation as threats mount across their range (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/drones-aid-dugong-conservation-as-threats-mount-across-their-range/ - Drone technology is revealing new information about the elusive dugong, a marine herbivore classified as globally vulnerable but already extinct in parts of its range. - Scientists are using drones to improve estimates of dugong numbers and conduct noninvasive health checks. - Dugongs feed exclusively on seagrass meadows, where their foraging helps to maintain these important carbon sinks. - Researchers are highlighting the need to link efforts to conserve seagrass meadows with protecting dugongs. | |
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Americas flyways atlas maps the routes of 89 at-risk migratory bird species (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/americas-flyways-atlas-maps-the-routes-of-89-at-risk-migratory-bird-species/ - A newly released “Atlas for the Americas Flyways” tracks the high concentrations of 89 migratory bird species that are at risk of major population decline throughout the western hemisphere. It identifies their breeding grounds, wintering areas and stopover locations. - This marks the first time these hemispheric migratory routes have been mapped in such extreme detail. Hyper-specific location data aim to provide policymakers, conservationists and others with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about protecting migratory bird species all along their flyways. - The atlas highlights migratory connectivity — identifying key locations in North, Central and South America. Maintaining the environmental integrity of these places is critical to supporting migratory species and includes many tropical hotspots such as Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and the Pantanal wetland in Brazil and Paraguay. - The atlas will also be of use to researchers trying to understand why a species’ population is declining. It can also help planners mitigate perilous threats by providing geographical data as to where, and where not, to build infrastructure. | |
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Listening to forests reveals signs of recovery beyond tree cover (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/listening-to-forests-reveals-signs-of-recovery-beyond-tree-cover/ - Scientists have deployed acoustic monitoring techniques to measure the success of a forest protection mechanism in Costa Rica. - Using more than 16,000 hours of audio data, scientists found that the payments for ecosystem services (PES) initiative in Costa Rica has helped recover biodiversity in naturally regenerated forests. - On comparing the soundscapes, scientists found that naturally regenerated forests sound more similar to protected forests than to pastures. | |
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From carp to hippos, 43% of large freshwater animal species spread far beyond native ranges (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/from-carp-to-hippos-43-of-large-freshwater-animal-species-spread-far-beyond-native-ranges/ From fish and turtles, to hippos and crocodiles, about 43% of all known large freshwater animal species have been deliberately introduced into ecosystems outside their native ranges, a recent study finds. Most species were introduced to boost fisheries, food security or tourism, but many have had unintended consequences for local wildlife, habitats and people. Fengzhi […] | |
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Australia declares mainland alpine ash forests endangered (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/australia-declares-mainland-alpine-ash-forests-endangered/ The Australian government recently listed the iconic alpine ash forests of mainland Australia as an endangered ecological community, citing ongoing threats from increasingly severe, frequent bushfires and climate change. While conservationists supported this decision, members of the timber and forestry industry questioned the move. Alpine ash forests occur on high country slopes in the states […] | |
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A chimpanzee’s rhythmic drumming with floorboards hints at origins of instruments (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/a-chimpanzees-rhythmic-drumming-with-floorboards-hints-at-origins-of-instruments/ - A captive chimpanzee in Japan spontaneously ripped floorboards from a walkway and used them as instruments to perform structured, rhythmic drumming displays while vocalizing - Researchers recorded 89 performances and found the drumming wasn’t random and followed a structured, rhythmic pattern similar to chimpanzee vocal calls. - The chimp displayed play faces and what appeared to be laughter while drumming, suggesting the behavior was emotionally rewarding, not just a social display. - The findings support the hypothesis that instrumental music may have evolved from vocal emotional expression, though the study is limited to a single individual in a captive setting. | |
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10 forces that could reshape the future of the world’s forests (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/10-forces-that-could-reshape-the-future-of-the-worlds-forests/ - A new horizon scan identifies ten emerging forces—spanning politics, finance and technology—that are likely to shape forests over the next decade, increasing uncertainty for ecosystems and the people who depend on them. - Traditional funding for conservation is weakening as public aid declines, while new mechanisms—from carbon markets to direct financing for Indigenous and local communities—are expanding unevenly. - Advances in remote sensing, AI and connectivity are improving monitoring and accountability, but are also enabling illegal activities and accelerating pressures in some regions. - Growing demand for critical minerals, shifting trade rules and tighter political control over civil society are reshaping forest governance, fragmenting authority and redistributing risks and benefits. | |
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Strait of Hormuz crisis should catalyze African biofertilizer production (commentary) (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/strait-of-hormuz-crisis-should-catalyze-african-biofertilizer-production-commentary/ - As tensions disrupt food, fuel and fertilizers flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, Africa’s dependence on imported synthetic inputs is once again exposed, since up to 50% of its fertilizer supplies originate in Persian Gulf nations. - While Africa’s largest chemical fertilizer manufacturer ramps up production to meet the continent’s acute need, a key question becomes whether biologically derived fertilizers created by small to medium enterprises — and by farmers themselves — can help fill the gap. - “For the farmer standing in her field at dawn, the question is immediate: will she have what she needs to plant? The answer must be equally immediate and rooted in the strength and potential of our own solutions and soils,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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San Francisco Bay emerges as high-risk area for migrating gray whales (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/san-francisco-bay-emerges-as-high-risk-area-for-migrating-gray-whales/ Gray whales have one of the longest known migrations of any mammal — from the Arctic near Alaska, to the lagoons of Baja Mexico, where they mate and give birth. This annual migration, longer than 19,000 kilometers (12,000 miles), has been altered by climate change, with profound consequences for the 15-meter (50-foot) mammals. Since 2016, […] | |
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See an orangutan, take a photo, earn some money: A viable conservation model? (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/see-an-orangutan-take-a-photo-earn-some-money-a-viable-conservation-model/ - KehatiKu, a conservation program in Indonesian Borneo, pays citizen observers to document wildlife sightings and upload them via an app. - Payments vary by species, with the highest rate, around $6, paid for verified orangutan sightings. Dedicated observers can make more than they would be paid at a full-time job. - By paying citizen observers directly, the program aims to gather data on wildlife and incentivize conservation while spending much less than conventional conservation projects. - The program has collected around 175,000 records in its first year of operations, but one expert notes that it has historically proven challenging to keep people engaged in long-term conservation initiatives. | |
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Aaron Longton, fisherman who tied sustainability to survival (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/aaron-longton-fisherman-who-tied-sustainability-to-survival/ - Aaron Longton was a commercial fisherman in Port Orford, Oregon, who built his career through persistence and a deep understanding of the marine environment. - He helped pioneer a model that connected fishermen directly with consumers, improving prices while increasing transparency around how seafood is caught. - Longton argued that conservation and economic survival were inseparable, supporting science-based management and habitat protection to sustain fisheries over time. - His work reflected the challenges facing small-boat fishing communities and offered a practical approach to maintaining both livelihoods and fish stocks. | |
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Brazil: Satellites expose rampant gold mining expansion on Indigenous Kayapó land (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/brazil-satellites-expose-rampant-gold-mining-expansion-on-indigenous-kayapo-land/ The Kayapó Indigenous Territory has emerged as a major hotspot for illegal gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon’s Xingu River Basin, a major Amazon tributary. That’s according to a new report from the watchdog Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP). At least 7,940 hectares (19,620 acres) of forest on Kayapó land were cut down […] | |
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The Amazon’s silent crime crisis (commentary) (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/the-amazons-silent-crime-crisis-commentary/ - The Amazon is approaching a critical tipping point, where deforestation, degradation, fire, and climate change together risk pushing large areas toward irreversible ecological collapse. - A growing nexus between organized crime and environmental crime is accelerating forest loss, distorting economies, and undermining governance across the basin. - Addressing the crisis requires more than conservation alone: stronger enforcement, institutional reform, and investment in a sustainable socio-bioeconomy are essential, argue Carlos Nobre, Robert Muggah and Ilona Szabo. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Nearly a million birds shipped from Africa to Asia in 15 years; canaries top the list (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nearly-a-million-birds-shipped-from-africa-to-asia-in-15-years-canaries-top-the-list/ - Hong Kong and Singapore, two Asian wildlife trade hubs, imported nearly a million live wild birds from Africa between 2006 and 2020, according to a new analysis of customs data. Canaries, including species declining in the wild, topped the list. - More than two-thirds of the birds came from African countries where export regulations are weak, including Mali, Guinea, Tanzania and Mozambique. - This massive live bird trade depletes wild populations and may spread dangerous diseases or invasive species, researchers say. - Experts urge countries to restrict imports of live birds, implement stricter quarantine measures and adopt an approved list of pets that don’t pose risks to biodiversity or human health. | |
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Primate Planet (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/04/primate-planet/ Across the tropics, a growing movement is working to secure a future for primates in the face of disease, deforestation and wildlife trade. Reporting from across the planet, this video series highlights how scientists, conservationists and local communities are rebuilding populations and reconnecting fragmented forests. Along the way, it reveals the innovation, collaboration and resilience […] | |
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Invasive ferrets removed from an island in a world-first (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/invasive-ferrets-removed-from-an-island-in-a-world-first/ Rathlin Island off the north of Northern Ireland is now free from feral ferrets that were harming its native seabirds. Conservationists say this is the first time these nonnative animals, which were domesticated from polecats some 2,000 years ago, have been completely eradicated from any island. Ferrets (Mustela furo) were introduced to Rathlin in the […] | |
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Indonesia braces for possible ‘Godzilla El Niño’ as fire season escalates early (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/indonesia-braces-for-possible-godzilla-el-nino-as-fire-season-escalates-early/ - The 2026 fire season in Indonesia is already showing early signs of escalation, as burned areas reached 32,637 hectares by February, 20 times higher than the same period in 2025. - Some global forecasts suggest this year’s predicted El Niño could become one of the strongest in at least a decade, raising the risk of prolonged drought and widespread fires, although significant uncertainty remains over how intense it will ultimately be. - Fire monitoring by the watchdog Pantau Gambut show that many hotspots are in oil palm and timber concession areas, which the group says suggests that legal permits alone do not guarantee fire-safe land management and highlights gaps in oversight and enforcement. | |
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‘Rediscovered’ species in Papua spotlight importance of Indigenous knowledge (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/rediscovered-species-in-papua-spotlights-importance-of-indigenous-knowledge/ - Two species of marsupial thought by scientists to be extinct for thousands of years still live in the forests of Indonesian Papua on the island of New Guinea, according to recently published research. - One of the animals, the ring-tailed glider, is sacred to the Tambrauw people, and it’s part of a newly proposed genus, Tous, borrowing the Tambrauw name for the glider. - The other animal, a pygmy long-fingered possum, was discovered during a mammal-watching trip on the Bird’s Head Peninsula. - The research involved substantial collaborations with local communities and Indigenous elders. | |
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Coexisting with America’s growing urban coyote population is easier than you think (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/04/coexisting-with-americas-growing-urban-coyote-population-is-easier-than-you-think/ Coyotes are now present in almost every major urban-metropolitan area in the United States, yet conflicts between the canines and humans are exceptionally low. Between 1960 and 2006, only 146 documented coyote attacks on humans occurred in the U.S. and Canada. Yet there are 4.5 million dog attacks on humans annually in the U.S. alone. […] | |
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Exploring giraffe-human conflict in Kenya (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/exploring-giraffe-human-conflict-in-kenya/ Reticulated giraffes are an endangered species across their primary range in Kenya, most commonly threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting. Conflicts with people are also rising as giraffes sometimes eat crops like mangos and compete with local people for water. A group of researchers investigated emerging human-giraffe conflict (HGC) in northeastern Kenya found that, […] | |
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A reforestation corridor in Madagascar offers a future for lemurs and locals (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/a-reforestation-corridor-in-madagascar-offers-a-future-for-lemurs-and-locals/ - A reforestation corridor project aims to reconnect 150 hectares of fragmented forest between Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and the Analamazoatra Special Reserve, home to a dozen lemur species and many other animals and plants that are found nowhere else on Earth. - Led by the Mad Dog Initiative in partnership with The Dr. Abigail Ross Foundation for Applied Conservation, Association Mitsinjo and Ecovision Village, the project represents a unique convergence of science, private investment and community action. - The project has already planted more than 100 native tree species across 70 hectares, a portion of which were grown in soil inoculated with mycorrhiza, with seedlings showing high survival and growth rates. Even in its early stages, lemurs are using the corridor. - To address local challenges and increase the chances of long-term restoration success, project partners are investing in ecotourism, health care and education, among other strategies. | |
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In Brazil, unfinished water project leaves Indigenous villages without safe water (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-brazil-unfinished-water-project-leaves-indigenous-villages-without-safe-water/ - According to Brazil’s Ministry of Health data obtained by Mongabay, of the 4,134 Indigenous villages in Brazil’s North Region, only 1,934 — about 47% — have proper infrastructure to supply drinking water to the population. - To avoid scarcity, many communities resort to improvised solutions, using buckets and pipes to fill their reservoirs with water from rivers and waterfalls. In times of drought, shallow wells are also dug on riverbanks. - Their emergency strategy against thirst, however, increases a series of health risks, forcing entire villages to consume ferrous, dirty, and contaminated water — all vectors for infectious diseases. - In some areas of the North, in addition to chemical purification solutions such as Salta-Z, nanotechnology-based collective filters have helped communities cope with the water crisis — and, according to their complaints, with government neglect. | |
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EUDR is starting to steer company actions, despite slow progress: Report (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/eudr-is-starting-to-steer-company-actions-despite-slow-progress-report/ - Although more progress is needed, a growing number of companies are adopting and implementing deforestation commitments ahead of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) taking effect in December, according to a new report analyzing public data on 500 companies exposed to deforestation in their supply chains. - Global Canopy’s newest Forest 500 Report found that 14% of companies mentioned the EUDR in deforestation commitments and more than 25% reported new implementation actions in 2025. The number of companies with traceability mechanisms also increased. - The report also found that 24 companies have never published deforestation commitments and that 14 backtracked on previous commitments in 2025. - The legal uncertainty surrounding the EUDR and its implementation disincentivizes companies from adopting systems for due diligence on deforestation, experts say. | |
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Māori knowledge shows climate change domino effects on forest food chains (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/maori-knowledge-shows-climate-change-domino-effects-on-forest-food-chains/ - An Indigenous-led team of researchers worked with Māori knowledge-holders in the Te Urewera and Whirinaki forests of Aotearoa New Zealand’s North Island to document forest change over the past 75 years. - Drawing on bioindicators from traditional ecological knowledge, they found dramatic changes in native tree fruiting patterns in line with climatic shifts. - The research showed cascading impacts from the fruiting shifts across the food chain — including for pigeons, pigs and people. | |
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Deep-sea wildernesses are more important than the promise of seafloor mining (analysis) (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/deep-sea-wildernesses-are-more-important-than-the-promise-of-seafloor-mining-analysis/ - A scientist who was part of a major 2008 expedition exploring the promise of deep-sea mining writes in a new analysis that what they found offshore of Papua New Guinea ended his enthusiasm for the nascent industry. - The biodiversity documented by their remotely operated vehicle — added to the fragility and uniqueness of the geology and ecology they documented — was clearly too special to perhaps permanently decimate for electric vehicles and renewable energy. - “I entered this project in good faith, working with the mining company to help determine whether or not deep-sea mining at Solwara I could be conducted with minimal harm to the marine environment. I exited convinced that there is no viable path forward for hydrothermal vent mining, anywhere in the ocean.” - This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Ghana declares its first marine protected area (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/ghana-declares-its-first-marine-protected-area/ Ghana has declared its first marine protected area after more than 15 years of efforts to bolster marine conservation and safeguard its depleting fish stocks. Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang announced the creation of the MPA on April 14. It marks a “historic moment,” according to Ghana’s fisheries commission, Benjamin Campion. The designated area covers […] | |
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Afghanistan’s capital is in the grip of a water crisis (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/afghanistans-capital-is-in-the-grip-of-a-water-crisis/ KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Nestled in a high-altitude valley in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountain range, Kabul is rapidly running out of water. Experts say climate change has played its part, but so has massive population growth and resource mismanagement. Many people, particularly in the poorer areas of the Afghan capital, are left struggling to cope. […] | |
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This ghost octopus is facing a new threat (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/this-ghost-octopus-is-facing-a-new-threat/ China is one of the biggest players in the race to mine the deep sea — and a joint Mongabay-CNN investigation shows that over the past five years, eight Chinese research vessels have been busy exploring for minerals in zones designated to Chinese companies. These eight ships spent more than 800 days inside these deep-sea […] | |
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George Schaller: The field biologist who helped redefine conservation (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/george-schaller-the-field-biologist-who-helped-redefine-conservation/ - Miriam Horn’s Homesick for a World Unknown traces the life of George B. Schaller, a field biologist whose work reshaped how animals are studied and understood. - The book portrays a scientist defined by patience, close observation, and a disciplined effort to understand animals on their own terms, even as such an approach ran against prevailing scientific norms. - Horn presents Schaller’s career across continents as both scientific and practical, showing how his research informed the creation of protected areas while gradually incorporating local knowledge and participation. - Rather than probing for psychological insight, the biography mirrors its subject’s outward focus, offering a restrained account that raises broader questions about attention, conservation, and what it means to share a world with other species. | |
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In northern Kenya, a shifting Lake Turkana reshapes traditional livelihoods (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-northern-kenya-a-shifting-lake-turkana-reshapes-traditional-livelihoods/ - According to Kenya’s environment ministry, water levels in Lake Turkana have risen by several meters in the past decade, expanding its total surface area by around 10%. - The rise, mainly caused by increased rainfall far upstream, has affected communities and infrastructure on the lake’s shores, as well as disrupted fishing in its changing waters. - Extended drought in surrounding areas has drawn thousands of new fishers to Lake Turkana, sometimes sparking conflict. - The people who have lived here the longest are negotiating their survival in what a researcher calls “a system with many variables, both natural and human.” | |
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Landmark win for Thai villagers, but gold mine appeal delays justice (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/landmark-win-for-thai-villagers-but-gold-mine-appeal-delays-justice/ In a landmark verdict, the Bangkok Civil Court last month held the operator of a gold mine liable for environmental and health damages, ordering it to compensate nearly 400 villagers. But the company is appealing against the ruling, which will likely delay payouts and prolong a decade-long legal fight, reports contributor Kannikar Petchkaew for Mongabay. […] | |
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Conservation efforts help an endangered dipterocarp spread roots in Bangladesh (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/conservation-efforts-help-an-endangered-dipterocarp-spread-roots-in-bangladesh/ - Conservation of the endangered boilam tree (Anisoptera scaphula) — Bangladesh’s tallest tree species — has reached a milestone after a 34-year-old man planted saplings across all the districts of the country. - A Bangladeshi forestry professor’s dedicated work offers fresh hope for science-based conservation of the rare species. - With no established conservation approach in Southeast Asia, where the species is also endangered, the Bangladeshi model could serve as a replicable solution. | |
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Two-month-old bear cubs rescued from Facebook sale in Laos (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/two-month-old-bear-cubs-rescued-from-facebook-sale-in-laos/ Two Asiatic black bear cubs posted for sale on Facebook have been rescued in Laos as part of an illegal wildlife trade sting. Free the Bears, an international conservation nonprofit, coordinated the operation with local authorities in Oudomxay province after discovering the Facebook post while monitoring online platforms for wildlife traders. The advertisement featured two […] | |
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Can nature outcompete war in Eastern Congo? (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/can-nature-outcompete-war-in-eastern-congo/ - In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, pressure on Virunga National Park reflects deeper economic and governance dynamics, where conservation competes with immediate livelihood needs tied to charcoal production and agriculture. - Emmanuel de Merode frames environmental decline as a consequence of how people earn a living, arguing that protecting biodiversity requires addressing energy access, jobs, and local economic systems. - Virunga has developed an integrated model built around renewable energy, small business development, financial access, and localized security, aimed at shifting incentives away from conflict-linked and extractive activities. - The proposed Green Corridor extends this approach across a national scale, testing whether a viable economic system can be built that depends on maintaining forests rather than clearing them, despite ongoing conflict and political constraints. | |
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30-year Himalayan project shows power of community-led forest restoration (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/30-year-himalayan-project-shows-power-of-community-led-forest-restoration/ - A 30-year forest restoration project in India’s Western Himalayas transformed degraded land into a biodiverse ecosystem through the participation of local communities. - According to a recently published study, the project resulted in the establishment of 88 tree species that are now naturally multiplying, and employed simple bioengineering techniques to retain soil moisture, resulting in long-term natural regeneration and ecological stability. - The restored site, named Surya-Kunj, or Sun-Grove, now supports rich biodiversity, including more than 160 bird species as well as medicinal plants. - Strong community participation and educational value has helped turn the project into a scalable model for mountain ecosystem recovery, researchers say. | |
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Council recommends opening US Pacific marine monuments to commercial fishing (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/council-recommends-opening-us-pacific-marine-monuments-to-commercial-fishing/ A U.S. fishing regulator recently recommended allowing commercial fishing across all four of the country’s Pacific marine national monuments. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) said the move is “about restoring sustainable fishing.” Conservationists and native peoples, however, say it will damage some of Earth’s most pristine ocean ecosystems. The monuments — Pacific […] | |
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Defying conflict to track the world’s rarest chimpanzees (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/04/defying-conflict-to-track-the-worlds-rarest-chimpanzees/ GASHAKA GUMTI NATIONAL PARK, Nigeria — Here in Nigeria’s largest protected wilderness area lies one of the last strongholds of the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti), the world’s rarest chimpanzee subspecies. For nearly a decade, however, this population has lived largely out of sight. Once a leading hub for field research in West Africa, Gashaka […] | |
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Researchers find ‘remarkable’ hot-pink insect in Panama rainforest (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/researchers-find-remarkable-hot-pink-insect-in-panama-rainforest/ In March 2025, biologist Benito Wainwright and his colleagues were searching for katydids — leaf-mimicking insects related to crickets and grasshoppers — in the rainforest of Barro Colorado Island in Panama, when they came across an unexpected sight: a hot-pink katydid individual of the species Arota festae. The researchers captured the katydid and raised her […] | |
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Colombia’s main river redraws the map of little-known night monkeys (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/colombias-main-river-redraws-the-map-of-little-known-night-monkeys/ - A new study looks at genetic evidence to suggest that Colombia’s Magdalena River, and not the Andean massif, may be the true boundary separating two near-identical species of nocturnal primates. - Night monkeys from the genus Aotus, the only nocturnal primates in the Americas, have remained largely invisible to both the public and the scientific community, says the study’s main author. - Experts in the field say this discovery could fundamentally reshape national conservation maps and protection strategies for night monkeys. | |
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A new bird species has been discovered in Japan after 45 years (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/a-new-bird-species-has-been-discovered-in-japan-after-45-years/ For decades, the research community thought that the small, olive-green songbirds found on two Japanese islands were identical. But a new study has revealed these birds are actually two distinct species, ones that have been evolutionarily isolated for millions of years and are now facing the risk of extinction. Researchers discovered a population of the […] | |
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Repeated failures expose gaps in Indonesia’s nickel waste management (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/repeated-failures-expose-gaps-in-indonesias-nickel-waste-management/ - A deadly 2026 landslide in Indonesia’s Morowali nickel hub highlights risks in “dry stack” waste systems, which can still liquefy under poor conditions. - Indonesia’s booming nickel industry generates massive volumes of toxic waste, with dry stack or “filtered” tailings promoted as safer than the typical wet sludge, but often poorly implemented. - Experts cite design flaws, weak oversight, and challenging local conditions, including rainfall and seism activity, as key factors behind repeated failures. - Watchdogs are calling for a halt to new tailings facilities and stronger safeguards, warning of ongoing risks to workers, communities and ecosystems. | |
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Living with wildlife, bearing the cost (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/living-with-wildlife-bearing-the-cost/ - Communities living alongside wildlife bear immediate and recurring costs—from crop loss and injury to disrupted routines—while the benefits of conservation are often diffuse and global in scope. - These burdens are disproportionately carried by rural and Indigenous communities, many of whom are excluded from decisions about land use and conservation, despite being most affected by them. - Conservation efforts are increasingly incorporating rights-based approaches, compensation schemes, and conflict mitigation strategies, but their effectiveness remains inconsistent and often insufficient to offset real losses. - The long-term success of conservation depends on whether it can align ecological goals with the stability and wellbeing of local communities, rather than relying on unequal sacrifice to sustain protected areas. | |
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Doug Allan, wildlife cameraman who filmed animals in extreme environments (April 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/doug-allan-wildlife-cameraman-who-filmed-animals-in-extreme-environments/ - Doug Allan, a Scottish wildlife cameraman, spent decades filming in polar regions and underwater, bringing remote ecosystems into view for global audiences. - Trained as a marine biologist and diver, he moved into filmmaking after a chance meeting with David Attenborough in Antarctica. - His work on major BBC series, including The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, was shaped by patience, fieldcraft and long periods of waiting for rare moments. - He died on April 8th, aged 74, leaving a body of work defined by close observation and sustained exposure to some of the planet’s most demanding environments. | |
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The mother of orangutans (April 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/the-mother-of-orangutans/ Dr Birutė Galdikas spent almost 50 years studying solitary and elusive orangutans in Borneo, at a time when no one believed it possible. Her pioneering work transformed scientific understanding of the great apes and their behavior. She passed on March 24 at the age of 79. Dr. Galdikas was one of three women who revolutionised […] | |
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Venezuela’s new mining law could spell disaster for the Amazon, critics warn (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/venezuelas-new-mining-law-could-spell-disaster-for-the-amazon-critics-warn/ - Venezuela passed a law to update the country’s mining regulations and attract international investment in gold, silver, coltan and other minerals. - While some environmental protections are included in the bill, critics say they’re not rigorous enough to stop the deforestation or human rights abuses already happening in the Venezuelan Amazon. - The law describes a commitment to “ecological mining development” that critics call a dangerous attempt at greenwashing. | |
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Africa’s solar costs could rise as China cuts export subsidies (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/africas-solar-costs-could-rise-as-china-cuts-export-subsidies/ The end of China’s export tax rebates for solar panels and associated equipment could prompt a rush by power developers in African to secure supplies at the previous lower prices. Across Africa, a lack of reliable access to grid electricity is driving the adoption of mini-grids and off-grid solar applications, especially in rural areas. Solar […] | |
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Christianity can be an ally for Kenyan conservation (commentary) (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/christianity-can-be-an-ally-for-kenyan-conservation-commentary/ - Part of the difficulty in mainstreaming religious faith into conservation thinking and practice comes down to outdated narratives. - The negative impact of Christianity on the environment has in particular been well-circulated for over a half-century, but this doesn’t fully reflect current realities in nations like Kenya. - “As the diversity of Christian expression in Kenya demonstrates, the faith, its theologies and its outworkings are plural, contested, and capable of generating both productive and destructive relationships with the environment and its non-human inhabitants,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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