Cambodian environmental journalist Ouk Mao arrested
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/cambodian-environmental-journalist-ouk-mao-arrested/
- Cambodian journalist Ouk Mao was arrested May 16 by plainclothes military officers, according to his wife and colleagues.
- Mao had previously faced legal charges and physical attacks as a result of his environmental reporting.
- It is not yet clear what charges, in any, Mao currently faces. As of 10:30 p.m., Mao’s wife said he remained in temporary detention at the Stung Treng provincial prison.
Bolivia expels members of fake nation Kailasa over Indigenous land lease scandal
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/bolivia-expels-members-of-fake-nation-kailasa-over-indigenous-land-lease-scandal/
- A Hindu religious sect tried to enter Ecuador, Paraguay and Bolivia by lying to authorities and Indigenous leaders.
- The self-proclaimed nation, the United States of Kailasa, operates from different parts of the world and offered high sums of money to Indigenous leaders in exchange for lands to exploit or conserve for carbon credit projects, say legal experts.
- One contract was a lease for 1,000 years, to be renewed perpetually, allowing the self-proclaimed nation to exploit the natural resources in the leased territory.
- Authorities announced the beginning of an investigation into land trafficking and criminal organization against the people involved in the contracts of the perpetual leasing of Bolivian land in favor of the self-proclaimed nation of Kailasa.
In Nepal, centuries-old Buddhist incense tradition faces overharvesting, climate threats
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/in-nepal-centuries-old-buddhist-incense-tradition-faces-overharvesting-climate-threats/
- Lighting sang, a traditional incense made from juniper and other local plants, is a sacred daily ritual among Buddhist communities in Nepal’s Trans-Himalayan regions like Manang, symbolizing purification and peace.
- Though classified as “least concern” globally by the IUCN, black juniper faces pressure due to habitat fragmentation, overharvesting for incense and increasing commercial demand.
- Climate change, especially prolonged winter droughts and delayed snowfall, is impairing the regeneration of juniper shrubs, making them more vulnerable despite their natural resilience in harsh alpine conditions.
Scientists underestimate frequency of South Atlantic heating events: Study
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/scientists-underestimate-frequency-of-south-atlantic-heating-events-study/
A new study finds that scientists have likely underestimated heat stress on coral reefs in the South Atlantic Ocean, further raising concerns for coral bleaching amid climate change. The study notes that while the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific have well-established long-term ocean temperature and coral monitoring programs, the South Atlantic Ocean has lagged behind, causing gaps […] Countries failing to stop illegal bird killings despite 2030 commitment: Report
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/countries-failing-to-stop-illegal-bird-killings-despite-2030-commitment-report/
Most countries that pledged to reduce the number of birds being illegally killed along an important migratory route in Europe and the Mediterranean region are failing to do so, a new report shows. For the report, conservation organizations BirdLife International and EuroNatur tracked the progress of 46 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, […] Study unveils mystery of monkey yodeling — and why humans can’t compete
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/study-unveils-mystery-of-monkey-yodeling-and-why-humans-cant-compete/
- Researchers found that New World monkeys can produce extreme yodeling-like sounds by rapidly switching between their vocal folds (for low tones) and specialized vocal membranes (for high tones), achieving frequency jumps up to 12 times greater than humans can manage.
- Scientists conducted their research at Bolivia’s La Senda Verde animal refuge, using recordings and electroglottographs on live monkeys.
- Humans lost these vocal membranes during evolution, trading vocal gymnastics for more stable speech that’s easier to understand.
- The complex vocalizations likely help monkeys manage social relationships and grab attention in the rainforest.
Republic of Congo’s gold mining boom undermines conservation efforts
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/republic-of-congos-gold-mining-boom-undermines-conservation-efforts/
The Republic of Congo has one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world, but “uncontrolled gold mining” in recent years could harm the country’s biodiversity, especially in the Sangha region, Mongabay’s Elodie Toto reported in a video published in February. Sangha, located in the country’s north, on the border with Cameroon and the Central […] Vortex predator: Study reveals the fluid dynamics of flamingo feeding
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/vortex-predator-study-reveals-the-fluid-dynamics-of-flamingo-feeding/
Flamingos, often pictured standing still with their heads submerged in water, make for a pretty picture. But peep underwater, and you’ll find the tall, elegant pink birds bobbing their heads, chattering their beaks, and creating mini tornados to efficiently guide microscopic prey into their mouths, according to a new study. “Think of spiders, which produce […] China drops pangolin formulas from approved TCM list, but concerns remain
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/china-drops-pangolin-formulas-from-approved-tcm-list-but-concerns-remain/
- China has updated its pharmacopeia, its list of approved traditional and Western drugs, to remove traditional formulas with pangolin scales, offering hope for pangolin conservation — but also leaving some concerns about continued production.
- The new edition, effective Oct. 1, 2025, removes both raw pangolin scales and all formulas known to contain them, marking a significant step forward in conservation efforts, though conservationists caution that a few untracked formulas may still remain.
- The change reflects both international pressure, such as a 2022 resolution by the global wildlife trade convention, and growing internal advocacy within the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) community for more sustainable practices.
- Despite the positive development, conservationists remain cautious, as changes to the pharmacopeia don’t amount to a full market ban, and China’s domestic market for pangolin scales is still open under an annual 1-metric-ton quota, allowing continued production.
Radio tags help reveal the secret lives of tiger salamanders
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/radio-tags-help-reveal-the-secret-lives-of-tiger-salamanders/
- Scientists are using radio telemetry to map out the home range and habitats of tiger salamanders in the Hamptons in New York.
- Tiger salamanders spend most of their time in burrows underground; they emerge during breeding season and lay eggs in seasonal pools.
- Studying their movements and how far they move from the pools is challenging because of their underground lifestyle.
- With the help of radio transmitters, scientists have found that the salamanders move greater distances than previously thought; they were also found to burrow under fields.
Endangered Species Day: Three animals on the path to recovery
(May 16, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/endangered-species-day-three-animals-on-the-path-to-recovery/
Every third Friday of May is Endangered Species Day. More than 900 known species are already extinct to date, while at least 28,500 others are listed as endangered or critically endangered by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. As the world’s natural biomes get chipped away by aggressive resource extraction, mammals, fungi, corals and […] Indigenous conservationists lead the fight to save Mentawai’s endangered primates
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/indigenous-conservationists-lead-the-fight-to-save-mentawais-endangered-primates/
- Five of the six nonhuman primate species found in the Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands have traditionally been hunted; traditional beliefs forbid killing the sixth, Kloss’s gibbon, or bilou.
- With widespread deforestation and the erosion of traditional practices that governed hunting behavior, all of the islands’ primates are now endangered or critically endangered.
- Malinggai Uma Tradisional Mentawai, a grassroots, Indigenous-led organization, is working with communities to protect primates within the framework of Indigenous Mentawai customs.
New study maps the fishmeal factories that supply the world’s fish farms
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/new-study-maps-the-fishmeal-factories-that-supply-the-worlds-fish-farms/
- In April, scientists published the first-ever open-source map of fishmeal and fish oil factories around the world.
- The scientists found 506 factories across some 60 countries, and in most cases were able to identify the companies that own them.
- Fishmeal and fish oil production is controversial because it can incentivize the overexploitation of ocean ecosystems, depleting marine food webs, and negatively impact coastal communities that rely on fish for nutrition and livelihoods.
- In addition to location data, the scientists collected data on the types of fish many of the factories use and whether the raw material they process is fish byproduct or whole fish, which critics view as more problematic.
World’s oldest ant fossil found in Brazil, dating back 113 million years
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/worlds-oldest-ant-fossil-found-in-brazil-dating-back-113-million-years/
A “remarkably well-preserved” fossil discovered in Brazil, dating back 113 million years, is now the oldest ant to have ever been found by scientists, a new study has revealed. The ancient fossil was found preserved in a limestone and “represents the earliest undisputed ant known to science,” the authors write in the study. The limestone, […] In India, folklore is a tool that helps women save the greater adjutant stork
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/in-india-folklore-is-a-tool-that-helps-women-save-the-greater-adjutant-stork/
- In Northeastern India’s Assam, women have joined forces to save the resident greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius), known locally as the hargila, which was long considered a “dirty, smelly bird” that villagers would attack.
- The women, who call themselves the Hargila Army, incorporate the birds into their songs, prayers and weavings in order to help protect the species and spark appreciation for them.
- Since starting these efforts, the IUCN has reclassified the greater adjutant from endangered to near threatened, as the birds’ population numbers have risen.
- A new paper explores the effectiveness of incorporating the hargila into local folklore as a conservation strategy.
Profit imbalance in palm oil industry risks environmental compliance, report says
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/profit-imbalance-in-palm-oil-industry-risks-environmental-compliance-report-says/
- A new report calls on palm oil-buying firms to take serious steps to address systemic imbalances in the distribution of profits across the supply chain.
- Smallholder farmers produce nearly one-third of raw palm oil globally, yet they receive a disproportionately small share of industry profits compared to large corporations, the report says.
- Small-scale producers are often locked out of high-value markets due to a lack of technical capacity and financial capital to meet increasingly hefty due diligence requirements driven by consumer demand for less environmentally destructive goods.
- The authors urge industry buyers to adjust their purchasing policies to be more inclusive of smallholder farmers, helping to create an industry that is more socially responsible and less environmentally destructive.
Brazil’s offshore wind farms could sacrifice small-scale fishing in Ceará
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/brazils-offshore-wind-farms-could-sacrifice-small-scale-fishing-in-ceara/
- In Brazil, the expansion of coastal wind energy has already disrupted traditional communities’ way of life; now, the concern is that these impacts will be repeated at sea, after a bill regulating offshore wind energy was signed into law in January.
- In the state of Ceará, 26 projects overlap with small fishing zones used by hundreds of traditional communities, including maroon, Indigenous, fisher and extractivist groups that have had a direct relationship with the sea for generations.
- The northeast region seeks to expand offshore wind energy, as it is vital to the production of green hydrogen aimed for European markets.
The world needs a new UN protocol to fight environmental crime (commentary)
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/the-world-needs-a-new-un-protocol-to-fight-environmental-crime-commentary/
- As environmental crime goes global and awareness of its massive scope rises, finding agreement between governments on which illegal trades to target, and how, is not simple and leads to a piecemeal approach, a new op-ed argues.
- The case for international law enforcement cooperation is growing stronger, though, with the U.N. recently launching an intergovernmental process to explore new protocols targeting environmental crime under its existing convention against transnational organized crime, UNTOC.
- “A dedicated UNTOC protocol won’t solve everything, but it would mark a critical step toward harmonizing laws, closing enforcement gaps, and raising the cost for environmental offenders,” the author writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Kenyan soil carbon project suspended for a second time
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/kenyan-soil-carbon-project-suspended-for-a-second-time/
The carbon credit certifier Verra has placed the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project under review for a second time, it confirmed to Mongabay in an emailed statement. Until the review is completed, the project will not be permitted to sell any credits it generates through its model of managing livestock grazing routes. The decision is […] Brazil antideforestation operation blacklists more than 500 farms in the Amazon
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/brazil-antideforestation-operation-blacklists-more-than-500-farms-in-the-amazon/
The Brazilian government blocked 545 rural properties in the Amazonian state of Pará from selling crops and livestock both domestically and internationally, citing illegal deforestation, according to a May 6 announcement by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The announcement marks one of Brazil’s largest uses of remote sensing to sanction agriculture activity associated […] Antibiotic pollution widespread in world’s rivers, study finds
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/antibiotic-pollution-widespread-in-worlds-rivers-study-finds/
Nearly a third of all antibiotics that people consume end up in the world’s rivers, a new study finds. This could potentially harm aquatic life and impact human health by promoting drug resistance, researchers say. Antibiotics, critical for treating various bacterial infections, are widely consumed by people, livestock and aquaculture fish, but the drugs are […] Malagasy wildlife champion wins top global conservation award
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/malagasy-wildlife-champion-wins-top-global-conservation-award/
Malagasy scientist Lily-Arison René de Roland has been announced as the winner of this year’s Indianapolis Prize, which recognizes “extraordinary contributions to conservation efforts.” In its announcement, Indianapolis Zoo, which presents the award, highlighted René de Roland’s scientific and conservation work that has led to the discovery of several species and the establishment of four […] Invasive whiteflies pose a new threat to Bangladesh’s cash crops
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/invasive-whiteflies-pose-a-new-threat-to-bangladeshs-cash-crops/
- The invasion of sap-sucking whiteflies in Bangladesh’s agricultural farms, especially in those of coconuts, bananas and guavas, has become a serious concern among farmers as it can cause widespread damage.
- Farmers first noticed these insects in 2019 on coconut plants, and observed they affected the growth of the plants and yields. Research shows whiteflies have already made 61 types of plants as their hosts in Bangladesh.
- Though the researchers have yet to confirm how they entered the country, they suggest it could be via imported high-yielding coconut plants in 2014 and 2015.
- Researchers suggest deploying a parasitoid wasp, Encarsia guadeloupae, which is considered to tackle the invasion of the whitefly.
Sumatran tiger protection needs more patrols, tougher penalties, study finds
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/sumatran-tiger-protection-needs-more-patrols-tougher-penalties-study-finds/
- A new study on Sumatran tiger conservation in Indonesia’s Gunung Leuser National Park underscores that poaching remains the top threat, despite extensive patrols and antitrafficking efforts over the past decade.
- Researchers found that while patrols removed hundreds of snares and law enforcement increasingly pursued criminal charges, poaching rates remained high and tiger populations continued to decline in some areas.
- Despite stricter conservation laws and improved prosecution rates, the financial rewards of poaching still outweigh the penalties, limiting the deterrent effect on poachers and traffickers.
- The study recommends increasing patrols in high-risk areas, improving community engagement in law enforcement, and providing alternative livelihoods to reduce the economic lure of poaching.
Borneo project hopes to prove that forests and oil palms can coexist
(May 15, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/borneo-project-hopes-to-prove-that-forests-and-oil-palms-can-coexist/
- Monoculture palm oil production has come at the cost of rainforest habitat, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia.
- Researchers are conducting experimental trials in Malaysian Borneo to see if native trees can be planted in oil palm plantations without significantly reducing palm oil yields.
- While still in the initial stages, the experiment is so far showing there are no detrimental effects to oil palm growth.
- In fact, interplanting with native forest trees may benefit oil palm, with the researchers finding oil palm trees had more leaf growth in agroforestry plots than in monoculture ones.
Malaysian timber company accused of abuse & rights violations: Report
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/malaysian-timber-company-accused-of-abuse-rights-violations-report/
A new Human Rights Watch report alleges abuse and human rights violations in an Indigenous community in Malaysia’s Sarawak state. The report finds Malaysian timber company Zedtee Sdn Bhd (Zedtee) destroyed culturally valuable forests without the consent of Indigenous people, who are facing an eviction notice from their land. The HRW report says the Sarawak […] How manatees won over an entire village
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/video/2025/05/how-manatees-won-over-an-entire-village/
BARRA DO MAMANGUAPE — Brazil. It’s hard to imagine today, but manatees were once hunted and eaten. These gentle sea mammals were considered a delicacy in Brazil, with their meat consumed by local fishermen and their skin and oil exported to Europe during colonial times. This exploitation pushed the species to the brink of extinction. […] 13 years after deadly attack, an okapi returns to Epulu in DRC reserve
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/13-years-after-deadly-attack-an-okapi-returns-to-epulu-in-drc-reserve/
- Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in partnership with the Okapi Conservation Project, has announced the return of an okapi to the reserve’s Epulu area after more than a decade.
- In 2012, an armed group of poachers killed seven people and 14 okapis at Epulu, and while the security situation in the area has improved since then, threats persist.
- The protected area is threatened by armed gangs, poachers and illegal gold mining, all of which endanger the species’ natural habitat.
- Experts say this instability has contributed to the continued decline of the okapi population, with an estimated 5,000 of these “African unicorns” left in the wildlife reserve.
Community-led system boosts fisheries in a corner of fast-depleting Lake Malawi
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/community-led-system-boosts-fisheries-in-a-corner-of-fast-depleting-lake-malawi/
Lake Malawi’s fish stocks are declining, but one community stands apart: around Mbenje Island, a traditional fisheries management plan has ensured thriving fish populations for generations, Mongabay contributor Charles Mpaka reports. Landlocked Malawi is highly dependent on the lake, which supplies 90% of the country’s fish catch; more than 1.6 million people rely directly or […] New research sheds light on Canada lynx-snowshoe hare cycle, human impacts
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/new-research-sheds-light-on-canada-lynx-snowshoe-hare-cycle-human-impacts/
- It’s long been known that snowshoe hare numbers in North American forests rise and fall dramatically in a predictable 10-year cycle. A year or two later, Canada lynx populations follow the same pattern.
- After decades of research, the dominant view is that the hare cycle is largely driven by predation, though there are still many mysteries to uncover.
- New research is shedding light on the lynx’s hunting behaviors and the asynchronicity of population cycles from region to region.
- Researchers are also looking at how human causes, including forestry practices, climate change and escalating wildfires, may be impacting lynx-hare cycles.
Flawed energy road map may block Indonesia’s coal exit, critics warn
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/flawed-energy-road-map-may-block-indonesias-coal-exit-critics-warn/
- Indonesia’s first energy transition road map has been criticized for prioritizing financial considerations over emissions cuts, potentially stalling efforts to retire its coal fleet in favor of renewables.
- The road map’s scoring method gives excessive weight to funding availability and economic impact, while undervaluing emissions, effectively blocking the early retirement of many high-emission plants, critics say.
- The road map also lacks a binding retirement timeline and a specific list of coal plants targeted for closure, despite a pledge to phase out coal by 2040, delaying peak emissions in the power sector until 2037 — seven years later than international guidelines.
- Critics warn that the roadmap’s reliance on “false solutions” like carbon capture and cofiring with alternative fuels could prolong coal’s lifespan, while failing to address key social and economic impacts needed for a fair transition away from coal.
Even in intact Amazon forests, climate change affects bird populations: Study
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/even-in-intact-amazon-forests-climate-change-affects-bird-populations-study/
- A recent study analyzed the behavior of birds that feed on insects in parts of the Amazon that have not yet been altered by human activity. Of the 29 species studied, 24 have gone through a reduction in population.
- The results point to climate change as the cause: Less rainfall and more severe droughts seem to be affecting the number of insects there, resulting in less food for the birds, which seem to be reacting by reproducing less in order to save energy.
- According to the study, an increase of just 1° C (1.8° F) in average dry season temperature in the Amazon would result in a 63% drop in the bird community’s average survival rate.
Cape vulture conservation offers hope, but challenges remain
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/cape-vulture-conservation-offers-hope-but-challenges-remain/
- The Cape vulture, Southern Africa’s only endemic vulture species, has shown positive signs of recovery in some parts of its range, with the overall population stabilizing.
- In 2021, the species’ conservations status improved from endangered to vulnerable, making the Cape vulture a rare success story for vulture conservation in Africa, say conservationists.
- Despite this success many challenges remain in protecting this species and other vultures due to threats such as poisoning, energy infrastructure and, increasingly, “belief-based use.”
- The recovery of the Cape vulture provides a positive example for vulture conservation, but replicating this success with other species is riddled with challenges, say experts.
EU’s legislative body accepts weakening of wolf protection
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/eus-legislative-body-accepts-weakening-of-wolf-protection/
The European Parliament has voted in favor of the European Commission’s proposal to weaken wolf protection, citing increased conflicts with people and livestock in some regions. The draft law, which requires approval by the EU Council, will make it easier to hunt wolves. While hunting and landowners’ associations applauded the decision, environmental groups expressed dismay. […] Indonesian pangolin trafficking prosecution reveals police involvement — and impunity
(May 14, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/indonesian-pangolin-trafficking-prosecution-reveals-police-involvement-and-impunity/
- Late last year, Indonesian investigators arrested four men for allegedly attempting to traffic nearly 1.2 metric tons of scales from critically endangered pangolins.
- Prosecutors in Asahan district, North Sumatra province, allege that the mastermind of the scheme was a police officer who removed the pangolin scales from a police warehouse used to store evidence and seized goods.
- But while the three other men arrested in the case — two soldiers and a civilian — are facing court-martial and trial, respectively, for their roles in the case, the police officer has so far avoided any charges and has even been promoted.
- Wildlife trade observers say the case highlights the apparent impunity of law enforcement officials involved in wildlife trafficking in Indonesia, a major hub for the illegal pangolin trade.
How a road engineer became an ocean activist & won the world’s top environmental prize
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025/05/how-a-road-engineer-became-an-ocean-activist-won-the-worlds-top-environmental-prize/
Carlos Mallo Molina has been awarded the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize for protecting the marine biodiversity of Tenerife, the most populated of the Canary Islands. On this episode of Mongabay’s podcast, Molina explains what led him to quit his job as a civil engineer on a road project impacting the Teno-Rasca marine protected area (MPA) […] Why WHO’s pandemic prevention draft agreement takes a nature-centric, One Health approach (commentary)
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/why-whos-pandemic-prevention-draft-agreement-takes-a-nature-centric-one-health-approach-commentary/
- When the World Health Assembly meets next week in Geneva, it will debate a draft agreement on pandemic prevention that hinges on multilateralism and collaboration across borders and disciplines.
- The World Health Organization’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Body recently reached consensus on the draft with member states, endorsing the reality that human contact with live wildlife must be regulated or curbed, as part of prevention of pathogen spillovers.
- “Moving forward, we must invest in the systems that will prevent future pandemics and not just respond to them. This means funding integrated surveillance networks, fostering global inter-agency collaboration, and protecting the world’s remaining wild places,” the authors of a new op-ed write.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily Mongabay.
Traditional bug oil finds modern value through new research in the Amazon
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/traditional-bug-oil-finds-modern-value-through-new-research-in-the-amazon/
- Oil made from beetle larvae is used as a traditional remedy in Brazil’s Marajó Archipelago, and is gaining scientific recognition for its medicinal and economic potential.
- Researchers are analyzing the bug oil’s bioactive properties, aiming to validate its safety and expand its promising applications in medicine, cosmetics and biotechnology.
- Growing demand for bug oil and other rainforest-derived products offers economic opportunities for local communities but also raises concerns about potential resource overexploitation, which experts say requires further impact studies.
- Scientific innovation is exploring more efficient extraction methods while preserving traditional knowledge and supporting sustainable bioeconomy development.
The Great Whale Conveyor Belt (cartoon)
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2025/05/the-great-whale-conveyor-belt-cartoon/
While migrating between their feeding and mating grounds, baleen whales transport massive amounts of nutrients across latitudes. This phenomenon is termed “The Great Whale Conveyor Belt”, prompting scientists to argue that whale conservation can help improve the resilience of global marine ecosystems. African Parks acknowledges abuse by park staff in Congo, but withholds full report
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/african-parks-acknowledges-abuse-by-park-staff-in-congo-but-withholds-full-report/
In early 2024, African Parks, the South Africa-based NGO managing Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, commissioned U.K.-based law firm Omnia Strategy LLP to investigate allegations of human rights abuses committed by the park’s rangers against local Indigenous people. The investigation is now complete, and AP has acknowledged that human rights abuses occurred, […] Traffickers slither through loopholes with wild-caught African snakes and lizards
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/traffickers-slither-through-loopholes-with-wild-caught-african-snakes-and-lizards/
- South Africa’s native reptiles and amphibians, including threatened species, are being illegally captured and exported for the global pet trade.
- A recent study found that eight of the 10 most-exported reptiles from South Africa are native species, most of which are not protected by CITES, the global wildlife trade convention.
- Conservationists suspect some breeders falsely claim wild-caught reptiles, such as giant girdled lizards, are captive-bred to bypass trade restrictions.
- Legal loopholes at both the national and international levels allow non-CITES-listed species to be traded with little oversight.
Lack of funds, cattle ranchers challenge Brazil’s sustainable farmers
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/lack-of-funds-cattle-ranchers-challenge-brazils-sustainable-farmers/
In 2005, the Brazilian government created PDS Brasília, a sustainable settlement in the state of Pará. The settlement was designed to encourage 500 families to practice small-scale family farming, while also collectively using a standing forest to harvest its fruits and nuts, Mongabay’s Fernanda Wenzel reported in March. The 19,800-hectare (49,000-acre) settlement was created following the […] Study offers new tool to compare environmental impacts of crops
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/study-offers-new-tool-to-compare-environmental-impacts-of-crops/
In a recently published study, researchers offer a new tool to compare how different crops affect the environment in different regions. Named PLANTdex, the tool assesses the environmental impact of a crop by considering five key indicators — greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater biodiversity loss, marine biodiversity loss, land biodiversity loss, and water resource depletion — […] Cruise ships and intensified tourism in Mexico threaten whale shark habitat
(May 13, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/cruise-ships-and-intensified-tourism-in-mexico-threaten-whale-shark-habitat/
- In Baja California Sur, Mexico, a private tourism company, Aquamayan Adventures, and the port administration have reached an agreement that allows mega cruise ships to enter Bahía de La Paz. Environmental organizations are urging the government to cancel the agreement.
- The agreement allows at least 150,000 annual visitors, a figure four times that of cruise passengers received in 2023 and equivalent to 60% of the resident population of the city of La Paz, the state’s capital.
- In addition, the company intends to build a large tourism and commercial complex that could have serious environmental, social and economic impacts on the city and surrounding area, according to organizations concerned about the project.
- Bahía de La Paz is a critical location for marine species like the whale shark, which was affected by the presence of a high number of mega cruise ships in 2020, and which could now be the victim of collisions with vessels arriving to port.
Angling for answers, this saltwater fishing group boosts research for better conservation
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/angling-for-answers-this-saltwater-fishing-group-boosts-research-for-better-conservation/
- Though anglers aren’t generally thought of as environmentalists, many people who fish are conservation minded, whether because it’s an outdoor pursuit, or because they wish to ensure future harvests.
- Whatever their reasons, there aren’t many groups that help anglers advocate for sustainable fishing regulations based on solid science, nor ones that also work to generate new data that helps them argue for better conservation.
- “Until we came along, there was no voice for those saltwater anglers who cared about conservation, but didn’t have enough time to put into it to really understand it,” says American Saltwater Guides Association vice president Tony Friedrich.
- His team not only helps its members articulate the need for conservation and regulation, they actively participate in developing data that helps managers set better limits, through projects like their GotOne App.
Down on the ranch with Mafia Island’s free-range sea cucumbers
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/down-on-the-ranch-with-mafia-islands-free-range-sea-cucumbers/
- Sea cucumbers are prized as a delicacy in East Asia and used in some forms of traditional medicine.
- Because of the high demand for them, their populations have fallen off a cliff in Tanzania and elsewhere, landing many species on the IUCN’s red list.
- After banning exports from mainland Tanzania in 2003, the government has recently begun to encourage sea cucumber farming and ranching.
‘We can’t talk solutions without understanding complexities: Kari Guajajara on Brazil’s Amazon
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/we-cant-talk-solutions-without-understanding-complexities-kari-guajajara-on-brazils-amazon/
- Mongabay interviewed Kari Guajajara, a lawyer and the first Indigenous person to obtain a law degree in Brazil’s state of Maranhão, to hear her take on some of the latest and biggest events affecting Indigenous communities and forests Brazilian Amazon.
- These events include a government operation to evict illegal miners from a Munduruku territory, threats to the lives of Indigenous land defenders, the influence of the agribusiness lobby, and President Lula’s drop in popularity.
- Kari Guajajara and other Indigenous delegates came to the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City to spotlight issues they face in their country.
- Kari Guajajara is a lawyer at Amazonia Alerta and a legal advisor for COIAB, a Brazilian Amazon Indigenous network.
Singapore study says roadside flowers can improve urban butterfly biodiversity
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/singapore-study-says-roadside-flowers-can-improve-urban-butterfly-biodiversity/
Narrow strips of flowering plants along road edges can support high butterfly diversity, a recent study from Singapore has found. In late 2023, researchers surveyed 101 road verges — strips of green planted along the side of roads — across the tropical city-state of Singapore, recording 56 species of butterflies feeding on nectar from 96 […] A rare jaguar rewilding story highlights obstacles to the big cat’s conservation in Brazil
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/a-rare-jaguar-rewilding-story-highlights-obstacles-to-the-big-cats-conservation-in-brazil/
- The successful reintroduction of a young male jaguar into the Amazon Rainforest last year, following his rescue from wildfires, has highlighted the persistent threats to the species across its range.
- While there have been other successful jaguar reintroductions in Brazil, especially in the Pantanal wetlands, the species faces challenges in all Brazilian biomes—from wildfires and vehicle strikes, to retaliatory killings and poaching for body parts coveted in the Asian market.
- Jaguar reintroduction programs also face challenges, including governmental bureaucracy and the high costs involved from rescue to release, which can run as high as $180,000 per animal.
As renewable diesel surges, sustainability claims are deeply questioned
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/as-renewable-diesel-surges-sustainability-claims-are-deeply-questioned/
- Renewable diesel (RD), dubbed HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) by producers, is hailed by its supporters as a climate-friendly alternative to carbon-intensive fossil diesel. RD is a complex biofuel often made in retooled oil refineries from feedstocks including waste cooking oils, but also problematic animal fats and soy and palm oil.
- Renewable diesel substitutes easily for fossil diesel, so is touted as a climate-friendly transition fuel. Its use, mostly in vehicles, grew slowly in the past. Now, thanks largely to government-offered green subsidies, production is surging as firms widely expand uses to marine shipping, power plants, heating oil, and data center backup fuel.
- But critics are skeptical about industry claims of RD life-cycle greenhouse gas emission cuts of up to 95% over fossil fuel-derived diesel. They warn RD carbon releases will surge if renewable diesel sourcing is scaled up, triggering tropical deforestation as producers convert forests to energy crops, such as oil palm and soy.
- As the renewable diesel industry expands beyond Europe and the U.S., analysts warn it will be a false climate solution unworkable at scale, so production and use should be constrained. Independent monitoring is also needed to track feedstock supply chains to assure crops don’t have high carbon intensities or cause deforestation.
Attacks on Cambodian environmental journalist continue to pile up
(May 12, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/attacks-on-cambodian-environmental-journalist-continue-to-pile-up/
- Cambodian environmental journalist Ouk Mao was attacked by a group of men, apparently including a former police officer, while documenting illegal logging in Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, following a pattern of escalating harassment and threats.
- Mao has faced numerous legal challenges, including defamation and incitement charges, that he claims are retaliation for exposing environmental crimes, with local officials allegedly trying to silence his work.
- Cambodia’s crackdown on critical journalism has intensified, with Mao’s case reflecting a broader decline in press freedom, as highlighted by the country’s plummeting rank in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedoms Index.
- Advocacy groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists and Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association warn that the lack of accountability for attacks on journalists has created a dangerous environment for those reporting on illegal logging and other sensitive issues.
A migrating flycatcher returning to the same Sri Lankan garden sparks interest in birders
(May 11, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/a-migrating-flycatcher-returning-to-the-same-sri-lankan-garden-sparks-interest-in-birders/
- An Asian paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) with distinctive markings on its head that has returned to the same home garden in Colombo for four consecutive migratory seasons has sparked interest among bird enthusiasts in Sri Lanka.
- Many birds, especially migratory species, possess a remarkable ability to return to the same location year after year, sometimes to the exact tree or nest, which is a behavior known as site tenacity or site fidelity.
- World Migratory Bird Day is traditionally observed on the first Saturdays of May and October, aligning with bird migrations in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively.
- A online bird observation platform, eBird, is gaining popularity in Sri Lanka with over 4,000 birders listed with the platform, strengthening the role of citizen science in tracking bird movements.
Hawaiʻi’s bone collector caterpillar wears spider’s victims to survive
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/hawaiis-bone-collector-caterpillar-wears-its-victims-to-survive/
Researchers in Hawaiʻi have described an unusual species of carnivorous caterpillar that scavenges in spiderwebs while wearing cast-off bits of the spider’s prey. Nicknamed the “bone collector,” the caterpillar belongs to the genus Hyposmocoma, commonly known as “fancy case” caterpillars because they make variously ornamented protective cases to live in. Endemic to Hawaiʻi, they decorate […] World Bank launches historic framework addressing harms from development projects
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/world-bank-launches-historic-framework-addressing-harms-from-development-projects/
The World Bank has released the first-ever framework to address environmental and social harms caused by projects the bank financed through its private sector branches, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC). “This is historic. It’s the first actual directive mandate for the IFC that says when one of the projects they finance causes harm, they […] European body proposes mass killing of cormorants to protect fish stocks
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/european-body-proposes-mass-killing-of-cormorants-to-protect-fish-stocks/
A regional fishery body is seeking to reduce cormorant numbers across Europe through “coordinated” culling, citing the aquatic birds’ reported impacts on fisheries and aquaculture. The European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), a body under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the U.N., published its draft plan on April 25. The proposal […] At the U.N., mining groups tout protections for Indigenous peoples
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/at-the-u-n-mining-groups-tout-protections-for-indigenous-peoples/
- At the U.N., international mining organizations committed to consulting with Indigenous people.
- The reality on the ground looks different in the U.S., say Indigenous activists. Projects like Oak Flat in Arizona are continuing to move ahead over Indigenous objections.
- Mining industry groups have released voluntary rules for getting consent from Indigenous people — with stronger requirements than the U.S. has. Legal experts say it could goad governments into action.
There’s something fishy about ‘blue economy’ proposals for sustainable marine management (commentary)
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/theres-something-fishy-about-blue-economy-proposals-for-sustainable-marine-management-commentary/
- Proposals for developing a “blue economy” emerged in the 2010s as a vision for sustainable ocean development, as communities across the world grappled with challenges of declining ocean health, economic crises and stalling development outcomes.
- Central to their appeal is a promise to transform human interactions with the ocean, promoting a shift toward ecological health, improved livelihoods and job creation, but too often these proposals have been driven by large nations and interests, rather than small coastal nations whose prosperity is most heavily linked with marine ecosystems.
- The author of this commentary warns that this sustainable ocean vision may be operating as a tool for pacifying demands for sustainable and equitable ocean relations, rather than as one that advances them.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Report urges stricter mining standards to manage climate and social impacts
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/05/report-urges-stricter-mining-standards-to-manage-climate-and-social-impacts/
- A new report from the Mining Observatory finds that key mining states in Brazil are highly exposed to climate risks, water insecurity and environmental degradation.
- Mining for transition minerals can in some cases exacerbate the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and local communities in the states of Pará, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Bahia.
- Researchers told Mongabay that without better socioenvironmental safeguards, the expansion of transition minerals mining represents a “major” threat to these communities’ way of life and the preservation of ecosystems.
- The report urged governments and companies to implement stronger policy frameworks, climate adaptation strategies, robust oversight and better mechanisms to involve rights-holders in key decisions.
Chimpanzees filmed sharing alcoholic fruits for the first time
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/chimpanzees-filmed-sharing-alcoholic-fruits-for-the-first-time/
Researchers have for the first time filmed wild chimpanzees feasting on alcoholic fruits together. It’s the “first evidence for ethanolic food sharing and feeding by wild nonhuman great apes,” they say in a new study. The research team, led by scientists at the University of Exeter, U.K., captured the footage on camera traps they set […] Mass South Africa vulture poisoning kills 123; 83 others rescued
(May 9, 2025)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/mass-south-africa-vulture-poisoning-kills-123-83-others-rescued/
In South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a mass poisoning attack this week has left 123 threatened vultures dead and another 83 recovering with the aid of a veterinary team. On the morning of May 6, a team consisting of the South African National Parks (SANParks) rangers and staff from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) found […]