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David Page wrote about the mountains and worked to protect them (August 1, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/david-page-wrote-about-the-mountains-and-worked-to-protect-them/ - David Page, executive director of Winter Wildlands Alliance, died at 57 when a dump truck whose brakes had failed struck his car on Teton Pass; his dog, Rio, also died in the crash. - An award-winning writer and longtime POWDER contributor, Page wrote closely reported stories about avalanche risk, immigrant workers in ski towns, mountain communities, and the landscapes of the American West. - He joined Winter Wildlands Alliance in 2016 and became executive director in 2022, working on national forest planning, winter travel rules, conservation funding, and public participation in land-management decisions. - Page lived in Mammoth Lakes with his wife, Allison, and built his life around family, skiing, music, dogs, and the Sierra Nevada; fuller accounts of his life appear in “Remembering David Page” and “Remembering David Page: A Writer Who Helped Define POWDER.” | |
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Land records reveal how Mennonites are reshaping Belize’s forests (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/land-records-reveal-how-mennonites-are-reshaping-belizes-forests/ - Mennonites have become some of the most prolific land buyers in Belize, acquiring large properties and making bids faster than competitors. But who owns what land isn’t always clear. - To better understand the land management process, a Mongabay investigation gained access to records in deforested and degraded areas in and around Mennonite communities throughout Belize. - The documents show that the communities use trusts and churches to acquire and collectively manage land, allowing them to transfer property internally and tap collective resources to purchase more. - At the same time, Belizeans living in and around Mennonite communities often occupy much smaller plots of land, surviving off subsistence crops or working at Mennonite-owned businesses. | |
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Coral reef experts press on, with climate looming over international conference (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/coral-reef-experts-press-on-with-climate-looming-over-international-conference/ - Coral reef scientists, conservationists, policymakers and community leaders from more than 90 countries met July 19-24 at the International Coral Reefs Symposium in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. - Participants discussed how to combat the drivers of climate change, how to characterize and communicate the current condition of coral reefs, and how to empower Indigenous communities and integrate their knowledge systems, among other topics. - During the week of the conference, a new U.S.-based coral reef research center was launched and the first-ever high-resolution mapping of living corals for the Pacific Ocean was announced. - The next International Coral Reef Symposium will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July 2030. | |
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Drifting tuna fishing gear enter half of marine protected areas: study (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/drifting-tuna-fishing-gear-enter-half-of-marine-protected-areas-study-finds/ - A global study estimates that drifting fish aggregating devices, or dFADs, affect more than half of the world’s protected marine area. - Researchers documented at least 6,324 dFAD strandings across 174 protected areas in 53 maritime jurisdictions over a period spanning 2007-2023. - The analysis found no clear evidence that fishing fleets systematically concentrate dFAD fishing around large marine protected areas. - Researchers and an independent fisheries expert are calling for stronger limits on dFAD deployments, better tracking and for companies to have greater responsibility for retrieving lost devices. | |
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Climate shocks hit hydropower in Southern Africa, reviving interest in coal (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/climate-shocks-hit-hydropower-in-southern-africa-reviving-interest-in-coal/ - Prolonged droughts, especially those linked to the 2023–24 El Niño, exposed the vulnerability of Zambia and Zimbabwe’s hydropower-dependent electricity systems, triggering severe power shortages and renewing interest in coal. - While coal is viewed as a short-term solution to stabilize electricity supplies and support industrialization, it could undermine Paris Agreement commitments, lock in carbon emissions and reduce export competitiveness as trade rules that put a cost on carbon emissions come into play. - Households and businesses in Zimbabwe are increasingly investing in rooftop solar, demonstrating that decentralized renewable energy is becoming a practical response to unreliable grid electricity. - Although solar power is becoming more cost-effective, limited access to finance and policies that continue to favor fossil fuels are slowing the transition to cleaner, climate-resilient energy systems across Southern Africa. | |
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Sri Lanka prepares for impending El Niño with traditional and new approaches (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/sri-lanka-prepares-for-impending-el-nino-with-traditional-and-new-approaches/ - According to traditional Sri Lankan paddy farmers, long dry spells have occurred every four to seven years. - Sri Lanka has experienced around 25-26 El Niño events from 1950 to date, out of which only three have been strong El Niño events, meteorology department officials say. - The irrigation department has introduced new water-saving techniques such as alternative wetting and drying to preserve excess water during the forecasted dry season. - Attempts are also being made to integrate science into decision making, but there are gaps in research due to a lack of access to information, academics say. | |
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Climate change boosted Spain wildfire risk 20-fold, research shows (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/climate-change-boosted-spain-wildfire-risk-20-fold-research-shows/ Human-induced climate change drastically fueled the weather behind recent devastating wildfires in France and Spain, according to a new rapid analysis by researchers studying the role of climate change on today’s extreme weather. In its report, the World Weather Attribution (WWA), a global network of researchers, noted that severe blazes scorched 140,000 hectares (346,000 acres) […] | |
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Central African Republic’s Dzanga-Sangha tests the promise of wildlife tourism (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/central-african-republics-dzanga-sangha-tests-the-promise-of-wildlife-tourism/ Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In the Central African Republic, a country often seen mainly through the lens of instability, a different story is unfolding in its southwest. In March, Mongabay Africa program director David Akana and I spent time in and around […] | |
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Palm oil expansion reignites decade-old Indigenous land conflict in Indonesia (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/palm-oil-expansion-reignites-decade-old-indigenous-land-conflict-in-indonesia/ - Two palm oil companies have resumed clearing forest in a long-disputed Indigenous community in Indonesian Borneo, more than a decade after international pressure halted operations. - The Dayak Benuaq community of Muara Tae says the companies are clearing its ancestral land without its consent, while the companies maintain they legally acquired the land from a neighboring village. - Community members say the renewed clearing is destroying regenerating forest and farms central to their livelihoods, despite years of advocacy, international recognition, and an unresolved complaint to the RSPO, the top certifier of sustainable palm oil. - Advocates say the dispute exposes persistent weaknesses in Indonesia’s recognition of Indigenous land rights, allowing companies to rely on administrative boundaries that communities say override customary ownership. | |
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World Ranger Day: Justice for the protectors of the wild (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/world-ranger-day-justice-for-the-protectors-of-the-wild/ July 31 is World Ranger Day, which celebrates the work rangers do for the natural world and commemorates those killed or injured in the line of duty. Among them was Anton Mzimba, head ranger at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, where he had served for 25 years. On July 26, 2022, Mzimba was […] | |
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Listening offers a clearer picture of India’s hidden finless porpoises (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/listening-offers-a-clearer-picture-of-indias-hidden-finless-porpoises/ The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise is one of India’s smallest cetaceans, inhabits turbid coastal waters, and lacks a dorsal fin — all of which make it a difficult species for researchers to spot. Recent research suggests these animals are far more prevalent in Indian waters than visual sightings suggest, yet they may be disappearing before they […] | |
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US declines to protect endangered monkeys used in medical research (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/us-declines-to-protect-endangered-monkeys-used-in-medical-research/ Long-tailed macaques, monkeys native to Southeast Asia, have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2022 after their populations declined by at least 50% over 30 years. Yet, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has twice now declined to consider protecting the species under the domestic Endangered Species Act. The most […] | |
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Before giant meat producer JBS expands to Nigeria, people deserve answers (commentary) (July 31, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/before-giant-meat-producer-jbs-expands-to-nigeria-people-deserve-answers-commentary/ - The world’s largest meat company is pursuing a $2.5 billion investment that could reshape Nigeria’s agricultural sector. - Critics are calling for greater transparency about this plan and point to JBS’ legacy in the Amazon of deforestation, land grabbing, forced labor, invasions of Indigenous territories, intimidation and violence against small-scale farmers, among other concerns. - “The central issue is not whether Nigeria should welcome investment, but whether a project of this scale will be subjected to the level of transparency, scrutiny, and due diligence needed to ensure that its benefits do not come with avoidable environmental and human rights costs,” argues an expert with Climate Rights International. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Wind farms join bottom trawlers and oil rigs in a protected North Sea sandbank (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/wind-farms-join-bottom-trawlers-and-oil-rigs-in-a-protected-north-sea-sandbank/ - Dogger Bank is a vast, shallow sandbank in the North Sea that was once among the most productive marine nurseries in Europe, prompting experts to call it the ecological heart of the North Sea. - While much of Dogger Bank has been protected for its unique seabed habitat, destructive industrial activities like oil and gas extraction as well as fishing practices like bottom trawling have continued, even in the protected zones. - Now, conservationists have notched a win with a recent court ruling that curtails bottom trawling in Dogger Bank. - However, they say the threats continue, notably in the form of major wind farm developments rising in a protected area. | |
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Costa Rica banana plantation destroyed protected wetland, complaint alleges (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/costa-rica-banana-plantation-destroyed-protected-wetland-complaint-alleges/ - A legal complaint in Costa Rica alleges that a banana plantation destroyed parts of a protected wetland in Bananito Sur, located in the Valle La Estrella district in the central province of Limón. - Workers on the La Paz banana plantation, owned by Standard Fruit Company de Costa Rica, a subsidiary of Dole, cut down and burned vegetation, according to several complaints and court filings. - The area is a state-recognized palustrine wetland, located inland and unconnected to the ocean or rivers. It provides breeding areas for migratory birds and helps resupply the region’s aquifers. | |
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Researchers find ‘priority zones’ for yellow fever vaccination of golden lion tamarins (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/researchers-find-priority-zones-for-yellow-fever-vaccination-of-golden-lion-tamarins/ - Golden lion tamarins, an endangered species of monkey endemic to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, are susceptible to yellow fever: An outbreak in 2017-2019 wiped out roughly 30% of the population. - A new study finds that certain environmental factors, including habitat connectivity and human population, were linked to higher numbers of deaths during the outbreak. - Scientists have identified areas where tamarins could be at high risk for yellow fever transmission, which could help guide vaccination efforts and help protect the monkeys in the event of another deadly outbreak. | |
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It’s time we recognize the roles of rangers — and prioritize their safety (commentary) (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/its-time-we-recognize-the-roles-of-rangers-and-prioritize-their-safety-commentary/ - Two rangers who were badly injured in a serious vehicle accident while on duty in Mozambique earlier this month faced different outcomes: While one was enrolled in an insurance scheme that covers medical treatment and evacuation for rangers injured in the field, the other was not and faced far more limited options for his ongoing care and recovery. - Increasingly, rangers are being called upon to operate in environments shaped by organized crime, armed conflict, and geopolitical instability, with climate change and climate-related disasters adding another layer of complexity. - “Advocating for rangers’ work and highlighting the resources they lack matter more than ever, because the job role itself is evolving,” writes Louise de Bruin, CEO of the Game Rangers Association of Africa. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Prague zoo keeps polar bears cool with ice cubes as European summer heatwave hits (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/prague-zoo-keeps-polar-bears-cool-with-ice-cubes-as-european-summer-heatwave-hits/ PRAGUE (AP) — Keepers at Prague Zoo used tons of ice on Thursday to give its animals some much-needed relief as yet another heat wave hit Europe. Polar bears Aleut and Gregor wasted no time and were rolling in the beds of ice cubes after entering their outside enclosure. The twins looked to have fun with the […] | |
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Report: Indonesian authorities weaponize laws to silence environmental and Indigenous defenders (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/report-indonesian-authorities-weaponize-laws-to-silence-environmental-and-indigenous-defenders/ Indonesian authorities are wrongfully prosecuting environmental defenders and Indigenous leaders who protest deforestation, pollution and land grabs, says a new report by international nonprofit Human Rights Watch (HRW). In its 70-page report, HRW uses 15 publicly recorded cases from 2015 to 2025 as examples to suggest how police use complaints from companies and politicians to […] | |
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New fire satellites offer hope for Amazon and other biomes, but local barriers remain (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/new-fire-satellites-offer-hope-for-amazon-and-other-biomes-but-local-barriers-remain/ - Record forest fires raged out of control in South America in 2024, scorching areas that had never burned before. An El Niño episode is expected to intensify fires in 2026 and 2027. - Earlier this month, nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance launched three FireSat satellites, the latest step in its plans to provide firefighters worldwide with more precise and rapidly updated data. - For countries in the Amazon basin, the technology promises to provide data that could ensure faster and more accurate responses. Yet, in many countries, the lack of physical infrastructure and governmental support could dampen the positive impacts of having more data. | |
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The global gold rush consuming the Amazon (commentary) (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-global-gold-rush-consuming-the-amazon-commentary/ - Record gold prices and rising global demand are increasing the incentives for illegal mining across the Amazon, including in protected areas and Indigenous territories. - Illicit gold can be laundered into legal markets through false documentation, shell companies, traders, and refiners, while mining damages rivers, forests, and communities through deforestation, sediment, mercury contamination, and diesel emissions. - Central banks and other major buyers should impose stronger sourcing, traceability, audit, and due-diligence requirements to make illegal gold harder to sell, argues Robert Muggah, co-founder and research director of the Igarapé Institute. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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How can Indigenous knowledge reshape AI development? (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/how-can-indigenous-knowledge-reshape-ai-development/ As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes a part of ecological monitoring, a growing body of research suggests integrating Indigenous ecological knowledge (IEK) into ethical frameworks for AI governance to prioritize environmental reports contributor Shradha Triveni for Mongabay. Researchers in a recent study published in the journal AI and Ethics examined how the Navajo philosophy of Hózhó, […] | |
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David Johnson, the owl man of Umatilla (July 30, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/david-johnson-the-owl-man-of-umatilla/ - Burrowing owl numbers at Oregon’s former Umatilla Chemical Depot had fallen to only a few breeding pairs after badgers disappeared and suitable burrows became scarce. - David H. Johnson and his collaborators built artificial burrows from plastic barrels and pipes, helping the population recover and creating a major long-term research site. - Johnson founded the Global Owl Project, connected researchers across dozens of countries, mentored younger scientists, and studied both owl biology and their place in human cultures. - After being diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2022, he continued working through treatment. The Umatilla project now continues under other researchers, public agencies, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. | |
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Proposed mine expansion raising pollution concerns in Canada and US (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/proposed-mine-expansion-raising-pollution-concerns-in-canada-and-us/ - A proposed expansion of an Elk Valley Resources’ coal mine in southeast British Columbia is moving through the environmental assessment process despite concerns over pollution. - Decades of coal mining in the valley has led to harmful selenium concentrations and loads downstream, in British Columbia and the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho. - While EVR is making progress in line with the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan, current actions are inadequate to mitigate the selenium pollution crisis, according to researchers and experts from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and BC nonprofit Wildsight. - Proponents of the mine expansion point to the substantial contribution the mines make to federal, provincial and regional economies. | |
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UN regulator delays deep-sea mining rules, but extends criticized exploration contract (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/un-regulator-delays-deep-sea-mining-rules-but-extends-criticized-exploration-contract/ - The International Seabed Authority (ISA), the U.N.-associated organization that oversees deep-sea mining activities in international waters, held a council meeting July 13 to 24 in Kingston, Jamaica. - During the meeting, the council extended a deep-sea mining exploration contract for a subsidiary of The Metals Company (TMC), despite the company actively pursuing mining exploration and exploitation permits for the same areas through a U.S. government agency. - In addition, the council once again failed to finalize the rules needed for commercial seabed mining to commence, with many issues remaining unresolved. | |
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Kenya investigates mysterious deaths of 15 elephants in Amboseli (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/kenya-investigates-mysterious-deaths-of-15-elephants-in-amboseli/ Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is investigating the deaths of 15 elephants in the Amboseli savannah ecosystem, near the border with Tanzania. KWS told Mongabay that some preliminary laboratory investigations have found a toxic substance in the dead elephants. The animals were found between June 24 and July 24, 2026, at the Kimana Sanctuary and Kuku […] | |
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Conservation shouldn’t gamble with nonnative species introductions (commentary) (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/conservation-shouldnt-gamble-with-nonnative-species-introductions-commentary/ - There is a recent trend of introducing ungulates like various antelope species outside their natural home ranges, a practice that carries large risks and should only be carried out under very limited circumstances, a new op-ed argues. - This is why the IUCN’s guidelines for responsible wildlife translocation classify the importation of nonnative wildlife as something to be carried out only under a very narrow set of exceptional circumstances. - “Isn’t the essence of conservation about, as much as possible, allowing evolution to run its course un-engineered? The IUCN guidelines exist for good reason, and history suggests they should be followed,” the authors write. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Study suggests the threat of mold-associated illnesses may be underappreciated (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/study-suggests-the-threat-of-mold-associated-illnesses-may-be-underappreciated/ NEW YORK (AP) — A first-of-its-kind U.S. study suggests invasive mold infections may be an underappreciated — and potentially deadly — threat. The researchers detected about 450 cases in Atlanta-area hospitals over five years. About a third of the patients died in the hospital. The findings, published this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and […] | |
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Indigenous Parakanã fear election U-turn may spark new invasions in Brazil (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/indigenous-parakana-fear-election-u-turn-may-spark-new-invasions-in-brazil/ - The Parakanã Indigenous people are reoccupying their territory in Pará state after the eviction of around 3,000 invaders by federal forces. - The intruders, however, are ready to come back if Brazil’s next administration carries a new anti-environmental agenda in 2027. - Experts compare illegal activities such as gold mining to powerful bacteria that may return even stronger if you don’t use the proper antibiotic. - Also in Pará, the state administration has the challenge of keeping deforestation under control after a successful operation in the Triunfo do Xingu Environmental Protection Area. | |
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First Nations lead the return of salmon to Canada’s Upper Columbia River (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/first-nations-lead-the-return-of-salmon-to-canadas-upper-columbia-river/ - First Nations in British Columbia, western Canada, are working to restore salmon to the Upper Columbia Basin and leading ceremonial salmon fry releases to reestablish connections between salmon and salmon people. - The Columbia River was once one of the greatest salmon-bearing rivers in North America, but the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam, built without fish passage mechanisms, blocked salmon from a significant portion of the river’s length. - The loss of salmon has profoundly affected Indigenous nations and tribes, with a loss of food sovereignty and cultural connections. - The Bringing the Salmon Home initiative, led by the Secwépemc, Syilx-Okanagan and Ktunaxa nations, in partnership with the governments of British Columbia and Canada, is advancing salmon reintroduction to the Upper Columbia Basin, with technical studies showing reintroduction is feasible. | |
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Indonesia shows elevated fire hotspot activity in 2026 as super El Niño threat looms (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/indonesia-shows-elevated-fire-hotspot-activity-in-2026-as-super-el-nino-threat-looms/ - A new satellite fire-monitoring platform, FireWatch, had detected more than 96,000 hotspots across Indonesia as of July 27, 2026. - The total exceeds that recorded at the same point in any previous year monitored by FireWatch, even though Indonesia has not yet reached the months when wildfires typically intensify. - FireWatch estimates that approximately 103,000 hectares (255,000 acres) of land burned nationwide during the first half of 2026, raising concerns as forecasters warn that a strong El Niño could further increase fire risk. | |
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Brazil court orders recognition of Indigenous land and apology for historic atrocities (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/brazil-court-orders-recognition-of-indigenous-land-and-apology-for-historic-atrocities/ A federal judge in Brazil has given the country’s government 24 months to recognize the traditional territory of the Kajkwakratxi-Tapayuna Indigenous people in the northwestern state of Mato Grosso. The court accepted evidence from federal prosecutors that detailed decades of government inaction following massacres, forced displacement and other human rights violations against the Kajkwakratxi-Tapayuna people. […] | |
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Fatal WWII bomb blast in Indonesia was a result of illegal fishing activity, police say (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/fatal-wwii-bomb-blast-in-indonesia-was-a-result-of-illegal-fishing-activity-police-say/ - At least seven people were killed on May 31 when a World War II bomb exploded in Fandoi village on Indonesia’s Biak Island. - Interviews with officials indicate the explosion occurred while an unexploded wartime ordnance was being dismantled to recover explosives for illegal blast fishing. - The HALO Trust estimates that unexploded bombs and ammunition have killed or injured around 25,000 people in neighboring Papua New Guinea since the end of the World War II, reflecting the region’s enduring wartime legacy. - A casualty estimate for the Indonesian territory of the New Guinea archipelago is unclear. | |
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Kenyan teen leads charge on tree planting and climate awareness (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/kenyan-teen-leads-charge-on-tree-planting-and-climate-awareness/ - Kenyan teenager Baraka Moruri has planted more than 7,600 trees over the last four years with the help of his family, friends and private organizations. - He says he wants children to be better engaged in climate action and policy, arguing that they have ideas and energy to contribute. - Climate finance experts say less than 1% of international climate finance gets to youth- and children-led projects, despite climate change affecting their health, education and food security. | |
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International Tiger Day: A complex landscape of recovery, conflict, and empty forests (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/international-tiger-day-a-complex-landscape-of-recovery-conflict-and-empty-forests/ July 29 is International Tiger Day. Few species have benefitted from global conservation attention and funding like the tiger. Its numbers have seen a hopeful increase in recent years, yet the big cat continues to face localized pressures. Recent Mongabay coverage highlights three starkly different realities for tigers (Panthera tigris) across Asia. India’s corridors under […] | |
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Rare palm tree rediscovered in Madagascar after nearly 100 years (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/rare-palm-tree-rediscovered-in-madagascar-after-nearly-100-years/ Researchers have tracked down 28 individuals of a palm tree species last recorded in Madagascar nearly 100 years ago. Nearly every tree of the species, Ravenea latisecta, was found within four protected areas in the Andasibe-Mantadia region of Madagascar, according to a recent study. “Andasibe–Mantadia is one of Madagascar’s best-explored botanical regions, and Ravenea latisecta […] | |
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Indonesian zoo corruption case renews scrutiny of animal welfare (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/indonesian-zoo-corruption-case-renews-scrutiny-of-animal-welfare/ - An alleged corruption case at Indonesia’s Surabaya Zoo has reignited concerns over governance at the country’s wildlife conservation institutions. - Experts say the investigation highlights broader questions about transparency, accountability and how conservation facilities are monitored. - They warn that failures in oversight can have far-reaching implications for both public trust and animal welfare. | |
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Tech helps Vietnam rangers turn the tide on poaching (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/tech-helps-vietnam-rangers-turn-the-tide-on-poaching/ In Vietnam’s Pu Mat National Park, which borders Laos, an antipoaching unit is integrating high-tech tools with on-the-ground patrols to help turn the tide on illegal wildlife poaching. The antipoaching unit (APU) was formed through a partnership in 2018 between the NGO Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) and the park, to address the widespread use of […] | |
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Bill Oddie brought birdwatching into millions of homes (July 29, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/bill-oddie-brought-birdwatching-into-millions-of-homes/ On television, Bill Oddie often seemed to forget the camera. A call came from a hedge, and his attention shifted toward it. He listened, peered through his binoculars, and said what he thought he had heard. Viewers shared the uncertainty, the waiting, and the excitement when the bird finally appeared. He showed that birdwatching could […] | |
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Forests in Liberia are falling to cocoa, in half a year the EU could ban imports (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/07/forests-in-liberia-are-falling-to-cocoa-in-half-a-year-the-eu-could-ban-imports/ On this week’s episode of the Mongabay Newscast, we speak with features writer Ashoka Mukpo, who traveled to southeastern Liberia to investigate what satellite images indicated was a spike in deforestation over a relatively concentrated period. Along with video production coordinator Juan Maza, Mukpo documented illegal cacao plantations in the rainforests in the county of […] | |
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Fishers fight for solutions as Brazil lists tambaqui as threatened (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/fishers-fight-for-solutions-as-brazil-lists-tambaqui-as-threatened/ - One of the most cooked fish in the Brazilian Amazon, the tambaqui was included in the official national list of threatened species, triggering fear of losses from Amazon small-scale fishers who depend on the species for their livelihood. - The tambaqui was classified as vulnerable due to projections of a 43.4% overall population decline over three generations as it’s targeted by intense fishing. - Starting at the end of October, its fishing could be prohibited in Brazil if a recovery plan isn’t implemented, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. - The gray triggerfish was also included in the list of 490 fish and invertebrate threatened fauna, triggering reactions from artisanal fishers and the fishing industry. | |
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Women’s collectives are protecting Nigeria’s gorilla wildlife sanctuary (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/womens-collectives-are-protecting-nigerias-gorilla-wildlife-sanctuary/ In the communities surrounding Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, women’s conservation collectives are transforming the protection of a biodiversity hotspot that’s home to the critically endangered Cross River gorilla and endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee. These collectives, operating in villages such as Ulom, Katabang and Buanchor in southeastern Nigeria, were born from a realization that traditional, male-led […] | |
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Study investigates how to prevent viral spread from bat guano in Southeast Asia (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/study-investigates-how-to-prevent-viral-spread-from-bat-guano-in-southeast-asia/ - Scientists say they have found the first evidence of bat-linked viruses in commercial fertilizer made from bat guano in Thailand. - Bat guano harvested from roosting cave sites is widely used, both commercially and informally, as agricultural fertilizer across many parts of Southeast Asia. - While the viral strains detected in the study are not known to infect humans, the research urges the fertilizer industry to introduce stronger safety precautions throughout the supply chain to minimize the risk of zoonotic disease transfer. - Experts also note the need to adhere to a “One Health” approach that minimizes disturbance of bat roosts and habitats to maintain safe ecological boundaries between potential zoonotic disease reservoirs and people. | |
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India’s tiger numbers are rising. Protecting their pathways is next (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/indias-tiger-numbers-are-rising-protecting-their-pathways-is-next/ - India has made progress in conserving its Bengal tigers, but now it must accommodate growing numbers as they disperse from protected habitats into human-dominated areas — even as poaching is on the rise and destruction of forested land continues. - Protected forest corridors are crucial to restoring lost or tenuous connectivity between key habitats, enabling genetic exchange between tiger populations that otherwise risk isolation and inbreeding. - India has built more mitigation structures than any other country in Asia, including the world’s 10 largest wildlife underpasses and overpasses. - But even as the country is reconnecting habitat, it’s also rapidly expanding road infrastructure, and even protected forests remain under threat. | |
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End of Brazil’s Soy Moratorium risks millions of hectares of Amazon rainforest: Study (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/end-of-brazils-soy-moratorium-risks-millions-of-hectares-of-amazon-rainforest-study/ Millions of hectares of Amazon rainforest are newly at risk of being legally deforested, a new study estimates. The potential increase in deforestation comes as soy companies have terminated their voluntary participation in the Amazon Soy Moratorium, a private-sector agreement that barred signatories from buying soy grown on land deforested after 2008. Researchers found 9.1 […] | |
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‘The shape of the land will change:’ South African villages resist heavy sands mine (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-shape-of-the-land-will-change-south-african-villages-resist-heavy-sands-mine/ - Communities in South Africa’s Eastern Cape are opposing a proposed heavy mineral sands mine that a South African company wants permission to operate day and night for 30 years on their communal land. - They say the land targeted for mining is far from unused, supporting more than a 1,000 cattle, traditional medicine gathering, tourism and facilitates access to the coast and fishing. - The villagers say that if the mine goes ahead, it will damage livelihoods, ancestral graves, biodiversity and water resources. - The planned mine could also impact their long-running campaign to acquire commercial seaweed harvesting permits and an existing small-scale sand mining business run by a village committee. | |
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Mining, drilling, and fire are fragmenting the world’s largest forests (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/mining-drilling-and-fire-are-fragmenting-the-worlds-largest-forests/ Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. The world’s largest remaining stretches of undisturbed forest are shrinking. Fires now cause more of the loss than logging, while mining and oil and gas development have moved close to the top of the list. That’s the conclusion […] | |
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Africa’s smallest wildcat found using abandoned rodent burrows to raise kittens (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/africas-smallest-wildcat-found-using-abandoned-rodent-burrows-to-raise-kittens/ Africa’s smallest wildcat uses abandoned springhare burrows to raise its kittens, according to new research. There are fewer than 10,000 black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) left in the wild and studies on these nocturnal animals are rare. To learn more about them, a team of researchers tracked five female black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) with radio collars […] | |
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Pat Lowe spent decades describing and defending the Kimberley (July 28, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/pat-lowe-spent-decades-describing-and-defending-the-kimberley/ - Pat Lowe, who died on July 2nd, 2026, aged 84, was a psychologist, writer, naturalist, editor, and longtime defender of the Kimberley in Western Australia. - Her understanding of the region was shaped by years living with Walmajarri artist Jimmy Pike at Kurlku in the Great Sandy Desert and by listening to Indigenous knowledge-holders. - She helped found Environs Kimberley, later chaired it, served on its board for decades, and edited its newsletter for 29 years. - Lowe also supported Broome’s literary community, wrote extensively about the Kimberley, and argued that communities should be able to reject projects that would permanently damage Country, the Indigenous Australian term for ancestral lands, waters, relationships, knowledge, and responsibilities. | |
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More than 100 queen ants destined for Laos seized in Mexico (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/more-than-100-queen-ants-destined-for-laos-seized-in-mexico/ Authorities in Mexico’s Jalisco state seized a parcel containing 105 queen harvester ants concealed in toys on July 9. The shipment, sent from El Salto in Jalisco and destined for Laos, was falsely labeled “collectible figures,” authorities said in a press release. The parcel delivery company reported a suspicious package to Mexico’s Federal Attorney for […] | |
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How carbon markets can succeed & also serve Global South communities (commentary) (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-carbon-markets-can-succeed-also-serve-global-south-communities-commentary/ - The world’s forests provide essential ecosystem services, capture and store huge amounts of carbon dioxide, face enormous pressure, and need sustained economic incentives if they are to survive. - So why has the voluntary carbon market consistently fallen short of its promise to support forest conservation and communities, a new op-ed asks. - “The ecosystem services forests provide are worth something, and the people who live in and protect those forests must be the primary beneficiaries of that value. Anything short of that is not conservation but a new form of exploitation,” the author argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Heat stress is rising globally, raising health concerns for billions: Study (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/heat-stress-is-rising-globally-raising-health-concerns-for-billions-study/ Climate change is causing frequent, well-studied, extreme heat events. Less well understood is the additional heat stress experienced by billions of people as a result of those extreme heat events. However, a new study published in Nature Climate Change aims to change that. The study analyzed more than 70 years of climate data stored in […] | |
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Listening to birdsong in a forest lowered a person’s stress during experiment (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/listening-to-birdsong-in-a-forest-lowered-a-persons-stress-during-experiment/ - A new experiment found that sitting in a restored urban forest while listening to birdsong lowered people’s stress and improved their mood more than any other setting tested. - Researchers had 106 students at North Carolina State University in the U.S. sit in either a restored forest or a paved plaza while hearing birdsong or traffic noise, isolating the effects of place and sound. - Both the natural setting and the birdsong helped independently, and the benefits were largest when combined. - The forest was a human-made restoration completed in 2006, suggesting cities could build mental-health benefits into parks rather than relying on remote wilderness. | |
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Scaling up offshore wind requires overcoming global and local challenges (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/scaling-up-offshore-wind-requires-overcoming-global-and-local-challenges/ - Offshore wind has great potential as a renewable source of energy, experts say, but remains underutilized; its pace of development is slower than needed to meet set climate goals. - As a sector, offshore wind is buffeted by global economic factors, such as inflation and supply chain constraints. That’s led to failed auctions and canceled projects in recent years. - Other challenges at the national level, such as ensuring timely grid connections and ship and port capacity, have also emerged. - These must be overcome if offshore wind is to scale, according to experts. | |
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Colorful birds are at greater risk of extinction than drab birds, study finds (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/colorful-birds-are-at-greater-risk-of-extinction-than-drab-birds-study-finds/ Habitat loss, climate change, hunting and the pet trade are well-known drivers of bird declines. A new study suggests the colors of the birds themselves may also influence their extinction risk: Birds with colorful plumage seem to be more threatened than those with dull colors. Researchers Montague Neate-Clegg and Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela were on a bird […] | |
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French wildfire created a monster cloud, unleashing lightning that ignited more fires (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/french-wildfire-created-a-monster-cloud-unleashing-lightning-that-ignited-more-fires/ PARIS (AP) — A wildfire in southwest France grew so powerful that its towering smoke column became a thunderstorm, generating lightning that struck the ground and ignited new fires beyond the original blaze, French officials said. The so-called pyrocumulonimbus — which France’s national firefighters federation said had never before been seen in the country — […] | |
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Father Robert Athickal asked children to protect the living world (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/father-robert-athickal-asked-children-to-protect-the-living-world/ - Father Robert Athickal helped a small group of schoolchildren in Patna turn local tree-planting efforts into one of India’s largest student environmental movements. - Tarumitra trained generations of young people to restore degraded land, protect native species, practice organic farming, and organize around environmental problems. - Athickal combined Jesuit teaching with Indian philosophy, arguing that humans had moral obligations toward animals, plants, rivers, soils, and other forms of life. - By trusting students with real responsibility, he showed how modest, local action could grow into a movement involving hundreds of thousands of young people. | |
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Extreme weather dampens breeding success for marine predators in Tasmania: study (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/extreme-weather-dampens-breeding-success-for-marine-predators-in-tasmania-study/ - A recent study found that extreme weather events like storms, heat waves and floods can interfere with the breeding success of marine predators like seals, shearwaters and albatross that raise their young along the coasts of the Australian state of Tasmania. - While some colonies appeared unaffected by extreme weather, others saw offspring swept away by powerful waves and storm surges, hypothermia during unusually wet episodes, and deadly overheating during periods of high temperatures. - The researchers noted that these extremes are among many challenges seals, seabirds and other marine predators face, including pollution, disease and declining food supplies, which can also be influenced by extreme weather events. | |
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Cheetahs reintroduced to Zambia’s Greater Luangwa Ecosystem (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/cheetahs-reintroduced-to-zambias-greater-luangwa-ecosystem/ Cheetahs are back in Zambia’s Greater Luangwa Ecosystem, nearly 30 years after the big cats’ last recorded presence in the massive landscape. Six cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), three males and three females, were earlier in July moved by Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and several conservation groups, including the South Africa-based Endangered Wildlife […] | |
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Bangladesh shipbreakers push back against stricter environmental standards (July 27, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/bangladesh-shipbreakers-push-back-against-stricter-environmental-standards/ - Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry faces a pivotal treaty dispute. The country’s interim government last year decided that both Basel Convention and the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) will apply simultaneously to the local shipbreaking operations. - However, shipbreakers say that applying Basel rules would make ship imports more expensive and legally complex, potentially forcing many shipbreaking yards to close due to their inability to meet Basel standards. - Basel strictly controls transboundary movement of toxic waste, and requires dismantling ships on impermeable surfaces that contain hazardous waste, effectively ruling out the conventional method used in Bangladesh, of grounding a ship onto a beach. - The Hong Kong Convention permits the beaching method, but environmental activists say it doesn’t provide sufficient environmental protection and reflects shipping industry interests. | |
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