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BP sued in Kenya over alleged toxic waste from 1980s oil exploration (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/bp-sued-in-kenya-over-alleged-toxic-waste-from-1980s-oil-exploration/ NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The High Court in Kenya ruled Thursday that a class action lawsuit can move forward against multinational oil and gas company BP alleging that decades-long toxic waste disposal contaminated drinking water in northern Kenya. The lawsuit, filed by 299 petitioners in February at the Land and Environment Court in Isiolo, alleged […] | |
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From the Atlantic Forest to the Amazon: Alexandre de Santi on camaraderie and uncovering hidden truths in Brazil (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/from-the-atlantic-forest-to-the-amazon-alexandre-de-santi-on-camaraderie-and-uncovering-hidden-truths-in-brazil/ - Alexandre de Santi is Mongabay’s managing editor for Brazil, where he leads coverage of the Amazon and other national environmental issues. - His career spans more than two decades, from founding the investigative studio Fronteira to serving as deputy editor at The Intercept Brazil, where he helped lead landmark investigations. - Since joining Mongabay in 2022, Santi has brought a collaborative approach to investigative reporting, including editing a 2024 story that exposed links between Amazon carbon credits and timber laundering. - This interview is part of Inside Mongabay, a series that spotlights the people who bring environmental and conservation stories to life across our global newsroom. | |
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Drones aid dugong conservation as threats mount across their range (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/drones-aid-dugong-conservation-as-threats-mount-across-their-range/ - Drone technology is revealing new information about the elusive dugong, a marine herbivore classified as globally vulnerable but already extinct in parts of its range. - Scientists are using drones to improve estimates of dugong numbers and conduct noninvasive health checks. - Dugongs feed exclusively on seagrass meadows, where their foraging helps to maintain these important carbon sinks. - Researchers are highlighting the need to link efforts to conserve seagrass meadows with protecting dugongs. | |
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Americas flyways atlas maps the routes of 89 at-risk migratory bird species (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/americas-flyways-atlas-maps-the-routes-of-89-at-risk-migratory-bird-species/ - A newly released “Atlas for the Americas Flyways” tracks the high concentrations of 89 migratory bird species that are at risk of major population decline throughout the western hemisphere. It identifies their breeding grounds, wintering areas and stopover locations. - This marks the first time these hemispheric migratory routes have been mapped in such extreme detail. Hyper-specific location data aim to provide policymakers, conservationists and others with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about protecting migratory bird species all along their flyways. - The atlas highlights migratory connectivity — identifying key locations in North, Central and South America. Maintaining the environmental integrity of these places is critical to supporting migratory species and includes many tropical hotspots such as Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and the Pantanal wetland in Brazil and Paraguay. - The atlas will also be of use to researchers trying to understand why a species’ population is declining. It can also help planners mitigate perilous threats by providing geographical data as to where, and where not, to build infrastructure. | |
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Listening to forests reveals signs of recovery beyond tree cover (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/listening-to-forests-reveals-signs-of-recovery-beyond-tree-cover/ - Scientists have deployed acoustic monitoring techniques to measure the success of a forest protection mechanism in Costa Rica. - Using more than 16,000 hours of audio data, scientists found that the payments for ecosystem services (PES) initiative in Costa Rica has helped recover biodiversity in naturally regenerated forests. - On comparing the soundscapes, scientists found that naturally regenerated forests sound more similar to protected forests than to pastures. | |
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From carp to hippos, 43% of large freshwater animal species spread far beyond native ranges (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/from-carp-to-hippos-43-of-large-freshwater-animal-species-spread-far-beyond-native-ranges/ From fish and turtles, to hippos and crocodiles, about 43% of all known large freshwater animal species have been deliberately introduced into ecosystems outside their native ranges, a recent study finds. Most species were introduced to boost fisheries, food security or tourism, but many have had unintended consequences for local wildlife, habitats and people. Fengzhi […] | |
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Australia declares mainland alpine ash forests endangered (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/australia-declares-mainland-alpine-ash-forests-endangered/ The Australian government recently listed the iconic alpine ash forests of mainland Australia as an endangered ecological community, citing ongoing threats from increasingly severe, frequent bushfires and climate change. While conservationists supported this decision, members of the timber and forestry industry questioned the move. Alpine ash forests occur on high country slopes in the states […] | |
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A chimpanzee’s rhythmic drumming with floorboards hints at origins of instruments (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/a-chimpanzees-rhythmic-drumming-with-floorboards-hints-at-origins-of-instruments/ - A captive chimpanzee in Japan spontaneously ripped floorboards from a walkway and used them as instruments to perform structured, rhythmic drumming displays while vocalizing - Researchers recorded 89 performances and found the drumming wasn’t random and followed a structured, rhythmic pattern similar to chimpanzee vocal calls. - The chimp displayed play faces and what appeared to be laughter while drumming, suggesting the behavior was emotionally rewarding, not just a social display. - The findings support the hypothesis that instrumental music may have evolved from vocal emotional expression, though the study is limited to a single individual in a captive setting. | |
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10 forces that could reshape the future of the world’s forests (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/10-forces-that-could-reshape-the-future-of-the-worlds-forests/ - A new horizon scan identifies ten emerging forces—spanning politics, finance and technology—that are likely to shape forests over the next decade, increasing uncertainty for ecosystems and the people who depend on them. - Traditional funding for conservation is weakening as public aid declines, while new mechanisms—from carbon markets to direct financing for Indigenous and local communities—are expanding unevenly. - Advances in remote sensing, AI and connectivity are improving monitoring and accountability, but are also enabling illegal activities and accelerating pressures in some regions. - Growing demand for critical minerals, shifting trade rules and tighter political control over civil society are reshaping forest governance, fragmenting authority and redistributing risks and benefits. | |
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Strait of Hormuz crisis should catalyze African biofertilizer production (commentary) (April 16, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/strait-of-hormuz-crisis-should-catalyze-african-biofertilizer-production-commentary/ - As tensions disrupt food, fuel and fertilizers flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, Africa’s dependence on imported synthetic inputs is once again exposed, since up to 50% of its fertilizer supplies originate in Persian Gulf nations. - While Africa’s largest chemical fertilizer manufacturer ramps up production to meet the continent’s acute need, a key question becomes whether biologically derived fertilizers created by small to medium enterprises — and by farmers themselves — can help fill the gap. - “For the farmer standing in her field at dawn, the question is immediate: will she have what she needs to plant? The answer must be equally immediate and rooted in the strength and potential of our own solutions and soils,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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San Francisco Bay emerges as high-risk area for migrating gray whales (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/san-francisco-bay-emerges-as-high-risk-area-for-migrating-gray-whales/ Gray whales have one of the longest known migrations of any mammal — from the Arctic near Alaska, to the lagoons of Baja Mexico, where they mate and give birth. This annual migration, longer than 19,000 kilometers (12,000 miles), has been altered by climate change, with profound consequences for the 15-meter (50-foot) mammals. Since 2016, […] | |
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See an orangutan, take a photo, earn some money: A viable conservation model? (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/see-an-orangutan-take-a-photo-earn-some-money-a-viable-conservation-model/ - KehatiKu, a conservation program in Indonesian Borneo, pays citizen observers to document wildlife sightings and upload them via an app. - Payments vary by species, with the highest rate, around $6, paid for verified orangutan sightings. Dedicated observers can make more than they would be paid at a full-time job. - By paying citizen observers directly, the program aims to gather data on wildlife and incentivize conservation while spending much less than conventional conservation projects. - The program has collected around 175,000 records in its first year of operations, but one expert notes that it has historically proven challenging to keep people engaged in long-term conservation initiatives. | |
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Aaron Longton, fisherman who tied sustainability to survival (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/aaron-longton-fisherman-who-tied-sustainability-to-survival/ - Aaron Longton was a commercial fisherman in Port Orford, Oregon, who built his career through persistence and a deep understanding of the marine environment. - He helped pioneer a model that connected fishermen directly with consumers, improving prices while increasing transparency around how seafood is caught. - Longton argued that conservation and economic survival were inseparable, supporting science-based management and habitat protection to sustain fisheries over time. - His work reflected the challenges facing small-boat fishing communities and offered a practical approach to maintaining both livelihoods and fish stocks. | |
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Brazil: Satellites expose rampant gold mining expansion on Indigenous Kayapó land (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/brazil-satellites-expose-rampant-gold-mining-expansion-on-indigenous-kayapo-land/ The Kayapó Indigenous Territory has emerged as a major hotspot for illegal gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon’s Xingu River Basin, a major Amazon tributary. That’s according to a new report from the watchdog Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP). At least 7,940 hectares (19,620 acres) of forest on Kayapó land were cut down […] | |
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The Amazon’s silent crime crisis (commentary) (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/the-amazons-silent-crime-crisis-commentary/ - The Amazon is approaching a critical tipping point, where deforestation, degradation, fire, and climate change together risk pushing large areas toward irreversible ecological collapse. - A growing nexus between organized crime and environmental crime is accelerating forest loss, distorting economies, and undermining governance across the basin. - Addressing the crisis requires more than conservation alone: stronger enforcement, institutional reform, and investment in a sustainable socio-bioeconomy are essential, argue Carlos Nobre, Robert Muggah and Ilona Szabo. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Nearly a million birds shipped from Africa to Asia in 15 years; canaries top the list (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nearly-a-million-birds-shipped-from-africa-to-asia-in-15-years-canaries-top-the-list/ - Hong Kong and Singapore, two Asian wildlife trade hubs, imported nearly a million live wild birds from Africa between 2006 and 2020, according to a new analysis of customs data. Canaries, including species declining in the wild, topped the list. - More than two-thirds of the birds came from African countries where export regulations are weak, including Mali, Guinea, Tanzania and Mozambique. - This massive live bird trade depletes wild populations and may spread dangerous diseases or invasive species, researchers say. - Experts urge countries to restrict imports of live birds, implement stricter quarantine measures and adopt an approved list of pets that don’t pose risks to biodiversity or human health. | |
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Primate Planet (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/04/primate-planet/ Across the tropics, a growing movement is working to secure a future for primates in the face of disease, deforestation and wildlife trade. Reporting from across the planet, this video series highlights how scientists, conservationists and local communities are rebuilding populations and reconnecting fragmented forests. Along the way, it reveals the innovation, collaboration and resilience […] | |
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Invasive ferrets removed from an island in a world-first (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/invasive-ferrets-removed-from-an-island-in-a-world-first/ Rathlin Island off the north of Northern Ireland is now free from feral ferrets that were harming its native seabirds. Conservationists say this is the first time these nonnative animals, which were domesticated from polecats some 2,000 years ago, have been completely eradicated from any island. Ferrets (Mustela furo) were introduced to Rathlin in the […] | |
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Indonesia braces for possible ‘Godzilla El Niño’ as fire season escalates early (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/indonesia-braces-for-possible-godzilla-el-nino-as-fire-season-escalates-early/ - The 2026 fire season in Indonesia is already showing early signs of escalation, as burned areas reached 32,637 hectares by February, 20 times higher than the same period in 2025. - Some global forecasts suggest this year’s predicted El Niño could become one of the strongest in at least a decade, raising the risk of prolonged drought and widespread fires, although significant uncertainty remains over how intense it will ultimately be. - Fire monitoring by the watchdog Pantau Gambut show that many hotspots are in oil palm and timber concession areas, which the group says suggests that legal permits alone do not guarantee fire-safe land management and highlights gaps in oversight and enforcement. | |
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‘Rediscovered’ species in Papua spotlight importance of Indigenous knowledge (April 15, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/rediscovered-species-in-papua-spotlights-importance-of-indigenous-knowledge/ - Two species of marsupial thought by scientists to be extinct for thousands of years still live in the forests of Indonesian Papua on the island of New Guinea, according to recently published research. - One of the animals, the ring-tailed glider, is sacred to the Tambrauw people, and it’s part of a newly proposed genus, Tous, borrowing the Tambrauw name for the glider. - The other animal, a pygmy long-fingered possum, was discovered during a mammal-watching trip on the Bird’s Head Peninsula. - The research involved substantial collaborations with local communities and Indigenous elders. | |
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Coexisting with America’s growing urban coyote population is easier than you think (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/04/coexisting-with-americas-growing-urban-coyote-population-is-easier-than-you-think/ Coyotes are now present in almost every major urban-metropolitan area in the United States, yet conflicts between the canines and humans are exceptionally low. Between 1960 and 2006, only 146 documented coyote attacks on humans occurred in the U.S. and Canada. Yet there are 4.5 million dog attacks on humans annually in the U.S. alone. […] | |
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Exploring giraffe-human conflict in Kenya (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/exploring-giraffe-human-conflict-in-kenya/ Reticulated giraffes are an endangered species across their primary range in Kenya, most commonly threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting. Conflicts with people are also rising as giraffes sometimes eat crops like mangos and compete with local people for water. A group of researchers investigated emerging human-giraffe conflict (HGC) in northeastern Kenya found that, […] | |
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A reforestation corridor in Madagascar offers a future for lemurs and locals (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/a-reforestation-corridor-in-madagascar-offers-a-future-for-lemurs-and-locals/ - A reforestation corridor project aims to reconnect 150 hectares of fragmented forest between Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and the Analamazoatra Special Reserve, home to a dozen lemur species and many other animals and plants that are found nowhere else on Earth. - Led by the Mad Dog Initiative in partnership with The Dr. Abigail Ross Foundation for Applied Conservation, Association Mitsinjo and Ecovision Village, the project represents a unique convergence of science, private investment and community action. - The project has already planted more than 100 native tree species across 70 hectares, a portion of which were grown in soil inoculated with mycorrhiza, with seedlings showing high survival and growth rates. Even in its early stages, lemurs are using the corridor. - To address local challenges and increase the chances of long-term restoration success, project partners are investing in ecotourism, health care and education, among other strategies. | |
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In Brazil, unfinished water project leaves Indigenous villages without safe water (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-brazil-unfinished-water-project-leaves-indigenous-villages-without-safe-water/ - According to Brazil’s Ministry of Health data obtained by Mongabay, of the 4,134 Indigenous villages in Brazil’s North Region, only 1,934 — about 47% — have proper infrastructure to supply drinking water to the population. - To avoid scarcity, many communities resort to improvised solutions, using buckets and pipes to fill their reservoirs with water from rivers and waterfalls. In times of drought, shallow wells are also dug on riverbanks. - Their emergency strategy against thirst, however, increases a series of health risks, forcing entire villages to consume ferrous, dirty, and contaminated water — all vectors for infectious diseases. - In some areas of the North, in addition to chemical purification solutions such as Salta-Z, nanotechnology-based collective filters have helped communities cope with the water crisis — and, according to their complaints, with government neglect. | |
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EUDR is starting to steer company actions, despite slow progress: Report (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/eudr-is-starting-to-steer-company-actions-despite-slow-progress-report/ - Although more progress is needed, a growing number of companies are adopting and implementing deforestation commitments ahead of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) taking effect in December, according to a new report analyzing public data on 500 companies exposed to deforestation in their supply chains. - Global Canopy’s newest Forest 500 Report found that 14% of companies mentioned the EUDR in deforestation commitments and more than 25% reported new implementation actions in 2025. The number of companies with traceability mechanisms also increased. - The report also found that 24 companies have never published deforestation commitments and that 14 backtracked on previous commitments in 2025. - The legal uncertainty surrounding the EUDR and its implementation disincentivizes companies from adopting systems for due diligence on deforestation, experts say. | |
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Māori knowledge shows climate change domino effects on forest food chains (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/maori-knowledge-shows-climate-change-domino-effects-on-forest-food-chains/ - An Indigenous-led team of researchers worked with Māori knowledge-holders in the Te Urewera and Whirinaki forests of Aotearoa New Zealand’s North Island to document forest change over the past 75 years. - Drawing on bioindicators from traditional ecological knowledge, they found dramatic changes in native tree fruiting patterns in line with climatic shifts. - The research showed cascading impacts from the fruiting shifts across the food chain — including for pigeons, pigs and people. | |
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Deep-sea wildernesses are more important than the promise of seafloor mining (analysis) (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/deep-sea-wildernesses-are-more-important-than-the-promise-of-seafloor-mining-analysis/ - A scientist who was part of a major 2008 expedition exploring the promise of deep-sea mining writes in a new analysis that what they found offshore of Papua New Guinea ended his enthusiasm for the nascent industry. - The biodiversity documented by their remotely operated vehicle — added to the fragility and uniqueness of the geology and ecology they documented — was clearly too special to perhaps permanently decimate for electric vehicles and renewable energy. - “I entered this project in good faith, working with the mining company to help determine whether or not deep-sea mining at Solwara I could be conducted with minimal harm to the marine environment. I exited convinced that there is no viable path forward for hydrothermal vent mining, anywhere in the ocean.” - This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Ghana declares its first marine protected area (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/ghana-declares-its-first-marine-protected-area/ Ghana has declared its first marine protected area after more than 15 years of efforts to bolster marine conservation and safeguard its depleting fish stocks. Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang announced the creation of the MPA on April 14. It marks a “historic moment,” according to Ghana’s fisheries commission, Benjamin Campion. The designated area covers […] | |
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Afghanistan’s capital is in the grip of a water crisis (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/afghanistans-capital-is-in-the-grip-of-a-water-crisis/ KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Nestled in a high-altitude valley in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountain range, Kabul is rapidly running out of water. Experts say climate change has played its part, but so has massive population growth and resource mismanagement. Many people, particularly in the poorer areas of the Afghan capital, are left struggling to cope. […] | |
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This ghost octopus is facing a new threat (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/this-ghost-octopus-is-facing-a-new-threat/ China is one of the biggest players in the race to mine the deep sea — and a joint Mongabay-CNN investigation shows that over the past five years, eight Chinese research vessels have been busy exploring for minerals in zones designated to Chinese companies. These eight ships spent more than 800 days inside these deep-sea […] | |
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George Schaller: The field biologist who helped redefine conservation (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/george-schaller-the-field-biologist-who-helped-redefine-conservation/ - Miriam Horn’s Homesick for a World Unknown traces the life of George B. Schaller, a field biologist whose work reshaped how animals are studied and understood. - The book portrays a scientist defined by patience, close observation, and a disciplined effort to understand animals on their own terms, even as such an approach ran against prevailing scientific norms. - Horn presents Schaller’s career across continents as both scientific and practical, showing how his research informed the creation of protected areas while gradually incorporating local knowledge and participation. - Rather than probing for psychological insight, the biography mirrors its subject’s outward focus, offering a restrained account that raises broader questions about attention, conservation, and what it means to share a world with other species. | |
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In northern Kenya, a shifting Lake Turkana reshapes traditional livelihoods (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-northern-kenya-a-shifting-lake-turkana-reshapes-traditional-livelihoods/ - According to Kenya’s environment ministry, water levels in Lake Turkana have risen by several meters in the past decade, expanding its total surface area by around 10%. - The rise, mainly caused by increased rainfall far upstream, has affected communities and infrastructure on the lake’s shores, as well as disrupted fishing in its changing waters. - Extended drought in surrounding areas has drawn thousands of new fishers to Lake Turkana, sometimes sparking conflict. - The people who have lived here the longest are negotiating their survival in what a researcher calls “a system with many variables, both natural and human.” | |
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Landmark win for Thai villagers, but gold mine appeal delays justice (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/landmark-win-for-thai-villagers-but-gold-mine-appeal-delays-justice/ In a landmark verdict, the Bangkok Civil Court last month held the operator of a gold mine liable for environmental and health damages, ordering it to compensate nearly 400 villagers. But the company is appealing against the ruling, which will likely delay payouts and prolong a decade-long legal fight, reports contributor Kannikar Petchkaew for Mongabay. […] | |
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Conservation efforts help an endangered dipterocarp spread roots in Bangladesh (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/conservation-efforts-help-an-endangered-dipterocarp-spread-roots-in-bangladesh/ - Conservation of the endangered boilam tree (Anisoptera scaphula) — Bangladesh’s tallest tree species — has reached a milestone after a 34-year-old man planted saplings across all the districts of the country. - A Bangladeshi forestry professor’s dedicated work offers fresh hope for science-based conservation of the rare species. - With no established conservation approach in Southeast Asia, where the species is also endangered, the Bangladeshi model could serve as a replicable solution. | |
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Two-month-old bear cubs rescued from Facebook sale in Laos (April 14, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/two-month-old-bear-cubs-rescued-from-facebook-sale-in-laos/ Two Asiatic black bear cubs posted for sale on Facebook have been rescued in Laos as part of an illegal wildlife trade sting. Free the Bears, an international conservation nonprofit, coordinated the operation with local authorities in Oudomxay province after discovering the Facebook post while monitoring online platforms for wildlife traders. The advertisement featured two […] | |
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Can nature outcompete war in Eastern Congo? (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/can-nature-outcompete-war-in-eastern-congo/ - In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, pressure on Virunga National Park reflects deeper economic and governance dynamics, where conservation competes with immediate livelihood needs tied to charcoal production and agriculture. - Emmanuel de Merode frames environmental decline as a consequence of how people earn a living, arguing that protecting biodiversity requires addressing energy access, jobs, and local economic systems. - Virunga has developed an integrated model built around renewable energy, small business development, financial access, and localized security, aimed at shifting incentives away from conflict-linked and extractive activities. - The proposed Green Corridor extends this approach across a national scale, testing whether a viable economic system can be built that depends on maintaining forests rather than clearing them, despite ongoing conflict and political constraints. | |
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30-year Himalayan project shows power of community-led forest restoration (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/30-year-himalayan-project-shows-power-of-community-led-forest-restoration/ - A 30-year forest restoration project in India’s Western Himalayas transformed degraded land into a biodiverse ecosystem through the participation of local communities. - According to a recently published study, the project resulted in the establishment of 88 tree species that are now naturally multiplying, and employed simple bioengineering techniques to retain soil moisture, resulting in long-term natural regeneration and ecological stability. - The restored site, named Surya-Kunj, or Sun-Grove, now supports rich biodiversity, including more than 160 bird species as well as medicinal plants. - Strong community participation and educational value has helped turn the project into a scalable model for mountain ecosystem recovery, researchers say. | |
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Council recommends opening US Pacific marine monuments to commercial fishing (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/council-recommends-opening-us-pacific-marine-monuments-to-commercial-fishing/ A U.S. fishing regulator recently recommended allowing commercial fishing across all four of the country’s Pacific marine national monuments. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) said the move is “about restoring sustainable fishing.” Conservationists and native peoples, however, say it will damage some of Earth’s most pristine ocean ecosystems. The monuments — Pacific […] | |
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Defying conflict to track the world’s rarest chimpanzees (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/04/defying-conflict-to-track-the-worlds-rarest-chimpanzees/ GASHAKA GUMTI NATIONAL PARK, Nigeria — Here in Nigeria’s largest protected wilderness area lies one of the last strongholds of the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti), the world’s rarest chimpanzee subspecies. For nearly a decade, however, this population has lived largely out of sight. Once a leading hub for field research in West Africa, Gashaka […] | |
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Researchers find ‘remarkable’ hot-pink insect in Panama rainforest (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/researchers-find-remarkable-hot-pink-insect-in-panama-rainforest/ In March 2025, biologist Benito Wainwright and his colleagues were searching for katydids — leaf-mimicking insects related to crickets and grasshoppers — in the rainforest of Barro Colorado Island in Panama, when they came across an unexpected sight: a hot-pink katydid individual of the species Arota festae. The researchers captured the katydid and raised her […] | |
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Colombia’s main river redraws the map of little-known night monkeys (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/colombias-main-river-redraws-the-map-of-little-known-night-monkeys/ - A new study looks at genetic evidence to suggest that Colombia’s Magdalena River, and not the Andean massif, may be the true boundary separating two near-identical species of nocturnal primates. - Night monkeys from the genus Aotus, the only nocturnal primates in the Americas, have remained largely invisible to both the public and the scientific community, says the study’s main author. - Experts in the field say this discovery could fundamentally reshape national conservation maps and protection strategies for night monkeys. | |
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A new bird species has been discovered in Japan after 45 years (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/a-new-bird-species-has-been-discovered-in-japan-after-45-years/ For decades, the research community thought that the small, olive-green songbirds found on two Japanese islands were identical. But a new study has revealed these birds are actually two distinct species, ones that have been evolutionarily isolated for millions of years and are now facing the risk of extinction. Researchers discovered a population of the […] | |
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Repeated failures expose gaps in Indonesia’s nickel waste management (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/repeated-failures-expose-gaps-in-indonesias-nickel-waste-management/ - A deadly 2026 landslide in Indonesia’s Morowali nickel hub highlights risks in “dry stack” waste systems, which can still liquefy under poor conditions. - Indonesia’s booming nickel industry generates massive volumes of toxic waste, with dry stack or “filtered” tailings promoted as safer than the typical wet sludge, but often poorly implemented. - Experts cite design flaws, weak oversight, and challenging local conditions, including rainfall and seism activity, as key factors behind repeated failures. - Watchdogs are calling for a halt to new tailings facilities and stronger safeguards, warning of ongoing risks to workers, communities and ecosystems. | |
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Living with wildlife, bearing the cost (April 13, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/living-with-wildlife-bearing-the-cost/ - Communities living alongside wildlife bear immediate and recurring costs—from crop loss and injury to disrupted routines—while the benefits of conservation are often diffuse and global in scope. - These burdens are disproportionately carried by rural and Indigenous communities, many of whom are excluded from decisions about land use and conservation, despite being most affected by them. - Conservation efforts are increasingly incorporating rights-based approaches, compensation schemes, and conflict mitigation strategies, but their effectiveness remains inconsistent and often insufficient to offset real losses. - The long-term success of conservation depends on whether it can align ecological goals with the stability and wellbeing of local communities, rather than relying on unequal sacrifice to sustain protected areas. | |
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Doug Allan, wildlife cameraman who filmed animals in extreme environments (April 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/doug-allan-wildlife-cameraman-who-filmed-animals-in-extreme-environments/ - Doug Allan, a Scottish wildlife cameraman, spent decades filming in polar regions and underwater, bringing remote ecosystems into view for global audiences. - Trained as a marine biologist and diver, he moved into filmmaking after a chance meeting with David Attenborough in Antarctica. - His work on major BBC series, including The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, was shaped by patience, fieldcraft and long periods of waiting for rare moments. - He died on April 8th, aged 74, leaving a body of work defined by close observation and sustained exposure to some of the planet’s most demanding environments. | |
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The mother of orangutans (April 11, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/the-mother-of-orangutans/ Dr Birutė Galdikas spent almost 50 years studying solitary and elusive orangutans in Borneo, at a time when no one believed it possible. Her pioneering work transformed scientific understanding of the great apes and their behavior. She passed on March 24 at the age of 79. Dr. Galdikas was one of three women who revolutionised […] | |
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Venezuela’s new mining law could spell disaster for the Amazon, critics warn (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/venezuelas-new-mining-law-could-spell-disaster-for-the-amazon-critics-warn/ - Venezuela passed a law to update the country’s mining regulations and attract international investment in gold, silver, coltan and other minerals. - While some environmental protections are included in the bill, critics say they’re not rigorous enough to stop the deforestation or human rights abuses already happening in the Venezuelan Amazon. - The law describes a commitment to “ecological mining development” that critics call a dangerous attempt at greenwashing. | |
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Africa’s solar costs could rise as China cuts export subsidies (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/africas-solar-costs-could-rise-as-china-cuts-export-subsidies/ The end of China’s export tax rebates for solar panels and associated equipment could prompt a rush by power developers in African to secure supplies at the previous lower prices. Across Africa, a lack of reliable access to grid electricity is driving the adoption of mini-grids and off-grid solar applications, especially in rural areas. Solar […] | |
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Christianity can be an ally for Kenyan conservation (commentary) (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/christianity-can-be-an-ally-for-kenyan-conservation-commentary/ - Part of the difficulty in mainstreaming religious faith into conservation thinking and practice comes down to outdated narratives. - The negative impact of Christianity on the environment has in particular been well-circulated for over a half-century, but this doesn’t fully reflect current realities in nations like Kenya. - “As the diversity of Christian expression in Kenya demonstrates, the faith, its theologies and its outworkings are plural, contested, and capable of generating both productive and destructive relationships with the environment and its non-human inhabitants,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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Tropics take the brunt as hotter oceans drive large-scale humid heat waves: Study (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/tropics-take-the-brunt-as-hotter-oceans-drive-large-scale-humid-heat-waves-study/ - It’s well known that hotter temperatures due to climate change are dangerous to human health. But when paired with high humidity, this intense heat can be especially deadly. These extreme weather events, known as humid heat waves, are rapidly intensifying and increasing in frequency as the world warms. - A recent study found a strong causal link between hotter coastal ocean temperatures and large-scale humid heat waves. Rising sea surface temperatures are driving 50-64% of the increase in large-scale humid heat waves, researchers found, especially in the tropics, and raising the risk of heat-related fatalities. - These events do not remain localized. The researchers found that coastal humid heat waves can move far inland, and have a 90% chance of occurring even 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away from where they originated over the ocean. - Humid heat waves now pose a serious risk to people in tropical regions, though such events are forecast to worsen in temperate zones too as the world warms. Adding to threats in the tropics is insufficient air-conditioning to safeguard populations against such events. Humid heat waves also make outdoor work unsafe, impacting local economies. | |
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Record kākāpō breeding season with 95 rare parrot hatchlings: Photo of the week (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/record-kakapo-breeding-season-with-95-rare-parrot-hatchlings-photo-of-the-week/ The kākāpō is a flightless bird endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand, and one of the heaviest parrots in the world. It’s also critically endangered; after the introduction of predators to the islands off New Zealand, the adult kākāpō population plummeted to just 235 today. But this year, following a standout harvest of rīmu (Dacrydium cupressinum) berries, […] | |
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Indian border town adjacent to Bhutan is reeling from riverbed pollution (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indian-border-town-adjacent-to-bhutan-is-reeling-from-riverbed-pollution/ Jaigaon, a densely populated town on India’s border with Bhutan, is facing a crisis of poor waste disposal, reports contributor Chandrani Sinha for Mongabay India. Much of the town’s plastic, construction and medical waste gets dumped along the banks of the Torsa River. The river originates in the Chumbi Valley in the eastern Himalayas and […] | |
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Novel research finds unexpected climate resilience in up to 36% of Amazon forest (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/novel-research-finds-unexpected-climate-resilience-in-up-to-36-of-amazon-forest/ - In recent decades, the Amazon Rainforest has repeatedly and increasingly been struck by devastating drought along with record heat due to climate change. Add to this record wildfires, rapid deforestation and land conversion for agriculture. - Numerous field studies and modeling have found that these extreme changes are pushing the Amazon toward a tipping point and collapse of the biome — an ecological disaster that would release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. - But one research team, in a recently published study, offered up some hope: They found that little-studied low water table wetland Amazon forests — constituting up to 36% of Amazon trees — have stood up well to, and even thrived, during major droughts, with an increase in aboveground biomass. - Those findings, the research team says, put the inevitability of an Amazon tipping point and collapse in some doubt, with the possibility that low water table forests could serve as a refugia for biodiversity. They also urge that these areas become a priority for protection and conservation as a hedge against future climate change. | |
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Half of seabirds are declining. Protecting marine flyways could help save them (April 10, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/half-of-seabirds-are-declining-protecting-marine-flyways-could-help-save-them/ - Nearly half of migratory seabird species are in decline, in part because conservation systems stop at borders while the birds do not. - A new study maps six “marine flyways” spanning the world’s oceans, showing how 151 species depend on connected routes across dozens of countries. - These pathways link breeding sites, feeding areas, and migration corridors, but face persistent threats from bycatch, invasive species, and climate change. - Coordinating protection along these routes—rather than focusing only on isolated sites—could improve conservation outcomes for seabirds at a global scale. | |
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Antarctic fur seals now endangered as climate change reduces krill for pups (April 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/antarctic-fur-seals-now-endangered-as-climate-change-reduces-krill-for-pups/ Antarctic fur seals are the smallest of the polar seals and live almost exclusively on the island of South Georgia. The latest assessment by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global conservation authority, upgraded fur seal extinction threat from least concern to endangered. The last assessment was carried out in 2014. Recent research […] | |
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Emperor penguins are now endangered amid climate change and melting ice (April 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/emperor-penguins-are-now-endangered-amid-climate-change-and-melting-ice/ Emperor penguins are native to Antarctica, where record low sea ice over the last decade has dramatically changed their habitat. Populations of the world’s largest penguin have fallen so much that they have now officially moved from near threatened to endangered in the latest assessment by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global […] | |
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Giant otters, river sentinels, now listed as threatened migratory species (April 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/giant-otters-river-sentinels-now-listed-as-threatened-migratory-species/ - The giant otter was added to the list of animals needing protection under the UN Convention on Migratory Species, paving the way for international conservation actions. - Studies reveal that their population decreased by 50% over the past 25 years as their habitat disappears and fragments and growing pollution fouls rivers. - The new listing should promote cooperation between countries to protect the species as well as Amazon and Pantanal aquatic ecosystems, which are the otter’s strongholds. | |
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New mahogany species found in Zanzibar — but fewer than 30 trees remain (April 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-mahogany-species-found-in-zanzibar-but-fewer-than-30-trees-remain/ A small group of mahogany trees were found growing along a 200-meter (650-foot) stretch of shoreline on Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Scientists have recently confirmed the tree is a new species, but with fewer than 30 left in the wild, it’s already critically endangered. “It’s an extraordinary finding that none of us expected,” Silvia Ceppi of […] | |
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Argentina approves Milei’s bill that eases protections for glaciers despite environmental backlash (April 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/argentina-approves-mileis-bill-that-eases-protections-for-glaciers-despite-environmental-backlash/ BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina’s Congress on Thursday approved a bill promoted by libertarian President Javier Milei that eases protections on glaciers to facilitate investments in mining for metals — a move that environmental groups vow to challenge in courts. The legislation, approved by the Senate in February, was passed with 137 votes in favor, 111 against and […] | |
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Invasive plant drives ecological change in America’s gigantic Selway–Bitterroot Wilderness (commentary) (April 9, 2026) https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/invasive-plant-drives-ecological-change-in-americas-gigantic-selway-bitterroot-wilderness-commentary/ - There’s a new plant growing in one of the largest designated wilderness areas in the U.S. — the Selway–Bitterroot Wilderness — which spans the states of Idaho and Montana. - Though it feels like a true wilderness, this introduced plant — spotted knapweed — has begun changing the ecosystem and threatens to drive local extinctions of some native species. - “From a distance, the Selway still looks intact. But at the level of its living fabric — the layer supporting insects, birds, amphibians, mammals and forest regeneration — losses are underway,” a new op-ed argues. - This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay. | |
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