Singapore resort said to halt controversial dolphin sourcing, breeding (March 31, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/singapore-resort-said-to-halt-controversial-dolphin-sourcing-breeding/
- Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa is to end sourcing dolphins from the wild and has suspended a captive breeding program, according to sources.
- The company is assembling a team of experts to decide the future of more than 20 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, most of which were captured from the Solomon Islands in 2008 and 2009.
- The resort has maintained the dolphins are well cared for and the exhibit at Singapore’s Oceanarium serves educational and conservation purposes.
- Experts say that rehabilitation and release of the dolphins is possible, with transfer to a natural sea pen the first step for assessment.
As traditional forest governance erodes in Peru, ‘ghost permits’ fill the vacuum (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/as-traditional-forest-governance-erodes-in-peru-ghost-permits-fill-the-vacuum/
- In the Peruvian Amazon, prosecutors and documents show how “ghost paper forests” have allowed illegal logging to penetrate Indigenous governance, with forest permits rented or sold by community leaders and used to launder timber cut in unapproved or protected areas, turning legal paperwork into a shadow supply chain.
- Around Peru’s Boiling River, deforestation and land pressure tied to ecotourism and spiritual entrepreneurship are also reshaping who controls the forest, with mestizo healers warning that rituals, language use, elder authority and secure land tenure are being sidelined in favor of extractive, tourism-driven claims.
- Sources say the erosion of Indigenous governance of forests is one cause of these issues, transforming the forest as deeply as any external pressure, weakening language, ritual life and communal authority while allowing corruption to drive deforestation from within.
- In response, Peru’s modern forest system has increasingly turned to institutional reforms that aim to counter these pressures by formally involving Indigenous communities in forest governance, monitoring and decision-making.
‘Extraordinary’: Second set of rare mountain gorilla twins born in DRC’s Virunga (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/extraordinary-second-set-of-rare-mountain-gorilla-twins-born-in-drcs-virunga/
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded the birth of a second set of mountain gorilla twins this year. According to park authorities, the twins were born into the Baraka family and are believed to be a male and a female, now about 2 weeks old. Their arrival follows a twin birth […]
A stranded whale in Germany’s Baltic Sea weakens as hopes of its return to the Atlantic fade (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-stranded-whale-in-germanys-baltic-sea-weakens-as-hopes-of-its-return-to-the-atlantic-fade/
A stranded humpback whale in Germany’s Baltic Sea looks weaker, and experts fear it won’t be able to find its way back to the Atlantic despite several attempts at its rescue this week. A 500-meter (yards) restricted area was enforced around the whale so it could get some rest and hopefully free itself, officials said Sunday in a […]
Marine flyways are the missing map we can use to boost seabird conservation (commentary) (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/marine-flyways-are-the-missing-map-we-can-use-to-boost-seabird-conservation-commentary/
- At the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species last week in Brazil, delegates formally established something scientists have long understood but never before mapped at a global scale: marine flyways used by seabirds.
- Seabirds are more than charismatic travelers along these routes, rather, they are indicators of ocean health and can guide conservationists to the most important areas for marine biodiversity.
- “Seabirds have been tracing these routes for millennia. They have shown us the map. Now it is our turn to follow it with urgency, ambition and a shared commitment to safeguarding the ocean that sustains us all,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Asia now hub of growing illegal wildlife trade across 100+ countries, study shows (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/asia-now-hub-of-growing-illegal-wildlife-trade-across-100-countries-study-shows/
- At least 110 countries are now involved in illegal trade in wildlife — more than doubling from 49 in 2000. Trade connections jumped by more than 400%, according to a recent analysis of global wildlife seizure data.
- Asia, rather than Europe, is now the center of illegal trade for most species, the study found, sparked by extensive trading, business and diplomatic connections with Africa — the source for many wildlife products.
- This trade, often run by transnational criminal syndicates, is complex and resilient to disruptions, such as the pandemic or border restrictions, and adapts quickly, making intervention and enforcement extremely challenging.
- Experts say constant monitoring and transnational law enforcement efforts are needed to crack down on this rapidly evolving illegal enterprise.
Who controls Mexico’s Yaqui River? (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/03/who-controls-mexicos-yaqui-river/
Water has shaped the identity, livelihoods and governance of the Yaqui Indigenous people in northern Mexico for centuries. Today, the Yaqui River faces mounting pressure as drought intensifies, pollution persists and water is increasingly diverted to agriculture and cities. In this award-winning series, staff writer Aimee Gabay explores how climate change is sharpening long-standing disputes […]
Koala on the road? AI signs could alert drivers in real time (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/koala-on-the-road-ai-signs-could-alert-drivers-in-real-time/
- A new AI-powered camera system is being experimented in the Australian state of Queensland to identify koalas crossing the road in the dark.
- The cameras could be incorporated into smart road signs to warn drivers about koalas crossing up ahead.
- Vehicle strikes are a huge contributor to koala mortality; koalas are often forced to cross roads to move across habitats that have been left fragmented by deforestation and urbanization.
Global warming already impacts daily lives around the globe, study finds (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/global-warming-already-impacts-daily-lives-around-the-globe-study-finds/
- Recent research finds that limitations to people’s daily lives imposed by climate change are already widespread and likely to continue growing as global temperatures rise. Older people are the most impacted.
- The researchers used a “physiologically grounded” heat model to analyze 75 years of global climate data.
- The global average number of hours per year that people are exposed to heat that severely limits their activity was found to have doubled for younger adults since the 1950s, while for older adults, it went from about 600 hours per year to about 900 hours.
- Parts of Southwest and South Asia, South America and Australia already experience what the study researchers call “extreme livability limitations,” which is even true for younger adults.
Brazilian settlers turn to reforestation in ambitious land recovery plan (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/brazilian-settlers-turn-to-reforestation-in-ambitious-land-recovery-plan/
- Driven by the work of several generations of land reform settlers, an initiative has already planted 10 million trees across 6,000 hectares in the Pontal do Paranapanema region of western São Paulo; the goal is to reach 75,000 hectares by 2041, an area roughly the size of New York City.
- By reconnecting Atlantic Forest fragments and creating ecological corridors, the project has helped bring wildlife back: 174 bird species and 29 mammal species have been recorded in reforested areas, and in 2024, a jaguar was sighted for the first time.
- The effort has also delivered local economic benefits: Rural startups, community nurseries and agroforestry coffee plantations have been established to support the program, all providing additional income for settler families.
Lab-made jaguar: Is cloning a solution to extinction? (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/03/lab-made-jaguar-is-cloning-a-solution-to-extinction/
Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil — What if the first-ever cloned jaguar were born within the next few years? Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie? Not to the scientists at Reprocon research group, based at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil. They are collecting genetic material, like blood and […]
Grasslands and wetlands are being lost to agriculture four times faster than forests (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/grasslands-and-wetlands-are-being-lost-to-agriculture-four-times-faster-than-forests/
Wild ecosystems such as grassland savannas, bush and open wetlands are losing ground worldwide to make way for large pastures and grain fields. A new study found these ecosystems are being converted at a rate four times higher than for forests. Over a 15-year period, from 2005-2020, researchers found that 190 million hectares (470 […]
Local conservationists sustain research on threatened heron amid Myanmar instability (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/local-conservationists-sustain-research-on-threatened-heron-amid-myanmar-instability/
- Community-based surveys in northern Myanmar have documented a small population of white-bellied herons, one of the world’s most threatened bird species.
- Experts say the sightings reaffirm the conflict-torn area’s importance as one of the world’s few remaining strongholds for the critically endangered species.
- Several threats to the birds were identified, including opportunistic hunting using homemade guns, which the researchers plan to mitigate through outreach programs in local communities.
- The surveys were funded by a wider conservation program that aims to boost local capacity for conservation to cover diminished government support and reduced NGO presence amid Myanmar’s political crisis.
Traditional protection proves more successful for clams in American Samoa (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/traditional-protection-proves-more-successful-for-clams-in-american-samoa/
- A study found that on the most populated island in American Samoa, traditional village-based protections and remote sites had the highest density of giant clams — outperforming federally designated no-take zones in one case.
- The authors suggest that traditional community stewardship could offer a viable alternative to federal restrictions, especially in areas communities rely on for giant clam harvesting, while respecting traditional management practices.
- The giant clams, which are slow-growing, face threats from habitat degradation, ocean warming, watershed pollution and overharvesting.
- The NOAA National Fisheries Service proposed protections for several giant clam species in 2024 which could lead to a top-down ban on harvesting. Some sources say a blanket ban without including communities in conservation strategies would impact people who rely on harvesting.
Extinction—or just unseen? What Centinela reveals about biodiversity data gaps (March 30, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/extinction-or-just-unseen-what-centinela-reveals-about-biodiversity-data-gaps/
- A 1991 hypothesis suggested that deforestation at Centinela in western Ecuador caused the immediate extinction of dozens of plant species believed to exist nowhere else.
- A 2024 reassessment finds that nearly all of these species occur beyond Centinela, indicating that earlier conclusions were shaped by limited sampling rather than true global extinction.
- The case highlights a broader issue in tropical ecology: species may appear rare or endemic simply because they have not yet been widely documented.
- While forest loss remains severe and risks persist, the evidence suggests biodiversity decline often unfolds more gradually, underscoring the need for stronger data to guide conservation decisions.
Zambia seizes half-ton of ivory in major illegal wildlife crime operation (March 28, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/zambia-seizes-half-ton-of-ivory-in-major-illegal-wildlife-crime-operation/
On March 9, wildlife authorities in Zambia arrested 10 people in possession of 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds) of ivory, according to the U.K.-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which provided intelligence that led to the arrests. EIA said the case highlights the impact that international cooperation can have in the fight against the illegal trade of […]
A Kenyan ranger’s lasting imprint on Africa’s anti-poaching efforts (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-kenyan-rangers-lasting-imprint-on-africas-anti-poaching-efforts/
As John Tanui was being laid to rest in Kenya’s Rift Valley on March 25, stories and praise poured in for a man people would have loved to have lived longer. Tanui served as a security communications officer at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya from 1995 to 2024. He helped transform the operations of the […]
Open-air markets: hotspots for a lethal virus infecting macaws and parrots (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/open-air-markets-hotspots-for-a-lethal-virus-infecting-macaws-and-parrots/
- Environmental officers detected circovirus in birds seized from a market in Brazil’s northeast, signaling a new and dangerous means of transmission for a deadly avian disease.
- The outbreak was discovered at a government wildlife rehabilitation center where the birds were taken, putting animals housed there — and being prepared for return to the wild — at risk.
- In October 2025, the virus was detected in Spix’s macaws, which were declared extinct in the wild in 2019 but are being bred and rewilded in Brazil’s Bahia state.
- Experts warn of the need for rigorous monitoring and quarantine at rescue and rehabilitation centers, but some facilities don’t have veterinarians on staff.
A world in bloom: Spring flowers unfold from Tokyo to Mexico, in photos (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-world-in-bloom-spring-flowers-unfold-from-tokyo-to-mexico-in-photos/
From soft peach to vivid pink and purple blooms, spring arrives in a burst of color across the Northern Hemisphere. In Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, streets and parks are awash in a sea of cherry blossoms. Across the plains of Greece’s largest peach-producing region, orchards unfurl like a pink veil over the landscape, while in […]
A South African reserve shows how carbon can catalyze rewilding conservation (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/a-south-african-reserve-shows-how-carbon-can-catalyze-rewilding-conservation/
- Managers have spent decades expanding Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in South Africa to its present 118,000-hectare (292,000-acre) size and bringing native species to the former livestock rangelands that have been incorporated into the reserve.
- In addition to providing a home for wildlife species at the high-end safari reserve, Tswalu is also measuring the impact on soil carbon stores in the dry savanna ecosystem.
- Research has shown that careful application of rewilding can potentially bring carbon benefits, effectively addressing biodiversity loss and climate change together, though the results depend on contexts and the complex dynamics of soil ecosystems.
- Tswalu has begun selling carbon credits, which it says will help fund continued conservation on the reserve.