Why Africa should link nutritional data with fisheries management (commentary) (July 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/why-africa-should-link-nutritional-data-with-fisheries-management-commentary/
- The Our Ocean Conference in Kenya last month put Africa’s ocean future in the global spotlight, but the real test now is whether new commitments help countries build the systems needed to manage aquatic foods for people and not just for production, trade and conservation, a new op-ed argues.
- Fisheries ministries count landings, and health ministries count nutritional deficiencies, but rarely do the two talk to each other — a problem which can be addressed when the right data is gathered and communicated.
- “If Africa can pivot to managing fisheries not only for how much is produced, but for what the catch means for its people’s nutrition, the next generation of fisheries management will be able to harness its oceans for greater social impact and inclusive development,” writes Essam Yassin, director general of research organization WorldFish.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Kent Carpenter spent half a century counting the life of Philippine reefs (July 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/kent-carpenter-spent-half-a-century-counting-the-life-of-philippine-reefs/
- Kent E. Carpenter spent more than 50 years studying the fish, reefs, and marine biodiversity of the Philippines.
- His mapping of 2,983 species helped identify the central Philippines as the “Center of the Center” of marine shore-fish biodiversity. He combined taxonomy, genetics, conservation, teaching, and policy work to document both the richness of marine life and the pressures reducing it.
- At 73, he was still conducting field research and contributing to new surveys of Philippine reefs.
- Carpenter was shot dead at his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on July 12th. An investigation is under way, according to authorities.
How birders in Chad ‘found’ the rusty lark, a bird lost to science for nearly a century (July 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-birders-in-chad-found-the-rusty-lark-a-bird-lost-to-science-for-nearly-a-century/
- In February, French ornithologists and their Chadian colleagues spotted a bird not seen, heard or recorded by scientists in nearly a century while surveying water birds in Chad’s wetlands.
- The team, which included birders Pierre Defos du Rau and Julien Birard, photographed the rusty lark, a wetland species native to the Sahel, producing the first images of this mysterious bird.
- Though known to science for more than a century, the bird has remained an enigma, with little known about its life cycle, habitat or the threats it faces.
- Bird enthusiasts say they hope this accidental rediscovery could help Chad secure the money it needs for conservation in a game reserve devoid of the charismatic megafauna associated with Africa.
Ecuador’s Amazon coffee farmers get ahead of Europe’s deforestation rules (July 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/ecuadors-amazon-coffee-farmers-get-ahead-of-europes-deforestation-rules/
- Since 2019, nearly 400 coffee producers in the Ecuadorian Amazon have adopted a deforestation-free production model that combines traceability, geospatial monitoring, and certification.
- In 2025 alone, the initiative exported as much deforestation-free coffee as it had during the previous three years combined, totaling 172.5 metric tons of coffee between 2022 and 2025.
- The project currently involves 373 producers across nearly 5,000 hectares (12,300 acres), of which more than 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of natural forest remain conserved.
- The model is designed to anticipate the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will require geographic proof that commodities such as coffee aren’t linked to deforestation after 2020.
Small-scale farming, logging eclipse megaprojects as top threats to Tapanuli orangutan habitat (July 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/small-scale-farming-logging-eclipse-megaprojects-as-top-threats-to-tapanuli-orangutan-habitat/
- A new study finds that while large-scale development projects have accelerated forest loss in a key orangutan habitat in Indonesia, small-scale agriculture and logging now account for roughly 70% of direct habitat loss.
- Researchers link the increase in clearing of the Batang Toru ecosystem to changing rural livelihoods, commercial banana farming, and widespread abuse of a legal community logging mechanism.
- The findings raise particular concern for Batang Toru’s eastern forest block, where continued habitat loss threatens one of the smallest and most vulnerable subpopulations of the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan.
- The authors say protecting the species will require tackling both large development projects and the cumulative pressures from small-scale forest clearing, while expanding conservation beyond Indonesia’s formal protected areas.
Humans’ relationship with nature: Interview with ethnobotanist Pavel Partha (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/humans-relationship-with-nature-interview-with-ethnobotanist-pavel-partha/
- Ethnobotanist and activist Pavel Partha says Bangladesh’s environmental policies overlook the critical relationship between plants and humans; despite an emphasis on conservation, there is no ecological justice.
- Partha says development decisions should account for both ecological and social impacts, arguing that the two are inseparable.
- He also warns that ongoing environmental destruction erases languages, cultural practices and traditional ecological knowledge alongside ecosystems.
- Partha spoke with Mongabay about his activism and how scientific research can support Indigenous communities facing environmental destruction.
Women Defenders of the Colombian Amazon (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/specials/2026/07/women-defenders-of-the-colombian-amazon/
Colombia is among the most dangerous countries for environmental defenders. Yet here, women stand as frontline defenders of both nature and culture. Mongabay is documenting the women protecting forests, rivers and ancestral territories by strengthening traditional governance and reviving ancestral stewardship while confronting coca traffickers and illegal miners. In this Special Issue, meet the women […]
Cutting back vines lets recovering forests grow faster, Borneo study shows (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/cutting-back-vines-lets-recovering-forests-grow-faster-borneo-study-shows/
- A new study in Borneo finds that cutting lianas increases canopy height in regenerating logged forests three times faster than tree planting alone.
- Lianas are fast growing woody vines that are a key part of tropical forests, but can proliferate in logged or disturbed forest.
- Researchers around the world are exploring how removing or thinning lianas by cutting their stems influences forest regeneration.
- Using Light Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, the new study found that accelerated tree growth and lower tree mortality contributed to increased canopy height following liana cutting.
China’s ‘Green Great Wall’ tames desert growth, but scientists warn the fight is not over (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/chinas-green-great-wall-tames-desert-growth-but-scientists-warn-the-fight-is-not-over/
KUBUQI DESERT, China (AP) — For half a century, workers in northern China have been using a technique called “straw checkerboards” to combat desertification. This method stabilizes sand dunes and helps plants take root. The effort is part of the Three-North Protective Forest Program or Green Great Wall, aimed at reversing desertification. Since 2000, desertified […]
How narcos moved 108 tons of timber infused with drugs from Bolivia to Chile (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/how-narcos-moved-108-tons-of-timber-infused-with-drugs-from-bolivia-to-chile/
- Chilean authorities found drug-impregnated wood as part of the country’s largest-ever narcotics seizure, which uncovered 108 tons of cocaine and ketamine in cargoes of timber, according to officials.
- In neighboring Bolivia, the origin of the so-called “narco-timber,” raids were conducted at sawmills in the departments of Santa Cruz, Pando, Beni and La Paz. The investigation is also expected to expand to Cochabamba.
- The method to impregnate drugs in forest-sourced wood is seen as highly sophisticated and makes it difficult for authorities and even trained canines to detect.
- Part of the wood used by criminal networks comes from Amazonian regions in Bolivia, posing risks to tropical forests.
Monkey vs machine: Nepal tests AI to fight crop-raiding macaques (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/monkey-vs-machine-nepal-tests-ai-to-fight-crop-raiding-macaques/
- Nepal’s rhesus macaques are raiding crops across the mid-hills. A 2026 study found nearly half their diet in one region came from cultivated crops, and farmers bearing losses largely uncompensated.
- Researchers are testing AI-based detection systems, with one achieving around 88% field accuracy.
- Nepal’s compensation and relocation policies have struggled to keep pace with the conflict, and a 15-member government task force formed in May 2026 has yet to report, leaving farmers to guard their fields at dawn in the meantime.
Fossil fuel-based mega projects displace locals in Bangladesh, pushing youth out (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/fossil-fuel-based-mega-projects-displace-locals-in-bangladesh-pushing-youth-out/
- The Bangladesh government has adopted a master plan to develop Maheshkhali sub-district through three industrial zones: An energy hub with 13 gigawatts of LNG and coal power plants, a deep-sea port with container and multipurpose terminals, and a special economic zone.
- The development requires about 37,000 hectares of land across Maheshkhali and Matarbari coastal areas, potentially displacing more than 770,000 residents.
- A coal power plant and deep-sea terminal have already displaced 20,000 people by acquiring 2,820 acres of land used for salt production, fish farming and shrimp cultivation.
- The coal power plant and deep-sea terminal have affected more than 90,000 people, leaving many without livelihoods and pushing some to risk illegal migration to East Asia for work.
A marine protected area can ban fishing boats. It cannot stop drifting gear (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-marine-protected-area-can-ban-fishing-boats-it-cannot-stop-drifting-gear/
- Drifting fish aggregating devices, or dFADs, are widely used by tuna fleets to gather and catch fish, but they can drift into marine protected areas without vessels crossing the boundary.
- A new Science Advances study found that dFADs have likely interacted with 53% of the global MPA network by area and stranded in 174 protected areas, including sites that harbor at least 490 at-risk species.
- The problem exposes a weakness in ocean protection: MPAs can regulate fishing boats inside their boundaries, but they are less equipped to manage mobile industrial gear that crosses those boundaries, sinks, breaks apart, or washes ashore.
- The costs often fall on MPA managers, island communities, and conservation groups, making dFADs a test of whether fishing governance can assign responsibility before protected areas become cleanup sites for other people’s gear.
Pangolin habitat at risk in Pakistan (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/pangolin-habitat-at-risk-in-pakistan/
The endangered Indian pangolin, already devastated by the illegal wildlife trade, is facing another crisis in Pakistan, one of the four countries where it’s found: rapid habitat loss. Key habitats of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) have particularly disappeared in Pakistan’s rural, mountainous northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to new research, reports contributor Emma […]
Southeast Asian mangroves shift from historic decline to net growth (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/southeast-asian-mangroves-shift-from-historic-decline-to-net-growth/
For decades, Southeast Asia was the global epicenter of mangrove deforestation, but a recent study reveals a dramatic reversal: Since 2010, the region has transitioned from a net loss to a net gain in mangroves, making it a primary contributor to a global mangrove rebound. The study, which analyzed 40 years of satellite data, found […]
What will Africa’s story on ocean governance be? Interview with David Willima (July 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-will-africas-story-on-ocean-governance-be-interview-with-david-willima/
- With the High Seas Treaty in force, African proposals to designate marine protected areas in international waters are taking shape.
- Maritime security expert David Willima talks about why the West African marine protected area proposal is advanced and why others still require careful coordination.
- Willima says that with the current transformation marine governance is going through, African countries need to be actively engaged in order to have a voice in global decision-making.
Official tied to commercial breeding to represent US at global wildlife trade meeting (July 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/official-tied-to-commercial-breeding-to-represent-us-at-global-wildlife-trade-meeting/
- Jennifer Chatfield, a top regulator at the U.S. Interior Department, will reportedly head the country’s delegation at the upcoming meeting of CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty, sources told Mongabay.
- The Animals Committee, a scientific body that influences regulations on wildlife trade, is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 13-17. Delegations from 184 signatory nations and the EU will attend, along with NGOs and pro-trade organizations.
- Chatfield, a political appointee, has deep links to the commercial wildlife breeding industry: Her family owns and operates 4J Conservation Center in Florida, a facility that breeds two critically endangered species of lemurs, and she is listed as the facility’s veterinarian in documents obtained by Mongabay.
- The Interior Department’s ethics committee has been asked to investigate Chatfield for potential ethics violations and favoring family business related to permitting and proposed rulemaking that weakens the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Can a photo save orangutans? (July 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/can-a-photo-save-orangutans/
In Indonesian Borneo, conservation organization KehatiKu is testing a new approach: paying local people to photograph wildlife and upload the sightings through an app. In just one year, the project has collected around 175,000 records. Participants can earn about $6 for a photo of an orangutan, while smaller payments are offered for more common species. […]
Lydia Möcklinghoff, champion of the giant anteater, has died in a plane crash. She was 45 (July 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/lydia-mocklinghoff-champion-of-the-giant-anteater-has-died-in-a-plane-crash-in-brazil-she-was-45/
- Lydia Möcklinghoff, a German biologist and science communicator, died on July 3, 2026, aged 45, in a plane crash near Campo Grande, Brazil, during a flight connected to Pantanal fieldwork.
- She became one of Germany’s leading experts on giant anteaters, turning a little-understood animal into the focus of serious field research, public writing, radio reporting, and children’s science communication.
- Her work combined patience, humor, and precision, linking the behavior of anteaters to larger questions about habitat, fire, drought, land use, and the future of the Pantanal.
- Through books, columns, podcasts, films, and WDR’s MausRadio, she helped readers and listeners see that overlooked species are worth studying, explaining, and protecting.
Restoring Kashmir’s lakes one community at a time: Interview with Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo (July 10, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/restoring-kashmirs-lakes-one-community-at-a-time-interview-with-manzoor-ahmad-wangnoo/
- Conservationist Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo says restoring Kashmir’s lakes and wetlands depends on partnerships between communities, government agencies and local stakeholders.
- Nearly half of the lakes recorded across Jammu and Kashmir in the 1960s have disappeared or shrunk, reflecting decades of pollution, encroachment and unplanned urbanization.
- Through Mission Ehsaas, Wangnoo and the Nigeen Lake Conservation Organisation have helped revive degraded water bodies, showing how community-led conservation can drive ecological restoration.
- Wangnoo discussed the ecological significance of Kashmir’s wetlands, the region’s beauty — and his optimism for the future.