More than 1,000 uncharted coral reefs mapped in vast, understudied northern Australia (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/more-than-1000-uncharted-coral-reefs-mapped-in-vast-understudied-northern-australia/
Scientists have layered hundreds of satellite images to reveal more than 1,000 previously uncharted coral reefs in the turbid waters of northern Australia. The number is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef, though many reefs are smaller in size, researchers say. The reefs of northern Australia, while probably known to locals, had previously largely remained […]
Bangladesh’s energy crunch highlights the promise — and limits — of solar (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/bangladeshs-energy-crunch-highlights-the-promise-and-limits-of-solar/
- As Bangladesh struggles with gas shortages, fuel import costs and power plant outages, solar power plants have continued generating electricity during daylight hours, helping reduce pressure on the national grid.
- Although renewables account for only a small share of Bangladesh’s electricity mix, solar plays a particularly important role in the northern Rangpur region, where it provides most daytime electricity generation.
- Major gas-fired plants, including the 1,200-MW Ghorashal facility near Dhaka, have been shut down because of fuel shortages, highlighting Bangladesh’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.
- Experts say Bangladesh could reduce its exposure to volatile global fuel markets by expanding solar energy, though challenges including land availability, policy support and slow implementation continue to limit growth.
In flood-prone Bangladesh, tiny homes are built to move with the river (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/in-flood-prone-bangladesh-tiny-homes-are-built-to-move-with-the-river/
In the northeast of Bangladesh, residents living along the Jamuna River face a relentless cycle of environmental upheaval. Every rainy season, severe flooding routinely invades homes and wipes out crops, turning daily life into a struggle for survival. For families in these areas of low-lying sand beds, locally known as char areas, land is affordable […]
New survey methods uncover new insights into Madagascar’s biodiversity (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/new-survey-methods-uncover-new-insights-into-madagascars-biodiversity/
- LIFEPLAN tracks arthropods, fungi, mammals and birds simultaneously using identical methods repeated year-round across continents, generating one of the largest standardized biodiversity data sets ever assembled.
- A forthcoming study found that geographic distance is a key driver of endemism in Madagascar’s arthropods.
- Entomologists use LIFEPLAN data to identify new priority areas for insect conservation that are not represented in the current protected area network.
- Researchers say they hope LIFEPLAN methods can support long-term biodiversity monitoring in Madagascar’s protected areas in collaboration with different partners.
Climate change triples chance of deadly 2026 South Asia pre-monsoon heatwave: Report (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/climate-change-triples-chance-of-deadly-2026-south-asia-pre-monsoon-heatwave-report/
From mid-April through May 2026, India and Pakistan were gripped by a heatwave that saw daily maximum temperatures soar above 46° Celsius (114.8° Fahrenheit) in numerous cities. This ongoing period of intense heat has resulted in at least 10 reported deaths in Karachi, Pakistan and 6 reported cases of deaths from heat stroke in India, […]
World burned less coal in 2025, but built more plants over energy uncertainty (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/world-burned-less-coal-in-2025-but-built-more-plants-over-energy-uncertainty/
- Global Energy Monitor released its annual review of global coal use, saying power generation dropped slightly in 2025.
- While its overall use decreased, the amount of coal-fired power capacity rose by 3.5%, primarily due to new projects in China and India.
- In the EU, nearly 70% of planned retirements of coal plants for 2025 failed to materialize, partly due to concerns over energy disruptions.
- The U.S. was a major outlier, with policy interventions leading to a 13% increase in coal electricity generation.
New conservation effort launched to protect coral reefs in Yap (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/new-conservation-effort-launched-to-protect-coral-reefs-in-yap/
Conservation groups have launched a new initiative to safeguard coral reefs in Yap, a state in the Federated States of Micronesia, through both scientific innovation and traditional stewardship. The Yap Resilience Hub, a partnership between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), is a three-year project that seeks to support local […]
Rural women at increasing risk of human-wildlife conflict in Nepal (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/rural-women-at-increasing-risk-of-human-wildlife-conflict-in-nepal/
While Nepal celebrates tripling its wild tiger population, rural women in forest-edge communities face escalating danger. A demographic shift driven by large-scale migration of men abroad has in part forced women to take on nearly all agricultural and household responsibilities. Described as the “feminization of agriculture,” the shift has pushed women into high-risk forest edges […]
Nepal proposes park for ‘problem’ tigers amid rising conflicts (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/nepal-proposes-park-for-problem-tigers-amid-rising-conflicts/
The Nepal government has proposed the creation of a park to house “problem” tigers – individuals involved in human fatalities. The big cats would be moved from current overcrowded holding centers to a 50-hectare (124-acre) facility, planned for the Durganar–Tikauli forest near Chitwan National Park, according to authorities, reports Mongabay’s Abhaya Raj Joshi and contributor […]
Thai island community rallies to protect beloved dugongs, revive declining seagrass (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/thai-island-community-rallies-to-protect-beloved-dugongs-revive-declining-seagrass/
- Seagrass beds around the island of Koh Libong in Thailand’s Andaman Sea have died off in recent years, part of wider nationwide declines scientists say have multiple, complex causes.
- The seagrass shortage has devastated the island’s once famed dugong population, jeopardizing tourism businesses and impacting the island community who have long protected them.
- Locals frustrated by slow government seagrass recovery plans are working with researchers and conservation groups to build citizen science skills and trial seagrass restoration techniques.
- Signs of hope are emerging, with recent surveys recording more dugongs in local waters, prompting local leaders to call for increased public awareness and enforcement of protections.
Mexico rejects ‘Perfect Day’ waterpark on Caribbean coast, citing environmental risks (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/mexico-rejects-perfect-day-waterpark-on-caribbean-coast-citing-environmental-risks/
Environmental authorities in Mexico have rejected the proposal for a large waterpark in the southern state of Quintana Roo, citing risks for coastal ecosystems and local communities. Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico would have covered more than 80 hectares (200 acres) in the village of Mahahual with the “ultimate vacation for families,” including pools, restaurants […]
Three baby pumas born in Minnesota, US, is a first in more than 100 years (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/three-baby-pumas-born-in-minnesota-us-is-a-first-in-more-than-100-years/
A female puma with her three kittens spotted on a trail camera in Minnesota marked a historic moment, according to scientists. The sighting in March was the first time in more than a century that pumas have been observed breeding in the state. The recording was the result of an unrelated project with deer. Scientists […]
Humanity’s ancient bond with biodiversity is visible in rock art (analysis) (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/humanitys-ancient-bond-with-biodiversity-is-visible-in-rock-art-analysis/
- Modern conservation treats biodiversity as a scientific concept, and while useful, the deeper truth is that for much of human history, it was not an abstraction but rather was immediate, sacred and embedded in daily life.
- Ancient rock art makes this clear, as petroglyphs and panels often depict animals, and in relation to humans. It’s also a global phenomenon, not just an artistic expression centered in Europe.
- “If so many human societies across history understood the natural world as worthy of depiction, reverence and symbolic centrality, what does it say about our own era that we are presiding over its rapid destruction?” a new analysis wonders.
- This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Torrential rain and floods batter China, killing at least 12 and forcing mass evacuations (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/torrential-rain-and-floods-batter-china-killing-at-least-12-and-forcing-mass-evacuations/
BEIJING (AP) — Torrential rain and floods hit parts of China this week, killing at least 12 people and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate, state media reported. State broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday five deaths and 11 people missing in Shimen County of Hunan province in central China after rain battered the region. A […]
Bangladesh salt farmers struggle as climate shifts disrupt harvests (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/bangladesh-salt-farmers-struggle-as-climate-shifts-disrupt-harvests/
- Salt farming is one of the largest seasonal livelihood sources in Bangladesh’s southeastern part. About 40,000 farmers are engaged in salt farming on around 27,520 hectares (68,000 acres) of land across Cox’s Bazar district this year.
- However, in recent years, unpredictable weather — such as increased rainy days and cold waves — has been disrupting salt production, forcing farmers to quit their generational livelihoods.
- Usually, salt production depends on dry weather, strong sunlight and high temperatures to crystallize salty water into salt.
- Experts caution that changing weather patterns could undermine both production stability and economic resilience of salt farming communities without adaptation measures.
Ghost shark, carnivorous sponge among 1,000+ newly discovered marine species (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/ghost-shark-carnivorous-sponge-among-1000-newly-discovered-marine-species/
The third year of a global Ocean Census has revealed 1,121 potentially new-to-science marine species, including a worm that lives inside a “glass castle,” a ghost shark, and a carnivorous sponge. The Ocean Census, launched in April 2023, aims to discover and describe marine life “at speed and at scale” before it is lost. The […]
Communities say sacred groves are shrinking in India’s eastern ghats (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/communities-say-sacred-groves-are-shrinking-in-indias-eastern-ghats/
Sacred groves in the Indian state of Odisha continue to be protected now, as they have for hundreds of years because of cultural and spiritual values associated with them, a recent study has found. However, the forests are decreasing in size, nearly all residents interviewed by researchers said. India is estimated to have roughly 100,000 […]
A fever of mobula rays off Mexico’s coast: Photo of the week (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/a-fever-of-mobula-rays-off-mexicos-coast-photo-of-the-week/
During the mobula ray’s migration season, which runs from late April to July, the marine animals form massive aggregations called fevers. The image above was captured by Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett A. Butler in Baja California, a northwestern state of Mexico. The region is home to at least five species of mobula rays. Mobula […]
Electric fences help farmers and elephants coexist in Zambian borderlands (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/electric-fences-help-farmers-and-elephants-coexist-in-zambian-borderlands/
- In 2015, Malawi and Zambia signed a treaty to create a transfrontier conservation area that allows wildlife to cross from Malawi’s Kasungu National Park, to Zambia’s Lukusuzi and Luambe national parks.
- Much of Kasungu’s eastern boundary is fenced, but there’s no fence along its western boundary, located along Zambia’s eastern border.
- This means the elephants can move out of the park into an area of human settlements to reach Lukusuzi. But they also raid farmers’ fields.
- Conservation group IFAW is setting up cluster farms, surrounded by electric wires to prevent the elephants from destroying crops, giving them a chance to cross farmlands to reach secure rangelands in Zambia.
New animals discovered in Cambodian caves (May 20, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/new-animals-discovered-in-cambodian-caves/
Scientists have discovered at least 11 new species in Cambodia’s karst ecosystems — dramatic landscapes of caves and rocks that create isolated habitats. These new species, as well as other endangered animals in the region highlight the importance of protecting these rare ecosystems.