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.
Investigation of permit violations in South Africa’s shark fishery pending (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/investigation-of-permit-violations-in-south-africas-shark-fishery-pending/
- In June 2025, South African authorities fined a shark fishing vessel caught violating its permit conditions.
- It is not the first time the country’s small shark fishery has made headlines, including for breaches of conditions by fishing in protected areas and illegally cutting heads and fins off of its catch, preventing effective monitoring.
- In October, the fisheries department said it would consider further action; no updates have been made public, but satellite data suggest the Zanette has fished inside a marine protected areas on at least four occasions since then.
Climate change tests Nepal’s wild and domesticated yaks (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/climate-change-tests-nepals-wild-and-domesticated-yaks/
- Traditional herders in Nepal’s alpine rangelands face climate change, rising costs, labor shortages, disease and limited markets for yak products.
- Warming temperatures are altering water cycles, vegetation and soil carbon, while drying wetlands and glacier changes increase fire risk and reduce grazing areas for both domestic and wild yaks.
- Wild yaks face threats from habitat shrinkage, crossbreeding with domestic yaks, overharvesting of food sources like yartsa gunbu and declining rangeland quality, which could undermine their genetic purity and survival.
In Nepal, calls for reform grow louder in buffer zones (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/in-nepal-calls-for-reform-grow-louder-in-buffer-zones/
- Residents in Nepal’s buffer zones — defined spaces surrounding protected areas — face restrictions on resource collection, infrastructure development and daily activities, leading to frustration and political protests, including election abstentions.
- Communities suffer from wildlife attacks, crop destruction and livestock losses, with relief programs often failing marginalized residents, particularly those without land ownership certificates.
- Local buffer zone councils are perceived as ineffective or serving the park wardens’ interests, as the wardens hold extensive authority, sometimes overriding elected representatives.
- Locals and activists demand clearer guidelines, insurance systems, better infrastructure, equitable revenue sharing and legal amendments to balance conservation with community welfare.
New strategy to reverse Kenya’s shark decline tries to bring fishers on board (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-strategy-to-reverse-kenyas-shark-decline-tries-to-bring-fishers-on-board/
- A new strategy by government agencies, scientists and coastal community members proposes a working plan of 19 goals to reverse the steep decline of sharks and rays in Kenya.
- As small-scale fishers have a lot of influence on the marine species’ populations, most of the goals directly involve fishers or try to get them on board to make the conservation strategy a success.
- Goals include alternative fishing gear, different livelihoods to reduce fishing pressure, increasing the number of locally managed marine areas, involvement of fishers in conservation decision-making and more effective enforcement.
- Community fishing representatives say they are on board with the plan but highlight that a few points, like concrete and viable alternative livelihoods, need to be offered to reach the conservation goals.
Small ray of hope for Sri Lanka’s sawfish, now feared ‘functionally extinct’ (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/small-ray-of-hope-for-sri-lankas-sawfish-now-feared-functionally-extinct/
- Known for its saw-shaped snout or rostrum, the sawfish is now feared “functionally extinct” in Sri Lankan waters, with the last record dating back to 2017.
- Three critically endangered sawfish have historically been reported in Sri Lanka — the narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata), largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis), and green sawfish (P. zijsron) — but they are listed as either endangered or critically endangered due to overfishing, habitat loss and bycatch.
- Researchers say small populations may still be surviving and call for more surveys to identify potential habitats toward conservation.
- The sawfish’s rostrum serves as both a weapon and a sensory organ, helping it to hunt prey in murky waters, and in Sri Lanka, these are traditionally offered to churches as a sign of goodwill.
US-Indonesia trade deal slammed as ‘extractive colonialism’ over mining, fossil fuels (March 27, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/us-indonesia-trade-deal-slammed-as-extractive-colonialism-over-mining-fossil-fuels/
- Activists warn a new U.S.-Indonesia trade deal could accelerate mining, deforestation and fossil fuel use, with weak, nonbinding environmental safeguards.
- The agreement prioritizes critical minerals and energy access, opening up Indonesia’s resource sectors to deeper U.S. investment while limiting state control.
- Expanded nickel mining and coal-powered processing risk worsening pollution, land conflicts and forest loss, especially in already affected regions like Sulawesi and the Malukus.
- Large fossil fuel import commitments could undermine Indonesia’s climate goals, highlighting contradictions in the global energy transition and raising concerns for Indigenous and local communities.
A profession built on hope, strained by loss (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/the-emotional-price-of-conservation-work/
- Reports from across the conservation sector point to rising levels of burnout, depression, and distress, driven by constant exposure to environmental decline alongside insecure funding, long hours, and limited institutional support. Surveys suggest a substantial share of professionals—especially early-career staff and women—are experiencing moderate to severe psychological strain.
- The work carries a distinct emotional burden. Many conservationists form deep connections to species and places, only to witness their degradation or loss, producing a form of grief that is persistent and often unrecognized outside the field.
- Structural conditions amplify the problem. Low pay, short-term grants, isolation in remote postings, and cultural stigma around mental health create an environment where overwork is normalized and seeking help can carry professional risks.
- Recent reporting and commentary, including coverage by Mongabay and analyses by practitioners and researchers, have sharpened attention on what some describe as an “epidemic of suffering” in conservation. This growing body of work frames the issue not as isolated cases but as a systemic problem, while also situating it within a broader effort to acknowledge loss, document lived experience, and argue that those working to protect nature should themselves be supported and sustained.
Family and friends help sperm whale mother and newborn during birth (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/family-and-friends-help-sperm-whale-mother-and-newborn-during-birth/
With the notable exception of humans, most mammals give birth alone. But in July 2023, researchers in the Caribbean witnessed something extraordinary: sperm whales not only attending a birth but actively helping both mother and newborn. Some of the whales present were not even related to the mother, known as Rounder. “Kinship barriers dissolved,” notes […]
The squid rush in the South Pacific is forcing regulators to act (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/the-squid-rush-in-the-south-pacific-is-forcing-regulators-to-act/
A recent annual meeting of the fisheries regulator for the South Pacific tackled a familiar challenge: how to manage one of the world’s largest squid fisheries before mounting pressure turns it into a depleted one. The meeting produced some new safeguards, though much of the hard work still lies ahead, reports Francesco De Augustinis. The […]
A 3-limbed Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is now being tracked at sea by satellite (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/03/a-3-limbed-kemps-ridley-sea-turtle-is-now-being-tracked-at-sea-by-satellite/
JUNO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The veterinary staff at a Florida sea turtle hospital is getting help from space to monitor the animals they have rehabilitated. They’re particularly interested in amputees. Using satellite tracking devices in a collaboration between the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, scientists are learning how well sea […]
4 months after DRC mine spill, residents remain impacted (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/4-months-after-drc-mine-spill-residents-remain-impacted/
- On Nov. 4, 2025, an industrial effluents spill from Congo Dongfang International Mining (CDM), a copper and cobalt plant, contaminated several neighborhoods in Lubumbashi, in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, affecting crops, access to drinking water and residents’ health.
- Months later, Mongabay visited three neighborhoods affected by the spill to gather on-the-ground accounts of continued impacts to crops, water and health.
- The government announced health assistance measures, treatment, the launch of a compensation process for victims and a collective settlement of $6 million.
- According to a human rights organization, the amount is insufficient given the health damage, and residents who speak to Mongabay say they fear they will not be included in compensation and health plans.
Study finds deforestation accounts for major Amazon rainfall decline (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/study-finds-deforestation-accounts-for-major-amazon-rainfall-decline/
- A study looking at land and atmosphere interactions in the Amazon Basin across four decades found that 52-72% of the rainfall decline in the southern Amazon is due to large-scale deforestation.
- Between 1980 and 2019, annual precipitation in the southern Amazon declined by 8-11%, with most of the region losing on average 7.7% of its forest cover over largely the same period.
- The research also indicates that climate models might underestimate the contribution of deforestation to precipitation reduction by as much as 50%, which could mean that rainfall thresholds in the Amazon could be crossed earlier than expected.
Why the Amazon can’t be saved by courts alone (commentary) (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/why-the-amazon-cant-be-saved-by-courts-alone-commentary/
- The Amazon cannot be saved by legal recognition alone. Declaring the forest a subject of rights is historic, but without real authority for Indigenous governments, these rights risk remaining largely symbolic.
- Protecting the forest requires shared governance: national ministries, regional agencies, and local governments must coordinate decisions with Indigenous authorities who already govern vast Amazonian territories — and protect the knowledge systems that have sustained it for generations.
- The limited implementation of the ruling recognizing the Amazon as a subject of rights reflects the gap between judicial decisions and realities on the ground, as well as the political and social complexity of the Amazon across territorial, national, regional, and international scales.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Poop pills and gut microbes: Wildlife microbiome studies aid conservation (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/poop-pills-and-gut-microbes-wildlife-microbiome-studies-aid-conservation/
- Recent research into the human microbiome is revealing how closely connected it is to our health. Similarly, scientists are exploring how the microbiome in wildlife species can aid conservation efforts.
- Studies show that human action (including climate change and close proximity to people) is altering the microbiomes of multiple wildlife species. The implications of how these changes may be impacting wildlife survival and health remain unclear.
- Researchers are also exploring how supporting a diverse wildlife microbiome can improve animal health in captivity, aid recovery during rehabilitation, and even boost reintroduction success. Microbiome studies are underway on numerous species, ranging from Australian koalas to African meerkats and cheetahs.
- Though still an emerging field, fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) are just one possible tool that researchers and conservationists are exploring in trials to see how the restoration of a healthy diverse microbiome can support wildlife conservation.
A nature-based solution to save the Mekong Delta’s water future (commentary) (March 26, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/a-nature-based-solution-to-save-the-mekong-deltas-water-future-commentary/
- The Mekong Delta — a global rice and aquaculture hub — is increasingly at risk from climate change, with rising seas, salinity intrusion, pollution and groundwater depletion threatening the livelihoods of dependant communities and lives of millions of residents in the delta.
- In Vietnam, a proposed nature-based groundwater replenishment system aims to combine water treatment, aquifer recharge and wind energy to boost clean water supply, reduce salinity and stabilize the delta’s fragile ecosystems.
- Backers say the plan could deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in annual benefits through higher farm yields, improved public health and stronger climate resilience, though it will require major investment and coordinated governance to succeed.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.