Painted turbines can save millions of birds (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/painted-turbines-can-save-millions-of-birds/
What do snakes, poisonous frogs, and wind turbines have in common? Scientists tested whether warning color patterns inspired by nature could help birds avoid deadly collisions with wind turbines. In video-game-style experiments, great tits, distinctive small birds, were shown different blade designs, including a new pattern based on the bold visual colors used by some […]
Chinese squid tied to labor abuses finds an easy route into Western markets (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/chinese-squid-tied-to-labor-abuses-finds-an-easy-route-into-western-markets/
- In recent years, a series of high-profile investigations implicated the Chinese fleets targeting squid in international waters in illegal fishing practices, environmental violations, and poor working conditions, including forced labor and deaths at sea.
- The revelations received widespread public attention, including from elected officials in the U.S. and Europe.
- A Mongabay analysis shows that the largest Western markets have continued to import Chinese squid products in large quantities, raising concerns about regulatory gaps and lack of transparency and consumer awareness.
- The most recent evidence of problems in the Chinese squid industry came in a June 2026 report by U.K.-based NGO Environmental Justice Foundation that covers a five-year investigation, including interviews with more than 400 fishers who worked on Chinese squid-fishing vessels in three oceans.
Two rare pregnancies spark hope for Sumatran rhinos — but also concerns about inbreeding (October 14, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/two-rare-pregnancies-spark-hope-for-sumatran-rhinos-but-also-concerns-about-inbreeding/
- Two near-extinct Sumatran rhinos are pregnant at a sanctuary in Indonesia, offering a rare boost for a species that numbers only a few dozen in the wild.
- The pregnancies are the latest result of a decades-long captive-breeding effort aimed at helping the solitary animals reproduce as their wild populations become increasingly isolated.
- But the expected births also underscore the challenges of managing a small captive population with limited genetic diversity: the pregnant females are related, as are the two sires.
‘Patrick’ sea star went viral, but Argentine deep-sea canyon held 57 new species (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/patrick-sea-star-went-viral-but-argentine-deep-sea-canyon-held-57-new-species/
- Scientists identified 57 new marine species and five new genera from Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon in just two weeks.
- Most specimens came from a 2025 expedition whose livestream drew more than 4 million viewers, many of whom tuned in for a sea star that looked like the cartoon character Patrick Star.
- The finds include a horned sea cucumber nicknamed Loki and 20 new copepods, with 90% of the copepod samples still unexamined.
- Researchers also found plastic and fishing litter in the canyon, a sign that even this remote deep-sea habitat faces human pressures.
Solutions to the risks posed by the global pet trade could be enacted quickly (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/2026/10/solutions-to-the-risks-posed-by-the-global-pet-trade-could-be-enacted-quickly/
The global pet trade, particularly in exotic reptiles and amphibians, poses significant biodiversity and potential human health risks, scientists say; yet compared to other pressing crises like climate change, the solutions are relatively simple — if only governments would act on them. Susan Lieberman, vice president for international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society, based […]
Governors allied with Flávio Bolsonaro set to lead majority of Brazilian Amazon states (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/governors-allied-with-flavio-bolsonaro-set-to-lead-majority-of-brazilian-amazon-states/
Seven of Brazil’s nine Amazonian states are set to be governed by politicians aligned with far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, Lucas Berti reported for Mongabay Brasil. On Oct. 25, Brazil will have an electoral face-off between the top two candidates for several races that were not able to secure more than 50% of the vote in […]
Inside the ‘unique’ tail of Iran’s spider-tailed horned viper (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/inside-the-unique-tail-of-irans-spider-tailed-horned-viper/
The Iranian spider-tailed horned viper, a rare snake endemic to western Iran, hunts by holding its body completely still while twitching its tail. Its body camouflages among the rocks of its semi-arid Zagros Mountains habitat, but its bulbous tail with accompanying leg-like scales looks remarkably like a large chunky spider. The snake, Pseudocerastes urarachnoides, uses its […]
As sand becomes more valuable, Sierra Leone’s Mahera Coast grows more vulnerable (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/as-sand-becomes-more-valuable-sierra-leones-mahera-coast-grows-more-vulnerable/
- Sand mining at Sierra Leone’s Mahera Beach is impacting local tourism and coastal ecology while also defacing the landscape.
- Nearly 50,000 cubic meters is extracted from Mahera Beach annually, even as communities are torn between eking out a living and conserving coastal ecosystems.
- Many involved in the sand value chain are women and they disproportionately bear the economic and social burden of the trade.
New Zealand builds an arsenal of tools to battle a ‘wily’ invasive seaweed (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/new-zealand-builds-an-arsenal-of-tools-to-battle-a-wily-invasive-seaweed/
- Two invasive forms of a seaweed called caulerpa were discovered in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2021, forming meadows that blanketed the seabed. This raised fears that the caulerpa would smother marine life, compete with native species for space and displace habitats.
- A suite of innovative caulerpa-removal methods has been developed in New Zealand, some with government funding.
- Nationwide eradication is no longer seen as achievable, but a major natural dieback has tempered some of the worst fears about ecological devastation.
Indonesia returns 20 green sea turtles to the ocean after Bali smuggling raid (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/indonesia-returns-20-green-sea-turtles-to-the-ocean-after-bali-smuggling-raid/
SERANGAN ISLAND, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities on the tourist island of Bali released 20 protected green sea turtles back into the ocean Tuesday after they were found and seized on an empty boat seemingly abandoned by wildlife smugglers fleeing a police raid. Officers conducted final checks on the turtles at a conservation center on […]
A study unravels the genetic mystery of a cobra divided by sea (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/a-study-unravels-the-genetic-mystery-of-a-cobra-divided-by-sea/
- A new study estimates that Sri Lankan and the Indian subcontinent cobra lineages diverged around two million years ago, evolving from an African ancestor and potentially linked to past sea-level changes separating the island from India.
- In 1939, Sri Lankan zoologist P. E. P. Deraniyagala first recognized an unusual Sri Lankan cobra form and named it Naja naja polyocellata where it was later synonymized and resurrected as a species in 2022 only to be challenged in 2023.
- The latest findings confirm the genetic distinctiveness of Sri Lankan cobra but does not formally establish them as a separate species, leaving taxonomists to determine whether the lineage warrants species-level recognition.
- Beyond science, the cobra is deeply woven into Sri Lanka’s history, folklore and traditions, making its identity a part of the island’s natural and cultural heritage.
Shedding light on the sea: Interview with Thai photographer Sirachai Arunrugstichai (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/shedding-light-on-the-sea-interview-with-thai-photographer-sirachai-arunrugstichai/
- Trained as a marine biologist, Thai photojournalist Sirachai “Shin” Arunrugstichai has taken photos that capture issues pertinent to marine conservation, from beached coral reefs to beaches polluted by oil spills.
- He co-authored a study on necrophilia in squids after photographing a squid engaging in the behavior while retrieving ghost fishing nets in Myanmar.
- While saying he is not a campaigner, Shin believes photography can help draw public attention to environmental issues and help initiate change.
- Shin spoke to Mongabay about his career journey, scientific study and photography work.
Protected areas are not for mining: Interview with WWF’s Nadège Nzoyem (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/protected-areas-are-not-for-mining-interview-with-wwfs-nadege-nzoyem/
- “Protected areas are protected areas,” says Nadège Nzoyem, the regional director of WWF for the Congo Basin, in reference to new studies showing the pressure from mining on protected and conserved areas in Central Africa and globally.
- A new analysis published on Oct. 8 finds that oil and gas blocks overlap with nearly 62 million hectares (153 million acres) of protected and conserved areas across the tropical countries examined, while WWF’s own report finds an average 80% decline in the size of monitored wildlife populations in Africa between 1970 and 2022.
- In an exclusive interview with Mongabay following the release of WWF’s “Living Planet Report 2026,” Nzoyem points to conservation gains in some landscapes but acknowledges continued wildlife declines, insufficient funding, and gaps in monitoring.
- Ahead of a global biodiversity summit in Armenia this month, the interview examines whether conservation commitments translate into effective protection, and seeks Nzoyem’s perspective on WWF’s influence over conservation funding and whether Indigenous peoples and local communities have meaningful decision-making power.
‘A hard reset’: Cape Town to capture and relocate baboon troops (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/a-hard-reset-cape-town-to-capture-and-relocate-baboon-troops/
- Authorities in Cape Town are planning to capture and relocate two “highly habituated” troops of chacma baboons that range close to a city suburb.
- The baboons will be moved to enclosures where they will live out the remainder of their lives.
- The impending removal is part of a “hard reset” by authorities after decades of interventions and will be accompanied by a new fence in the northern Cape peninsula and 6,000 baboon-proof bins.
- Some experts say that while baboons should be kept out of urban areas, the plans to remove the troops are not convincing.
In a first for the DRC, a homegrown NGO will co-manage a wildlife reserve (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/in-a-first-for-the-drc-a-homegrown-ngo-will-co-manage-a-wildlife-reserve/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. For the first time in the modern history of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local nongovernmental organization will co-manage a protected area in the country with its wildlife authority, reports Mongabay’s Elodie Toto. Strong Roots Congo will […]
Photos: Taiwan’s tea revival blends ancient terraces with new climate adaptations (October 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/photos-taiwans-tea-revival-blends-ancient-terraces-with-new-climate-adaptations/
- Taiwan’s Shenkeng region was once a major tea-producing center, but industrialization and urbanization hollowed out the industry by the 1970s, allowing abandoned tea terraces to return to forest.
- A government-backed effort is now restoring tea production and its cultural heritage, using the region’s historic stone terraces alongside drip irrigation, soil sensors, and more resilient tea varieties.
- Climate change is making the revival harder, with earlier-dissipating mist, erratic rainfall, and increasingly intense typhoons threatening tea plants and increasing landslide risks.
- Researchers and local growers are combining traditional farming techniques with new technology to make Shenkeng’s tea industry more resilient and preserve its cultural heritage for future generations.
Chinook salmon return to historical habitat following removal of four US dams (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/chinook-salmon-return-to-historical-habitat-following-removal-of-four-us-dams/
The Klamath River in the U.S. was heavily dammed over the 20th century, blocking spawning Chinook salmon. As a result, the population of salmon that spawned in the river, which runs through Southern Oregon and Northern California, declined by roughly 90%. However, a recent study found that removing the dams resulted in a quick return […]
Wildfires threaten Indonesia’s orangutans as rescuers find injured animals (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/wildfires-threaten-indonesias-orangutans-as-rescuers-find-injured-animals/
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Wildfires sweeping across parts of Indonesia’s Borneo island have left endangered orangutans struggling to survive, prompting rescuers to evacuate animals found injured, stranded and surrounded by thick haze. A female Bornean orangutan nicknamed Novita was among dozens of apes rescued from wildfires in parts of Sumatra and Borneo in recent months. […]
Indigenous women bring leadership, creativity & joy to clean water action (commentary) (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/indigenous-women-bring-leadership-creativity-joy-to-clean-water-action-commentary/
- “On Indigenous Peoples Day, let’s honor the leadership and contributions of Indigenous women in water,” a new op-ed says.
- Women bring people together, build partnerships, solve problems, and move important work forward every day, the author writes, and Indigenous women in particular exhibit the kinds of community knowledge and relationship-building skills that lead to greater health outcomes, like access to clean water.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
First Nation-led effort replants kelp forests in Clayoquot Sound (October 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/first-nation-led-effort-replants-kelp-forests-in-clayoquot-sound/
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In Clayoquot Sound, in the Canadian province of British Columbia, a partnership between the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, the Redd Fish Restoration Society, and West Coast Kelp is helping rebuild degraded kelp forests, reports contributor Jennifer Cole for Mongabay. […]