Three Thai nationals suspected of smuggling Galápagos iguanas arrested in Ecuador (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/three-thai-nationals-suspected-of-smuggling-galapagos-iguanas-arrested-in-ecuador/
The Ecuadorian National Police arrested three Thai nationals on May 19, 2026, at the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil on suspicion of wildlife trafficking. They seized 12 marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), endemic to the Galápagos. The reptiles were found stuffed in handbags with their legs tightly bound. One was dead and those […]
Ebola outbreak reaches major cities in DR Congo, Uganda amid fears of regional spread (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/ebola-outbreak-reaches-major-cities-in-dr-congo-uganda-amid-fears-of-regional-spread/
The Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was officially confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 15. Less than a week later, the death toll is rising with at least 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths linked to the disease, as well as 51 […]
Wild animal consumption on the rise in Central Africa, study finds (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/wild-animal-consumption-on-the-rise-in-central-africa-study-finds/
A new study has shed light on the scale of wild meat consumption across Central Africa. According to research led by CIFOR-ICRAF, a roughly 50% increase in the amount of wild meat being consumed is driven largely by growing demand from rapidly expanding urban populations. Published in the journal Nature, the study analyzed data from […]
Nine killed at illegal mine in latest Sumatra landslide tragedy as gold surge continues (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/nine-killed-at-illegal-mine-in-latest-sumatra-landslide-tragedy-as-gold-surge-continues/
- A mining accident in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province buried 12 miners on May 14, nine of whom were killed, following a period of heavy rain.
- The disaster is the latest fatal accident at an unpermitted mining site in the interior of Sumatra in recent years, with officials and civil society analysts saying the sustained high price of gold, which at the time of writing was threefold higher than six years ago, is drawing more people to illegal mines.
- Walhi, Indonesia’s largest environmental NGO, said at least 48 people were killed in West Sumatra, one of Indonesia’s 38 provinces, in the last 15 years.
- The green group said the true number could be much higher owing to the remote nature of the illegal industry.
Amazon resilient to fire, but diversity loss still a threat, study finds (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/amazon-resilient-to-fire-but-diversity-loss-still-a-threat-study-finds/
- A two-decade study conducted in the southeastern Brazilian Amazon found that while degraded forests show high ecological resilience and no sign of transitioning to savanna, species diversity at forest edges halved.
- Repeated disturbances are replacing fire-resistant specialist trees with fast-growing, generalist species, which have repercussions for the biome’s biodiversity.
- Although researchers say the forest’s response is a sign of hope, they warn that the new ecosystems that emerge from that forest recovery process can be vulnerable to new climate disturbances.
Mangroves are ‘powerful and undervalued’ for curbing nitrogen pollution, study finds (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/mangroves-are-powerful-and-undervalued-for-curbing-nitrogen-pollution-study-finds/
Mangrove forests could help sequester more than five million metric tons of nitrogen pollution from coastal ecosystems across the Earth if they are restored and protected, a recent study found. Nitrogen pollution typically comes from synthetic fertilizers largely used in agriculture or from human waste seeping into water sources. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for […]
Artisanal mines in Brazil a front for gold laundering, investigation shows (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/artisanal-mines-in-brazil-a-front-for-gold-laundering-investigation-shows/
Nearly half of permitted small-scale gold mines in a corner of the Brazilian Amazon are likely fronts for laundering gold mined elsewhere, including protected areas and Indigenous territories, a new investigation suggests. Between 2022 and 2026, 263 of the 540 licensed artisanal mining operations in the Tapajós River Basin, or 49%, reported gold sales not […]
Norlan Pagal, fisherman and guardian of Tañon Strait, died on May 14th, aged 56 (May 21, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/shot-for-defending-the-sea-norlan-pagal-kept-watching-from-shore/
- Norlan Pagal spent more than a decade defending the waters of Tañon Strait from illegal fishing.
- He survived dynamite, beatings and a 2015 ambush that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
- From his wheelchair, he continued watching the sea with binoculars and reporting violations to patrols.
- His work helped inspire other fishers to protect their waters and earned him recognition as an Ocean Hero.
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 […]