Bigger and more-frequent wildfires threaten water supplies across the US (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/bigger-and-more-frequent-wildfires-threaten-water-supplies-across-the-us/
A record number of wildfires burned more than 14,062 square miles in the U.S. this year, leaving behind charred trees and scorched vegetation. But less-obvious are the impacts they had on the streams and rivers that provide drinking water to urban and rural communities across the country. After a wildfire burns a watershed, rain will […]
There’s no substitute for getting out of the classroom and into nature (analysis) (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/theres-no-substitute-for-getting-out-of-the-classroom-and-into-nature-analysis/
- Many college level biology classes require lab sessions that are conducted outdoors, providing students with memorable and sometimes indelible experiences in the natural world.
- An instructor of ecology labs at Merrimack College in the U.S. state of Massachusetts writes in a new analysis that there’s simply no substitute for this time spent outdoors learning how the world works — either close to home or abroad among rainforests or reefs — and explains how he benefits greatly, too.
- “I often tell people I can’t believe I get paid to do something I enjoy so much. But the biggest beneficiaries of field courses are the students,” he writes, saying that they “not only help students to develop an understanding and appreciation for the natural world, but also to develop a conservation ethic.”
- This post is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Mongabay shark meat investigation shortlisted for two journalism awards in Brazil (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/mongabay-shark-meat-investigation-shortlisted-for-two-journalism-awards-in-brazil/
A Mongabay investigation that revealed large-scale government purchases of shark meat for schools, hospitals, prisons and other public institutions in Brazil has been named as a finalist for two Brazilian journalism awards . Published in 2025 in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center, the investigation tracked 1,012 public procurements issued since 2004 to purchase more than […]
Fruit bats emerge as unlikely allies in the Atlantic Forest restoration (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/fruit-bats-emerge-as-unlikely-allies-in-the-atlantic-forest-restoration/
- Fruit-eating bats disperse the seeds of more than 140 plant species in the Atlantic Forest, with the potential to deposit more than 25,000 seeds per hectare per day in degraded areas.
- For more than two decades, researchers have studied these mammals’ sense of smell to determine how to lure them into fragmented forest tracts in need of regeneration.
- Experiments using fruit essential oils and synthetic compounds have shown that bats can be directed to specific locations. Experts say the strategy could complement conventional forest restoration techniques.
El Niño drove drought, but climate change intensified Indonesia’s fire crisis: Study (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/el-nino-drove-drought-but-climate-change-intensified-indonesias-fire-crisis-study/
Human-caused climate change significantly amplified extreme heat during Indonesia’s 2026 fire season, turning an El Niño-driven drought into a severe regional crisis, according to a recent rapid analysis. The report was released by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a global network of researchers who analyze the influence of climate change in extreme weather events. The researchers […]
Animal cafes and exotic pet trade bring wildlife disease risks into public spaces (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/animal-cafes-and-exotic-pet-trade-bring-wildlife-disease-risks-into-public-spaces/
- The exotic pet trade, whether legal or illegal, creates endless opportunities for diseases to spill over from wildlife to livestock and humans.
- Growing human-wildlife contact at pet cafes, petting zoos, and public events adds to the risk, while weak regulations and poor oversight can make transmission difficult to trace.
- Experts say that a stronger “One Health” approach embracing both animal and human health is needed for all wildlife trade, including the growing exotic pet trade.
- They call for more research on the issue, as well as careful surveillance and stronger oversight of wild animal imports and exports.
In India, volunteers map riverside trees to make a case for urban conservation (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/in-india-volunteers-map-riverside-trees-to-make-a-case-for-urban-conservation/
Every weekend, several residents of Pune in India set out to map trees along the city’s riverbanks. It’s not just a weekend hobby; it’s meant to serve as evidence to protect the city’s greenery when developmental projects come up in the area, reports contributor Stephin Thomas for Mongabay. The volunteers are from Pune River Revival, […]
As incidents spike, Sri Lanka identifies 17 tuskers considered at high risk (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/as-incidents-spike-sri-lanka-identifies-17-tuskers-considered-at-high-risk/
- Wild Tuskers Srilanka, a group of wildlife photographers, has identified 300 tuskers in Sri Lanka over a decade and tagged 17 of them as high-risk tuskers, advocating closer monitoring and coordinated protection for them.
- Sri Lanka intends involving its armed forces to protect vulnerable wild tuskers following public outrage over the recent death of iconic elephant Kavantissa.
- Conservationists caution against assigning armed guards to individual elephants as impractical, given their extensive movement and the complexity of Sri Lanka’s human-elephant conflict.
- They say the armed forces could play a more effective role in tackling wildlife crime through gathering intelligence, while long-term protection requires systematic monitoring and action to reduce human-elephant conflict.
Can an ancient European forest be saved while securing Poland’s border? (November 13, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/can-an-ancient-european-forest-be-saved-while-securing-polands-border/
Straddling the border between Poland and Belarus, the ancient Białowieża Forest, one of Europe’s last remaining primeval woodlands, is already under stress from decades of drainage, drought and habitat fragmentation. As geopolitical tensions and security threats from Russia and Belarus rise, Poland plans to construct a massive network of military fortifications along its 700-kilometer (435-mile) […]
In Brazil’s prey-rich Pantanal, jaguars reveal a surprisingly social side (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/in-brazils-prey-rich-pantanal-jaguars-reveal-a-surprisingly-social-side/
Jaguars are widely believed to be solitary cats, only tolerating others when mating or raising cubs. However, a new study in the Brazilian Pantanal has found the jaguars there often pair up and are far more social than expected. The Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, has the world’s highest population density of jaguars (Panthera onca), […]
US renews push to open Pacific marine protected area to fishing (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/us-renews-push-to-open-pacific-marine-protected-area-to-fishing/
The U.S. government has published proposed rules to allow commercial fishing in an area more than double the size of California inside a Pacific marine reserve that encompasses a network of islands, atolls, seamounts and coral reef systems. The proposed rules, published Nov. 9 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service […]
After years of speculation, Suriname evicts Mennonites farming in the Amazon (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/after-years-of-speculation-suriname-evicts-mennonites-farming-in-the-amazon/
More than 50 Mennonites have been deported from Suriname following years of controversy over plans to establish agricultural settlements for large-scale farming in the Amazon Rainforest. Authorities removed the Mennonites, members of a conservative Christian group that rejects modern technology, from state land in Suriname’s Sipaliwini district. They had been staying in the area with […]
Smallholder farmers struggle on El Niño frontline; will the world help? (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/smallholder-farmers-struggle-on-el-nino-frontline-will-the-world-help/
- Smallholder farmers produce significant percentages of the world’s food supply, including rice, cassava, cocoa, coffee and much more.
- This year’s historic El Niño is already adversely impacting smallholders in nations across the globe, with farmers in tropical and subtropical countries particularly hard hit by extreme heat, drought and deluge.
- As crops fail in coming months, millions of smallholders could be pushed into acute hunger and dire poverty, resulting in an increase in disease and other health problems, even leading to increases in child labor and workers’ rights violations.
- Experts warn that short-term and long-term smallholder support is urgently needed from governments and agrifood companies. Larger structural changes to food supply chains are also required in the face of escalating climate change.
Canadian extractive firms displaced 300,000 in Africa since 1996, report says (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/canadian-extractive-firms-displaced-300000-in-africa-since-1996-report-says/
Canadian extractive industries have been linked to the displacement of at least 300,000 people in Africa over the past 30 years, the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) said in an October report. The York University-based group reviewed media reports, court documents and other sources to compile the 193-page report, which analyzed the Canadian government’s […]
Taiwan’s tea growers adapt to climate change by letting nature take control (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/taiwans-tea-growers-adapt-to-climate-change-by-letting-nature-take-control/
In the high-altitude Alishan mountain region of central Taiwan, tea growers cultivating prized oolong tea face mounting environmental crises: Between 2014 and 2023, local tea production dropped by 13.5% due to severe climate pressures and soil degradation. In response, a group of farmers is abandoning chemical inputs for nature-based solutions and wild cultivation, reports contributor […]
Communities around DRC’s Upemba National Park say conservation comes at a cost (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/communities-around-drcs-upemba-national-park-say-conservation-comes-at-a-cost/
- A growing body of research underscores the tensions that can arise when conservation efforts overlap with community need for resources.
- A recent study examines the perceptions of injustice by residents of Kisandji village near Upemba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where local residents say they face limited access to the park forest, which they depend on for food, medicine and farming.
- Kisandji residents have repeatedly been victims of displacement due to ongoing conflicts, mining and other forms of extraction; this has all contributed to a persistent sense of instability and distrust.
- Experts suggest more community involvement in conservation decision-making and resource management can help ease the strain between conservation efforts and the need for resources.
Vietnam’s freshwater obsession leaves decades-long scars for Mekong Delta farmers (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/vietnams-freshwater-obsession-leaves-decades-long-scars-for-mekong-delta-farmers/
- The Ba Lai sluice was built to convert the Ba Lai River into a year-round freshwater reservoir for rice cultivation in Bến Tre province, Vietnam.
- After more than 20 years in operation, the sluice has severed the river’s dynamic brackish ecosystem, caused serious pollution and worsened downstream erosion, and saline intrusion remains rampant.
- Facing low income from rice, farmers in the freshwater zone have drilled illegal saltwater wells to access saline water for unapproved shrimp ponds, prompting crackdowns by local authorities.
- A policy shift calls for treating saline water as an economic resource, but legacy mindsets centered on hard infrastructure persist.
Wildlife trade regulator CITES lifts sanctions against Laos, prompting conservation concerns (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/wildlife-trade-regulator-cites-lifts-sanctions-against-laos-prompting-conservation-concerns/
- Global wildlife trade regulator CITES has lifted sanctions imposed on Laos in 2023 for its failure to control criminal networks trading illegal wildlife products and other regulatory issues.
- Laos will now be able to trade in CITES-listed animals without special restriction, but will be monitored on an ongoing basis.
- Conservationists say the decision should mark a new chapter for the country and not a return to “business as usual”, in particular in relation to Laos’ history of trading long-tailed macaques.
- At a CITES meeting in November, Laos agreed to further safeguards related to the monkey trade.
To boost conservation of kelp forests, start by naming them (commentary) (November 12, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/to-boost-conservation-of-kelp-forests-start-by-naming-them-commentary/
- A new op-ed from the team that produced the Oscar-winning film My Octopus Teacher argues it’s time for kelp forests to be named, recognized and celebrated like coral reefs are.
- Reefs, mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses have all secured their own named presence in international conservation frameworks — which boosts conservation support for them — but kelp forests so far have not.
- This oversight has led to less conservation effort and programming to protect kelp forests, of which less than 2% of are meaningfully protected, despite being one of the most biodiverse nearshore ecosystems on the planet.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.
This ocean liner was the world’s fastest. It’s being sunk to make the largest artificial reef (November 11, 2026)
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/this-ocean-liner-was-the-worlds-fastest-its-being-sunk-to-make-the-largest-artificial-reef/
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — An ocean liner that once was the fastest on the seas is headed to its final home on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico as the world’s largest artificial reef. Officials on Florida’s panhandle coast were scuttling the SS United States on Wednesday about 25 miles southwest of Destin, between […]