Mongabay @mongabay.com · 14m12 critically endangered Nubian giraffes were relocated from Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park to make way for oil extraction. As economic priorities increasingly undermine protected areas, how safe is critical biodiversity inside national parks? Watch more 👉️ mongabay.cc/Conservation... 0117
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 1hDNA analysis of critically endangered Nubian giraffes in South Sudan reveals surprisingly strong genetic health and low inbreeding despite decades of war. The findings suggest the region is a crucial genetic stronghold and underscore the value of conserving conflict-affected areas.mongabay.ccIn war-torn South Sudan, giraffes retain a surprisingly healthy gene poolGiraffes living in the South Sudan’s war-torn savannas are genetically healthy and connected to nearby giraffe populations by gene flow, despite decades of conflict, recent research suggests. These… 081
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 3hBhutan is the first country in Southeast Asia to be recognized by the WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted human rabies. Achieving >90% dog vaccination and 100% sterilization among free-roaming dogs, the nation has recorded zero human rabies deaths since June 2023. Learn more! 👉️ mongabay.cc/aSznYqmongabay.ccBhutan recognized for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies ahead of World Rabies DayThe World Health Organization has officially recognized Bhutan for eliminating dog-transmitted human rabies as a public health problem — in time for World Rabies Day on Sept. 28. According to the… 0288
Reposted by MongabayGGBN @ggbnoutreach.bsky.social · 9hDo you want to know more about biodiversity banking? Read this amazing interview to Katie Heineman from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance! 052
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 6hSnake charming is fast disappearing in Sri Lanka due to shifting livelihoods and welfare concerns over harmful practices like fang extraction. Researchers now advocate leveraging the Ahikuntika tribe's traditional snake expertise for wildlife conservation instead. Malaka Rodrigo reports.mongabay.ccSri Lanka’s disappearing snake charmers carry a legacy of fear and fascinationCOLOMBO – For generations, the sight was familiar in towns and villages across Sri Lanka of a man playing a flute sitting on his haunches next to a woven basket, from which a cobra raised its gently… 0124
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 6hDeforestation across the Mekong region fell in 2025 due to fewer wildfires and enforcement, continuing a multi-year drop. However, total tree cover loss reached 746,168 hectares, with nearly 200,000 hectares destroyed inside protected areas. @geraldrflynn.bsky.social reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccDespite a drop in deforestation in 2025, forest losses pile up in the MekongBANGKOK — Over the course of 2025, the Mekong countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam lost a combined 746,168 hectares (1.8 million acres) of tree cover, an area roughly equivalent… 01310
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 16hSingapore plans to merge several islands into a new “western island” for industrial development. Conservationists warn the mega-project could bury up to 60% of the country’s remaining coral reefs, which serve as ecologically vital “mother” reefs. Robin Hicks reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccSingapore’s plan to merge several islands could wipe out coral reefsSINGAPORE — “For seven thousand years, Singapore has changed around these reefs,” says Debby Ng, a Singaporean biologist who studies the city-state’s shrinking coastlines of seagrasses, mangroves and… 04325
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 18hWith New Zealand’s mainland yellow-eyed penguin population down to 117 breeding pairs, the government has banned set-net fishing around the Otago Peninsula. The measure aims to curb fishing-related deaths. “We can stop killing them in set nets tomorrow.” Edward Carver reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccAs yellow-eyed penguins disappear, conservationists focus on deaths in fishing netsOTAGO PENINSULA, Aotearoa New Zealand — Sandfly Bay was long a key nesting area for yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes), noisy, pink-footed birds that spend long days foraging at sea. But… 0237
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 19hFrom saving DNA to cloning Przewalski's horses, biodiversity banking helps preserve genetic diversity against extinction. Conservation leader Katie Heineman discusses how San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is expanding biobanks to partners in Kenya, Vietnam, Peru, & Hawai‘i. Read the full interview.👇️mongabay.ccPreserving wildlife DNA for the future: Interview with the Frozen Zoo’s Katie HeinemanKurt, a Przewalski’s horse, was born at in Texas in August 2020. Less than three years later, Ollie followed. Out in the wild, their species had gone extinct in the 1960s. Both individuals, born of a… 074
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 20hA new global database mapping 40 years of satellite and ocean data reveals that compound marine heatwaves and acidification extremes occur more frequently than expected. Experts warn more research is urgently needed to assess their impacts on marine life and fisheries. By María Paula Rubiano A.mongabay.ccNew global maps chart 40 years of ocean heat and acidification extremesBetween 2014 and 2015, a marine heatwave known as “The Blob” warmed an area of the Pacific Ocean larger than the United States and Mexico combined. The massive event fueled toxic algae blooms,… 01312
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 23hDiscovered in Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests, the tilcayo is the first new living cat species described in over a century. Genetic analysis revealed the tiny feline diverged from other tiger cats 1.4 million years ago, confirming a truly novel species rather than a reclassification.mongabay.ccHow new is the first ‘new-to-science’ cat discovered in more than 100 years?Scientists have described a species of tiger cat that was previously unknown to science. From Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests, it is the first discovery of a living novel cat species in more than 100… 0298
Reposted by MongabayGlobal Investigative Journalism Network @gijn.org · 29/09/2026🕵️ Hear from three experts Jonas Kiriko (@oxpeckersnews.bsky.social/@infonile.bsky.social); Linda Mujuru (Investigative Journalist); David Akana (@mongabay.com) on how to investigate the extractives industry in Africa at #IJWeek. Moderator: Annie Zulu. Tickets ⬇️ twp.ai/9OaURU 044
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026Whether you rely on Mongabay for research, education, or environmental news, your perspective helps us improve. Take a few minutes to share your thoughts in our annual reader survey. 👉️ mongabay.cc/iPMUuD 042
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026Rescued from wildlife traffickers in 2016 and reintroduced to the wild in 2024, a critically endangered Grauer’s gorilla named Lulingu has given birth in DRC’s Virunga National Park. Conservationists say the birth marks a major milestone for the world’s largest primate. mongabay.cc/M62FJ2mongabay.ccReintroduced Grauer’s gorilla gives birth in DRC national park, ‘makes us happy’Lulingu, a Grauer’s gorilla (Gorilla beringei), was reintroduced to Virunga National Park, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024. In May 2026, Lulingu gave birth to a new baby, bringing… 02111
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026Indonesia passed its new Agrarian Reform Law on Sept. 22, aiming to resolve land disputes and restore community rights. Critics warn the legislation lacks operational clarity and may fail to adequately protect farmers, Indigenous groups, and fisherfolk. Hans Nicholas Jong reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccIndonesia passes agrarian reform law amid concerns over land protectionsJAKARTA — Indonesia’s parliament has passed a law intended to resolve long-running land conflicts and curb land concentration, but civil society groups say provisions in the final draft could limit… 062
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026Light pollution, climate change, and pesticides are wiping out fireflies across Southeast Asia. To reverse the loss, Indonesia’s only firefly conservation initiative, 'Bring Back the Light,' is breeding the insects and helping farmers go organic to restore habitat. Watch now! youtu.be/2yuJAeibED0 01910
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026Following a #CITES investigation into its import of 60,000 live animals, Indian private zoo Vantara declared a temporary pause on imports through June 2027. Now, 27 global NGOs are urging the Reliance-backed facility to make the ban permanent and focus on in-situ conservation. By Spoorthy Raman.mongabay.ccNGOs call on Vantara to end all wild animal imports permanentlyA coalition of 27 global wildlife conservation and animal welfare organizations urged Vantara to permanently end all wild animal imports. The billionaire-run zoo in India, funded by the philanthropic… 0104
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026A new @globalwitness.org report highlights escalating violence against Philippine environmental defenders, who face legal harassment, "red-tagging," and state repression. The country recorded 12 killings in 2025, making it the deadliest in Asia for defenders for the 13th straight year.mongabay.ccPhilippines is the deadliest country in Asia for environmental defenders, report findsThe Philippines remains the deadliest country in Asia for land and environmental defenders, according to a new report by the non-profit Global Witness. In its report, Global Witness says it could… 02410
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/09/2026As deforestation and lost predators fuel a kangaroo population surge in Australia, a record cull is drawing scrutiny. Scientists suggest alternative control methods, including reforesting habitats and reintroducing native predators like dingoes. Cooper Williams reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccAs Australia’s kangaroo numbers rise, record cull renews calls for other control methodsCANBERRA — Australia has a problem with the very creature that is its official national symbol: The kangaroo. Endemic to Australia, they live across the country, from north to south, and from east to… 3259
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026[Commentary] Environmental crimes like illegal logging & mining down climate action by exploiting nature for profit. @muggah.bsky.social & Ilona Szabó de Carvalho argue that halting these crimes requires tracking profits across the full supply chain, from extraction site to corporate offices.mongabay.ccTo tackle environmental crime, track profits through the whole supply chain (commentary)The world has spent a decade trying to put a price on nature. Forests have become carbon sinks, while wetlands are increasingly described as natural infrastructure. Biodiversity is also being drawn… 0147
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026Undiscovered Amazon plant species hold an estimated $215 billion in potential drug value, a new analysis finds. While ongoing deforestation threatens these species, experts say local scientific leadership is critical to protecting them ethically. Rafael Spuldar reports #Mongabay.mongabay.ccUndiscovered Amazon drugs could be valued at $215 billion, analysis findsAs trees fall, species that could yield lifesaving medicines risk disappearing before science can find them. 2149
Reposted by MongabayErik Hoffner @erikhoffner.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Researchers w/ Wildlife & Climate Consensus have a new study out, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... In July I solicited this op-ed for @mongabay.com by them about bringing #wildlife into #climate conversations Good to see it's now 350+ signatories strong, here's why it's captured attention:news.mongabay.comWildlife helps regulate the climate & this belongs in policy discussions (commentary)When we talk about climate change and wildlife, most people think about the impact of climate change on animals. We see individual organisms struggling to find food and being pushed into new places an... 02810
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026As Southern Africa's forests disappear, scientists are using "air layering" to clone wild fruit trees like the wild loquat. By duplicating indigenous species, researchers are protecting miombo woodland biodiversity and securing a vital food source for millions. Ryan Truscott reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccScientists clone Southern Africa’s wild fruit trees as forests disappearPlant geneticist Alice Muchugi recalls meeting a group of furious fruit sellers on the side of a dusty road not far from Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, in 2024. They told her that a group of men armed… 0167
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026Frequent marine heatwaves are closing the recovery window for global coral reefs between bleaching events, a new report finds. With hard coral cover down 9.5% from historic baselines, researchers emphasize that both local protection & rapid emissions cuts are critical. Keith Anthony Fabro reports.mongabay.ccGlobal coral reefs get less time to recover as oceans heat up, report findsThe world’s coral reefs are losing both hard coral cover and, just as critically, the time they need to recover between increasingly frequent marine heat waves, according to the most comprehensive… 077
Reposted by MongabayRobert Muggah @muggah.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Environmental #crime is among the world’s most lucrative illicit markets, but it’s also under-studied. Estimates suggest it generates upwards $280 billion a year in profits with social costs of between $1-2 trillion a year. Our latest with @mongabay.com news.mongabay.com/2026/09/to-t...news.mongabay.comTo tackle environmental crime, track profits through the whole supply chain (commentary)The world has spent a decade trying to put a price on nature. Forests have become carbon sinks, while wetlands are increasingly described as natural infrastructure. Biodiversity is also being drawn in... 11412
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026Mondelēz International, owner of Cadbury and Oreo, aggressively lobbied U.S. and EU officials to delay European anti-deforestation laws, according to Global Witness. The report warns the chocolate giant remains exposed to untraceable cocoa and forest destruction in West Africa. mongabay.cc/HdmLbOmongabay.ccChocolate giant lobbied U.S. and EU officials over deforestation laws, says reportFood conglomerate Mondelēz International, the owner of chocolate brands Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone and Oreo, has allegedly engaged in an extensive lobbying campaign to weaken and delay enforcement of… 02114
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026Consumer fossil fuel subsidies disproportionately benefit high consumers while stalling clean energy transitions, according to researchers in @science.org. With 90% of subsidy reforms failing within three years, experts urge policies focused on reducing fuel demand instead. mongabay.cc/CalZVtmongabay.ccFossil fuel subsidies are the ‘worst energy policy in the world,’ researchers sayIn an editorial in Science, U.S.-based energy policy experts Paasha Mahdavi and Michael Ross argue that governments creating consumer fossil fuel subsidies in response to rising energy prices is the… 23225
Reposted by MongabayAlexandre de Santi @alexdesanti.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Tropical forests hold up to $714 billion in potential drug value, with the Amazon accounting for $215 billion of the total, according to a new analysis. Rafael Spuldar on @mongabay.com news.mongabay.com/2026/09/undi...news.mongabay.comUndiscovered Amazon drugs could be valued at $215 billion, analysis findsAs trees fall, species that could yield lifesaving medicines risk disappearing before science can find them. 084
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 27/09/2026The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is assessing claims that Peru failed to protect uncontacted Indigenous groups in the Amazon from extractive industries. The historic case over the Madre de Dios Territorial Reserve could set a precedent across Latin America. mongabay.cc/m3IWTsmongabay.ccPeru faces hearing over threats to uncontacted Indigenous groups in the AmazonA public hearing this week by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights will assess claims that the Peruvian state violated the rights of the Indigenous Mashco Piro, Yora, and Amahuaca peoples, who… 02918
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026Researchers found plastic bags, rubber boots, and fishing gear at depths of up to 3,814 meters in a deep-sea canyon off Argentina's coast. Likely from offshore fishing, the waste shows how human pollution reaches even the most remote ocean habitats. mongabay.cc/ujEgLumongabay.ccPlastic and rubber litter found in remote submarine canyon off Argentina’s coastPlastic waste has been found in the most remote places — including, now, a deep-sea canyon off the coast of Argentina, according to a recent study. “The very first item spotted was a plastic bag… 14620
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026In Peru’s high Andes, glacier retreat is threatening water security. To combat water insecurity, a community project is restoring high-altitude wetlands and native forests to secure water for downstream communities, though experts caution these tools are "not a panacea." Euan Wallace reports.mongabay.ccIn Peru’s high Andes, restoring ancient ecosystems could help protect water securityIn the highlands above Villa de Arma, community leaders once walked through ice and snow. They still remember the stories told by their grandparents of the Apus, high-mountain spirits that guard the… 02216
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026Brazil set aside over 668,000 hectares in new Amazon reserves to counter expected deforestation from paving the controversial BR-319 highway. Conservationists are welcoming the step, but warn that without increased funding and enforcement, paper protection won't be enough. mongabay.cc/6lOkPgmongabay.ccBrazil creates four Amazon reserves as plans to pave rainforest highway advanceThe Brazilian government has created four new sustainable development reserves in the Amazon as part of an effort to mitigate environmental damage from the controversial plan to fully pave the BR-319… 02510
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026Dubbed a "chemical bomb," discarded cigarette butts leach heavy metals, nicotine, and microplastics into water, accounting for 12% of global aquatic litter. Researchers highlight beach smoking bans with targeted fines as an effective way to protect fragile marine ecosystems. mongabay.cc/M2FAocmongabay.ccCigarette butts make up 12% of aquatic litter, global review findsCigarette butts account for roughly 12% of the litter found in rivers, lakes and beaches surveyed for a recent global review. Researchers pooled data from 130 studies conducted in 55 countries… 15936
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026In Malawi, floating weeds at Chia Lagoon are blocking boat routes and flooding farmland, causing crops to rot. Scientists point to severe watershed deforestation and heavy flooding as key drivers behind the crisis. Read more. 👇️mongabay.ccFloating weeds threaten farming and fishing at Malawi’s Chia LagoonA mass of floating weeds at Chia Lagoon, Malawi’s largest, is choking out waterways and livelihoods as farmers and fishers struggle to access fields and fishing areas. Seven months after the rainy… 085
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026The U.S. aims to build an AI and semiconductor hub in the Philippines to reduce reliance on China, but the initiative faces resistance. Local groups warn the project threatens Indigenous Aeta ancestral domain, along with regional water and energy resources. Michael Beltran reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccPlanned US tech hub in Philippines hit over environmental and Indigenous land concernsMANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived at the Grand Hyatt Manila on Sept. 10 to address hundreds of foreign business representatives assembled for the Luzon Economic Corridor… 25425
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026In Malaysia’s Upper Baram Forest Area, Indigenous communities warn active logging threatens a region envisioned as a peace park. A report questions the legality of timber concessions in primary forest, though officials claim logging was always part of the plan. @daniellek-o.bsky.social reports.mongabay.ccLogging still threatens Bornean forest once envisioned as an Indigenous-led peace parkA conservation park that Indigenous communities from the Malaysian state of Sarawak believed they could co-manage and self-govern has been transformed into a timber concession and stripped of… 0135
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/09/2026Philanthropy often demands rigid reports, but the Indigenous-led Home Planet Fund takes a different approach: trust-based, unrestricted funding directly to communities. Dilafruz Khonikboyeva joins @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social at the Mongabay Newscast to explain how this model empowers conservation.mongabay.ccThe Home Planet Fund succeeds by giving directly to local communitiesThis week on the Newscast, we’re joined by Dilafruz Khonikboyeva, the founder of the Home Planet Fund, an independent, Indigenous-led nonprofit that provides funding for local and Indigenous… 0115
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 25/09/2026Professionals, researchers, and educators rely on Mongabay for accurate environmental reporting. Please help us evaluate and refine our global coverage by completing our annual reader survey. 👉️ mongabay.cc/iPMUuD 👈️ 063
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 25/09/2026Zambia is investigating a suspected anthrax outbreak after 46 hippos died in Muchinga province. With 21 suspected human cases linked to carcass handling, health officials have intensified surveillance and warned communities against consuming meat from dead wildlife. Victoria Schneider reports.mongabay.ccAnthrax suspected in 46 hippo deaths in Zambia amid potential spillover to humansZambia investigates suspected anthrax linked to 46 hippo deaths authorities are monitoring potential spillover to livestock and humans. 02316
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 25/09/2026In Bangladesh, Rohingya refugees face rising landslide risks on fragile hill slopes. Authorities warn camp expansion will accelerate forest and biodiversity loss, but funding shortages prevent the infrastructure needed to protect both communities and ecosystems. Story by Sadiqur Rahman.mongabay.ccBangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps become increasingly vulnerable to landslidesAccording to a report by the Bangladeshi government, released on Sept. 16, more than 150,000 Rohingya people fleeing persecution in Myanmar have entered the country’s 33 Rohingya camps in Teknaf and U... 0106
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 25/09/2026Pakistan's endangered Indus River dolphin population has grown to nearly 2,000 individuals, prompting the creation of a new 400-km protected corridor. Safeguarding the species long-term will require modified barrage operations and community-led sustainable fishing. Fellow Muhammad Talal reports.mongabay.ccPakistan expands protected habitat for Indus River dolphin as recovery offers hopeBetween 11 million and 16 million years ago, during the high sea levels of the middle Miocene period, the ancestors of the Indus River dolphin entered the muddy waters of what is the Indus Basin today... 6663186
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 25/09/2026Women form the backbone of Nepal's agriculture, yet cultural barriers keep many from owning their land despite legal equality. Experts note that expanding land access for women boosts farm productivity, reduces poverty, and slows environmental degradation. Haven Sager reports for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccIn Nepal, women seek ownership rights to the lands they tendPOKHARA, Nepal — Before Binita Bishwokaarma understood Nepal’s property laws, she understood the work required to sustain a farm. Growing up in the village of Sindhupalchok, east of the capital,… 0318
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 25/09/2026In a historic first, Caltrans has returned 55 hectares (136 acres) of coastal land to three Coastal Yuki tribes in Northern California. Requested in 2005 after looters disturbed ancestral sites, the land will be used for education and cultural gatherings while remaining public. By Liz Kimbrough.mongabay.ccCalifornia Tribes receive beach and ancestral village site back from transportation authorityOn the Northern California coast, where the tall trees meet the sea, ancestors of the Coast Yuki people lie buried in an old village site above the bluffs in the U.S. state. Yet despite its cultural… 0379
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 24/09/2026The @darwinfoundation.bsky.social has launched a free Galapagos Atlas profiling 68 species to guide future conservation. Beyond mapping iconic wildlife, the guide highlights key knowledge gaps and aims to raise public awareness to prevent new invasive species introductions. Learn more! 👇️mongabay.ccNew Galápagos Atlas charts the islands’ biodiversity and the mysteries that remainA new atlas of biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands highlights the unique evolutionary and ecological diversity of life in the famed archipelago that helped Charles Darwin develop the theory of… 0208
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 24/09/2026Researchers have launched "Lost Lakes," an interactive map tracking nearly 4 million Arctic lakes in near real time. As climate warming thaws permafrost, lakes form or abruptly drain away. Monitoring these shifts offers vital clues on ground stability and carbon emissions. Learn more!mongabay.cc4 million lakes in ‘Lost Lakes’ map offer clues to Arctic permafrostThe Arctic is dotted with millions of lakes that sit on persistently frozen soil called permafrost. These lakes are crucial for the region’s wildlife and local communities. However, as temperatures… 02015
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 24/09/2026Read the full report by @nandawenzel.bsky.social, @bykarlamendes.bsky.social, and @lucas-berti.bsky.social for #Mongabay.mongabay.ccTight Brazil election challenges fragile gains for Amazon conservationAs South America turns right, Brazil’s vote could leave the Amazon without conservation leaders. 063
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 24/09/2026Deforestation in the Amazon fell to a 10-year low under President Lula, but Brazil's tight election puts those gains at risk. Experts warn a victory by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro could revive policies favoring agribusiness and mining, threatening Indigenous lands and climate targets. Learn more!mongabay.ccTight Brazil election challenges fragile gains for Amazon conservationAs South America turns right, Brazil’s vote could leave the Amazon without conservation leaders. 22922