Ecologists help migratory birds adapt to climate change
A team of scientists drives across northern Europe under the cloak of darkness in a white van full of carefully caged songbirds. They’re on their way from the Netherlands to…
Environmental headlines
Reader-supported news and inspiration from nature's frontline. Mongabay is a non-profit.
No animals harmed as wildlife specimen collection goes digital in 3D
Imagine you’re leading an expedition in the depths of a forest. You discover a species of frog that piques your interest. Conventional rules of taxonomy dictate that you capture the…
Smallholders and loggers push deeper into Sumatra’s largest park
At almost 1.4 million hectares (3.4 million acres), a little smaller than the U.S. state of Connecticut, Kerinci Seblat National Park is the second-largest park in Indonesia, and a jewel…
Track-a-mole: Sniffer dog and eDNA help ‘rediscover’ South African golden mole
Scientists have uncovered gold in the dunes of South Africa's northwest coast: the De Winton's golden mole, a species not seen by scientists since 1936. Like moles in general, De…
Iconic tusker’s plight shows challenges in managing Sri Lanka’s wild elephants
ANURADHAPURA, Sri Lanka — “He is a king without a crown.” This is how wildlife lovers refer to the majestic elephant Agbo, named after a king from an ancient kingdom…
High quality cacao in Amazonia
Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is native to the Amazon rainforest and has been cultivated and consumed throughout the Americas since before Columbus. Cacao can be broadly segregated into to contrasting types…
Cargill widens its deforestation-free goals, but critics say it’s not enough
Global food trader Cargill has announced new commitments to disentangle some of its most controversial agricultural products from deforestation in several South American countries. But some conservation groups say the…
New algorithm looks at how Amazon vegetation will behave after climate change
The new model suggests that Amazon plants would reorganize, allocating more energy to their roots at the expense of stems and leaves; consequently, they would have a lower capacity to retain and absorb carbon in a scenario with reduced rainfall.
In DRC, Virunga deforestation escalates as fighting sends refugees into park
According to Global Forest Watch Virunga National Park, the oldest protected area in the DRC, has lost 964 hectares (2,382 acres) of forest since June. “The Nyiragongo volcanic eruption in…
African leaders & activists will bring new demands, hopes to COP28
When world leaders and climate activists meet in Dubai for the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), for the first time, African representatives will bring to the negotiation table…
In reversal, Mexico calls for moratorium on international deep-sea mining
Mexico, a nation that previously supported the development of deep-sea mining, has now called for a moratorium on this activity in international waters. One environmental expert called Mexico’s announcement a…
Climate loss & damage fund ‘the furthest thing imaginable from a success’
The Mongabay Newscast welcomes a new co-host, Rachel Donald, to discuss the most recent meeting of the United Nations Transitional Committee to establish the highly anticipated loss and damage fund:…
Quilombola communities take iron mine to U.K. court, alleging decade of damages
More than a year and a half since the iron ore mining stopped, the lives of Vanusia Souza dos Santos and her community in the heart of Brazil’s Bahia state…
Keeping herbivores at bay helps in early stages of restoration, studies show
When restoring or replanting vegetation in degraded ecosystems, it may be tempting to let nature run its course, and allow native herbivores to claim their fair share. Yet a new…
Congo’s waters are hotspot for endangered sharks & rays, reveals data from artisanal fishers
The Republic of the Congo is a hotspot for sharks and rays. However, scientists didn’t know how many of these species congregate along the coast until they asked the artisanal…
Panama copper mine to close after Supreme Court rules concession unconstitutional
The Supreme Court in Panama ruled that the contract for the country’s largest copper mine is unconstitutional, requiring it to shut down. Minera Panamá, a subsidiary of the Canadian company…
Cultivation and processing of Amazonian coffees
There are two major cultivated species of coffee: arabica (Coffea arabica) and robusta (Coffea canephora), each with a multitude of varieties adapted to a broad range of ecological conditions. Arabica…
Forest restoration to boost biomass doesn’t have to sacrifice tree diversity
Tropical forests the world over are in trouble. Vast swaths have been razed to the ground, lost forever, and studies indicate that at least 10% of those that remain standing…
Kenyan pastoralists fight for a future adapted to climate change (commentary)
'Wabi-sabi' is a world view about finding beauty in nature’s imperfections. It perfectly describes pastoralism in northern Kenya – where nomadic livestock herders scrape out a living by moving their…
Do tree-planting projects on grasslands increase fire risk?
Planting trees is widely recognized as a climate-change solution. But what if those trees go up in flames? Converting the grasslands of African savannas into new forests poses a fire…
Collaboration key to rediscovery of egg-laying mammal in Papua’s Cyclops Mountains
JAKARTA — Researchers have credited a strong spirit of collaboration for the success of an expedition in Indonesia’s Cyclops Mountains that uncovered new sightings of a rare egg-laying mammal and…
Carbon credit certifier Verra updates accounting method amid growing criticism
Verra, the world’s largest certifier of carbon credits, has released an update for calculating the climate benefits of the REDD forest conservation projects it certifies. The U.S.-based nonprofit said the…
New calf brings new hope, and new concerns, for embattled Sumatran rhinos
The Sumatran rhino became a little safer from extinction over the Thanksgiving weekend. On Nov. 25, at around 4 a.m. local time, first-time mother Delilah gave birth to a healthy…
The tricky business of commercializing invasive plants to death
In 2009, a village in southern India became a part of a long experiment. The Shola Trust, an NGO, trained the village’s Indigenous communities to harvest stems of a vibrant…
How Indigenous peoples and local communities can make the voluntary carbon market work for them (commentary)
“Humanity has opened the gates to hell by allowing the climate crisis to worsen”, said Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General at the U.N. Climate Ambition Summit in September. This year, 2023,…
Paradise lost? Brazil’s biggest bauxite mining firm denies riverine rights
MRN, a mining company and aluminum producer, denied consultation rights to long-established Amazon riverine communities when it launched a new mine, impacting their way of life, say local people.
Llama herding helps community in Peru recover from a melting glacier
When a glacier melts, all it leaves in its wake is untouched ground. These craggy, lifeless rocks begin to feel sun and rain for the first time in millennia. They…
North Atlantic orcas reveal the troubling persistence of toxic ocean pollutants
With their shiny black tops and pure white undersides, the killer whales, or orcas, are the sleekest hunters in the ocean. But being apex predators comes with a great cost.…
Discriminatory U.S. housing policies still affect bird sightings 90 years later
Citizen scientists are the main “collectors” of all recorded bird data, especially in the United States. More than 600,000 eBird experts and enthusiasts alike report on the colorful plumage and…
In Brazil’s Amazon, a clandestine road threatens a pristine reserve
The makeshift road tears through the emerald canopy, splintering one of the Amazon’s most pristine corridors of rainforest. Along the edges of the road, running through the heart of the…
