#mongabay

[Commentary] Millions in Indonesia are already enduring toxic smoke and fighting severe blazes during an unprecedented El Niño. In a new op-ed, ecologist Akane Nishimura argues these frontline communities offer essential lessons in fortitude and adaptation as record-breaking fire seasons approach. https://mongabay.cc/2uMSWF#ElNiño #Mongabay #Indonesia

Seventeen endangered golden lion tamarins survived a 40-day smuggling journey across the Atlantic from Brazil to Togo aboard a sailboat. Authorities warn a growing wildlife trafficking network is targeting the iconic species, driven by Asian markets where single animals command $100,000. Fernanda Wenzel reports for #Mongabay. 👉️ https://mongabay.cc/2J7qhI

Documents obtained by #Mongabay show Indian zoo Vantara proposed a biodiversity partnership with Brazil, targeting species like the extinct-in-wild Spix's macaw. Conservationists urge transparency, citing ongoing concerns and investigations into the facility’s links to illegal wildlife trade. Learn more in this investigation by Fernanda Wenzel, Spoorthy Raman, and Marco Mantovani. https://mongabay.cc/r76oqp#Brazil #India #Vantara

[Founder's Briefs] One year after Jane Goodall passed away at 91, her legacy remains essential to conservation. From transforming our understanding of chimpanzees to launching the global Roots & Shoots youth movement, her life reshaped our connection to nature. Read Rhett Ayers Butler’s tribute. https://mongabay.cc/u8so7t#Mongabay #JaneGoodall

Undiscovered 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. https://mongabay.cc/0PI43A#Amazon

Following 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. Spoorthy Raman reports for #Mongabay. https://mongabay.cc/QlrPxo#Vantara

Philanthropy often demands rigid reports, but the Indigenous-led Home Planet Fund takes a different approach: trust-based, unrestricted funding directly to local communities. Executive Director Dilafruz Khonikboyeva joins host Mike DiGirolamo at the #Mongabay Newscast to explain how this model empowers durable conservation. https://mongabay.cc/eDNB9D#Podcast #Conservation

Singapore 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. https://mongabay.cc/pRysCa #Singapore #Reefs

Following #USAID’s closure, a report by One Earth Partners reveals that critical environmental projects in fragile ecosystems have stalled or collapsed. Grounded in 150 interviews across five nations, the analysis includes a list of 100 stranded conservation initiatives seeking new funders. Ashoka Mukpo reports for #Mongabay. https://mongabay.cc/Md69eW

Two decades after a helicopter crash claimed 24 of Nepal’s top conservationists, the loss of visionary leadership is still felt. While tiger numbers tripled on community models built by that "lost generation," rising human-wildlife conflict demands a new approach. Abhaya Raj Joshi reports for #Mongabay. https://mongabay.cc/8rMiis#Nepal

[Commentary] Environmental crime, from land grabbing to illicit gold mining, severely undermines global climate goals. In a new op-ed, Robert Muggah and Ilona Szabó de Carvalho from Igarapé Institute argue that dismantling illegal supply chains requires tracing criminal profits all the way from points of extraction to corporate boardrooms. https://mongabay.cc/Ds45z4 #Mongabay

[Commentary] Community-based land management in Brazil delivers proven conservation results, yet nearly half of these households face economic hardship. Direct income-transfer programs like the Tropical Forests Forever Facility could safeguard both forest guardians and vital ecosystems. Learn more in this op-ed by researchers Ana Cristina Barros, Carlos Eduardo Viveiros Grelle, Katia Ribeiro Torres. https://mongabay.cc/LDa1Qo#Brazil #Mongabay

[Commentary] A recent river disaster on the Tibetan Plateau serves as a severe warning against proposed hydropower projects on the Karnali, Nepal's last undammed river. Conservationists Gary Wockner and Megh Ale argue that keeping the Karnali free-flowing is vital for safety, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. Read this op-ed 👉️ https://mongabay.cc/NgH2Hb#Nepal #Mongabay

Now officially exempt from EU deforestation rules, the leather industry is seeking to rebuild its reputation through voluntary standards. But supply chain traceability remains a key hurdle, and critics call the sector's environmental defense misleading. Story by Elisângela Mendonça. https://mongabay.cc/rmraxU#Mongabay #Deforestation

From exposing tiger trafficking to saving snow leopards, powerful storytelling can trigger major conservation wins. In the latest Mongabay Newscast with Mike DiGirolamo, Sharon Guynup and Steve Winter discuss their new NatGeo book "Big Cats" and why photojournalism brings honest hope for wildlife. https://mongabay.cc/Xh3MCS#Mongabay #Podcast

[Founder's briefs] Singapore has lost 65% of its coral reefs and 45% of its seagrass cover to land reclamation. As new offshore development looms, Ayers Butler reflects on what coastal expansion looks like beneath the surface, starting with one clownfish's last stand. https://mongabay.cc/hnZUmb#Mongabay

North American forestry trade groups and lawmakers are lobbying to ease rules for timber goods under the EU Deforestation Regulation. Millions in lobbying and campaign funds aim to secure exceptions to new European traceability standards for North American paper products. Elizabeth Schell reports for #Mongabay. https://mongabay.cc/FGPUiX#EU #Deforestation

Moving beyond marine protected areas, researchers propose active "marine rewilding" to restore degraded ocean ecosystems. Key principles include restoring food webs, reconnecting fragmented habitats, and integrating coastal communities to build resilience against climate impacts. https://mongabay.cc/es5S1D#Mongabay #MarineEcosystems

In Brazil, a proposed 1-GW AI data center has blindsided residents in Paracatu, where groundwater demand already exceeds 100%. The massive project threatens fragile Cerrado springs in a region plagued by water conflicts, highlighting the global footprint of the AI energy boom. Learn more in this investigation by Naira Hofmeister for #Mongabay and The Intercept Brasil, with the support of The Pulitzer Center. https://mongabay.cc/8JAQ2h

In Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Indigenous Wiwa families are adapting to climate change, armed violence, and extraction threats while guided by their ancestral "law of origin." Roberto Maccariello tells the story of how they safeguard their sacred land. 👉️ https://mongabay.cc/nMNBRG#Colombia #Mongabay