Winning farmer support to reduce deforestation (commentary)
Strategies for slowing deforestation in the Amazon region of Brazil appear to be weakening. The area of forest cleared in 2017, 6,947 square kilometers, was 50 percent greater than in…
Environmental headlines
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Latam Eco Review: Ports imperil Colombian crocodiles
Below are summaries of the most popular stories by our Spanish language service, Mongabay Latam, from the week of June 11 - 17. Among the top articles: Port projects in…
Cool birds don’t sing: Study automates acoustic monitoring of songbird migration
It’s June, and migratory songbirds in the northern hemisphere are at their summer breeding grounds, having traveled thousands of miles from their warm-weather overwintering areas. Birds migrate as far north…
Last Glimpses of a Cambodian Paradise? Documenting an area on the eve of its likely destruction (commentary)
First came the damning reports from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA): one last year titled "Repeat Offenders," which described the massive logging operations taking place in Cambodia’s Virachey National Park,…
In other news: Environmental stories from around the web, June 22, 2018
Here are a few stories published this week by other news outlets. Tropical forests Deforestation in the savannas of Brazil rose in 2017 after falling in 2016 (Reuters). The 2015…
Coral reef ‘oases’ that thrive amid threats give hope for conservation
Amid all the gloomy news about coral reefs from around the world, a glimmer of hope has emerged: scientists have identified coral reef “oases” that are flourishing despite threats. From…
New ‘goblin spiders’ from Sri Lanka named after Enid Blyton characters
Meet Chippy, Snooky and Tumpy — all “goblins” or “brownies” from Enid Blyton’s children’s books, and now the names of new species of tiny spiders that scientists have found lurking…
As Colombia expands its palm oil sector, scientists worry about wildlife
The large-scale expansion of oil palm has been a major driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss in many areas of the tropics. In Malaysia and Indonesia, where 85 percent of…
New study provides blueprint to translate satellite data into conservation action
A team of scientists and remote-sensing specialists have combined their years of experience monitoring changes in forest cover into a new publication meant to help fellow conservation practitioners better integrate…
Scientists find surprising genetic differences between Brazil’s mangroves
Hugging tropical coastlines with masses of long, tangled branches and roots that stick up out of the mud at low tide, mangrove forests all have a similar look at first…
US/China trade war could boost Brazil soy export, Amazon deforestation
The unintended consequences of a U.S./China trade war could shift Chinese soy purchases from the U.S. to Brazil, leading to rising Amazon deforestation, and a hazardous climate change tipping point.
Abdon Nababan: ‘North Sumatran land mafia offered me $21m to win election — and then hand over control of government’
In July last year, Abdon Nababan, one of Indonesia’s most prominent activists, announced his intention to run for governor in his home province of North Sumatra. During his decade-long tenure…
Warmer sea surface temperatures imperil the survival of juvenile albatross: Study
New research finds that increased sea surface temperatures can affect the survival of juvenile albatross during their first year at sea and lead to reduced population growth rates. Ecologists with…
Indonesia to investigate death of journalist being held for defaming palm oil company
JAKARTA — Indonesia’s national commission on human rights has vowed to investigate the death of a journalist who was being held on charges of defaming a palm oil company owned by…
Orangutan forest school in Indonesia takes on its first eight students
On May 17, 2018, the first eight orange-furred students arrived to begin their studies at a new orangutan forest school in the province of East Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo. Under…
Amber deposits yield oldest evidence of frogs in wet, tropical forests
Tropical rainforests are home to the vast majority of the world’s frog species today. Yet frog fossils from these moist environments have been incredibly rare, largely because the small animals…
Commercial values are a key driver of Zero Deforestation policies (commentary)
According to a recent report created for the Prince of Wales’ Sustainability Institute, there are now more than 470 companies with commitments to ensure their company is not linked to…
Illegal mining creeps into southern Bahuaja-Sonene National Park
ALTO INAMBARI, Peru — There are some places that we always remember better than others. That is what David Araníbar says when he thinks about the district of Alto Inambari,…
Puan, the world’s oldest Sumatran orangutan, dies at 62
JAKARTA — Puan, the world’s oldest living Sumatran orangutan, has died at an Australian zoo after a lifetime spent in service to the conservation of the critically endangered species. Officials…
Here’s how much Antarctica’s melting ice is already contributing to sea level rise
In July of last year, a 5,800-square-kilometer (2,239-square-mile) block of ice broke off of the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica and fell into the Southern Ocean. The newly created iceberg…
Special series
Conservation in madagascar
- Madagascar: Yet another anti-trafficking activist convicted
- One tortoise at a time: Q&A with zoo veterinarian Justin Rosenberg
- Madagascar court upholds sentence for environmental activist
Indonesias forest guardians
- Papuan chef Charles Toto serves up sustainability and environmental protection in a platter
- In eastern Indonesia, a forest tribe pushes back against miners and loggers
- Faith in the forest helps Indonesia’s Dayaks keep plantations, loggers at bay
Conservation effectiveness
- Conservation Effectiveness series sparks action, dialogue
- Response to critique on Conservation Effectiveness series (commentary)
- Seek higher standards to honestly assess conservation effectiveness (commentary)
Amazon infrastructure
- Raid fails to stop gold mining, death threats on Amazon’s Tropas River
- Dutch support soy transport mega-project, posing major risk to Amazon
- Attack of the turtles: ruralists assault environmental laws, Amazon
Asian rhinos
- Geneticists: It’s time to mix the Sumatran rhino subspecies
- Mining, erosion threaten Indian rhino haven
- Guardians of India’s rhinos find it takes a village to fight poachers
