- This year, we told stories that show how people and communities are taking action for wildlife, ecosystems and climate.
- We experimented with new formats and series, from Wild Targets to Conservation Entangled, making both long and short videos more engaging than ever.
- Through global collaborations, including with the Associated Press and our first grant with One World Media, we expanded the reach and impact of our storytelling.
This was a big year for the Mongabay Video Team. We leaned into solution-focused stories, in collaboration with the Solutions Journalism Network, highlighting the people, communities and projects making a difference for wildlife, ecosystems and climate.
We experimented with new series such as Wild Targets and Against All Odds. We commissioned crucial short docs such as Yaku Raymi: The Quechua Ritual to Save a Glacier and The Clearing: Young Activists Risk All to Defend Cambodia’s Environment.
We also joined forces with the Associated Press to produce a powerful video on women reclaiming Aztec floating farms in Mexico City.
Plus, we launched our first Amazon grant with One World Media, awarded to Felipe Pérez, supporting independent stories that inform, inspire and make an impact, while our video investigation The price of Europe’s paper packaging boom won the first prize of the Hostwriter Creators 2025.
These top 10 most-watched videos of the year showcase our approach: curious, eye-opening, and sometimes downright surprising stories from around the world.
Top Video Features
This year’s top features explore some of the most surprising and inspiring ways people are interacting with nature. These films highlight the challenges and creative solutions shaping the future of wildlife and ecosystems. Two of these stories are part of our Wild Targets series on illegal wildlife trade, with Season 2 coming early next year.
Why is this snake one of the most trafficked species in India? | Wild Targets
The red sand boa is harmless, non-venomous, yet myths and superstitions make it one of India’s most illegally traded snakes. Researchers, rescuers, and forest officials reveal the truth behind the rumors and why protecting this gentle species matters.
Produced by Mongabay India’s Shatabdi Chakrabarti. Supported by the Video Reporting Fund 2024 and the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival.
Why are the British flooding parts of their coast?
Steart Marshes in southwest England once relied on seawalls to hold back the tide. Today, the sea has reclaimed the land, turning it into a thriving salt marsh that protects communities, stores carbon and shelters wildlife. A bold example of letting nature lead the way.
Produced by Mongabay video producer Sandy Watt.
How to train giant rats to fight wildlife trafficking? | Wild Targets
Meet Tanzania’s unlikely heroes: African giant pouched rats. Trained to sniff out pangolin scales, elephant ivory and rhino horn, these rodents could revolutionize wildlife crime detection, proving that sometimes, the smallest heroes make the most significant difference.
Produced by Mongabay video managing editor Lucia Torres.
Investigating the real price of Congo’s gold
In the Republic of Congo, forest conservation and gold mining are colliding. REDD+ zones meant to curb deforestation are now under pressure from new mining permits, bringing pollution, conflict and forest loss. This investigation, led by Mongabay staff writer Elodie Toto, exposes the high environmental cost of gold.
Produced by Mongabay Africa multimedia editor Juliette Chapalain and the Mongabay Africa team in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN).
Why are wild horses returning to Spain?
Wild horses are back in Spain’s Alto Tajo Natural Park, helping restore ecosystems altered by humans. Conservationists Diego and Manuel are showing how rewilding not only regenerates the land but also brings life back to one of Europe’s most sparsely populated regions.
Produced by Mongabay video production coordinator Juan Maza.
Top Short Videos
This year, we put extra energy into making our short videos more engaging and experimenting with new formats. We launched series like Then v. Now by Mongabay associate producer Abhishyant Kidangoor, exploring new tech in conservation, and Conservation Entangled, by contributor Izzy Asada, unpacking the complexities of conservation in action. We also refreshed our beloved Candid Animal Cam series, turning it into even more captivating shorts. The videos in this section showcase the creativity, curiosity and surprises that defined our short-form storytelling in 2025.
Meet the vampire bat | Candid Animal Cam
Vampire bats are a group of small, nocturnal bats known for their unique feeding behavior: they consume blood, a practice called hematophagy. These bats are native to Central and South America and belong to the family Phyllostomidae.
Produced by Mongabay associate video producer Romina Castagnino.
New population of the world’s rarest great ape discovered
In October 2024, researchers had their first face-to-face encounter with a Tapanuli orangutan outside its only known habitat of Indonesia’s Batang Toru forest. After a DNA sample was analyzed, they confirmed it was a newly identified population of Tapanuli orangutans! And in September this year, Mongabay Indonesia’s Junaidi Hanafiah joined a field visit and documented a mother and her infant orangutan.
Produced by Mongabay video production coordinator Juan Maza.
These fish are climbing UP a waterfall
Thousands of bumblebee catfish were spotted climbing the Sossego waterfall by Brazil’s environmental military police near their headquarters in Mato Grosso do Sul state in November 2024.
Produced by Mongabay video producer Julia Lima and Mongabay creative director and producer Sam Lee.
Giant otters released in Argentina
A family of giant river otters was released into Iberá National Park in northeast Argentina in July 2025. The endangered species, with no known breeding populations in Argentina over the past 40 years, was considered probably extinct in the country.
Produced by Mongabay newswire reporter Shanna Hanbury and Mongabay creative director and producer Sam Lee.
Viral videos of exotic pets | Conservation Entangled
Viral videos of exotic pets are all the rage … but what’s the real cost? Behind the millions of likes and shares is a booming illegal wildlife trade, which is pushing wild species to the brink.
Produced by Izzy Asada and Mongabay creative director and producer Sam Lee.
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