Articles by Mongabay.com

The pace of rhino killing in South Africa is running well ahead of last year's record, report authorities. On Sunday Environmental Affairs Minister Ednah Molewa said 749 rhinos have been…

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation today announced a major new initiative to push U.S. leaders to take action on climate change. MacArthur is giving $50 million in…

On August 11, the eve of World Elephant Day, a group of 250 scientists from varied backgrounds, disciplines and organizations around the world sent a letter to Barack Obama urging…

Today we honor perhaps the most widely recognized predator of our world, the great and majestic lion. The death of Cecil, one of Zimbabwe’s most cherished lions, provoked world-wide outrage…

- - - - - - - - - - UPDATE: Jericho has been confirmed alive -- Oxford University has tweeted a proof of life photo. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task…

As recently as 100 years ago, there were as many as 100,000 wild tigers living in Asia. According to Panthera, today, fewer than 3,200 remain. Historically, the tiger ranged from…

In response to growing concerns about elephant poaching, President Obama today announced a new push to limit the ivory trade in the United States.

Wildlife market in Togo. The world's largest association of tropical biologists and conservationists is urging African leaders to step up efforts to protect wildlife from poaching. In a resolution released…

On the heels of calling for global action to combat climate change, Pope Francis on Thursday issued an apology for "sins" the Catholic church committed against the indigenous people in…

Giraffe. Photo by Rhett A. Butler Families across the United States are today celebrating Father's Day. But this Sunday is extra special because it is also World Giraffe Day. World…

Ivory crush in New York Times Square. Photo Credit: Kelsey Williams/FWS Public awareness of the global elephant ivory poaching crisis got a high profile boost today with the crush of…

Rainforest in Borneo. In a letter being widely heralded by environmentalists, yesterday Pope Francis called on world leaders to address threats to the planet, including climate change and species extinction.…

Orangutan in Borneo. A number of conservation groups have partnered up to deliver a full day of rainforest wildlife viewing via social media. Rainforest: Live 2015 involves 17 NGOs that…

Bolivia has opened millions of hectares of protected areas to oil and gas extraction, reports The Guardian. The law, passed last month, grants exploration rights in at least 11 of…

Phyllodesmium acanthorhinum sea slug. PHOTOGRAPH: ROBERT BOLLAND. A group of taxonomists has released their annual list of the top 10 'new' species. The International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE), based…

Logged over forest and oil palm in Sabah. Photos by Rhett A. Butler. Sabah, a state in Malaysian Borneo, is weighing a proposal to produce only palm oil certified under…

Elephant in South Africa. Photos by Rhett A. Butler. The Chinese government announced today that it will "eventually" shut down its legal domestic ivory market. The move, which surprised conservationists,…

Panther chameleon in Maroantsetra, Madagascar. Photos by Rhett A. Butler. The panther chameleon, a lizard prized in the pet trade for its remarkable color changing abilities, may actually represent 11…

The green iguana is one of more than 100 species of reptiles and amphibians found in La Sierra del Divisor. Photos by Rhett A. Butler. The fate of La Sierra…

Forest cover status in Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei as of 2009, according to Bryan et al 2013. Sarawak's leader has allegedly pledged to stop granting industrial timber and palm oil…

University of Maryland map showing forest loss since 2000 in Sarawak. After decades of intense logging that has left its rainforests degraded, fragmented, and stripped of valuable timber in many…

Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jeffery), captive, Philippine Eagle Center, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines. Image credit Klaus Nigge. Seven conservationists have taken home Whitley Awards for their efforts to protect wildlife in developing…

A new study attempts to place a value of goods and services afforded by the ocean, estimating that if the planet's seas were classified as a country, it would rank…

Hanging an octopus to dry. Courtesy of the Skoll Foundation. A program that helps restore overfished areas through community-based marine conservation has won the Skoll Foundation's top prize for social…

While deforestation for soy production in the Brazilian Amazon has slowed since the establishment of a deforestation moratorium in 2006, clearing for soy has increased sharply in recent years in…

An orangutan orphaned after its mother was killed during forest clearing for an oil palm plantation in Sumatra. A new app enables iPhone [download] and Android [download] users to scan…

8-DAY LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE ANOMALY for March 6-13, 2015. Courtesy of NASA. The temperature at a base in Antarctica hit a record high last week, reports Weather Underground. On March…

A yearly buck and fawn meet in Apopka, Florida. PHOTO CREDIT: Ronald Derrig. A camera trap photo of a young buck touching noses with a fawn is among the finalists…

Stuffed tiger in Laos. Photo courtesy of EIA A city-sized resort complex in Laos is facilitating large-scale wildlife trafficking for Chinese tourists, exacerbating commercial poaching in the Southeast Asian nation…