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	<channel>
		<title>Conservation news</title>
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		<link>https://news.mongabay.com/by/dr-sam-davis/</link>
		<description>Environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:14:28 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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	<title>Dr. Sam Davis Archives</title>
	<link>https://news.mongabay.com/by/dr-sam-davis/</link>
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				<item>
					<title>AI is a double-edged sword for Indigenous stewardship, say U.N. experts</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-is-a-double-edged-sword-for-indigenous-stewardship-say-u-n-experts/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-is-a-double-edged-sword-for-indigenous-stewardship-say-u-n-experts/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 15:05:57 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aimee Gabay]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24150037/Capture-decran-le-2026-04-24-a-11.00.09-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318127</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Indigenous Peoples and Conservation]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, data, data collection, Indigenous Communities, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Technology, Technology And Conservation, technology development, Water, Water Scarcity, and Wildtech]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This story is republished through the Indigenous News Alliance. At the 2026 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, in New York, experts warned of the opportunities and dangers of using artificial intelligence (AI) in conservation and climate adaptation efforts. AI can support the protection and management of Indigenous peoples’ lands and resources, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This story is republished through the Indigenous News Alliance. At the 2026 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, in New York, experts warned of the opportunities and dangers of using artificial intelligence (AI) in conservation and climate adaptation efforts. AI can support the protection and management of Indigenous peoples’ lands and resources, such as by monitoring deforestation, fires and illegal extraction, but it can also contribute to greater environmental harm and infringe on Indigenous rights. A study published by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, former chair of the permanent forum from the Mbororo people of Chad, highlighted some of the possibilities and challenges AI presents for environmental protection, as well as the impacts of this technology on Indigenous territories. This includes land-grabbing, water overexploitation and land degradation due to its high energy, water and critical minerals needs. “For generations, Indigenous Peoples have protected the world’s most intact ecosystems without satellites, without algorithms or technologies,” Ibrahim told Mongabay over email. “AI can become a powerful ally to that stewardship, if it is used on our terms in a culturally appropriated way.” AI and conservation Ibrahim explained that AI can help Indigenous communities monitor biodiversity, detect deforestation, illegal mining, wildfires, or water contamination through the use of satellite imagery and sensors. “When combined with Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, AI can help predict climate impacts, track wildlife movements, and strengthen land-use planning while helping to plan faster resilience strategies,” she added. Setting up a camera trap in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-is-a-double-edged-sword-for-indigenous-stewardship-say-u-n-experts/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Investigators eye organized crime links in 3-ton pangolin scale haul at Jakarta port</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/investigators-eye-organized-crime-links-in-3-ton-pangolin-scale-haul-at-jakarta-port/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/investigators-eye-organized-crime-links-in-3-ton-pangolin-scale-haul-at-jakarta-port/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 12:26:32 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anggita Raissa]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24121549/Banten-Navy-Base-pangolin-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318115</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Indonesia, Jakarta, and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Conservation, Critically Endangered Species, Endangered Species, Environmental Crime, Habitat Loss, Illegal Trade, Mammals, Pangolins, Poaching, trafficking, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Trade, and Wildlife Trafficking]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[JAKARTA, Indonesia – Customs and excise investigators in Jakarta continue to trace the origin of more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales found in late February inside a shipping container at Indonesia’s largest port. “This is still under investigation,” Suhartoyo, a lead customs investigator at Tanjung Priok Port told Mongabay Indonesia, adding that evidence [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[JAKARTA, Indonesia – Customs and excise investigators in Jakarta continue to trace the origin of more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales found in late February inside a shipping container at Indonesia’s largest port. “This is still under investigation,” Suhartoyo, a lead customs investigator at Tanjung Priok Port told Mongabay Indonesia, adding that evidence in the case remained in the container storage area in early April. On Feb. 18, customs officials at Tanjung Priok inspected a container declared as sea cucumbers and instant noodles, but found more than 3 metric tons of dried pangolin scales concealed in 99 boxes — an illicit haul valued at more than $10 million. Pangolins are insectivores clad entirely by scales made from keratin, the same protein as human hair and nails. These scales are prized by traditional healers in China and Vietnam, despite no scientific evidence that consuming them has any health benefits. All eight known species of pangolin in Africa and Asia are listed as threatened on the Red List maintained by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. Investigators remain focused on the company identified as the exporter of the shipping container, PT Temu Satu Rasa (TSR), as well as a company that may have provided customs clearance services. A review of corporate records held by the Directorate General of General Legal Administration showed TSR was registered to address in the west of Jakarta, the capital city, in January. Mongabay Indonesia visited this address by a minimart on a busy street,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/investigators-eye-organized-crime-links-in-3-ton-pangolin-scale-haul-at-jakarta-port/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>AI tool tracks spread of illegal gold mining in Amazon protected areas</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 09:56:11 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Constance Malleret]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Alexandrapopescu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Amazon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Destruction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gold Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indigenous Communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indigenous territories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land tenure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Protected Areas]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/06/11143403/foto_58-edit-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317945</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Latin America, Peru, South America, Suriname, and Venezuela]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amazon Mining, Artificial Intelligence, Deforestation, Drivers Of Deforestation, Forest Destruction, Forest Loss, Gold Mining, Illegal Mining, Indigenous Communities, Indigenous Rights, Mining, and Satellite Imagery]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In July 2025, the Indigenous Shuar people celebrated the end of a decade-long struggle when they received official titles for three communities — the Shuar Tunants, Kampan and Tsuntsuim –- within the Kutukú Shaimi Protected Forest, in the south of the Ecuadorean Amazon. But in one of those communities, satellite imagery shows that between August [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In July 2025, the Indigenous Shuar people celebrated the end of a decade-long struggle when they received official titles for three communities — the Shuar Tunants, Kampan and Tsuntsuim –- within the Kutukú Shaimi Protected Forest, in the south of the Ecuadorean Amazon. But in one of those communities, satellite imagery shows that between August and December 2025, a gaping hole appeared in the forest around a riverbend — a mining scar. Despite the Tunants territory’s newly formalized status, deforestation due to gold mining nearly tripled, reaching 2 hectares (5 acres) in size in the last three months of 2025, according to Amazon Mining Watch Panorama, a new quarterly report. The report shows that deforestation due to illegal gold mining continues to grow across the Amazon, threatening protected parts of the rainforest. In total, 6,000 hectares (more than 14,800 acres) — about seven times the size of Central Park in New York City — of new mining scars appeared across protected areas and Indigenous territories over the last three months of 2025. This mining is presumed to be illegal, as most Amazonian countries have legislation prohibiting mining in Indigenous territories and protected areas, with experts warning that greater law enforcement is needed. Most of the deforestation caused by mining during that period took place in Brazil, with roughly 2,000 hectares (about 5,000 acres) of forest being cleared. This was followed by Peru with 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres), and Guyana with 900 hectares (about 2,200 acres). New mining scars were also&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Photos: A shark meat processing village and market in Indonesia’s Lombok</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/04/photos-a-shark-meat-processing-village-and-market-in-indonesias-lombok/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/04/photos-a-shark-meat-processing-village-and-market-in-indonesias-lombok/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 09:40:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Garry LolutungPhilip Jacobson]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rebecca Kessler]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23144638/13-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=custom-story&#038;p=318032</guid>

					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Conservation, Environment, Fish, Fisheries, Fishing, Food, Food Industry, Marine, Marine Animals, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Conservation, Oceans, Overconsumption, Overfishing, Saltwater Fish, shark finning, Sharks, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Shark meat has quietly surpassed shark fins in international trade volume and value. In East Lombok it sells for as little as 29 cents a skewer. Photojournalist Garry Lolutung documented the shark trade at Lombok’s Tanjung Luar fish market and nearby Rumbuk village, an important shark meat processing center. EAST LOMBOK, Indonesia — Indonesia consistently [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Shark meat has quietly surpassed shark fins in international trade volume and value. In East Lombok it sells for as little as 29 cents a skewer. Photojournalist Garry Lolutung documented the shark trade at Lombok’s Tanjung Luar fish market and nearby Rumbuk village, an important shark meat processing center. EAST LOMBOK, Indonesia — Indonesia consistently ranks as the top shark-catching nation in the world. The fish market in Tanjung Luar village on the island of Lombok is often called the country’s biggest for sharks. It was bustling when Mongabay visited one morning in February last year. Vendors with plastic buckets greeted fishing boats from nearby islands, welcoming fresh catches. At the pier, fishers carried a shark from their boat to the auction site and placed it among others on the floor, ready for bids. &#8220;This has been a job passed down from the previous generation to our generation,” fisher Safruddin told Mongabay while unloading his catch. “This has become a daily livelihood for the people here to make a living, and the market price is still promising.” Lombok’s shark trade first gained prominence in the 1990s, locals say. Today, the animals sell at auction for 600,000-1 million rupiah each (about $35-$58). The sharks here are supplied by longline vessels that deliberately target them, which is generally legal in Indonesia, and by gillnet fishers who take them as bycatch. Tanjung Luar village and market, with Mount Rinjani looming in the distance. Safruddin, a fisher, carries freshly caught sharks from a boat&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/04/photos-a-shark-meat-processing-village-and-market-in-indonesias-lombok/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>New ‘cryptic’ gecko species discovered in Vietnam’s imperiled karst forests</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-cryptic-gecko-species-discovered-in-vietnams-imperiled-karst-forests/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-cryptic-gecko-species-discovered-in-vietnams-imperiled-karst-forests/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 03:37:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24033543/Screenshot_2026-04-24_at_10.32.03_AM_optimized_4000-e1777001784115-768x512.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318090</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Habitat Degradation, Habitat Loss, Iucn, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the rugged karst forests of northern Vietnam, researchers have identified a new gecko species, Vietnam’s 12th known species of gecko. The discovery highlights how much diversity the often-overlooked landscape holds. Ziegler’s Slender Gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus ziegleri) was discovered during surveys in the Copia Nature Reserve, in Son La province. The species was named in honor [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the rugged karst forests of northern Vietnam, researchers have identified a new gecko species, Vietnam’s 12th known species of gecko. The discovery highlights how much diversity the often-overlooked landscape holds. Ziegler’s Slender Gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus ziegleri) was discovered during surveys in the Copia Nature Reserve, in Son La province. The species was named in honor of Thomas Ziegler from the University of Cologne, Germany, “for his outstanding contribution to biodiversity research and conservation in Vietnam,” the study said. These small, yellowish-grey geckos were observed at night on limestone cliffs and, in one instance, an electric pole in a cornfield. While study co-author Minh Le from Vietnam National University called the find “exciting,” he noted the team was not shocked. “Because we acknowledge, based on our research, that the diversity of this group of cryptic geckos is substantially underestimated,” he told Mongabay by email. “We expect that more new species will be described in the future.” In this case, the term ‘cryptic&#8217; refers to species that appear nearly identical to others. Despite their physical similarities, genetic testing revealed a 14% divergence between the new gecko and its closest relatives, a significant gap that represents a major evolutionary distinction between the new species and its relatives. This finding is part of a broader trend; 85% of species in this genus have been described only in the last decade. Though many of them have been newly described, their habitat and ecosystems are already under threat. For now, researchers recommend that the new slender&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-cryptic-gecko-species-discovered-in-vietnams-imperiled-karst-forests/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Indigenous knowledge helps identify new, highly threatened skink in Australia</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indigenous-knowledge-helps-identify-new-highly-threatened-skink-in-australia/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indigenous-knowledge-helps-identify-new-highly-threatened-skink-in-australia/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 02:04:12 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Megan Strauss]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23235527/Kungaka_image_1._Tom_Parkin_copy.c28d931.width-1600.952b70b-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318086</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Australia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Critically Endangered Species, Endangered Species, Environment, Green, Happy-upbeat Environmental, Lizards, New Species, Species, Species Discovery, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Researchers have described a new-to-science species of skink that may be one of Australia’s most threatened reptiles. The small population of the skink, possibly fewer than 20 individuals, lives in a pocket of rocky gorge within the arid Mutawintji National Park in New South Wales state, the researchers report in a new paper. The skink [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Researchers have described a new-to-science species of skink that may be one of Australia’s most threatened reptiles. The small population of the skink, possibly fewer than 20 individuals, lives in a pocket of rocky gorge within the arid Mutawintji National Park in New South Wales state, the researchers report in a new paper. The skink has been named Liopholis mutawintji, in a nod to the park, the only place it’s currently known from. Its common name is Kungaka, meaning “the Hidden One” to Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners. This refers to the species’ habit of hiding in crevices and burrows. Scientists from the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) partnered with Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners and the New South Wales National Parks &amp; Wildlife Service to confirm the Kungaka as a distinct species. Thomas Parkin, the study’s lead author with AMRI, told Mongabay by email that the Kungaka was previously thought to be a highly isolated population of White’s skink (L. whitii), a species widely distributed in southeastern Australia. But with Mutawintji roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) away from the closest White’s skink population, the team decided to revisit the reptile’s taxonomy. The team analyzed DNA samples and compared physical traits of White’s skinks from different populations across Australia. Their analyses revealed that White’s skink is not one species, but three deeply divergent lineages. The three species in the revised taxonomy are the southern White’s skink (L. whitii), northern White’s skink (L. compressicauda), and the Kungaka. Parkin said the Kungaka can be distinguished from&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indigenous-knowledge-helps-identify-new-highly-threatened-skink-in-australia/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Nepal plans park for ‘problem’ tigers as attacks raise concerns</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Abhaya Raj JoshiMukesh Pokhrel]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Abhaya Raj Joshi]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23161619/tiger-in-bardiya-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318052</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Nepal, and South Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Big Cats, Biodiversity, Cats, Conflict, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Environmental Law, Human-wildlife Conflict, Mammals, National Parks, Tigers, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[BARDIYA, Nepal — The Nepali government recently proposed establishing a tiger park for the big cats that come into conflict with humans, as the country continues to grapple with an unintended consequence of its hugely successful conservation efforts. Authorities say the proposed 50-hectare (124-acre) park in the Durganar–Tikauli forest near Chitwan National Park will take [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[BARDIYA, Nepal — The Nepali government recently proposed establishing a tiger park for the big cats that come into conflict with humans, as the country continues to grapple with an unintended consequence of its hugely successful conservation efforts. Authorities say the proposed 50-hectare (124-acre) park in the Durganar–Tikauli forest near Chitwan National Park will take in “problem” tigers (involved in killing and eating one or more humans) from overcrowded holding centers, though several questions related to the plan remain unanswered. “Currently, we need to spend around 1.5 million rupees [about $10,000] annually for each captive tiger even if we feed it minimally,” said Hari Bhadra Acharya, a senior ecologist with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation under the Ministry of Forests and Environment, who chairs the committee that’s exploring the plan. “Similarly, many tourists visit national parks to see tigers, but only a few are lucky to do so.” According to Acharya, the park would feature a fenced habitat designed to hold tigers that have attacked humans. Instead of living in tiny, cramped cages in holding centers, each tiger would get outdoor space to roam, hide in tall grass, and live more naturally. The park would sell tickets for viewing the tigers, and the revenue generated would cover the costs of the tigers&#8217; food and veterinary care. Nepal, which had 121 tigers (Panthera tigris) in 2009, is now home to 355 of the endangered big cats, spread across major habitats such as Chitwan, Bardiya and Shuklaphanta national parks,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Amid conflict and poaching, tech helps boost mountain gorilla numbers</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 21:55:31 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aimable Twahirwa]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sharon Guynup]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23165332/MOUNTAIN-GORILLA-RWANDA-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318058</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa and Central Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Apes, Biodiversity, Conflict, Conservation, Conservation Technology, Critically Endangered Species, Endangered Species, Environment, Gorillas, Great Apes, Habitat, Habitat Loss, Mammals, Poaching, Technology, technology development, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The population of the world’s last mountain gorillas has rebounded by 73% since 1989, allowing the subspecies to be reclassified from critically endangered — one step away from extinction — to endangered. But they remain imperiled, with about 1,063 left. They live in just one place: the Greater Virunga Landscape that straddles Rwanda, Uganda and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The population of the world’s last mountain gorillas has rebounded by 73% since 1989, allowing the subspecies to be reclassified from critically endangered — one step away from extinction — to endangered. But they remain imperiled, with about 1,063 left. They live in just one place: the Greater Virunga Landscape that straddles Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Conservation here has been extremely challenging, that&#8217;s been periodically embroiled in war, beset by armed groups, poachers and a plethora of other serious threats. Though these apes dwell at high altitude, from about 2,400-4,000 meters (8,000-13,000 feet) andoften deep within steep valleys and gorges, they’re still in the crosshairs. These apes are poached for their meat and body parts. Their infants are snatched for attractions that entertain tourists. Sometimes they&#8217;re trapped in snares set by bushmeat hunters for other wildlife. Meanwhile, their habitat falls to farmers and loggers. Rangers working in the region are increasing the use of cellphone-based software as part of broad efforts to protect mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and the lands they inhabit. This platform, known as the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART), can be programmed to the specific needs of a species or landscape, incorporating the boundaries of protected areas, wildlife corridors, patrol routes and so much more. It builds maps, has navigation capabilities, incorporates photos, and organizes and analyzes data. This information sometimes is used as evidence for prosecution of poachers. This information also helps pinpoint where to deploy personnel, and how&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Canada offers mines and more in $730b investment bid slammed as unsustainable</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/canada-offers-mines-and-more-in-730b-investment-bid-slammed-as-unsustainable/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/canada-offers-mines-and-more-in-730b-investment-bid-slammed-as-unsustainable/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 21:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[David Brown]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23211042/banff_1368.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318082</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Canada]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Critical Minerals, Economics, Economy, Industry, mine, Natural Gas, and Oil]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has touted his country’s natural resources as the main attraction for securing more than $700 billion in new investments over the next five years — a plan that a mining watchdog has blasted as “robber baron capitalism.” Carney announced in a press release a summit scheduled for Sept. 14-15 in [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has touted his country’s natural resources as the main attraction for securing more than $700 billion in new investments over the next five years — a plan that a mining watchdog has blasted as “robber baron capitalism.” Carney announced in a press release a summit scheduled for Sept. 14-15 in Toronto that will convene “top CEOs, entrepreneurs, and prominent global business leaders” in an effort to attract C$1 trillion ($730 billion) in investments. The government is highlighting Canada’s natural resources as one of the primary draws for investors, including liquefied natural gas and vast deposits of critical minerals like nickel, graphite and tungsten. The press release cites several major mining and LNG projects as examples of what the country offers global investors. Specific projects include the Canada Nickel Company’s Crawford mine in Ontario province, and the Nouveau Monde Graphite project in Québec province. “Canada has what the world wants,” Carney said in the release. “We’re an energy superpower, with the most educated workforce in the world and rock-solid fiscal strength. The first-ever Canada Investment Summit will capitalise on those advantages to help drive billions in new investments into Canada.” However, conservationists have raised concerns about environmental degradation associated with existing projects, and warn new developments will only exacerbate the problems. “A healthy environment is the foundation of Canada&#8217;s long-term prosperity,” Stephen Thomas, clean energy manager for the David Suzuki Foundation, wrote in an email to Mongabay. “That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s concerning the Prime Minister&#8217;s investment summit&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/canada-offers-mines-and-more-in-730b-investment-bid-slammed-as-unsustainable/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Sweden&#8217;s secondhand clothing swaps offer a trendy way to cut environmental waste</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 19:04:39 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Associated Press]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23185958/AP26111527548299-e1776971051644-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318068</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Sweden]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Circular Economy, Happy-upbeat Environmental, Pollution, Solutions, and Waste]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[STOCKHOLM (AP) — Alva Palosaari Sundman scoured the racks of secondhand clothes in Stockholm for hours in search of the right pair of preowned jeans. The 24-year-old art student was among hundreds of people attending an annual clothing swap on Sunday at a community center in Sweden&#8217;s capital. They exchanged their own clothes to “shop” for others. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[STOCKHOLM (AP) — Alva Palosaari Sundman scoured the racks of secondhand clothes in Stockholm for hours in search of the right pair of preowned jeans. The 24-year-old art student was among hundreds of people attending an annual clothing swap on Sunday at a community center in Sweden&#8217;s capital. They exchanged their own clothes to “shop” for others. Similar events drew thousands across the country to reduce the environmental cost of clothing production. Palosaari Sundman said she enjoyed seeing others pick out the clothes she’d brought. “It’s like, ‘Oh, OK, it gets a new life with this person,’” she said. “It just feels a bit more humane.” The U.N. Environment Program cites fast fashion as major player in environmental damage, producing up to 10% of the world’s carbon emissions. Discarded clothes gorge landfills that scar landscapes in developing countries, and the plastic fibers used to make cheap fabrics pollute oceans. To produce a pair of jeans, for example, roughly 2,000 gallons (7,571 liters) of water is required, UNEP has said. Sweden&#8217;s clothing swap initiative began in 2010 and has grown. Last year, some 140,000 people participated in 140 swap events and took home more than 44,000 preowned items. Sweden is often seen as environmentally advanced, but the reality is more nuanced. Clothing consumption contributes to roughly 3% of a Swede’s total emissions, according to Mistra Future Fashion, a research institute. Swedes last year were banned from throwing away clothes in the regular trash in a European Union bid to boost recycling. But the measure backfired when&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>In Pakistan&#8217;s deadly heat, low-cost cooling tools offer a lifeline for pregnant women</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/in-pakistans-deadly-heat-low-cost-cooling-tools-offer-a-lifeline-for-pregnant-women/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/in-pakistans-deadly-heat-low-cost-cooling-tools-offer-a-lifeline-for-pregnant-women/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 15:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shanna Hanbury]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23150002/AP24144351301897-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318046</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Pakistan]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change And Extreme Weather, Environment, Environmental Politics, Extreme Weather, Governance, Health, Heatwave, Planetary Health, Public Health, Urban Planning, Urbanization, and Weather]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Canvas canopies, hand fans, damp cloths and solar reflective paint may not sound like elaborate medical interventions. But in Pakistan’s hottest neighborhoods, they can act as a lifeline for pregnant women and newborns from low-income households. In a recent trial of affordable cooling solutions led by researchers at Pakistan’s Aga Khan University, low-tech interventions were [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Canvas canopies, hand fans, damp cloths and solar reflective paint may not sound like elaborate medical interventions. But in Pakistan’s hottest neighborhoods, they can act as a lifeline for pregnant women and newborns from low-income households. In a recent trial of affordable cooling solutions led by researchers at Pakistan’s Aga Khan University, low-tech interventions were able to cut indoor temperatures by 3-4° Celsius (5-7° Fahrenheit). Air-conditioning, and even fans, are often not available due to unreliable electricity supply. “Many commonly recommended heat interventions assume reliable electricity, formal workplaces, and universal phone access, making them impractical for many women in low-income countries,” Gregory Wellenius, director of the Center for Climate and Health at Boston University, told Zuha Siddiqui for Dialogue Earth. Temperatures in Pakistan often reach 40°C (104°F), with “feels like” temperatures nearing 50°C (122°F) in the summer. Climate change is making heat waves in the region much more likely and frequent, according to World Weather Attribution, a network of scientists studying extreme weather events. “The heat exhausts me. My body feels like lead,” Asiya, a woman identified only by her first name, told Siddiqui. Asiya lives in Lyari, one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Karachi, and is pregnant with her third child. “During my last pregnancy two years ago, I took showers thrice a day to cool down because I could feel my baby kicking in distress,” she added. The urban heat island effect traps heat in densely built urban areas, elevating city temperatures. In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/in-pakistans-deadly-heat-low-cost-cooling-tools-offer-a-lifeline-for-pregnant-women/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Linking habitats strengthens wildlife microbiomes, helps fight disease: Study</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 14:29:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sean Mowbray]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Glenn Scherer]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23133143/4-Atlantic-Forest-frog-Dendrophryniscus-haddadi-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318009</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Planetary Boundaries]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Brazil, Global, Latin America, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amphibian Crisis, Amphibians, Corridors, Diseases, Forest Fragmentation, Fragmentation, Freshwater, Frogs, Fungi, Habitat Loss, Microorganisms, Planetary Health, Research, Tropical Conservation Science, Tropical Forests, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new study has found that when deforestation and land use change break up key habitats vital to amphibian life cycles, those disconnects can play havoc with the animals’ microbiome, leaving them more susceptible to disease. This troubling finding could also apply to a host of other species, the study researchers say, but may also [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new study has found that when deforestation and land use change break up key habitats vital to amphibian life cycles, those disconnects can play havoc with the animals’ microbiome, leaving them more susceptible to disease. This troubling finding could also apply to a host of other species, the study researchers say, but may also have positive implications for conservation to counteract the problem. Habitat split, first associated with amphibian decline in a 2007 study, occurs when multiple “classes” of aquatic and terrestrial habitat — such as forests, streams and ponds — vital to a species’ life cycle are separated by human activities (such as agriculture), causing the species to decline. Studies have already shown that this phenomenon is a driver of localized frog extinctions in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. In the new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists investigated the effect of “habitat split” on the microbiome of four frog species (Haddadus binotatus, Rhinella ornata, Boana faber and Ischnocnema henselii), all dwelling in the highly fragmented Atlantic Forest. They found that where forest and aquatic habitats are linked, frogs are more likely to host skin microbes that inhibit the deadly fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. This fungus, known as chytrid, is responsible for large-scale declines of hundreds of amphibian species across the globe. Importantly, the skin microbiome of frogs living in areas where these habitats were split hosted fewer pathogen-fighting microbes, leaving the frogs more susceptible to infection. Two of the frog species sampled also&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Wetland destruction for mining, oil palm tied to crocodile attacks in Indonesia</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/wetland-destruction-for-mining-oil-palm-tied-to-crocodile-attacks-in-indonesia/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/wetland-destruction-for-mining-oil-palm-tied-to-crocodile-attacks-in-indonesia/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 14:01:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Taufik Wijaya]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23095951/Buaya-muara2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317964</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Bangka Belitung, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conflict, Conservation, Environment, Habitat Degradation, Habitat Loss, Human-wildlife Conflict, Illegal Mining, Mining, Plantations, Pollution, Reptiles, Wetlands, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[BANGKA, Indonesia — Residents of a centuries-old coastal settlement in the world’s largest tin-mining outpost — Bangka Island — fear that the environmental damage over just a few decades is behind a frightening rise in reports of violent deaths. In February, local fisher Jauhari became the latest person here on Bangka’s west coast to be [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[BANGKA, Indonesia — Residents of a centuries-old coastal settlement in the world’s largest tin-mining outpost — Bangka Island — fear that the environmental damage over just a few decades is behind a frightening rise in reports of violent deaths. In February, local fisher Jauhari became the latest person here on Bangka’s west coast to be killed by an estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). The 40-year-old was likely the 21st victim in the last five years, according to local wildlife charity Alobi Foundation. The saltwater crocodile — the world’s largest reptile — can exceed 6 meters (20 feet) in length weighing up to 2 tons (4,400 pounds) and live more than 70 years. On Bangka Island, it ordinarily lurks quietly beneath the surface of estuaries and lagoons. “This has happened because many swamps and tributaries that are the habitat of estuarine crocodiles have been damaged by illegal tin mining, and then turned into oil palm plantations,&#8221; Suhadi, who lives in western Bangka’s Menduk village, told Mongabay Indonesia in late March. The Menduk wetlands, formerly home to estuarine crocodiles, have been converted into palm oil plantations and illegal tin mines. Image by Nopri Ismi/Mongabay Indonesia. For some local people, 40-year-old Jauhari’s passing was a signal of how environmental damage can introduce new forms of violence into communities, a pattern that will intensify as climate pressures compound. One study published in the journal Biological Conservation in 2023 counted 665 cases of crocodile attacks in Indonesia in press reports from 2017 to 2019. Indonesia accounts&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/wetland-destruction-for-mining-oil-palm-tied-to-crocodile-attacks-in-indonesia/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Open dumping &#038; failed reforms bury Sri Lankan cities in waste problem</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/open-dumping-failed-reforms-bury-sri-lankan-cities-in-waste-problem/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/open-dumping-failed-reforms-bury-sri-lankan-cities-in-waste-problem/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 12:12:45 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Malaka Rodrigo]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Dilrukshi Handunnetti]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23114935/1-Sri-Lanka-Air-Force-pictures-of-Meethotamulla-Garbage-dump-disaster--768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318011</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, South Asia, and Sri Lanka]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Disasters, Environment, Environmental Activism, Environmental Policy, Food Waste, Governance, Habitat, Law Enforcement, Pollution, Recycling, and Waste]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[COLOMBO — As Sri Lankans celebrate the traditional New Year on April 14 each year, a period marked by family gatherings and renewal, there are no celebrations at Keerthirathna Perera’s home anymore. In 2017, the Perera family was in celebration mode in their two-level home in Meethotamulla, in western Sri Lanka. But their festive lunch [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[COLOMBO — As Sri Lankans celebrate the traditional New Year on April 14 each year, a period marked by family gatherings and renewal, there are no celebrations at Keerthirathna Perera’s home anymore. In 2017, the Perera family was in celebration mode in their two-level home in Meethotamulla, in western Sri Lanka. But their festive lunch was interrupted around 2 p.m. by a faint tremor. Moments later, a neighbor shouted that the stairway was suddenly cracking. Alarmed, the family rushed outside, only seconds before a deafening roar engulfed the area as a massive wave of garbage and earth surged upward. Houses shifted, some collapsed instantly, while others were simply thrust aside. When the noise eventually faded, the neighborhood found itself reduced to a chaotic field of rubble. In this confusion, Keerthirathna searched desperately for his family. He found his wife trapped waist-deep in debris and saw only his granddaughter’s hand nearby, while there was no trace of his daughter and son-in-law. Rescue teams worked through the night, pulling his wife to safety around 10 p.m. and recovering the bodies of his granddaughter and son-in-law. After continuous digging through the unstable waste mound, four days later, his daughter’s lifeless body was finally recovered. The disaster killed at least 32 people, displaced hundreds and destroyed more than 140 homes, leaving more than a thousand homeless. The collapse of the mount at Meethotamulla exposed the catastrophic consequences of unmanaged urban waste accumulation and Sri Lanka’s repeated institutional failure to tackle the solid waste problem.&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/open-dumping-failed-reforms-bury-sri-lankan-cities-in-waste-problem/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Singapore to halt sourcing and breeding dolphins</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/singapore-to-halt-sourcing-and-breeding-dolphins/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/singapore-to-halt-sourcing-and-breeding-dolphins/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 11:41:10 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Mongabay.com]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23114040/Eilat_Dolphin_Reef_3-scaled-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318012</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Dolphins, Marine Mammals, Oceans, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa will stop sourcing wild dolphins for its aquarium and is suspending its captive-breeding program, according to insiders, reports Mongabay contributor Robin Hicks. Anbarasi Boopal, former co-chief executive of Singapore animal welfare charity Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said this was a positive step. However, she called for transparency about [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa will stop sourcing wild dolphins for its aquarium and is suspending its captive-breeding program, according to insiders, reports Mongabay contributor Robin Hicks. Anbarasi Boopal, former co-chief executive of Singapore animal welfare charity Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said this was a positive step. However, she called for transparency about the facility’s long-term plans for the animals already in captivity.  While the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) declined to comment on the dolphin sourcing and breeding program , Mongabay learned it is assembling a panel of experts to determine the future of the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) currently held at its Oceanarium — “more than 20,” staff at the facility told Mongabay. The youngest is a 7-year-old male named Kenzo.  RWS obtained 27 dolphins from the Solomon Islands in 2008 and 2009. At least four died during transit or from infections. The resort opened its exhibit to the public in 2013 amid widespread criticism from animal welfare groups. The RWS says its dolphins receive high-quality care and that the facility provides educational and conservation value.  “At the Marine Mammal Habitat, the health and well-being of our dolphins is a top priority,” RWS told Mongabay after publication of the article. “They are cared for by a dedicated team of Marine Mammal Specialists, supported by Veterinary Care, Environmental Health and Husbandry professionals, who provide round-the-clock care.” Staff who spoke to Mongabay said they doubted the animals could survive in the wild after so long in captivity. An international&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/singapore-to-halt-sourcing-and-breeding-dolphins/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Little-known company targets South African biodiversity hotspot for mining</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/little-known-company-targets-south-african-biodiversity-hotspot-for-mining/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/little-known-company-targets-south-african-biodiversity-hotspot-for-mining/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 10:04:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anna Weekes]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Malavikavyawahare]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23081947/Aggenys-768x512.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317967</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa and South Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Economics, Environment, Environmental Law, Governance, Government, mine, Pollution, and Water Pollution]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A slew of applications by a little-known mining group to explore for critical minerals in South Africa’s Northern Cape province, including within the buffer zone of a nature reserve, has alarmed environmental groups and activists. They warn that the remote and water-scarce region, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot with unique ecosystems and exceptional plant diversity, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A slew of applications by a little-known mining group to explore for critical minerals in South Africa’s Northern Cape province, including within the buffer zone of a nature reserve, has alarmed environmental groups and activists. They warn that the remote and water-scarce region, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot with unique ecosystems and exceptional plant diversity, risks being treated as barren desert. The seven applications from Johannesburg-based Umboso cover a range of minerals considered critical for manufacturing renewable energy components, including cobalt (essential for making lithium-ion batteries), iron ore (used in steelmaking), gallium and germanium (used in making solar panels and cells), uranium, and rare earths needed to make magnets for wind turbines. Prospecting for these minerals could turn the Northern Cape into a “Wild West” for extractive industries, said Liziwe McDaid, strategic lead at the environmental justice organization Green Connection, which has brought several successful court cases against mine prospecting elsewhere in the country. The Umboso Group, which only registered as a company in 2023 and does not publicly list any previous mining experience, applied in February to prospect on seven tracts of land in the Northern Cape — in one case inside the 5-kilometer (3-mile) buffer zone of Gamsberg Nature Reserve, which was set up to safeguard the Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo biomes. A springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Northern Cape province. Image by Charles J. Sharp/Sharp Photography via Wikimedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Thevha Sustainable Services, an environmental impact consultancy also based in Johannesburg, was hired&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/little-known-company-targets-south-african-biodiversity-hotspot-for-mining/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Citizen science helps reconnect Singapore treetops for elusive leaf-eating langurs</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/citizen-science-helps-reconnect-singapore-treetops-for-elusive-leaf-eating-langurs/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/citizen-science-helps-reconnect-singapore-treetops-for-elusive-leaf-eating-langurs/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 09:57:38 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Carolyn Cowan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Isabel Esterman]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23091734/Banner_DSCF2728-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317985</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Singapore, and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Citizen Science, Conservation, Forest Fragmentation, Forests, Infrastructure, Mammals, Mitigation, Primates, Research, Solutions, Wildlife, and Wildlife Corridors]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[ANG MO KIO, Singapore — On the edge of a bustling Singapore suburb, Lay Hoon steps into the shade of a forest reserve she’s visited monthly for eight years to search for one of the world’s most threatened primates. Scanning the dense canopy for signs of movement, she listens intently. “Before we see the langurs, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[ANG MO KIO, Singapore — On the edge of a bustling Singapore suburb, Lay Hoon steps into the shade of a forest reserve she’s visited monthly for eight years to search for one of the world’s most threatened primates. Scanning the dense canopy for signs of movement, she listens intently. “Before we see the langurs, we usually hear them,” she says. The foliage rustles above, but it turns out to be a plantain squirrel (Callosciurus notatus), one of a surprising number of small mammals found here at the Lower Peirce Reservoir Park, a 10-hectare (25-acre) patch of maturing secondary forest to the northeast of Singapore’s Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Hoon is looking for the Raffles’ banded langur (Presbytis femoralis), a leaf-eating monkey confined to pockets of fragmented forest in Singapore and the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia. Listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, its total global population is estimated to be only 200-250 mature individuals, fewer than 80 of them in Singapore. The extent of habitat loss in Singapore over the past two centuries cannot be overstated. Today, less than 1% of the primary forest that once stretched across much of the main island remains; and of the island’s roughly 20% secondary forest cover, only about 4.3% is considered high-quality mature forest. With their habitats devastated, many groups of terrestrial vertebrates plunged into decline. Yet even after rapid urbanization since the 1960s, small groups of langurs have clung on in isolated forest fragments. However, as treetop specialists,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/citizen-science-helps-reconnect-singapore-treetops-for-elusive-leaf-eating-langurs/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>After 110-kilo ivory bust, familiar questions over Kenya’s follow-through</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/after-110-kilo-ivory-bust-familiar-questions-over-kenyas-follow-through/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/after-110-kilo-ivory-bust-familiar-questions-over-kenyas-follow-through/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 09:38:25 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Charles Mpaka]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23091633/617701933_1343288071175205_2890541981384418369_n-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317983</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa, East Africa, and Kenya]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Conservation, Crime, Elephants, Endangered Species, Environment, Environmental Law, Ivory, Ivory Trade, Law, Mammals, Organized Crime, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Crime, Wildlife Trade, and Wildlife Trafficking]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In late January, Kenyan authorities arrested two men in possession of more than a hundred kilos of ivory in the town of Namanga, on the border with Tanzania. According to Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), police and wildlife officers were on a covert operation at a hotel when they caught three men — identified [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In late January, Kenyan authorities arrested two men in possession of more than a hundred kilos of ivory in the town of Namanga, on the border with Tanzania. According to Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), police and wildlife officers were on a covert operation at a hotel when they caught three men — identified as Imani Manasi Msumbwa and Justin Mwalima, both Tanzanian, and Alton Jilaoneka, a Kenyan — likely negotiating a deal. Mwalima escaped; the remaining two led investigators to a car with 20 pieces of elephant tusks, weighing a total 110 kilograms (243 pounds). They were arrested, and news of the seizure made headlines. Since then, however, it’s not clear what progress has been made, either in finding the escaped suspect or in identifying the prospective buyer or the wider trafficking network. Despite repeated inquiries from Mongabay, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials have declined to confirm whether those arrested were granted bail or if they remain in custody. Chris Morris, founder of Nairobi-based wildlife crime monitoring group Saving Elephants through Education and Justice (SEEJ), told Mongabay that the suspects are scheduled to appear in Kajiado Magistrate’s Court on April 28. SEEJ monitored more than 100 elephant ivory trafficking prosecutions between 2023 and 2025 to assess the integrity of law enforcement in pursuing trafficking cases beyond the headline arrests. Some of the offences date back to 2015. By the end of its two-year monitoring period, only 72 of the 125 cases had concluded, with a conviction rate of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/after-110-kilo-ivory-bust-familiar-questions-over-kenyas-follow-through/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Chile’s plan to protect another 10% of its ocean is stalled by the new government</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/chiles-plan-to-protect-another-10-of-its-ocean-is-stalled-by-the-new-government/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/chiles-plan-to-protect-another-10-of-its-ocean-is-stalled-by-the-new-government/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 08:25:39 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shanna Hanbury]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23082033/AJM00183-Enhanced-NR-1-2048x1365-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317968</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Chile, Pacific Islands, and Pacific Ocean]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, Fishing, Marine Animals, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Conservation, Marine Ecosystems, Marine Mammals, Marine Protected Areas, Oceans, Protected Areas, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The expansion of two vast Pacific marine parks near Chile have been suspended for six weeks, leaving protections for around 337,000 square kilometers (130,000 square miles) of ocean in limbo. Former President Gabriel Boric signed a decree creating marine parks Juan Fernández II and Nazca-Desventuradas II on March 10, his last day in office. Together [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The expansion of two vast Pacific marine parks near Chile have been suspended for six weeks, leaving protections for around 337,000 square kilometers (130,000 square miles) of ocean in limbo. Former President Gabriel Boric signed a decree creating marine parks Juan Fernández II and Nazca-Desventuradas II on March 10, his last day in office. Together the parks would protect roughly 10% of the nation’s exclusive economic zone. However, the subsequent president José Antonio Kast, suspended the decree on his first day in office as part of a broader review of environmental measures. The suspension has created unease among local communities and conservation groups. “We are concerned, obviously, with how long this is taking,” Max Bello, an ocean policy expert at the Blue Marine Foundation, a global conservation nonprofit, told Mongabay in an audio message. “We know that there are pressures, particularly from fishing interests, specifically the highly illegal and unsustainable semi-industrial swordfish fisheries … who have not agreed with the expansion.” The decree grants the highest levels of marine protection, permitting only scientific research and tourism, Bello told Mongabay. It prohibits all extractive activities, including any type of fishing. Artisanal fishing is permitted in the multiple-use coastal marine area directly surrounding the Juan Fernández archipelago.    Bello said there are concerns that the protections for Juan Fernández II and Nazca-Desventuradas II could be weakened. “That would be truly dangerous, regrettable and concerning.” Chile’s Environment Ministry told the Blue Marine Foundation that the suspension is part of a routine review and&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/chiles-plan-to-protect-another-10-of-its-ocean-is-stalled-by-the-new-government/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Scientists forecast wildfire risk for species survival under climate change</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/scientists-forecast-wildfire-risk-for-species-survival-under-climate-change/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/scientists-forecast-wildfire-risk-for-species-survival-under-climate-change/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 05:22:26 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[David Brown]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23051822/Leiopelma_pakeka02-719x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317961</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Climate, Climate Change, Climate Change And Biodiversity, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Fires, Forest Fires, Green, Research, wildfires, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new study warns climate change could increase the global area susceptible to wildfires in the future, putting many more species at risk than today. Previous research has shown that climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires as precipitation patterns change and vegetation becomes drier in parts of the world. Researchers have now projected [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new study warns climate change could increase the global area susceptible to wildfires in the future, putting many more species at risk than today. Previous research has shown that climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires as precipitation patterns change and vegetation becomes drier in parts of the world. Researchers have now projected how the length of fire seasons and the extent of burned area might change in the future under four scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions. Using these forecasts, they also assessed the future impact of wildfire for 9,592 species of animals, plants and fungi, currently reported on the IUCN Red List as threatened by wildfire. Under the moderate-emissions scenario, where current greenhouse gas emission trends continue, the researchers found that by 2100, the extent of burned areas globally could increase by 9.3%, and that nearly 84% of fire-threatened species will be exposed to higher risk of wildfires. Xiaoye Yang, study lead author from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, told Mongabay by email that “there are clear spatial disparities in future wildfire risk to biodiversity.” Regions such as South America and Oceania are expected to face especially elevated risks of burning, Yang said. Fires in high-latitude areas of the Northern Hemisphere are also projected to increase rapidly in the future, although they’ve historically been rare in these regions, he added. The study found that the top 1% of species most affected by wildfires (96 species) are found in South America, South Asia, southern Australia and New Zealand. These&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/scientists-forecast-wildfire-risk-for-species-survival-under-climate-change/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Elephants adjust what they eat in altered habitats, signaling growing pressure</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/elephants-adjust-what-they-eat-in-altered-habitats-signaling-growing-pressure/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/elephants-adjust-what-they-eat-in-altered-habitats-signaling-growing-pressure/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 04:20:45 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[David Brown]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22104443/219824726_edc94cf45a_k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317932</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Malaysia and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Elephants, Endangered Species, Environment, Forests, Green, Logging, Mammals, Oil Palm, Palm Oil, Palm Oil And Biodiversity, and Research]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Asian elephants are adapting to rapidly changing landscapes by diversifying their diets — a sign of resilience, but also a warning about the pressures reshaping their habitats, according to a recent study from Malaysia. Researchers collected feces from wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across two distinct landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia: one with primary and secondary [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Asian elephants are adapting to rapidly changing landscapes by diversifying their diets — a sign of resilience, but also a warning about the pressures reshaping their habitats, according to a recent study from Malaysia. Researchers collected feces from wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across two distinct landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia: one with primary and secondary forests fragmented by recent large-scale logging and a hydropower dam development, and a second landscape transformed into oil palm plantations between the 1980s and 2000s, with a narrow remaining strip of forest. Elephant dung contains remnants of the plants the animals have consumed, so the researchers used DNA sequencing to reconstruct the elephants’ diets in the two landscapes. The analysis revealed that elephants in the logging-dominated landscape eat a wide variety of available plant resources across diverse habitats like grasslands, secondary forests and regenerating vegetation. According to the researchers, the findings suggest that when disturbances in forests reduce the availability of their preferred plants, elephants could be meeting their nutritional requirements by expanding their diets to include a broader selection of plants available across diverse habitats beyond formal reserve boundaries.   By contrast, elephants in the oil palm-dominated landscape ate a much more predictable, narrower range of plant groups, dominated by the cultivated oil palm crops. The researchers say it’s likely that elephants in palm oil habitats have adapted to the predictable availability of crops like African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). This might expose them to conflict with people. “Our findings highlight that elephants are&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/elephants-adjust-what-they-eat-in-altered-habitats-signaling-growing-pressure/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Brazil FOIA confirms Lula &#038; Macron talked before key CITES vote on endangered tree</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/brazil-foia-confirms-lula-macron-talked-before-key-cites-vote-on-endangered-tree/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/brazil-foia-confirms-lula-macron-talked-before-key-cites-vote-on-endangered-tree/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 00:01:13 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Emmanuelle PicaudFernanda WenzelSpoorthy Raman]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Andy Lehren]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22100823/c-lula-and-macron-in-a-boat-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317918</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Brazil, Europe, France, Latin America, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Critically Endangered Species, Deforestation, Endangered, Endangered Species, Environment, Environmental Law, Environmental Politics, Extinction, Forests, Governance, Plants, Politics, Saving Species From Extinction, Supply Chain, timber trade, Trees, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Early in 2026, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s office denied that he had a phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, about easing proposed trade restrictions on Brazil’s endangered national tree. The denial to Mongabay came during reporting for a story published in February about Brazil’s efforts to seek the highest trade [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Early in 2026, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s office denied that he had a phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, about easing proposed trade restrictions on Brazil’s endangered national tree. The denial to Mongabay came during reporting for a story published in February about Brazil’s efforts to seek the highest trade protections for Brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata) — safeguards that were diluted during a global summit of representatives to CITES, a wildlife trade treaty signed by 184 countries and the European Union. Now, following a response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by Mongabay, Lula’s office confirmed that he had, in fact, been in communication with Macron just before a key vote on the proposal at the CITES conference, held five months ago in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The conversations between Lula and Macron were “regarding the negotiations then underway” as part of CITES deliberations, according to Brazil’s Special Advisory Office of the President of the Republic. The office responded to Mongabay’s FOIA request on April 6. It did not specify what was discussed and did not state if the talks happened over a phone call, text or other means. The FOIA response marks the first official confirmation that the two leaders were in communications at CITES over the issue. Native to the country’s Atlantic Forest and a national symbol, Brazilwood is coveted in the music industry to make high-quality violin bows, which sell for as high as 7,000 euros ($8,200) apiece. The demand has led the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/brazil-foia-confirms-lula-macron-talked-before-key-cites-vote-on-endangered-tree/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Disaster impacts in 2025 were ‘typical’ despite no mega-disasters: Report</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/disaster-impacts-in-2025-were-typical-despite-no-mega-disasters-report/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/disaster-impacts-in-2025-were-typical-despite-no-mega-disasters-report/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 16:48:35 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shanna Hanbury]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22164759/AP25314242267837-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317956</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia and Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change And Extreme Weather, Disasters, Drought, Earthquakes, Environment, Extreme Weather, Flooding, Storms, and wildfires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[More than 110 million people were affected by 358 reported disasters in 2025, according to the annual report by the Emergency Events Database. The year was consistent with a typical year of disaster impacts, with no mega-disasters recorded. The report looked at nine different types of disasters and only found above-average impacts from storms. The [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[More than 110 million people were affected by 358 reported disasters in 2025, according to the annual report by the Emergency Events Database. The year was consistent with a typical year of disaster impacts, with no mega-disasters recorded. The report looked at nine different types of disasters and only found above-average impacts from storms. The new report, published April 20 by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, calculated at least 16,607 fatalities and nearly $170 billion in economic losses as a result of disasters in 2025. The disasters included earthquakes, as well as climate-related events such as droughts, extreme temperature, floods, wildfire and storms; the latter were the only disaster category whose number exceeded the last 25-year average. The study found there were 44% more storms, 156 in total, compared to the annual average from 2005 to 2024 of 108. “Notably, 2025 was also marked by the absence of any mega-disaster,” the report’s authors wrote, noting that the most significant earthquakes of 2025, in Myanmar and Afghanistan, were less deadly than major earthquakes of other years. “Nevertheless, in 2025, the cumulative impact of multiple concurrent hazards, including earthquakes, storms, and floods, resulted in a global disaster burden consistent with that of a typical year,” they added. The earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan were the two deadliest disasters of 2025, the report notes. In March 2025, a major magnitude-7.7 earthquake hit central Myanmar, causing 3,820 deaths. In August 2025, a strong&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/disaster-impacts-in-2025-were-typical-despite-no-mega-disasters-report/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Indigenous peoples’ health cannot be separated from the environment, U.N. delegates warn</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/indigenous-peoples-health-cannot-be-separated-from-the-environment-un-delegates-warn/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/indigenous-peoples-health-cannot-be-separated-from-the-environment-un-delegates-warn/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 16:37:05 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aimee Gabay]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22162155/Capture-decran-le-2026-04-22-a-12.21.24-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317948</guid>

					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change And Food, Climate Change And Forests, Climate Change Policy, Climate Justice, Conservation, Environment, environmental justice, Health, Indigenous Peoples, Social Justice, and United Nations]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This story is republished through the Indigenous News Alliance. On the second day of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, experts called attention to the ways Indigenous health is deeply tied to nature and highlighted how health inequalities are compounded by environmental degradation, extractive activities and climate change. The forum&#8217;s focus [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This story is republished through the Indigenous News Alliance. On the second day of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, experts called attention to the ways Indigenous health is deeply tied to nature and highlighted how health inequalities are compounded by environmental degradation, extractive activities and climate change. The forum&#8217;s focus on Indigenous health comes as a new study by former permanent forum member Geoffrey Roth argues that U.N. agencies&#8217; fragmented approach — addressing health, environment, and land rights through separate mandates — has &#8220;consistently failed Indigenous Peoples.&#8221; The study, presented as the forum opened its 25th session, positions environmental degradation, climate change, and biodiversity loss not as external pressures but as &#8220;direct manifestations of injury&#8221; to Indigenous wellbeing. “For Indigenous Peoples, health is deeply tied to the health of the land,” said Roth, descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “It’s not just about access to clinics or medicine – it’s about clean water, healthy forests, traditional foods, and the ability to maintain cultural practices. When the environment is damaged – whether from mining, deforestation, pollution, or climate change – it directly affects people’s health.” An Indigenous leader from Caigua points to the ravine with the same name as his community, marked by oil pollution that damages Aguaragüe National Park. Image courtesy of Miguel Surubi. At the forum, many Indigenous leaders spoke out about how the growing environmental crises increase the urgency to address their impacts on Indigenous health. &#8220;Climate change is also another threat&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/indigenous-peoples-health-cannot-be-separated-from-the-environment-un-delegates-warn/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>How much does a penguin weigh?</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/how-much-does-a-penguin-weigh/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/how-much-does-a-penguin-weigh/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 16:01:48 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Abhishyant Kidangoor]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sam Lee]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22155837/portrait-of-a-cute-gentoo-penguin-during-the-snowf-2026-01-07-23-03-03-utc-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317946</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa and South Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Endangered, Endangered Species, Penguins, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The African penguins are the only species of penguins in Africa. However, they are critically endangered due to shortage of food. Sardines and anchovies form a big part of their diet. Due to rising ocean temperatures, pollution and overfishing, fish stocks have massively declined in recent decades. As a result, African penguins are struggling to [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The African penguins are the only species of penguins in Africa. However, they are critically endangered due to shortage of food. Sardines and anchovies form a big part of their diet. Due to rising ocean temperatures, pollution and overfishing, fish stocks have massively declined in recent decades. As a result, African penguins are struggling to find food for their sustenance. Scientists are now using a new technology to meticulously monitor their weights in a bid to keep an eye on their health and ensure they are eating enough. Watch this video to learn more.This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/how-much-does-a-penguin-weigh/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Oil spill continues in Gulf of Mexico vulnerable habitats, while Pemex admits fault</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/oil-spill-continues-in-gulf-of-mexico-vulnerable-habitats-while-pemex-admits-fault/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/oil-spill-continues-in-gulf-of-mexico-vulnerable-habitats-while-pemex-admits-fault/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 11:33:53 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Caitlin Cooper]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Alexandrapopescu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Ocean wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coral]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environmental Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ocean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oil spill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turtles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Water Pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife Conservation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22111835/AP26085839385231-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317934</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Latin America, Mexico, and North America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coastal Ecosystems, Endangered Species, Environmental Crime, Fish, Fisheries, Governance, Ocean, Oil Spills, Pollution, Sea Turtles, Waste, and Water Pollution]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[MEXICO CITY — In Nautla, a municipality on the coast of the Mexican state of Veracruz, soft folds of sand await sea turtles as their annual nesting season begins between April and June. But instead of the miniature olive-green turtles — the Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) that show up here are the world’s smallest [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[MEXICO CITY — In Nautla, a municipality on the coast of the Mexican state of Veracruz, soft folds of sand await sea turtles as their annual nesting season begins between April and June. But instead of the miniature olive-green turtles — the Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) that show up here are the world’s smallest species of their kind — sticky black discs the size of coins dot the coastline. Along a 1-meter (3-foot) section of beach, Nautla resident Ricardo Yepez Gerón, director-general of the Yepez Foundation, an NGO focused on sea turtle conservation, said he could count approximately 100 of these spots. “To remove the oil that has [washed up] on these beaches … let’s be honest, the coastline is too long,” Yepez Gerón told Mongabay in a video interview. “You need one person for every 10 meters [33 ft].” Similar reports of tar stains on the beaches of Veracruz, Tabasco and Campeche, along the southern arc of the Gulf of Mexico, have cropped up since early March. According to a late March report from the Coral Reef Network of the Gulf of Mexico, what appeared to be an oil spill had impacted 933 kilometers (about 580 miles) of shoreline — and at least seven of nine natural protected areas, ANPs by their Spanish acronym, in the Tabasco, Veracruz and Tamaulipas states, according to Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Mexico’s secretary of environment and natural resources. For 67 days, the government denied any wrongdoing as various scenarios circulated regarding the source&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/oil-spill-continues-in-gulf-of-mexico-vulnerable-habitats-while-pemex-admits-fault/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Study finds bottom trawling nets 3,000 marine fish species, including threatened ones</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/study-finds-bottom-trawling-nets-3000-marine-fish-species-including-threatened-ones/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/study-finds-bottom-trawling-nets-3000-marine-fish-species-including-threatened-ones/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 10:38:48 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22103345/Guitarfish-C-Sarah-Foster_Project-Seahorse72dpi-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317929</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Fish, Fisheries, Marine, Marine Biodiversity, Oceans, and Research]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[How many marine fish species do bottom trawls catch? Researchers now have a list, and it’s long, running to some 3,000 species, according to a recent study. Bottom trawling is a commercially popular, and controversial, fishing method in which boats drag weighted nets along the seafloor. Usually they target commercially valuable marine life at the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[How many marine fish species do bottom trawls catch? Researchers now have a list, and it’s long, running to some 3,000 species, according to a recent study. Bottom trawling is a commercially popular, and controversial, fishing method in which boats drag weighted nets along the seafloor. Usually they target commercially valuable marine life at the bottom of the ocean, such as rockfish, cod, and invertebrates like shrimp. However, the nets can, and do, catch all sorts of bottom-dwelling animals, such as seahorses. Study co-author Sarah Foster, who leads the Project Seahorse initiative at the University of British Columbia, Canada, said her team was trying to understand how bottom trawling affects seahorses when she was asked a simple question: How many fish species do bottom trawls catch, and what they are?   “I was surprised to realize there was no clear answer,” Foster told Mongabay by email. “One of the most basic questions in fisheries is what is actually being caught, and yet, for bottom trawling, that baseline understanding was missing.” So the researchers reviewed documents reporting bottom trawl catches, and recorded nearly 3,000 species of marine fish. “Our estimates suggest the true number could be double that,” Foster said. They also highlighted a size bias: larger fish tended to be documented more than smaller ones, which were often collectively listed under categories such as “mixed fish” or “trash fish.” “First, it means we don’t actually know what fisheries are catching — and we cannot manage what we do not measure,”&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/study-finds-bottom-trawling-nets-3000-marine-fish-species-including-threatened-ones/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Forest-focused environment laws may be pushing farming into other ecosystems</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/forest-focused-environment-laws-may-be-pushing-farming-into-other-ecosystems/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/forest-focused-environment-laws-may-be-pushing-farming-into-other-ecosystems/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 09:47:06 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shanna Hanbury]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22094618/GP1SUHOZ-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317922</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Europe and Global]]>
						</locations>
					
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Grasslands, wetlands and other nonforest ecosystems are being converted to agricultural land far faster than forests. However, they remain largely overlooked by Europe’s flagship antideforestation law and other environmental policies, according to a new report by the Rainforest Alliance, World Resources Institute and partner organizations. The report found such ecosystems are being lost to agriculture [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Grasslands, wetlands and other nonforest ecosystems are being converted to agricultural land far faster than forests. However, they remain largely overlooked by Europe’s flagship antideforestation law and other environmental policies, according to a new report by the Rainforest Alliance, World Resources Institute and partner organizations. The report found such ecosystems are being lost to agriculture at roughly four times the rate of forests. Around 190 million hectares (470 million acres) of nonforest natural ecosystems, a combined area almost the size of Mexico, was converted to mostly pastures and farms over the 15 years from 2005 to 2020. “When protections tighten around forests, agricultural pressure can shift into other natural ecosystems that are also ecologically important but often much less protected,” Siyi Kan, an environmental economics researcher at the University of Oxford, told Mongabay by email. “We need to start paying attention to them now, before it is too late.” Both forest and nonforest ecosystems are important for biodiversity and carbon sequestration, Kan added. However, most existing policy and sustainability commitments from companies focus exclusively on forests. Brazil saw the most conversion of nonforest ecosystems to agriculture over the 15 year period of the study, followed by China, Russia and the United States. Map courtesy of WRI. Source data from Kan et al., 2026. The EU’s deforestation-free regulation, or EUDR, is meant to prevent agricultural commodities such as palm oil, cattle, coffee, cocoa, soy, wood and rubber from entering the EU market if they’re linked to recent deforestation. But it uses&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/forest-focused-environment-laws-may-be-pushing-farming-into-other-ecosystems/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>AI tool listens for endangered orcas in real time to reduce human disturbance</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-listens-for-endangered-orcas-in-real-time-to-reduce-human-disturbance/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-listens-for-endangered-orcas-in-real-time-to-reduce-human-disturbance/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 08:27:16 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Abhishyant Kidangoor]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Abhishyantkidangoor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22081854/orcas-swim-in-blue-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317912</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[North America, Pacific Ocean, and United States]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Artificial Intelligence, Cetaceans, Conservation, Conservation Technology, Endangered Species, Environment, Marine Animals, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Conservation, Marine Mammals, Oceans, Technology, Technology And Conservation, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, and Wildtech]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Where are the orcas at? Answering that question with pinpoint accuracy is crucial to protecting the famed “southern resident” orcas off North America’s northern Pacific coast. An AI-driven initiative is now helping parse through large amounts of ocean sounds to identify and detect the orcas in real time. OrcaHello is working with scientists and government [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Where are the orcas at? Answering that question with pinpoint accuracy is crucial to protecting the famed “southern resident” orcas off North America’s northern Pacific coast. An AI-driven initiative is now helping parse through large amounts of ocean sounds to identify and detect the orcas in real time. OrcaHello is working with scientists and government agencies to detect the presence of this specific group of orcas and minimize the impact that coastal activities may have on them. Southern resident orcas (Orcinus orca ater) are considered an endangered subspecies made up of three distinct pods. According to the Center for Whale Research, a U.S.-based nonprofit that studies this group exclusively, there are only 76 remaining individuals of these orcas as of December 2025. A decline in the populations of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), their primary source of food, along with noise pollution and vessel traffic are major threats to their survival. “Inbreeding is also starting to be a problem, which is what you’d expect for a small population,” David Bain, chief scientist at Orca Conservancy, another nonprofit focused on the southern resident orcas, told Mongabay in a video interview. “That means the decline is going to resume unless we make conditions better.” OrcaHello was developed to look specifically into the issue of noise pollution and vehicle traffic. “It’s a real-time AI alert system that’s listening 24/7 for orca calls,” Akash Mahajan, who co-developed the tool, told Mongabay in a video interview. The tool builds on Orcasound, an open-source network of underwater&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-listens-for-endangered-orcas-in-real-time-to-reduce-human-disturbance/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>New atlas aims to help save Africa’s disappearing wetlands</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-atlas-aims-to-help-save-africas-disappearing-wetlands/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-atlas-aims-to-help-save-africas-disappearing-wetlands/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 08:13:26 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/22081149/Screenshot-2026-04-21-at-3.46.22-scaled-e1776845567104-768x512.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=317910</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Restoration, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Since 1970, more than a third of the world&#8217;s wetlands have been lost, at a rate three times faster than forest loss. To help governments and funders prioritize wetlands in need of protection or restoration, the global nonprofit Wetlands International has launched the new Wetland Atlas. The interactive atlas integrates spatial information on different wetlands [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[Since 1970, more than a third of the world&#8217;s wetlands have been lost, at a rate three times faster than forest loss. To help governments and funders prioritize wetlands in need of protection or restoration, the global nonprofit Wetlands International has launched the new Wetland Atlas. The interactive atlas integrates spatial information on different wetlands with data on their climate mitigation potential, how many people depend on them, and their protection status, the nonprofit said in a press release. Most of the other maps offer only raw data on the extent of wetlands. Currently, the atlas focuses on the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, regions where wetlands are increasingly vulnerable. “Wetlands account for less than 10% of the area of the Sahel, but they are home of more than 75% of the population and directly support more than 85% of GDP,” Karounga Keita, Sahel director, Wetlands International, told Mongabay. According to Richard Lee, Wetlands International’s communications director, the tool addresses a major hurdle called “wetland blindness,” where decision-makers undervalue areas like rivers, lakes and peatlands. “Wetlands are invariably seen through a blinkered lens, which views rivers as just pipes for water, lakes as stores to be pumped dry and polluted, and other wetlands as &#8216;wastelands&#8217; to be converted,” Lee told Mongabay by email. “This view neglects all the other values of healthy wetlands from food security to flood reduction, cultural significance to climate mitigation and adaptation.” To create the new platform, researchers at Wetlands International combined information on biophysical,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-atlas-aims-to-help-save-africas-disappearing-wetlands/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>In Nepal, controversial dam threatens endangered pangolins: Study</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-nepal-controversial-dam-threatens-endangered-pangolins-study/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-nepal-controversial-dam-threatens-endangered-pangolins-study/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 08:10:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Bibek Bhandari]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Abhaya Raj Joshi]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/04/23090420/29054818144_90d7ea0d1c_o-768x512-1.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317904</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Nepal, and South Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Dams, Endangered Species, Environment, Habitat Destruction, Infrastructure, Pangolins, Pollution, Rivers, Water Pollution, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[KATHMANDU — A proposed dam in Kathmandu’s northeastern ridge promises to revive the sewage-choked sacred Bagmati River that runs past revered Hindu temples and ease the valley’s chronic water shortage. But conservationists warn that the project could exact a high ecological cost, even potentially impacting critically endangered wildlife within the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, where [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[KATHMANDU — A proposed dam in Kathmandu’s northeastern ridge promises to revive the sewage-choked sacred Bagmati River that runs past revered Hindu temples and ease the valley’s chronic water shortage. But conservationists warn that the project could exact a high ecological cost, even potentially impacting critically endangered wildlife within the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, where the dam is set to rise. A new study in Ecology and Evolution journal states that the Nagmati Dam will inundate large parts of potential prime pangolin habitat and foraging areas, noting that the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) “overlooks this threat” and fails to recognize the impacts on the species. The national park is home to the critically endangered Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), protected under Nepal’s conservation law. “Pangolins have a small home range and specific habitat needs, so the impact on almost 100 hectares [247 acres] of area because of the dam will have big consequences for them,” said Kumar Paudel, a pangolin specialist from the nonprofit Greenhood Nepal and co-author of the study. “We need to be extremely careful about the impacts on biodiversity while developing infrastructure projects. This is not just about pangolins but other species, too,” he said. The proposed site of the Nagmati Dam is said to be on the base of the hills that surround Mulkharka. Image by Bibek Bhandari. The planned Nagmati Dam — a 95-meter (311-foot) barrier with a capacity to store more than 8 billion liters (2.1 billion gallons) of water — aims to capture monsoon&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-nepal-controversial-dam-threatens-endangered-pangolins-study/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Why forest conservation is also public health</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/why-forest-conservation-is-also-public-health/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/why-forest-conservation-is-also-public-health/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Apr 2026 02:14:37 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/20194949/Eliurus-Credit-ElisePaietta-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317742</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Founder's briefs]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Madagascar]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Featured, Health, Invasive Species, Mammals, Nature And Health, One Health, Public Health, Rainforests, Tropical Forests, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[&#160; In a lowland forest in southeastern Madagascar, what was missing proved as telling as what was found. Researchers trapping small mammals in the Manombo Special Reserve caught tuft-tailed rats in the intact interior forest. In the nearby littoral forest, despite repeated efforts, they found none. The traps held black rats instead. The observation appears [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[&nbsp; In a lowland forest in southeastern Madagascar, what was missing proved as telling as what was found. Researchers trapping small mammals in the Manombo Special Reserve caught tuft-tailed rats in the intact interior forest. In the nearby littoral forest, despite repeated efforts, they found none. The traps held black rats instead. The observation appears in a recent paper describing the first complete mitochondrial genomes for two endemic species, Eliurus webbi and Eliurus minor. The study, published in Mitochondrial DNA Part B by Elise Paietta and an international team of researchers, itself is technical. It assembles genetic sequences, places them within a sparse phylogeny, and notes gaps in what is known about these animals. Yet the fieldwork offers an important ecological finding: native rodents were confined to intact forest; degraded habitat was occupied by an introduced species. The pattern is not unusual. In many tropical systems, disturbance tends to favor generalists. Species with narrower ecological requirements recede as habitat fragments or is altered. What is less often spelled out is what this shift means beyond the change in species lists. The Malagasy study offers a way to examine that more closely. Eliurus tanala rat in Ranomafana. Photo by Nina Finley / Health in Harmony Its immediate contribution is genetic. Until now, no complete mitochondrial genomes existed for the Nesomyinae, a subfamily of rodents found only in Madagascar. Earlier work relied on shorter sequences, often from a single gene. These can indicate broad relationships but leave much unresolved. Whole mitochondrial genomes offer&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/why-forest-conservation-is-also-public-health/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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