https://news.mongabay.com/list/rainforests/ Environmental science and conservation news Sat, 14 Nov 2026 09:21:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2020/05/16160320/cropped-mongabay_icon-32x32.png https://news.mongabay.com/list/rainforests/ 32 32 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/genetic-study-describes-two-new-species-of-amazonian-howler-monkeys/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/genetic-study-describes-two-new-species-of-amazonian-howler-monkeys/#respond 11 Nov 2026 17:26:42 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=335679 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/genetic-study-describes-two-new-species-of-amazonian-howler-monkeys/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-335679 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/how-would-the-amazon-react-if-it-dried-up-a-25-year-old-field-study-has-the-answer/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/how-would-the-amazon-react-if-it-dried-up-a-25-year-old-field-study-has-the-answer/#respond 11 Nov 2026 16:56:47 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=335633 - After two decades receiving only half the normal rainfall, the forest lost its largest trees while others survived, revealing that it had reached a new equilibrium.
- Project scientists reject the idea that the Amazon rainforest subjected to water stress could become a savanna. Instead, they argue, it could turn into a novel ecosystem more closely resembling a heavily degraded forest.
- The structure that diverted rainwater was removed two years ago, and researchers now want to find out whether large trees can grow back.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/how-would-the-amazon-react-if-it-dried-up-a-25-year-old-field-study-has-the-answer/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-335633 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/investigation-fungus-may-have-killed-atlantic-forest-amphibians-in-the-1979s-and-80s/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/investigation-fungus-may-have-killed-atlantic-forest-amphibians-in-the-1979s-and-80s/#respond 10 Nov 2026 21:24:07 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=335418 - With new research, some researchers now believe that the chytrid fungus — which causes a highly contagious, deadly disease — is the culprit behind this “cold case.”
- By sampling specimens taken before and after the declines, the team found widespread presence of chytrid.
- Their findings offer a new explanation, which could help anticipate future outbreaks of amphibian disease and reveals a method for historical research into wildlife declines caused by disease.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/investigation-fungus-may-have-killed-atlantic-forest-amphibians-in-the-1979s-and-80s/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-335418 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/el-ninos-hidden-toll-on-trees-emerges-years-later-in-papua-new-guinea-rainforest/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/el-ninos-hidden-toll-on-trees-emerges-years-later-in-papua-new-guinea-rainforest/#respond 09 Nov 2026 23:22:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=335021 - Not all trees were affected equally, however. Trees located in valleys showed high mortality during the drought but recovered quickly, while trees on ridgelines showed a lagged effect, with mortality highest after the drought ended.
- The study adds to a growing body of research on how forests respond to drought, a critical question as global climate change makes droughts more common and severe.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/el-ninos-hidden-toll-on-trees-emerges-years-later-in-papua-new-guinea-rainforest/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-335021 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/amazon-mapping-shows-cacao-expansion-without-deforestation-in-brazil/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/amazon-mapping-shows-cacao-expansion-without-deforestation-in-brazil/#respond 05 Nov 2026 21:28:38 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=335029 - That record leaves Amazon cacao well positioned to meet the EU’s new deforestation rules, with the sector keen to secure better prices for farmers who grow cacao without clearing forest.
- Most new plantings are full-sun monocultures, which are less sustainable than agroforestry, but sources say Brazil is unlikely to follow West African countries in clearing forest for cacao.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/amazon-mapping-shows-cacao-expansion-without-deforestation-in-brazil/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-335029 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/photograph-helps-identify-a-west-african-bird-not-seen-in-13-years/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/photograph-helps-identify-a-west-african-bird-not-seen-in-13-years/#respond 03 Nov 2026 22:16:25 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=334911 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/photograph-helps-identify-a-west-african-bird-not-seen-in-13-years/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334911 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/un-recognizes-ongoing-restoration-work-inside-ethiopias-desaa-forest-amid-conflict/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/un-recognizes-ongoing-restoration-work-inside-ethiopias-desaa-forest-amid-conflict/#respond 03 Nov 2026 15:28:24 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=334820 - The project has restored more than 23,000 hectares (57,000 acres) of degraded land, prevented an estimated 500,000 metric tons of soil erosion and increased soil water infiltration in restored areas.
- Despite progress, years of armed conflict have disrupted restoration work and devastated local communities. Renewed fighting reported in September 2026 could further threaten the project’s long-term goals.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/un-recognizes-ongoing-restoration-work-inside-ethiopias-desaa-forest-amid-conflict/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334820 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/the-rspo-closed-the-case-on-first-resources-indonesian-forests-kept-falling-for-palm-oil-commentary/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/the-rspo-closed-the-case-on-first-resources-indonesian-forests-kept-falling-for-palm-oil-commentary/#respond 03 Nov 2026 10:27:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=334809 - The report, by Rainforest Action Network, builds on work by The Gecko Project, published in 2023, investigating Singapore-listed, Indonesian-owned First Resources, a palm oil producer alleged to be clearing rainforest through a network of secret companies in Indonesia.
- In December 2025, the RSPO Complaints Panel issued its final ruling on a long-running case against First Resources.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/the-rspo-closed-the-case-on-first-resources-indonesian-forests-kept-falling-for-palm-oil-commentary/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334809 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/ecotourism-may-deter-hunters-but-also-keeps-wildlife-away-laos-study-suggests/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/ecotourism-may-deter-hunters-but-also-keeps-wildlife-away-laos-study-suggests/#respond 02 Nov 2026 14:32:12 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=334667 - There were roughly twice the number of medium to large mammals on average in more remote parts of the forested landscape than at sites closer to trekking and kayaking routes, the camera-trap data showed.
- Experts caution against viewing tourism as a bigger threat to wildlife than more direct exploitation, such as hunting, logging and mining.
- They highlight the revenue that ecotourism generates and the support that it builds among local communities for conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/ecotourism-may-deter-hunters-but-also-keeps-wildlife-away-laos-study-suggests/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334667 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/cyanide-ponds-from-illegal-mining-threaten-amazon-indigenous-territory/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/cyanide-ponds-from-illegal-mining-threaten-amazon-indigenous-territory/#respond 02 Nov 2026 14:12:27 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=333213 - A cheaper and more profitable alternative to mercury for miners, cyanide can kill by asphyxiation within minutes and severely contaminate soil and water.
- As crackdowns on mercury drive miners toward cyanide, a regulated chemical, officials say they hope Brazil’s legal cyanide supply chain will allow them to trace the sources and cut off the flows.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/cyanide-ponds-from-illegal-mining-threaten-amazon-indigenous-territory/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333213 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/how-bats-can-be-forest-architects/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/how-bats-can-be-forest-architects/#respond 02 Nov 2026 13:33:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=334657 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/how-bats-can-be-forest-architects/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334657 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-surinames-amazon-the-wayana-community-struggling-to-keep-gold-miners-at-bay/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-surinames-amazon-the-wayana-community-struggling-to-keep-gold-miners-at-bay/#respond 29 Oct 2026 18:47:56 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=334444 - But on the border with French Guiana, where the government is largely absent, Indigenous Wayana communities have had to adapt to illegal gold miners, who for decades have cut down the forest and polluted rivers with mercury.
- One Wayana chief controls the only airstrip in the area, giving him some leverage with miners who have no other practical way into the forest. But in some instances, those relationships have led to violence.
- The Mulokot Foundation, an advocacy group, is working to help the Wayana improve education and map its ancestral territory. In the future, these initiatives may help residents move beyond mining to more sustainable activities.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-surinames-amazon-the-wayana-community-struggling-to-keep-gold-miners-at-bay/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334444 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/already-feeling-it-northern-amazon-waterfall-season-ends-early-hurting-livelihoods/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/already-feeling-it-northern-amazon-waterfall-season-ends-early-hurting-livelihoods/#respond 29 Oct 2026 14:03:58 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=334337 - By drying up the waterfall earlier than usual, climate change is directly hurting regional tourism, which local residents and surrounding communities rely on for their livelihoods.
- Guides and tourism specialists say the drop in tour bookings has forced the sector to reinvent itself, while the state government operates under a state of emergency to prepare for environmental fallout from El Niño.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/already-feeling-it-northern-amazon-waterfall-season-ends-early-hurting-livelihoods/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334337 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/investigations-into-singapore-palm-oil-firm-find-family-ties-to-borneo-deforesters/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/investigations-into-singapore-palm-oil-firm-find-family-ties-to-borneo-deforesters/#respond 29 Oct 2026 13:57:08 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=334374 - Shipping records at a shared terminal raise concerns that deforestation-linked oil is entering global supply chains marketed as sustainable.
- Rainforest Action Network claims First Resources misled Singapore’s stock exchange with an earlier denial of common ownership. First Resources has repeated its denial and points to the dismissal of a complaint lodged against through the RSPO.
- Scrutiny comes as the firm faces investigation by Singapore’s environment agency for links to transboundary haze.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/investigations-into-singapore-palm-oil-firm-find-family-ties-to-borneo-deforesters/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334374 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/netherlands-pledges-500-million-to-help-conserve-tropical-forests/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/netherlands-pledges-500-million-to-help-conserve-tropical-forests/#respond 28 Oct 2026 22:47:09 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=334283 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/netherlands-pledges-500-million-to-help-conserve-tropical-forests/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-334283 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/rare-bird-finding-strengthens-case-to-protect-congo-rainforest-across-borders/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/rare-bird-finding-strengthens-case-to-protect-congo-rainforest-across-borders/#respond 26 Oct 2026 14:12:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=333852 - The grey-necked picathartes — a bird of the Lower Guinean rainforest — was not previously thought to live as far south as the DRC.
- But records of it there, as well as recent new records of the same species in the southwestern corner of the Republic of Congo and in Angola’s northern Cabinda province, lend impetus for the proposed Mayombe Forest Transfrontier Protected Area (TFPA) — home to other charismatic species like gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/rare-bird-finding-strengthens-case-to-protect-congo-rainforest-across-borders/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333852 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/environmental-officials-fear-new-wave-of-harassment-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-in-brazil/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/environmental-officials-fear-new-wave-of-harassment-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-in-brazil/#respond 23 Oct 2026 19:06:43 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=333772 - Complaints of harassment and violence filed with the Federal District Labor Prosecutor’s Office nearly tripled during Jair Bolsonaro’s four-year term.
- The weakening of regulatory agencies has led to record levels of deforestation in the Amazon and intensified violence against Indigenous groups that protect the forest.
- Environmental officials and Indigenous experts have launched campaigns and open letters to mobilize the public to vote for incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and defend them and regulatory agencies.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/environmental-officials-fear-new-wave-of-harassment-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-in-brazil/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333772 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/amazon-communities-lose-water-as-mining-and-deforestation-reshape-rivers/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/amazon-communities-lose-water-as-mining-and-deforestation-reshape-rivers/#respond 23 Oct 2026 18:15:44 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=333623 - In all four river basins, natural water resources are under pressure. Mining activity has left behind large pools of artificial or anthropogenic (human-made) water, and where livestock ranching has taken hold, the water has disappeared.
- Over the 25 years analyzed, the four catchment areas lost nearly 33,000 hectares (81,500 acres) of natural water, an area more than double the size of Colombia’s Tayrona National Park. The greatest loss occurred in the Colombian Caquetá catchment area, which crosses a department where extensive livestock ranching has long been the main economic activity.
- In the three basins with mining activity — the Madre de Dios, Beni, and Caroní — artificial water sources appeared: four in every five hectares of these water sources are on Indigenous territory.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/amazon-communities-lose-water-as-mining-and-deforestation-reshape-rivers/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333623 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/what-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-high-stakes-for-the-environment-in-brazils-2026-elections-commentary/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/what-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-high-stakes-for-the-environment-in-brazils-2026-elections-commentary/#respond 23 Oct 2026 17:42:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=333723 - Flávio, son of Brazil’s anti-environmental former president Jair Bolsonaro, is slightly ahead of incumbent President Lula in the polls, but the difference is within the margin of error. Flávio, who denies anthropogenic climate change and has supported a series of anti-environmental bills as senator, plans to follow in his father’s footsteps.
- The Amazon rainforest is near a series of tipping points, beyond which risk of the forest collapsing rises sharply. If the forest collapses, the emission of greenhouse gases would push global climate past the point where warming escapes from human control. Flávio’s policies would increase this risk.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/what-if-flavio-bolsonaro-wins-high-stakes-for-the-environment-in-brazils-2026-elections-commentary/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333723 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/anatomy-of-a-land-grab-the-law-likes-and-legislator-behind-an-indigenous-land-invasion-in-brazil/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/anatomy-of-a-land-grab-the-law-likes-and-legislator-behind-an-indigenous-land-invasion-in-brazil/#respond 19 Oct 2026 19:42:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=332839 - Data analysis reveals that 97% of land registries inside the reserve are medium or large properties; dozens of registrants already own other farms outside the territory, undermining politicians’ claims that small farmers need the land.
- At the center of this case is state legislator Francisco “Torrinho” Torres, a rancher bankrolled by big agribusiness and hit with millions in environmental fines for deforestation and Indigenous land grab.
- Experts warn about the risk of an ongoing genocide of the isolated Igarapé Ipiaçava people, unless authorities act immediately to evict the occupiers.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/anatomy-of-a-land-grab-the-law-likes-and-legislator-behind-an-indigenous-land-invasion-in-brazil/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-332839 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/amazon-deforestation-falls-42-to-a-record-low/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/amazon-deforestation-falls-42-to-a-record-low/#respond 16 Oct 2026 21:49:41 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=333026 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/amazon-deforestation-falls-42-to-a-record-low/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333026 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-uplifting-story-of-one-of-zimbabwes-pioneering-women-rangers/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-uplifting-story-of-one-of-zimbabwes-pioneering-women-rangers/#respond 16 Oct 2026 19:03:07 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=333004 - In 2017, she became one of the first 16 women recruited by Akashinga, an all-female anti-poaching initiative. She went on to command rangers, earn a university degree and become a biodiversity officer responsible for analyzing wildlife data.
- As governments prepare to assess progress toward global biodiversity goals at COP17 in Armenia, Hoto’s journey offers a glimpse into the opportunities conservation can create for rural African women — and the challenges they still face in a profession long dominated by men.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-uplifting-story-of-one-of-zimbabwes-pioneering-women-rangers/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-333004 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/perpetuating-stupidity-indonesia-comes-under-fire-for-response-to-burning-and-haze/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/perpetuating-stupidity-indonesia-comes-under-fire-for-response-to-burning-and-haze/#respond 16 Oct 2026 06:57:51 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=332817 - President Prabowo Subianto cited 639 hectares (1,579 acres) under active firefighting as evidence of progress, but experts warned the figure was misleading because it represented areas being tackled by firefighters, not the total area still burning.
- Environmentalists blame inadequate preparedness and decades of forest-clearing permits and peatland drainage, while Malaysia and Singapore have offered firefighting assistance that Indonesia has yet to formally accept.
- The haze is causing widespread health and environmental damage, with more than 283,000 acute respiratory illness cases recorded across seven affected Indonesian provinces, and dozens of orangutans rescued from fires in Borneo.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/perpetuating-stupidity-indonesia-comes-under-fire-for-response-to-burning-and-haze/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-332817 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-ecuador-indigenous-youth-turn-to-rap-music-to-defend-the-amazon/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-ecuador-indigenous-youth-turn-to-rap-music-to-defend-the-amazon/#respond 09 Oct 2026 16:32:20 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=332134 - Each track is performed in the artist’s native language (some of which are on the verge of disappearing), with some incorporating Spanish verses to connect with listeners from other cultures.
- Indigenous rappers include Willan Gualinga (Taki Supay) of the Kichwa nationality of Sarayaku; Misael Elías Criollo Grefa (Misa17), from the A’i Cofán community; Raúl Vargas (Robenban), Kichwa from Pastaza; and Tzitzanu, from Sapara.
- Their music is reaching national and international audiences, with Misa17’s track “Ingi Tsampi” drawing more than 400,000 views on TikTok just a month after its release.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-ecuador-indigenous-youth-turn-to-rap-music-to-defend-the-amazon/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-332134 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/lawmakers-in-suriname-call-for-investigation-stricter-oversight-amid-new-mining-activity/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/lawmakers-in-suriname-call-for-investigation-stricter-oversight-amid-new-mining-activity/#respond 09 Oct 2026 16:18:05 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=331661 - Two members of the National Assembly, Rabindre Parmessar and Michael Marengo, sent a letter to President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons calling for an immediate investigation and temporary halt to all mining activity in the area.
- The lawmakers questioned the government’s ability to regulate mining impacts on the environment and public health, and said they wanted to see all permits, concessions and other documents granting the right to operate in the area.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/lawmakers-in-suriname-call-for-investigation-stricter-oversight-amid-new-mining-activity/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-331661 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/deadly-wildfires-leave-borneo-wildlife-scrambling-for-fresh-water/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/deadly-wildfires-leave-borneo-wildlife-scrambling-for-fresh-water/#respond 09 Oct 2026 06:50:53 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=332036 - Residents and conservation groups have begun providing water and rescuing animals affected by the fires, as prolonged dry conditions put further pressure on wildlife and freshwater supplies.
- Conservationists warn the crisis is also affecting coastal communities, with rising salinity threatening access to fresh water and potentially putting food production at risk.
- Warning: This story contains disturbing images of animals.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/deadly-wildfires-leave-borneo-wildlife-scrambling-for-fresh-water/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-332036 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-australias-wet-tropics-restoration-misses-the-forest-for-the-tree-cover/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-australias-wet-tropics-restoration-misses-the-forest-for-the-tree-cover/#respond 06 Oct 2026 15:14:29 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=331696 - The groups ranked habitat connectivity, biodiversity, and threatened species habitat as their top goals, yet measured success mainly by canopy closure, tree survival, and the end of weeding.
- About 42% stop monitoring once the canopy closes, usually within three to five years, long before the slower recovery of rainforest plants and animals can be tracked.
- Most groups said monitoring would be a high priority if they had more funding, and the survey authors warn that short-term checks won’t provide the proof of recovery that carbon and biodiversity markets require.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/in-australias-wet-tropics-restoration-misses-the-forest-for-the-tree-cover/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-331696 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-indonesians-facing-el-ninos-fires-have-lessons-to-teach-us-commentary/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-indonesians-facing-el-ninos-fires-have-lessons-to-teach-us-commentary/#respond 06 Oct 2026 14:17:40 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=331681 - Millions of Indonesians have already been breathing toxic wildfire smoke and bravely fighting the blazes for months, although this event’s likely record-breaking fire season has barely kicked into gear.
- “These communities are inspiring, and they can teach us some lessons about resilience and fortitude in the face of a Super El Niño that’s coming for many of us,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-indonesians-facing-el-ninos-fires-have-lessons-to-teach-us-commentary/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-331681 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias-orangutans-as-el-nino-fuels-fires/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias-orangutans-as-el-nino-fuels-fires/#respond 05 Oct 2026 11:08:46 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=331642 - Without urgent action, thousands more orangutans could be killed, injured or displaced, warns the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, a network of primatologists, field researchers and conservation experts.
- Actions must include long-term measures, including community-led efforts, beyond emergency firefighting to tackle the fires, say experts.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias-orangutans-as-el-nino-fuels-fires/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-331642 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/despite-a-drop-in-deforestation-in-2025-forest-losses-pile-up-in-the-mekong/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/despite-a-drop-in-deforestation-in-2025-forest-losses-pile-up-in-the-mekong/#respond 29 Sep 2026 02:05:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=330522 - However, the rate of deforestation in each country dropped when compared to 2024, continuing a decline that data show started in 2023.
- Experts say fewer wildfires, stricter enforcement and lower market rates for commodities could explain the drop.
- Mongabay’s analysis also found almost 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) of forest loss occurred within protected areas, where deforestation risks should be lower.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/despite-a-drop-in-deforestation-in-2025-forest-losses-pile-up-in-the-mekong/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-330522 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/a-devil-like-flower-from-thailand-is-new-to-science-and-critically-endangered/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/a-devil-like-flower-from-thailand-is-new-to-science-and-critically-endangered/#respond 23 Sep 2026 06:03:08 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=330539 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/a-devil-like-flower-from-thailand-is-new-to-science-and-critically-endangered/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-330539 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/illegal-mines-threaten-biodiversity-and-drinking-water-in-ghanas-atewa-forest/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/illegal-mines-threaten-biodiversity-and-drinking-water-in-ghanas-atewa-forest/#respond 21 Sep 2026 14:28:40 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=330304 - Atewa is a biodiversity hotspot, with more than 80 threatened and endangered species found in its 26,300 hectares (65,000 acres).
- Environment group A Rocha Ghana and others have called on the government to provide greater resources to counter illegal mining in Atewa and elsewhere.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/09/illegal-mines-threaten-biodiversity-and-drinking-water-in-ghanas-atewa-forest/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-330304