https://news.mongabay.com/list/wildlife/ Environmental science and conservation news Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:27:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2020/05/16160320/cropped-mongabay_icon-32x32.png https://news.mongabay.com/list/wildlife/ 32 32 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/sightings-of-humpback-whales-surge-in-rio-de-janeiro-fueling-demand-for-whale-watching-trips/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/sightings-of-humpback-whales-surge-in-rio-de-janeiro-fueling-demand-for-whale-watching-trips/#respond 02 Jul 2026 15:27:17 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322415 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/sightings-of-humpback-whales-surge-in-rio-de-janeiro-fueling-demand-for-whale-watching-trips/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322415 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/endangered-west-african-leopards-show-signs-of-recovery-despite-odds-its-a-win/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/endangered-west-african-leopards-show-signs-of-recovery-despite-odds-its-a-win/#respond 02 Jul 2026 13:13:35 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322381 - West Africa’ leopards are regionally endangered, with just 354 remaining across the region.
- Pendjari National Park sits within the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, a large transboundary conservation landscape encompassing national parks, hunting reserves and buffer zones that in recent years has been infiltrated by non-state armed groups operating in the Sahel. While conservation efforts in the national park are working, the security crisis remains a major threat.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/endangered-west-african-leopards-show-signs-of-recovery-despite-odds-its-a-win/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322381 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/sri-lanka-intensifies-fight-against-dengue-and-the-mosquitos-that-cause-the-infection/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/sri-lanka-intensifies-fight-against-dengue-and-the-mosquitos-that-cause-the-infection/#respond 02 Jul 2026 05:44:59 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322305 - DENV-2 is the dominant dengue serotype causing a higher number of infections at present, health officials say.
- According to academics, unplanned urbanization and climate change are factors contributing to the spike in dengue cases in South Asia and many other regions.
- Meanwhile, the Aedes vector is evolving and adapting, increasing the mosquito’s ability to survive in constantly changing environmental conditions, researchers say.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/sri-lanka-intensifies-fight-against-dengue-and-the-mosquitos-that-cause-the-infection/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322305 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/can-coastal-infrastructure-be-engineered-to-harbor-marine-life-instead-of-harming-it/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/can-coastal-infrastructure-be-engineered-to-harbor-marine-life-instead-of-harming-it/#respond 01 Jul 2026 18:57:56 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322179 - In 2025, Ireland’s first Living Seawalls installation was established at Kennedy Pier in the port town of Cobh, and marine life is already starting to colonize the panels.
- While researchers say the panels can help marine life colonize hardened coastlines, and stayed cooler than standard flat seawall surfaces, questions remain about their effect on seawalls’ main function of keeping waves at bay, leading scientists to suggest that design modifications may be needed.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/can-coastal-infrastructure-be-engineered-to-harbor-marine-life-instead-of-harming-it/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322179 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/a-marine-heat-wave-caused-seabird-deaths-off-california-el-nino-could-worsen-the-die-off/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/a-marine-heat-wave-caused-seabird-deaths-off-california-el-nino-could-worsen-the-die-off/#respond 01 Jul 2026 16:16:06 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322218 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/a-marine-heat-wave-caused-seabird-deaths-off-california-el-nino-could-worsen-the-die-off/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322218 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/wildlifes-unpredictable-movements-make-climate-change-planning-difficult/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/wildlifes-unpredictable-movements-make-climate-change-planning-difficult/#respond 01 Jul 2026 10:40:42 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322109 - Species responses are likely shaped by multiple factors — changing habitat, rainfall and food availability — not just temperature. Some species may be unable to move, trapped within a fragmented habitat.
- Research shows animals that move toward higher latitudes don’t necessarily fare better.
- These mismatches between predictions and reality create more uncertainty for conservation planning and how best to support species adaptation through corridors.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/wildlifes-unpredictable-movements-make-climate-change-planning-difficult/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322109 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/recent-discoveries-of-lost-mekong-giant-salmon-carp-renews-hope-for-the-fish/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/recent-discoveries-of-lost-mekong-giant-salmon-carp-renews-hope-for-the-fish/#respond 01 Jul 2026 04:31:54 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322157 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/07/recent-discoveries-of-lost-mekong-giant-salmon-carp-renews-hope-for-the-fish/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322157 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/fossils-reveal-a-prehistoric-crocodile-relative-that-walked-on-two-legs/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/fossils-reveal-a-prehistoric-crocodile-relative-that-walked-on-two-legs/#respond 30 Jun 2026 19:50:38 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322153 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/fossils-reveal-a-prehistoric-crocodile-relative-that-walked-on-two-legs/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322153 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/gelada-monkeys-huddle-in-the-cold-photo-of-the-week/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/gelada-monkeys-huddle-in-the-cold-photo-of-the-week/#respond 30 Jun 2026 18:05:44 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322151 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/gelada-monkeys-huddle-in-the-cold-photo-of-the-week/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322151 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/secret-amazon-species-may-be-new-source-of-ibogaine-for-addiction-treatment/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/secret-amazon-species-may-be-new-source-of-ibogaine-for-addiction-treatment/#respond 30 Jun 2026 17:49:45 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322102 - Regarded as sacred in Gabon, the iboga plant that’s the primary source of ibogaine has been subject to poaching and smuggling, leading to the decline of its natural reserves and encouraging researchers to seek out alternatives.
- The substance is at the center of a new political and scientific movement to advance medicinal studies of natural compounds labelled today as illegal drugs.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/secret-amazon-species-may-be-new-source-of-ibogaine-for-addiction-treatment/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322102 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/foreign-nationals-attempt-to-fly-to-europe-with-rare-cacti-from-southern-brazil/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/foreign-nationals-attempt-to-fly-to-europe-with-rare-cacti-from-southern-brazil/#respond 30 Jun 2026 15:49:57 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322013 - The species targeted are critically endangered and highly prized by collectors worldwide.
- The foreigners caught by police include amateur botanists who are renowned among the international cactus-loving community.
- Illegal removal from nature harms the preservation of species that can take up to 10 years to become productive.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/foreign-nationals-attempt-to-fly-to-europe-with-rare-cacti-from-southern-brazil/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322013 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/whats-jimbu-the-herb-that-bolsters-an-iconic-nepali-dish-could-also-help-save-snow-leopards/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/whats-jimbu-the-herb-that-bolsters-an-iconic-nepali-dish-could-also-help-save-snow-leopards/#respond 30 Jun 2026 10:48:04 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322085 - This herb offers a potential conservation dividend: Its pungent smell deters blue sheep from raiding crops. Since they’re snow leopards’ main prey, it may reduce the cats’ visits to human settlements and lower livestock predation.
- Growing jimbu, with three yearly harvests, could generate about 12 million rupees ($79,500) in communities where potato farming offers little cash income.
- Experts caution that the model is not universally replicable and warn against blanket adoption across other snow leopard habitats, emphasizing site-specific conservation needs.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/whats-jimbu-the-herb-that-bolsters-an-iconic-nepali-dish-could-also-help-save-snow-leopards/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322085 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/tiny-new-marsupial-species-not-seen-in-two-decades-confirmed-from-museum-specimens/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/tiny-new-marsupial-species-not-seen-in-two-decades-confirmed-from-museum-specimens/#respond 30 Jun 2026 07:43:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322082 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/tiny-new-marsupial-species-not-seen-in-two-decades-confirmed-from-museum-specimens/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322082 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/aquatic-animal-and-terrestrial-meat-trades-now-almost-on-par-fao-report-finds/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/aquatic-animal-and-terrestrial-meat-trades-now-almost-on-par-fao-report-finds/#respond 29 Jun 2026 18:55:59 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322025 - Global fisheries and aquaculture production, including algae as well as animal products, reached a record 235 million metric tons in 2024, with farmed aquatic animal production surpassing 100 million metric tons annually for the first time. This brings the total aquatic animal product trade close to that of terrestrial meat.
- The report, which covers around 70% of global fisheries, found that sustainably fished stocks fell by 2.1% to a new low of 62.4%.
- The report projects continued growth in aquatic animal production from both fisheries and aquaculture, but warns that achieving it sustainably and equitably will require greater investment, effective governance and continued innovation.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/aquatic-animal-and-terrestrial-meat-trades-now-almost-on-par-fao-report-finds/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322025 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/hong-kongs-urban-cockatoos-could-be-a-genetic-lifeline-for-indonesian-ancestors/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/hong-kongs-urban-cockatoos-could-be-a-genetic-lifeline-for-indonesian-ancestors/#respond 29 Jun 2026 17:44:54 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=322052 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/hong-kongs-urban-cockatoos-could-be-a-genetic-lifeline-for-indonesian-ancestors/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322052 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/one-mountain-lion-changed-the-food-web-in-a-california-suburb-study-finds/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/one-mountain-lion-changed-the-food-web-in-a-california-suburb-study-finds/#respond 29 Jun 2026 17:13:43 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=322039 - A recent study drew on nine years of camera trap data from Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and found that when a puma began to visit, coyotes, deer, gray foxes and brush rabbits changed their behavior and native plant density increased.
- About 82% of protected areas in the United States are smaller than 5 square kilometers, roughly 2 square miles, making small suburban preserves increasingly important for wildlife as urban development expands.
- Jasper Ridge is far too small to support its own population of mountain lions, but is linked to the Santa Cruz Mountains, underscoring the importance of wilderness corridors in supporting wildlife.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/one-mountain-lion-changed-the-food-web-in-a-california-suburb-study-finds/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322039 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/as-amazon-oil-drilling-begins-scientists-warn-of-risks-to-a-little-known-reef/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/as-amazon-oil-drilling-begins-scientists-warn-of-risks-to-a-little-known-reef/#respond 29 Jun 2026 15:47:40 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321998 - Researchers warn that the Amazon Reef system harbors a wealth of biodiversity and has not been widely studied, despite being close to Petrobras’s exploration block.
- Scientists disagree about the composition and extent of the Amazonian reefs, while environmentalists denounce attempts to downplay their ecological importance.
- Experts warn that an oil spill could reach mangroves, small-scale fisheries, and even neighboring countries, due to strong marine currents in the area.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/as-amazon-oil-drilling-begins-scientists-warn-of-risks-to-a-little-known-reef/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321998 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/sao-tome-declares-first-two-of-eight-planned-marine-protected-areas/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/sao-tome-declares-first-two-of-eight-planned-marine-protected-areas/#respond 29 Jun 2026 15:25:10 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=321992 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/sao-tome-declares-first-two-of-eight-planned-marine-protected-areas/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321992 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/telling-one-guina-from-another-its-all-about-the-angle/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/telling-one-guina-from-another-its-all-about-the-angle/#respond 29 Jun 2026 11:30:52 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321977 - To help fill those gaps, researchers switched the angle of the camera traps used for surverying the species to film guiña individuals from above rather than at ground level. That enabled them to identify individual cats during camera trapping between February 2019 and November 2020 in a protected area in Reñihué Valley, Chile.
- If used more widely in camera trap surveys, this technique could help accurately estimate guiña populations in the wild.
- The researchers also say this technique could be applied to other small cat species.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/telling-one-guina-from-another-its-all-about-the-angle/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321977 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/mel-sunquist-field-biologist-and-mentor-to-generations-of-conservationists/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/mel-sunquist-field-biologist-and-mentor-to-generations-of-conservationists/#respond 28 Jun 2026 23:37:16 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321928 - His research in Nepal provided some of the first detailed evidence of tiger movements, territories, and social organization, laying foundations for modern tiger conservation.
- As a professor at the University of Florida, he trained generations of wildlife biologists, many of whom went on to lead conservation programs and research around the world.
- Remembered for his humility, patience, and deep respect for animals, Sunquist taught that careful observation, sound science, and thoughtful mentorship were as important to conservation as the discoveries themselves.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/mel-sunquist-field-biologist-and-mentor-to-generations-of-conservationists/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321928 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/kenyas-overcrowded-safaris-wildlife-for-who/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/kenyas-overcrowded-safaris-wildlife-for-who/#respond 28 Jun 2026 18:23:11 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=321969 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/kenyas-overcrowded-safaris-wildlife-for-who/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321969 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/women-patrol-tanzanias-pemba-waters-in-a-community-led-push-to-protect-the-sea/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/women-patrol-tanzanias-pemba-waters-in-a-community-led-push-to-protect-the-sea/#respond 27 Jun 2026 11:38:18 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321946 - Of Zanzibar’s population, roughly 550,000 people live on Pemba Island, one of its two main islands, where many households depend directly on the surrounding marine ecosystem for food, income, and livelihoods.
- Across the island, a community-led approach to marine resource management is taking root. Local communities are organized through Shehia Fisheries Committees and Collaborative Management Groups, which develop and implement rules governing the use of marine resources, including fisheries and locally managed conservation areas.
- Enforcing those rules, however, is not always straightforward. Community patrol teams often lack the legal authority needed to take action against offenders. In a largely Muslim society where marine patrols have traditionally been dominated by men, women are increasingly joining these teams to help monitor fishing activities and encourage compliance.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/women-patrol-tanzanias-pemba-waters-in-a-community-led-push-to-protect-the-sea/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321946 https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/extreme-heat-wave-in-france-kills-hundreds-of-thousands-of-poultry/ https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/extreme-heat-wave-in-france-kills-hundreds-of-thousands-of-poultry/#respond 26 Jun 2026 22:24:17 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&p=321939 Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/06/extreme-heat-wave-in-france-kills-hundreds-of-thousands-of-poultry/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321939 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/how-snow-leopards-wolves-and-leopards-share-the-same-himalayan-valley-study/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/how-snow-leopards-wolves-and-leopards-share-the-same-himalayan-valley-study/#respond 26 Jun 2026 15:54:22 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321933 - Researchers analyzed six years of camera-trap footage and fecal DNA from the Lapchi Valley to discover that snow leopards eat mainly wild ungulates, leopards feed on livestock and animals near human settlements, and wolves eat a mix of both.
- All three predators are mostly nocturnal and use overlapping terrain, but their specialized diets prevent direct conflict among these similarly sized apex predators.
- Protecting abundant wild prey is the most effective way to keep all three predators away from livestock and reduce retaliatory killings that threaten their survival.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/how-snow-leopards-wolves-and-leopards-share-the-same-himalayan-valley-study/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321933 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/indias-fishers-confront-homegrown-ghost-gear-problem/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/indias-fishers-confront-homegrown-ghost-gear-problem/#respond 26 Jun 2026 15:21:35 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321907 - Once lost, fishing gear continues to function, whether it drifts through the water column or settles on the seabed, trapping marine life or entangling marine habitat.
- Incentive schemes, retrieval efforts, recycling initiatives and other efforts to reduce harm show promise in some places in India. But experts say they tend to remain piecemeal and face common challenges such as a lack of recycling infrastructure and dependence on short-term funding.
- Many experts say the key to addressing India’s ghost gear problem lies in moving from ad hoc initiatives to institutionalized systems that intervene across the gear’s lifecycle, from design and use to end-of-life disposal.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/indias-fishers-confront-homegrown-ghost-gear-problem/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321907 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/a-trailblazing-ugandan-championing-women-in-african-fisheries-qa-with-lovin-kobusingye/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/a-trailblazing-ugandan-championing-women-in-african-fisheries-qa-with-lovin-kobusingye/#respond 26 Jun 2026 13:45:44 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321885 - Hotels, ports and other developments are reshaping many African coastlines. While they can bring jobs and investment, some women working in fisheries say they are also being pushed away from traditional landing sites and areas they have depended on for generations.
- At a recent gathering of marine organizations in Kenya, one woman stood before the audience to share the realities faced by women fishers, fish traders and others working across the fisheries value chain.
- Uganda’s Lovin Kobusingye knows those realities well. Having overcome numerous obstacles of her own to become a successful entrepreneur, she now advocates on behalf of millions of women working across Africa’s fisheries value chain, many of them women whose contributions to fisheries remain largely unseen and undervalued.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/a-trailblazing-ugandan-championing-women-in-african-fisheries-qa-with-lovin-kobusingye/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321885 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/our-ocean-conference-in-kenya-ends-with-6-4-billion-in-pledges-review-of-past-promises/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/our-ocean-conference-in-kenya-ends-with-6-4-billion-in-pledges-review-of-past-promises/#respond 26 Jun 2026 07:11:38 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321802 - The conference host, Kenya, laid out more than 40 commitments backed by more than $1 billion in finance for the expansion of marine protected areas, fisheries monitoring, climate finance and blue economy.
- With less than five years remaining to meet the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, a lot of attention was on governments to accelerate the process, but experts continued to call for strengthening of existing protections alongside expansions.
- Between 2014 and now, more than 3,200 commitments totaling $176 billion have been made at these conferences, and about 85% of those commitments have been fulfilled or are in the process.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/our-ocean-conference-in-kenya-ends-with-6-4-billion-in-pledges-review-of-past-promises/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321802 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/bangladesh-tests-a-return-to-the-wild-for-extinct-peafowl-populations/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/bangladesh-tests-a-return-to-the-wild-for-extinct-peafowl-populations/#respond 26 Jun 2026 06:45:15 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321813 - The sole chick to hatch from this group is now 6 months old and being considered for full release.
- The Bangladesh Forest Department says it expects more chicks from this year’s breeding and plans to gradually release these into the wild too, specifically into Madhupur National Park, north of Dhaka.
- Conservationists warn that releasing captive peafowl stock into the wild has a high chance of failure and could spread diseases to other wild species.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/bangladesh-tests-a-return-to-the-wild-for-extinct-peafowl-populations/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321813 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/asias-shark-and-ray-hotspots-remain-poorly-protected-study-finds/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/asias-shark-and-ray-hotspots-remain-poorly-protected-study-finds/#respond 26 Jun 2026 03:52:37 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321855 - Despite their ecological importance, only 5.4% of these habitats overlap with existing marine protected areas with only 2.8% falling within fully protected no-take zones, highlighting major conservation gaps.
- Sri Lanka has five identified ISRAs, home to nine species with eight of them threatened with extinction, but only Pigeon Island in the island’s east is formally protected, with most areas still functioning as active fishing grounds.
- The new study underscores an urgent need to move from mapping to management, using ISRAs to guide marine spatial planning, fisheries regulation and habitat protection ahead of global 30×30 ocean targets.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/asias-shark-and-ray-hotspots-remain-poorly-protected-study-finds/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321855 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/chewing-sounds-can-help-decode-an-animals-diet-using-ai-new-study-finds/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/chewing-sounds-can-help-decode-an-animals-diet-using-ai-new-study-finds/#respond 26 Jun 2026 02:29:05 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321853 - The tool was trained with audio of whitespotted eagle rays crushing open shells of the mollusks they are preying on.
- It’s crucial to understand predator-prey interactions to figure out the resources the predator depends on and the pressure it puts on prey.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/chewing-sounds-can-help-decode-an-animals-diet-using-ai-new-study-finds/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321853 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/seizures-reveal-macabre-grey-parrot-blood-trade-in-cameroon/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/seizures-reveal-macabre-grey-parrot-blood-trade-in-cameroon/#respond 25 Jun 2026 18:50:46 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321827 - This trade first came to light in 2025 when forest authorities apprehended individuals caught illegally trapping grey parrots in the park. During interrogation, the poachers said that blood was extracted from trapped birds and likely used for medicine and religious practices.
- These intelligent birds are in demand as pets worldwide; their skulls and colorful feathers are used in belief-based practices, as a cure for speech problems and as decor. Decades of trade has pushed African grey parrots to the brink of extinction.
- Not a lot is known about this blood trade, but conservationists say it points to a general trend where wildlife traffickers are shifting to hard-to-detect products, making it challenging to combat illegal commerce.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/seizures-reveal-macabre-grey-parrot-blood-trade-in-cameroon/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321827 https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/nepals-central-zoo-faces-questions-over-its-bird-flu-response/ https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/nepals-central-zoo-faces-questions-over-its-bird-flu-response/#respond 25 Jun 2026 16:55:44 +0000 https://news.mongabay.com/?p=321835 - Officials gave conflicting dates for when the first dead birds were found, and the zoo stayed open until June 19 despite a positive rapid test on June 14, a five-day gap that allowed the virus to spread through the facility.
- Investigators suspect feral crows were the likely vector, with a nest found near the barn owl enclosure and droppings possibly contaminating the owl’s water supply; contaminated raw chicken fed to carnivores is also being examined.
- The inquiry into the response is being led by the same spokesperson who has publicly defended the zoo’s handling of the outbreak.
]]> Mongabay]]> https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/nepals-central-zoo-faces-questions-over-its-bird-flu-response/feed/ 0 https://doi.org/10.66709/news-321835