Climate change, overfishing and habitat loss have caused a sharp decline in fish stocks around Pemba Island, off the coast of Tanzania. To find a new income from the sea, women from Pemba are turning to sustainable seaweed farming, Mongabay’s video team reported in May.

Seaweed farming was introduced to the island in 1989. It has a low environmental impact at small scale, especially since it’s grown in shallow ocean water and doesn’t require fertilizers, freshwater or arable land. Today, the practice helps seaweed farmers, who are mostly women, support their families.

“I have been a seaweed farmer since 1995. I value this activity as it helps me provide food for my family, pay for my children’s education, and earn a living,” seaweed farmer Shadya told Mongabay.

She added that the seaweed farm has created something of a microhabitat attracting a variety of fish, squid, octopus and other marine animals. Studies also show that seaweed farms can mitigate the local effects of ocean acidification.

Seaweed has become one of Tanzania’s main exports, Mongabay reported. In light of this, the government has been supporting programs for sustainable seaweed farming.

“Since this project, they’ve adopted modern farming techniques,” seaweed agriculture expert Aisha Hamisi Sultani told Mongabay, referring to what is called a double loop system.

More than 25,000 seaweed farmers, mostly women, have benefited from a government program in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. With improved cultivation techniques, the farmers are able to earn more money.

“It helped us greatly as our harvests have increased,” Shadya said.

Despite their progress, the seaweed farmers of Tanzania still face a number of challenges, including the changing climate.

“When the water gets too hot, the seaweed is damaged. During strong winds, it gets scattered,” Shadya said.

Sultani said the farmers also have to deal with ocean pollution from improper waste disposal.

Most of the seaweed sold for export is used to make carrageenan or agar, which are thickening and stabilizing agents for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

“Over 90% of seaweed is exported as raw material. Farmers, especially women, do not benefit because they’re given a lower price,” Ayubu Singoye, an aquaculture specialist with TNC, told Mongabay.

For a kilogram of seaweed they are paid just 700 shillings or 25 U.S. cents, or about 12 cents a pound.

Sultani said the next step is to process the seaweed locally, creating value-added seaweed products so the farmers can earn more from their labor.

Singoye said the government has already built a factory in Pemba to process seaweed into carrageenan.

“Hopefully when the factory starts [early next year], we’ll be able to process here and have a better price,” Singoye said.

Watch the full video here.

Banner image of a woman farming seaweed at Pemba Island, Tanzania. Image © Franz Thiel.

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Authorities in southern Mexico were still assessing damage and watching rising rivers as rain from the remnants of Hurricane Erick doused the region. Authorities reported landslides, blocked highways, downed power lines and some flooding. At least one death was confirmed late Thursday, a 1-year-old boy who drowned in a swollen river. Acapulco residents and remaining tourists emerged to walk outside or visit the few open businesses as the remnants of Hurricane Erick scraped by just inland of the resort.

Reporting by Fabiola Sánchez and Luis Alberto Cruz, Associated Press

Banner image: Residents remove debris after the passing of Hurricane Erick, near Charco Redondo, Oaxaca state, Mexico, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Alberto Cruz)

Scavengers aren’t the most charismatic of animals, but they perform a vital task: by eating carrion, they remove dead animals from our environments. Yet large-bodied scavengers are declining worldwide, increasing the risk of the spread of diseases, according to a recent study.

Researchers found that 1,376 animal species have been recorded in the scientific literature to either partially or fully eat carrion as part of their diets. They range from vultures and hyenas, to tiger sharks and cane toads, and even some salamanders, orcas and shrews.

Of these documented scavengers, only 17 species, or 1%, are obligate scavengers, those whose diet is fully comprised of carrion. A further 50% are facultative scavengers, meaning carrion is just part of their diet. For the remaining 49% of scavenging species, their dependence on carrion isn’t well-described, although they’re likely to be facultative, the authors write.

The study found that about 36% of the known scavenging species are either threatened with extinction, or are declining in number, according to the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority.

What’s most worrying, the authors say, is that apex scavengers — the most efficient, large-bodied or obligate scavengers that consume the most carrion in an ecosystem — are declining. These include large scavengers in the marine world like some sharks, albatrosses and petrels, and those on land, such as hyenas and vultures. In India, for example, several vulture species have suffered catastrophic population declines of 97-99.9% since the 1990s.

On the other hand, some smaller-sized scavenging animals, or mesoscavengers, are thriving. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, the authors write, because they don’t consume the same amounts of carrion that apex scavengers do, and some mesoscavengers like dogs and rodents are themselves carriers of diseases.

“Scavengers are in decline, but it’s not homogeneous,” study co-author Rodolfo Dirzo, from Stanford University, U.S., said in a statement. “It is particularly the large and specialized ones. At the same time, this allows space for the smaller scavengers, which are problematic because they are themselves sources of zoonotic diseases. They are also not capable of compensating as they cannot consume as much carrion.”

After the decline of vultures in India, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, for instance, dog numbers increasingly filled the void as scavengers. With dogs far more likely to come into contact with people, deadly zoonotic diseases like echinococcosis, leishmaniasis and rabies also increased. Similarly, an increase in rat and mouse populations has been associated with more leptospirosis outbreaks over the past decades in the Caribbean, East Africa, Oceania and Southeast Asia.

Pablo Plaza, a veterinarian at the National University of Comahue in Argentina, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Science News that scientists still need to collect experimental evidence to understand how big the health impact of scavenger decline might be. But he added he hopes that studies like this one will promote conservation of large scavengers.

Banner image of vultures feeding on carrion, by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.

June 22 marks World Rainforest Day, launched in 2017 by Rainforest Partnership to highlight the critical role of tropical forests. These ecosystems stabilize the climate, regulate rainfall, store vast amounts of carbon, and support most of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Yet despite their importance, 2024 proved to be a devastating year. Fires ravaged millions of hectares, and several regions experienced record levels of primary forest loss.

Here’s a snapshot of the 10 largest tropical rainforest regions:

1. Amazon

The Amazon is Earth’s largest rainforest, essential to continental rainfall patterns and global climate regulation. Renowned for its rich biodiversity and Indigenous cultures, more than half of the tropics’ primary forest lies here. It also accounts for the greatest loss — nearly 44 million hectares (109 million acres) since 2002, an area roughly the size of Iraq. Fires in 2024 hit Brazil and Bolivia especially hard.

2. Congo Basin

Home to gorillas, bonobos and the elusive okapi, the Congo rainforest spans Central Africa, with 60% located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Deforestation remained relatively low until the 2010s, but has surged in recent years.

3. New Guinea & Northern Australia

New Guinea, the world’s second-largest island, is a biodiversity stronghold with species found nowhere else — like tree kangaroos and cassowaries. Though still among the least-disturbed major forest regions, threats from oil palm expansion, mining and logging are rising.

4. Sundaland

Comprising Borneo and Sumatra, this region has seen the highest proportional forest loss since 2000 due to industrial plantations. It’s a critical habitat for rhinos, orangutans and other iconic species.

5. Indo-Burma

Stretching across parts of mainland Southeast Asia, Indo-Burma features diverse forest types and iconic wildlife including tigers and Asian elephants. Human pressure has led to widespread fragmentation and degradation.

6. Mesoamerica

From southern Mexico to Panama, Mesoamerica’s rainforests are hotspots for birds and amphibians. Deforestation, driven by agriculture and fire, is accelerating in some areas.

7. Wallacea

Indonesia’s Sulawesi and nearby islands are home to highly endemic species. Forest loss has increased due to plantations and infrastructure development.

8. Guinean Forests of West Africa

Heavily impacted by agriculture and logging, these forests are fragmented, but the remaining patches are still ecologically rich.

9. Atlantic Forest

Once stretching along Brazil’s coast into Argentina and Paraguay, the Atlantic Forest has lost more cover than any other region listed. Restoration efforts are now underway.

10. Chocó-Darién

Running from Panama to northern Ecuador, this is the world’s wettest rainforest — and the least deforested among the major tropical zones.

The outlook is sobering, but not yet hopeless. Many rainforests can still be saved if immediate action is taken. Political will, sustained funding and strong governance are essential. Indigenous and local communities, proven stewards of these ecosystems, must lead the way. On this World Rainforest Day, the message is urgent: time is short, but there is still a path forward.

Banner image of a squirrel monkey in the Colombian Amazon by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.

Rainforests are among the most critical ecosystems on Earth. Home to roughly half of all terrestrial species, they provide oxygen and habitat, and help regulate regional rain and weather patterns.

In honor of World Rainforest Day on June 22, we look at two recent Mongabay investigations that shed light on the challenges and triumphs in the world’s largest  and most biodiverse rainforest: the Amazon, home to roughly 10% of all known species on Earth.

Despite its ecological importance, parts of the Amazon are hotbeds of violence, illegal deforestation, cattle grazing, mining, and drug smuggling. Mongabay’s reporters traveled to the rainforest, at personal risk, to tell those stories.

Narco airstrips in the Peruvian Amazon

In 2024, Mongabay Latam journalists trekked through the dense Peruvian Amazon to see firsthand a clandestine airstrip used for drug trafficking. Combining AI-analyzed satellite images, official records and on-the-ground reporting, the team uncovered 67 such clandestine airstrips. Many of them were located in or near Indigenous territories.

Their six-part investigation documented deforestation linked to the airstrips and revealed a climate of violence: at least 15 Indigenous leaders have been killed in the region. In two communities, reporters learned that schoolchildren had overdosed on cocaine brought to the community, and residents lived in fear of armed traffickers.

“We know where the airstrips are; they’re not very far from where we live, but we don’t go there for safety reasons,” a source, who asked not be named for fear of their safety, told Mongabay. “They’re armed, and everything is guarded. They’ve even surrounded them with mines.”

Indigenous Guajajara are killed in record numbers amid surge in illegal cattle

In a year-long investigation, Mongabay’s Karla Mendes found that illegal cattle ranching in the Arariboia Indigenous Territory in the Brazilian Amazon coincided with a record number of killings of Indigenous residents. In 2023, four Guajajara individuals were killed, while another three survived attempts on their lives.

With support from the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network, Mendes visited the Indigenous territory and witnessed illegal cattle ranching firsthand. She then used satellite imagery, data analysis and in-person interviews with the locals and officials to paint a full picture of the illegal activity and violence against forest guardians.

Mendes found that many of the ranches illegally encroaching on Indigenous land were owned by people with a history of criminal activity, including land grabbing, illegal logging and illegal firearm possession.

Following the Mongabay investigation, Brazilian authorities removed thousands of illegal cattle from the region, citing Mendes’s reporting as the reason for their action.

“It was a topic that I would say had gone a bit unnoticed,” Marcos Kaingang, national secretary for Indigenous territorial rights at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, told Mongabay.

The report has been quoted in a book, podcast, and CBC series. It recieved an honorable mention from a Brazilian journalism prize and is on the shortlist for another top environmental journalism award.

Banner image of the Peruvian Amazon, by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.

The fishing community of Barra do Mamanguape on Brazil’s northeastern coast used to be a hunting site for manatees. But today, the villagers have turned to ecotourism and are now protecting the manatees, Mongabay’s video team reported in May.

The village estuary, where river meets the sea, has warm, calm waters, perfect habitat for manatees. During Brazil’s colonization, manatees were considered a delicacy, with the meat eaten by local fishers and the skin and oil exported to Europe.

“What I heard is that its meat was similar to pork,” Marinalva Brito, a local fisher and business owner, told Mongabay.

Initially scientists knew very little about manatees. By the time they’d assessed their populations, the species was considered critically endangered, prompting conservation efforts, including the founding in 2013 of the nonprofit Viva o Peixe-Boi Marinho (Long Live the Sea Manatee).

The group engaged with local fishers to learn from them and raise awareness about conservation.

“They knew a lot. And from that, we had lectures, there were face-to-face conversations, there were experiences of participating in fishing activities with them,” João Carlos Borges, coordinator of Viva o Peixe-Boi Marinho, told Mongabay.

With this sustained community outreach, local attitudes began to change. Instead of killing stranded manatees for food, villagers were now reporting them for rescue.

“My grandparents were people who ate manatees, and today we have a different experience,” ecologist Sebastião dos Santos told Mongabay. “We learned that, within the communities, the manatee is much more important alive, contributing to generate income, to attract people to come here.”

Today, the manatees are attracting ecotourists, who support the community by spending money on local accommodation, food and services.

The residents have also become advocates of the manatees’ cause, helping monitor and rehabilitate stranded manatees. Since the 1990s, the group has rescued around 60 manatees.

Although manatees are no longer hunted, some are injured by boats strikes, suffering deep cuts from propellers. At least 10 rescued manatees that were returned to the wild have been hit by boats. So the group is working to propose stronger rules on boat travel in the area to prevent such accidents.

It’s also advocating for stricter enforcement of existing regulations: more than 80% of the manatee boat strikes happen within 200 meters (660 feet) of the coastline, which is supposed to be off-limits to boat traffic, meaning the vessels involved are inside a prohibited area.

“So our big challenge is how to get all of society involved in a responsibility that is shared by everyone, which is this mission of conserving manatees,” Borges said. “We need to change, and quickly.”

Watch the video “How manatees won over an entire village” here.

Banner image of a manatee in Barra do Mamanguape, courtesy of Projeto Viva o Peixe Boi-Marinho.