Rhett Ayers Butler
Birdsong has long captivated scientists and poets alike, but the evolutionary and ecological forces that shape its dazzling diversity remain incompletely understood. A recent study led by H S Sathya Chandra Sagar sheds light on these mysteries, leveraging a dataset of over 140,000 recordings from 8,450 species—nearly 80% of the world’s avian diversity. The findings, [Continue reading]
I prepare obituary sketches for high-profile conservation figures and species-on-the-brink in advance, to be held until they’re needed to be developed into full obituaries. The following is one I hope to never publish, though as of today, fewer than ten vaquitas—gentle porpoises no larger than a child—are believed to remain in the wild. 🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬 The [Continue reading]
X/Twitter has become virtually irrelevant as a source of traffic and engagement for us. In preparation for an upcoming board meeting, I reviewed social media engagement data for Mongabay News (news.mongabay.com), the English-language news section of Mongabay (excluding Mongabay-India). The numbers made clear just how much X/Twitter has declined over the past year, even off [Continue reading]
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropped by 31% over the past year, reaching the lowest level in nine years, according to data from the country’s national space research institute, INPE. For the year ending July 31, the Brazilian Amazon rainforest lost 6,288 square kilometers (2,428 square miles)—roughly the size of Delaware in the U.S.—marking the [Continue reading]
Brazil has pledged to restore an expanse of degraded land half the size of the U.K. by 2030, reports Shanna Hanbury. The commitment was made on October 28 at COP16 in Cali in the form of the Planaveg 2.0 initiative, which aims to revive 12 million hectares (30 million acres), approximately half of Brazil’s degraded [Continue reading]
Carlos Andrés Ascué Tumbo, known to friends and comrades as “Lobo,” or “Wolf,” was no stranger to the forces that threatened his land and his people. The son of Colombia’s Andes, he belonged to a long line of Indigenous Nasa defenders and was a dedicated educational coordinator and leader. But in a country labeled as [Continue reading]
The election result is a significant setback for efforts to protected biodiversity and slow climate change. For those committed to defending nature, it may feel as though the walls are closing in. Environmental degradation is intensifying, and America is now expected to pull back from even modest leadership on these critical issues. But giving up [Continue reading]
215 million hectares of deforested and degraded former forest land are capable of natural regrowth without significant human intervention—an area larger than Mexico. That’s according to a study published last week in Nature. The research, based on high-resolution satellite data analysis across the tropics, identified five nations—Brazil, Indonesia, China, Mexico, and Colombia—as having over half [Continue reading]
As we await results from today’s election, one of the most important in recent U.S. history, the implications for the planet and its future feel more pressing than ever. No matter who prevails, our work at Mongabay remains profoundly significant. The outcome will undoubtedly influence policy shifts impacting ecosystems, climate action, and biodiversity, potentially altering [Continue reading]
Tomorrow’s election stands as one of the most consequential in U.S. history—not only for Americans but for the world’s beleaguered ecosystems, endangered species, and ultimately, the future of our planet. The choices voters make will shape the governance of 340 million people and define the fate of Earth’s biodiversity and the fragile web of life [Continue reading]
Today is World Lemur Day Lemurs, Madagascar’s iconic residents, encompass over 100 species. Exclusively endemic to the island (one species was introduced to a neighboring island), these fascinating creatures have evolved into one of the most diverse primate groups on the planet. To celebrate World Lemur Day, here are five lesser-known facts about these remarkable [Continue reading]
With United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 16) starting today in Cali, I thought a fitting way to mark Reptile Appreciation Day would be to highlight the blue anole (https://mongabay.cc/4Ycrmm), endemic to the island of Gorgona, located off the Pacific coast of Colombia, not far from Cali. Gorgona, long noted for its biodiversity, hosts this vibrant [Continue reading]
Today is International Sloth Day 🦥 Sloths, as a group, might be said to epitomize the concept of taking life slowly. The six species, found mainly in Central and South America, spend most of their days hanging from trees, moving deliberately to conserve energy—a strategy shaped by a diet of nutrient-poor leaves. Yet, contrary to [Continue reading]
Once formidable predators in the world’s coastal and estuarine waters, sawfish—members of the ray family with their distinctive, toothed “saws”—now find themselves on the verge of vanishing. On International Sawfish Day, it is worth highlighting a creature whose form is as memorable as its fate is precarious. Sawfish, which can grow up to 7.6 meters [Continue reading]
It doesn’t seem like the news is getting much better. What gives you hope for the future? This was one of the questions, Jennifer Wu asked during our conversation on The Founder Spirit podcast. 🌳 A summary of my response:I see progress in many areas—education, poverty reduction, and health outcomes have improved. People are living [Continue reading]
Yesterday the latest Living Planet Index (LPI) report was released by WWF and Zoological Society of London (ZSL). It paints a sobering picture: wildlife populations have plummeted by an average of 73% over the past half-century. Based on nearly 35,000 monitored population trends spanning 5,495 species, LPI documents a collapse in biodiversity that extends across [Continue reading]
Ryan Killackey, who died on October 4th, aged 46, was a man of singular purpose. Born in Homewood, Illinois, he came of age with a fascination for nature that would eventually drive him to the farthest reaches of the Amazon rainforest. But his was no simple journey of exploration or adventure; it was a pursuit [Continue reading]
Orangutans have long captured the human imagination, their expressive eyes and human-like behaviors drawing parallels with our own species. Yet few individuals have had the opportunity to dive as deeply into the minds and lives of these great apes as Gary L. Shapiro. A pioneer in primate communication, Dr. Shapiro’s work spans five decades, encompassing [Continue reading]
On World Octopus Day 🐙, it seems fitting to reflect on a creature whose intelligence is as intriguing as its ability to blend into its surroundings. The octopus, a soft-bodied mollusc with eight limbs, has long mesmerized audiences ranging from scientists and storytellers. With over 300 species scattered across the oceans—from shallow coral reefs to [Continue reading]
A recent study has put the Indonesian government’s claims about the economic benefits of oil palm cultivation in Papua under scrutiny, reports Hans Nicholas Jong. Papua is the Indonesia-controlled portion of the island of New Guinea The Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation’s analysis reveals that the environmental and social costs tied to the palm oil industry [Continue reading]
Global interest in reforestation as a climate solution is growing, but with it comes a proliferation of inexperienced organizations and opaque strategies, often resulting in failures and unintended consequences. This trend has led to calls for greater transparency in reporting outcomes and best practices. A recent study led by researchers at the University of California, [Continue reading]
I recently had the pleasure to speak with Brodie Hopkins for the “Protect the World” podcast. The episode is titled Journalism for People and the Planet with Rhett Butler. Protect the World is dedicated to the people and orgs making the world a better place. Every month, Hopkins connects with an NGO that’s addressing inequality [Continue reading]
Planet has unveiled Project Centinela, an initiative designed to bolster conservation efforts in some of the world’s most vulnerable biodiversity hotspots. The program will provide cutting-edge satellite imagery and analytical tools to scientists and conservationists working in areas at the highest risk of species extinction. By offering access to high-resolution, high-frequency data, Planet seeks to [Continue reading]
The notion that climate change poses a significant health risk is not as widely acknowledged as it should be. Yet the relationship between a warming planet and human well-being is profound, with impacts ranging from heat waves to the spread of infectious diseases. Alan Dangour, Director of Climate and Health at Wellcome, is determined to [Continue reading]
Today is World Gorilla Day The lush forests of equatorial Africa, once a riot of life teeming with an unimaginable richness of plants and creatures, are yielding to a more ordered world—trees and crops planted in straight lines, forest sounds replaced by the hum of chainsaws and motorbikes, the rich, earthy scent of understory vegetation [Continue reading]