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An obituary for Kallur Balan, India’s “Friend of the Forest”

Kallur Balan did not seek recognition. He did not write books, nor command the podium at international climate summits. His work was quieter, the slow and unglamorous toil of one man against the arid land. But when he died on Monday, aged 75, the forests he left behind spoke for him. The hills of Palakkad, […]

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Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo, became an internet sensation—but will her fame help save her species?

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo, became an internet sensation—but will her fame help save her species? Jeremy Hance explored that question in a recent piece on Mongabay News. Moo Deng became TikTok famous overnight. Millions watched videos of her antics: gnawing on a keeper’s boots, chasing water from a hose, and snoozing in a […]

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If nature refuses to give up, why should we?

It’s been a rough few weeks for those who care about the fate of the planet, the wellbeing of others, and the health of the information ecosystem. In moments like these, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—to wonder whether the effort is worth it, whether the tide of setbacks is too strong to push against. This […]

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International Zebra Day

Today is International Zebra Day With their iconic black-and-white stripes, zebras are widely recognized, yet they are often underestimated beyond their striking appearance. Members of the horse family, zebras possess exceptional hearing and eyesight, can sprint up to 70 km/h (43 mph), and deliver kicks powerful enough to deter apex predators. Their distinctive stripes, however, […]

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Obituary for Mikkel Larsen, 1974-2025

Mikkel Larsen, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 50, was a rare breed of executive: a practical idealist who believed that finance could be harnessed to heal the planet. As the former Chief Executive Officer of Climate Impact X (CIX), a Singapore-based carbon exchange, he worked to bring integrity and credibility to voluntary […]

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I shut down my Facebook and Instagram accounts

A few days ago, I decided to deactivate my personal Facebook and Instagram accounts. Many of my Instagram photos can still be found in the photo section of this site and within various Mongabay articles. Some of my Instagram videos are also available on YouTube. You can reach me via email or LinkedIn. Thank you […]

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Jimmy Carter’s conservation legacy

James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th president of the United States, died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100 years old. Known to the world as Jimmy Carter, his presidency was marked by foresight, humility, and an enduring commitment to the environment that would define his legacy long after he left […]

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Obituary for Indonesian conservationist Elva Gemita

Elva Gemita, a steadfast advocate for wildlife and forest conservation in Indonesia, passed away on November 24 at the age of 44. Born and raised near Kerinci Seblat National Park, she developed an early connection with the biodiversity that would define her life’s work. Her career began in the forests of Jambi Province, dismantling illegal […]

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LinkedIn highlights of 2024

Over the past couple of years, LinkedIn has become the most important social media platform for Mongabay and the only channel I use on a regular basis. Here are some of my most personally meaningful posts from 2024. While they may not have reached the largest audience, they hold special significance to me. A letter […]

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David Bonderman: The Investor Who Championed Conservation

David Bonderman, who died on Wednesday at the age of 82, was best known as a titan of private equity, acclaimed for turning undervalued companies into lucrative ventures. Over decades, his sharp instincts and strategic acumen at TPG Capital—formerly Texas Pacific Group—yielded control of firms as diverse as Continental Airlines, J. Crew, and Petco. His […]

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Cambodia’s forests lost another defender: Environmental journalist Chhoeung Chheng

In the gathering dusk of December 4th, Chhoeung Chheng, a Cambodian journalist with a dogged commitment to exposing illegal logging, was shot near Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary. He succumbed to his injuries three days later, his body failing to withstand the assault from a homemade gun. It was a weapon often wielded by poachers but, […]

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For every kilogram of wild land mammal, there are over 50 kilograms of humans and their domesticated counterparts

Today is Wildlife Conservation Day Nature documentaries and conservation campaigns paint an image of Earth teeming with wildlife, but the numbers tell a different story. A February 2023 study, published in PNAS, quantified the biomass of the world’s mammals and revealed an ecosystem heavily dominated by humanity and its livestock. A few striking figures from […]

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International Jaguar Day

Today is International Jaguar Day 🐆 International Jaguar Day is dedicated to a predator whose presence shapes forests, rivers, and plains from northern Mexico to Argentina. The jaguar, Panthera onca, is a creature of paradox: elusive yet emblematic, ferocious yet vulnerable. As the Americas’ largest big cat, its muscular frame and distinctive rosette-patterned coat symbolize […]

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The wisdom of the elders: Why the oldest animals matter

In the twilight of their lives, the world’s oldest creatures carry the weight of wisdom, experience, and resilience.  Yet, these elders—fish that spawn in abundance, coral that shelters marine life, or elephants that guide their herds—are vanishing.  The causes are disturbingly familiar: overfishing, habitat destruction, trophy hunting, and climate change.  A new review led by […]

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Goodbye to the Round Island hurricane palm—for now.

The last wild Round Island hurricane palm, Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum, met its end in a gusty September storm, snapping the final thread tethering this rare tree to its native soil. For decades, it stood alone on its windswept perch on Round Island, a 1.7-square-kilometer dot off the coast of Mauritius. With its pale blue […]

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The extinction of the Slender-billed Curlew: How can we expect other nations to safeguard their species when we have failed our own?

The slender-billed curlew, Numenius tenuirostris, slipped from the world in the way of rare things: gradually, quietly, and irretrievably. Once it coursed over the steppes of Siberia and wintered along Mediterranean shores, its migratory path a delicate thread connecting continents. Its last confirmed sighting, in Morocco in 1995, marked the end of a lineage and […]

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How bird calls differ between species

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, […]

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An obituary for the vaquita

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 […]

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Obituary for Carlos Andrés Ascué Tumbo, the Indigenous Nasa defender

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 […]

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The dominant arguments for protecting nature are not resonating with most Americans

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 […]

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An area of deforested land the size of Mexico could regrow without significant human intervention

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 […]

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This week’s election stands as one of the most consequential in U.S. history for the world’s beleaguered ecosystems, endangered species, and ultimately, the future of our planet

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 […]

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5 weird facts about lemurs for World Lemur Day

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 […]

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Reptile appreciation day

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 […]

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International sloth day

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 […]