Rhett Ayers Butler
This post is an abbreviated response to a recent question about my journey into sustainability My journey into sustainability didn’t begin in a classroom or a boardroom—but in a rainforest in Borneo. I was a teenager, cooling my feet beside a jungle creek, when a wild orangutan emerged in the canopy overhead. We made eye [Continue reading]
Takashi Amano, master of the underwater landscape, died ten years ago this August. A new photo exhibition honors his legacy. NOTE: The first time I saw photographs of Takashi Amano’s aquariums, it changed everything. The glass walls disappeared. Inside was not a tank, but a window into a living world—verdant, balanced, utterly alive. It was [Continue reading]
On a recent trip, Mongabay board member Debby Ng shared a story that keeps replaying in my mind. It’s been 19 years since her account, but it still cuts raw. I’m sharing it because I’ve witnessed losses like this too. Debby had joined a team of scientists from the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity to salvage [Continue reading]
20 years ago, I started Mongabay News with a laptop, a dream, and a sense of urgency — here’s what’s next. Last month marked 20 years since I started Mongabay’s news service. In those early days, it was just me—working from my apartment or traveling with a laptop, publishing articles primarily about tropical forests. My [Continue reading]
This month marks 20 years since I started the Mongabay news service. At the time, it was just me—writing, editing, and publishing from a desk with more ambition than resources. The idea was simple: provide consistent, fact-based environmental reporting that filled a gap I saw between advocacy groups and mainstream media. Coverage of tropical forests [Continue reading]
It’s difficult to describe the feeling of standing beneath Auyán-Tepuí, that towering table mountain in southern Venezuela, except to say that something in me changed. In the mid-1990s, I visited this place—part of Canaima National Park—drawn by the allure of Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall on Earth. But nothing prepared me for the sheer presence [Continue reading]
Not all platforms are worth it After I shared the story behind Mongabay’s decision to deprioritize Facebook, several people asked: Where should impact-driven organizations focus their energy instead? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best platform depends on your audience and what you want them to do with the information you share. Are you trying to [Continue reading]
In 2021, I grappled with a difficult decision. At the time, Facebook accounted for more than 80% of Mongabay’s external referral traffic — but we were increasingly questioning the value of that traffic. Mongabay’s mission as a nonprofit newsroom is to produce journalism that informs and drives impact, not just generate clicks. Years earlier, we’d [Continue reading]
I’ve always loved forests—not just for their beauty, but for the feeling they evoke. Step into a forest and the world changes. The light softens. The air cools. The sounds shift from the chaotic clatter of human life to something older, gentler, and more patient. What draws me back, again and again, is the sense [Continue reading]
My obsession with Madagascar began in childhood. While my friends hung out at the mall or played video games, I hoarded books on the island’s chameleons and lemurs, dreaming of the day I would see them myself. I saved every spare dollar—from jobs, birthdays, even the Tooth Fairy—to fund my future adventure. By college, I [Continue reading]
For my eighth-grade graduation, my parents gave me a basic 10-gallon aquarium. I quickly became obsessed with freshwater fish—not just the common pet store varieties like neon tetras and angelfish, but also more unusual species like elephant-nose fish and upside-down catfish. My fascination led me to devour books and academic papers, work in a fish [Continue reading]
I trust you are well. It’s meant to sound polite. It often isn’t. Over the years, I’ve come to see that how we open conversations matters. Yet this phrase lingers—empty, impersonal, and detached. This may seem trivial given everything happening in the world, but communication matters. If we want it to be meaningful, let’s rethink [Continue reading]
Red lines. (This post discusses threats to press freedom and may be distressing for some readers. Please proceed with care.) We have entered a new era in the United States—one that carries profound risks for journalism. The assumption that the U.S. will remain a safe environment for independent reporting, especially on issues of power and [Continue reading]
How travel shaped my life 🥾 Growing up, travel wasn’t a luxury—it was a way of life. My father’s job meant a steady stream of airline miles, and my mother, a travel agent in the golden age of the industry, had the know-how to turn those miles into experiences on a limited budget in an [Continue reading]
What I wish I knew 25 years ago When I started Mongabay, I wasn’t thinking about building a global news organization. I just wanted to share my love for nature and make people care about what was happening to the world’s forests. Back then, I didn’t know how to run a newsroom, raise money, or [Continue reading]
Not all opportunities are worth taking. In 2010, a high profile literary agent approached me with an enticing offer: Write a book about my journey and the environmental trends shaping the world. It was the kind of opportunity many dream of—a chance to share my perspective, to build my profile, to hold a finished work [Continue reading]
I grew up with an unusual passport for a kid. My father’s constant work travel meant a generous supply of airline miles, and my mother—who built her career as a travel agent focused on international destinations—had the connections to make them go far on a limited budget. We went to the classic places for middle-class [Continue reading]
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 [Continue reading]
“When are you going to get a real job?” I heard this a lot in the early years—from my parents, my peers in Silicon Valley, even a partner at a consulting firm who tried to recruit me out of college. I had stepped away from stability into uncertainty. I’d always had a job since I [Continue reading]
Do you want to contribute to something impactful in a place where you’re an outsider? Here’s what I learned starting Mongabay-Indonesia, an environmental news service in a country where I didn’t even speak the language. 1) Find the right people. The real secret? It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about finding people who do. [Continue reading]
Over the next couple of months, I plan to share weekly posts like this, offering context and insights on my journey in a format different from my usual style. My goal is to explore whether this approach resonates with new audiences and communities. I never set out to become a journalist. When I started Mongabay, [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]
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 International Primate Day. While most people are familiar with monkeys, the great apes, and possibly lemurs, fewer may realize that there are over 500 known species of primates, making them one of the most diverse groups of mammals. These species range from the diminutive Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur of Madagascar to the formidable [Continue reading]