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	<channel>
		<title>Conservation news</title>
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		<link>https://news.mongabay.com/</link>
		<description>Environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 20:04:47 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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	<title>Conservation news</title>
	<link>https://news.mongabay.com/</link>
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				<item>
					<title>Nigeria arrests suspected pangolin trafficking kingpin on the run</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/nigeria-arrests-suspected-pangolin-trafficking-kingpin-on-the-run/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/nigeria-arrests-suspected-pangolin-trafficking-kingpin-on-the-run/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 18:51:57 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Spoorthy Raman]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27184418/pangolin-black-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318234</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Nigeria]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Crime, Endangered Species, Environmental Crime, Illegal Trade, Organized Crime, Pangolins, Wildlife, Wildlife Crime, Wildlife Trade, and Wildlife Trafficking]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Authorities in Nigeria have arrested the suspected kingpin of a transnational pangolin trafficking network, the latest in a series of high-profile wildlife busts in the country. Shamsideen Abubakar was linked to a September 2021 case in which authorities seized 1,009.5 kilograms (2,226 pounds) of scales in Lagos, estimated to have come from at least 5,451 [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Authorities in Nigeria have arrested the suspected kingpin of a transnational pangolin trafficking network, the latest in a series of high-profile wildlife busts in the country. Shamsideen Abubakar was linked to a September 2021 case in which authorities seized 1,009.5 kilograms (2,226 pounds) of scales in Lagos, estimated to have come from at least 5,451 pangolins. Two of his associates, Sunday Ebenyi and Salif Sandwidi, were arrested at the time, but Abubakar himself remained on the run until now. The arrest was the result of a collaboration between Nigerian authorities and Netherlands-based NGO the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC). “The arrest sends a strong signal to Nigeria’s illegal wildlife trafficking network that arrest warrants will be strongly pursued,” Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) said in a press release. Abubakar’s arrest follows two high-profile busts in Nigeria over the last two years. Each resulted in the seizure of several tons of pangolin scales and the arrest of suspected wildlife trafficking kingpins, including Chinese and Vietnamese nationals. Pangolin scales are coveted in East Asia for use in traditional medicine, and the meat is eaten in Nigeria. Selling pangolins is banned in the country and internationally, but they continue to be sold on the black market for a hefty price. Trafficking has driven all eight known pangolin species to the brink of extinction: three are listed as critically endangered, three as endangered and two as vulnerable. The high profits and low risks involved in such wildlife crime attract transnational criminal&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/nigeria-arrests-suspected-pangolin-trafficking-kingpin-on-the-run/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Rare, high-altitude jaguar sighting in Honduras raises hope for conservation</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/rare-high-altitude-jaguar-sighting-in-honduras-raises-hope-for-conservation/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/rare-high-altitude-jaguar-sighting-in-honduras-raises-hope-for-conservation/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 18:44:42 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Spoorthy Raman]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sharon Guynup]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27151446/IMG_0172-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318205</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Central America, Honduras, and North America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Big Cats, Biodiversity, Camera Trapping, Cats, Conservation, Environment, Jaguars, Mammals, Predators, Research, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[High in the Sierra del Merendón mountains in Honduras, a jaguar has been photographed at 2,200 meters, or about 7,200 feet — an unusually lofty elevation for a species that usually sticks to lowland forests and wetlands. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are typically found below 1,000 m (3,300 ft), making high-elevation sightings so unusual that scientists [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[High in the Sierra del Merendón mountains in Honduras, a jaguar has been photographed at 2,200 meters, or about 7,200 feet — an unusually lofty elevation for a species that usually sticks to lowland forests and wetlands. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are typically found below 1,000 m (3,300 ft), making high-elevation sightings so unusual that scientists have coined a term for the big cats spotted here: cloud jaguars. Seeing jaguars at this elevation is very rare, said Allison Devlin, who directs the jaguar program for U.S.-based wildcat conservation NGO Panthera. “The fact that they&#8217;re able to travel through these high elevation areas also shows how resilient they are.” The jaguar, a healthy-looking young male, was photographed by camera traps on Feb. 6 this year — almost 10 years to the day, and in the same location, where camera traps captured the first recorded glimpse of an elusive cloud jaguar in the Sierra del Merendón. The mountains form an important corridor between Honduras and Guatemala, linking the jaguar’s historical range, which spans 18 countries across the Americas, running from Mexico to Argentina. As apex predators, jaguars play a key role in the ecosystem by keeping prey populations healthy and balanced, and in helping prevent zoonotic diseases that jump between species and can infect humans. But like all wild cats, they face multiple threats. Once-intact forests are being felled to make way for human settlements, plantations, ranches, mines and other developments. Climate change is also taking a toll: Forest fires are scorching wetlands&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/rare-high-altitude-jaguar-sighting-in-honduras-raises-hope-for-conservation/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Offshore wind’s clean energy potential remains largely untapped, say experts</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/offshore-winds-clean-energy-potential-remains-largely-untapped-say-experts/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/offshore-winds-clean-energy-potential-remains-largely-untapped-say-experts/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 16:28:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sean Mowbray]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Glenn Scherer]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27143258/a.-CHINA-kilian-murphy-KtRsIaZZSfE-unsplash-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318181</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Planetary Boundaries]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[China, Europe, and Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative Energy, China And Energy, Clean Energy, Climate, Climate Change, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Politics, Environment, Environmental Politics, Green Energy, Oceans, Planetary Boundaries, Renewable Energy, Research, Wind, and Wind Power]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Winds sweep across the world’s oceans every day, and harnessing that largely unused resource has the potential to provide abundant, clean and reliable energy. Experts widely agree that marine wind could play a vital role in reducing fossil fuel reliance and tackling climate change, while also bolstering energy security. “The beauty of it is that [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Winds sweep across the world’s oceans every day, and harnessing that largely unused resource has the potential to provide abundant, clean and reliable energy. Experts widely agree that marine wind could play a vital role in reducing fossil fuel reliance and tackling climate change, while also bolstering energy security. “The beauty of it is that the technology is tried, tested, proven, and has scaled,” says Amisha Patel, head of secretariat at the Global Offshore Wind Alliance. “This is not just about climate, it&#8217;s about having energy independence for many nations and regions as well.” Tapping into only a tiny fraction of that overall potential could reap gigantic benefits. A 2025 paper found that utilizing even just 1% of the global area suitable for offshore wind could produce roughly 20% of current global electricity demand, and cut carbon emissions by more than 2.3 billion metric tons annually. “Our key finding is that a relatively small fraction of suitable ocean area could deliver substantial climate and energy benefits,” Yi Wen, a lead author on that study with the National University of Singapore (NUS), told Mongabay in an email. But today, marine wind remains almost entirely untapped, with only around 15,000 offshore turbines producing just over 80 gigawatts of electricity, and another 150 GW of offshore wind farms under development. In 2024, energy generation from these turbines was sufficient to power around 73 million households. Wind turbines off Guishan Island, Zhuhai, China. Image by Squids Z via Unsplash (Public domain). To date, the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/offshore-winds-clean-energy-potential-remains-largely-untapped-say-experts/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/offshore-winds-clean-energy-potential-remains-largely-untapped-say-experts/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Researchers say remote Lake Superior island&#8217;s wolves are thriving as packs prey on moose</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/researchers-say-remote-lake-superior-islands-wolves-are-thriving-as-packs-prey-on-moose/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/researchers-say-remote-lake-superior-islands-wolves-are-thriving-as-packs-prey-on-moose/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 15:07:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Associated Press]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27150132/AP26116728429925-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318208</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[United States]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Ecology, Islands, Mammals, Research, and Wolves]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Wolves on a remote island in Lake Superior appear to be thriving, but they&#8217;re making deep dents in the moose population that they rely on as a leading food source, according to a report released Monday. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) national park in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Wolves on a remote island in Lake Superior appear to be thriving, but they&#8217;re making deep dents in the moose population that they rely on as a leading food source, according to a report released Monday. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) national park in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The island is a natural laboratory, offering scientists a rare opportunity to observe wolves and moose largely free from human influence. Researchers have conducted wolf and moose population surveys on the island since 1958. The surveys had been an annual winter event when the roadless island is closed to visitors, but researchers have run into obstacles in recent years. The pandemic in 2021 forced scientists to cancel the survey for the first time. The National Park Service ordered researchers to evacuate the island during their 2024 winter survey after weeks of unusually warm weather left the ice surrounding the island unsafe for ski-plane landings. Researchers rely on the planes for easier wildlife tracking but the island has no runway, forcing them to land on iced-over Lake Superior. Things didn&#8217;t go much better last year when researchers were forced to scrap the effort after their pilot suffered a last-minute medical issue. But this year a team of researchers led by scientists from Michigan Tech University were able to conduct a survey from Jan. 22 through March 3. Findings from the survey led them to estimate the island&#8217;s wolf population at 37 animals. Data scientists gathered before they evacuated in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/researchers-say-remote-lake-superior-islands-wolves-are-thriving-as-packs-prey-on-moose/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Peru bets on bamboo to restore nature in its main coca-growing region</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/peru-bets-on-bamboo-to-restore-nature-in-its-main-coca-growing-region/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/peru-bets-on-bamboo-to-restore-nature-in-its-main-coca-growing-region/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 14:48:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anastasia AustinDouwe den Held]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Alexandrapopescu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crops]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plantation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Protected Areas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tropical Deforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife Conservation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27100809/DSC06579-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318101</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Latin America, Peru, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Bamboo, Biodiversity, Conservation, Deforestation, Endangered Species, Forests, Green, Happy-upbeat Environmental, Plantations, Protected Areas, Reforestation, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[PICHARI, Peru — It’s nearly 5 p.m., and the bamboo grove is filled with children. In silence, they’re looking up in awe. The monkeys have arrived. They jump from stalk to bamboo stalk and skitter down trees, not approaching the humans below but sometimes pausing to stare back. Monkey sightings are rare in Peru’s Valley [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[PICHARI, Peru — It’s nearly 5 p.m., and the bamboo grove is filled with children. In silence, they’re looking up in awe. The monkeys have arrived. They jump from stalk to bamboo stalk and skitter down trees, not approaching the humans below but sometimes pausing to stare back. Monkey sightings are rare in Peru’s Valley of the Rivers Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro, also known as VRAEM. Deforestation, much of it to make way for coca crops, has pushed wildlife to the margins of populated areas. But here, in the bamboo forest planted by Yuri Paredes just a few kilometers outside Pichari, VRAEM’s de facto capital, monkeys are coming back. For decades, illegal coca cultivation has dominated the region, clearing its primary forests and stripping the soil of nutrients. To restore local ecosystems, in the last three years Peruvian authorities have been counting on expanding bamboo plantations, which they say will also bring back wildlife and allow farmers to profit from the crop. Yet some farmers and experts remain critical. In 2023, PROVRAEM, a Ministry of Agriculture initiative for sustainable rural development in the region, launched the Bamboo Sustainable Development Project to help more than 2,400 local farming families and boost the industry. So far, it has spent approximately 16.7 million soles ($4.9 million) to plant nearly 1,300 hectares (about 3,200 acres)  of bamboo. The agency hopes to extend the project for at least another three years. Paredes’s 6-hectare (15-acre) bamboo forest, the biggest of its kind in the region, has&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/peru-bets-on-bamboo-to-restore-nature-in-its-main-coca-growing-region/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>What it takes to make conservation work in Central Africa: Luis Arranz&#8217;s 46-year journey</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/what-it-takes-to-make-conservation-work-in-central-africa-luis-arranzs-46-year-journey/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/what-it-takes-to-make-conservation-work-in-central-africa-luis-arranzs-46-year-journey/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 10:48:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[David AkanaRhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/13132444/Luis-Arranza-CAR-by-Nuria-Ortega-WWF-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=316927</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Congo, Congo Basin, Democratic Republic Of Congo, and Drc]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Communities and conservation, Community-based Conservation, Conflict, Conservation, Environment, Featured, Human-wildlife Conflict, Interviews, Parks, Protected Areas, Wildlife Conservation, and Wildlife Rangers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Luis Arranz arrived in Africa in 1980 with little more than a degree in biology and a determination to work in the field. Without contacts or a clear path, he drove south from Spain in a small Citroën 2CV, crossing the Sahara over several weeks and repairing the car as it failed along the way. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Luis Arranz arrived in Africa in 1980 with little more than a degree in biology and a determination to work in the field. Without contacts or a clear path, he drove south from Spain in a small Citroën 2CV, crossing the Sahara over several weeks and repairing the car as it failed along the way. The journey is unusual. The work that followed is uncommon in its form and duration: more than four decades spent managing protected areas in Central Africa. His career has taken him through Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and South America, but it is in Central Africa that it has largely settled. He has led or helped run parks including Monte Alén, Zakouma, Garamba, Dzanga-Sangha, and now Salonga, often remaining in each for extended periods. That continuity has shaped his approach. He tends to describe conservation less in terms of design than of execution—what can be maintained over time, and what cannot. Photo courtesy of Luis Arranz This perspective runs through a series of conversations that took place in forests, villages, and vehicles across the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo in March 2026. Arranz is skeptical of the emphasis placed on planning processes and external analysis. He returns instead to implementation. “We know what we have to do,” he says, referring to the distance between written plans and what can be carried out in practice. Much of the work, in his account, comes down to transport, communication, and maintaining teams across large and difficult&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/what-it-takes-to-make-conservation-work-in-central-africa-luis-arranzs-46-year-journey/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>A blue-nosed chameleon in Madagascar: Photo of the week</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/a-blue-nosed-chameleon-in-madagascar-photo-of-the-week/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/a-blue-nosed-chameleon-in-madagascar-photo-of-the-week/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 09:37:15 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shanna Hanbury]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27093549/%C2%A9Julie-Larsen-7629-Blue-nosed-Chameleon-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318182</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Madagascar]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, Lizards, Photography, Photos, Protected Areas, Reptiles, Species, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, and Wildlife Trade]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Blue-nosed chameleons, a lizard species found only in northern Madagascar, are known for their colorful noses, which brighten when they get excited. For many years, lack of data meant the blue-nosed chameleon was classified as the species Calumma boettgeri, a chameleon whose nose, while also prominently shaped, isn’t blue. It was only in 2015 that [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Blue-nosed chameleons, a lizard species found only in northern Madagascar, are known for their colorful noses, which brighten when they get excited. For many years, lack of data meant the blue-nosed chameleon was classified as the species Calumma boettgeri, a chameleon whose nose, while also prominently shaped, isn’t blue. It was only in 2015 that scientists published a revision: the blue-nosed chameleon, they declared, is it’s own species, Calumma linotum. Apart from a few other differences in size and shape, C. linotum’s coloration was described as “a blue rostral appendage and greenish turquoise extremities,” compared to the “inconspicuously yellowish brown” C. boettgeri. The photograph, by Mongabay photo editor Julie Larsen, was taken in northern Madagascar’s Montagne d&#8217;Ambre National Park, home to one of two known populations of the species. C. linotum’s conservation status is currently considered least concern on the IUCN Red List due to its relatively high density and presence in a well-managed park. However, every year, hundreds of thousands of chameleons are taken from the wild, both legally and illegally, to be sold on the exotic pet trade. Chameleons are challenging to keep alive and healthy in captivity, yet remain among the most popular reptiles in the trade due to their distinctive features. C. linotum, like most other chameleons, is listed on Appendix II of CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty, meaning its international trade requires permits and monitoring. According to a recent study, reptile species found only on islands are much more vulnerable to extinction than mainland&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/a-blue-nosed-chameleon-in-madagascar-photo-of-the-week/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Celebrating the &#8216;gardeners of the forest&#8217; on World Tapir Day</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/celebrating-the-gardeners-of-the-forest-on-world-tapir-day/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/celebrating-the-gardeners-of-the-forest-on-world-tapir-day/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 07:20:40 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27041903/Shariff-Mohamad-WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-27-at-11.12.451-e1777263627665-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318177</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Camera Trapping, Endangered, Endangered Species, Environment, Indigenous Communities, Iucn, Mammals, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Described as &#8220;gardeners of the forest,&#8221; tapirs help maintain healthy ecosystems by dispersing seeds and landscaping the vegetation. Yet they remain underfunded for research. All four tapir species — the Asian (Malayan) tapir (Tapirus indicus), Baird’s tapir (T. bairdii), the lowland or South American tapir (T. terrestris) and the mountain tapir (T. pinchaque) — are [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Described as &#8220;gardeners of the forest,&#8221; tapirs help maintain healthy ecosystems by dispersing seeds and landscaping the vegetation. Yet they remain underfunded for research. All four tapir species — the Asian (Malayan) tapir (Tapirus indicus), Baird’s tapir (T. bairdii), the lowland or South American tapir (T. terrestris) and the mountain tapir (T. pinchaque) — are currently listed as vulnerable or endangered on the IUCN Red List. They face mounting pressures from habitat fragmentation and loss, hunting, and climate change. In honor of World Tapir Day on April 27, we highlight recent Mongabay stories from the frontlines of tapir conservation. New light on Asian tapir strongholds in Thailand In Thailand, researchers used &#8220;bycatch&#8221; data from camera traps to identify critical refuges for the endangered Asian tapir. Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan reported in Feb 2026 that the study led by biologist Wyatt Petersen analyzed archived photos from camera traps originally intended to monitor bears in the Khlong Saeng–Khao Sok Forest Complex between 2016 and 2017. From the photos, the researchers identified at least 43 individual tapirs and estimated a population density of six to 10 individuals per 100 square kilometers (16-26 per 100 square miles). This suggests the forest complex could hold up to 436 mature tapirs, a figure significantly higher than previous estimates for Thailand and Myanmar combined. While the researchers warn these numbers must be interpreted with caution, the findings underscore the importance of protecting intact forest strongholds for the species&#8217; long-term survival. Indigenous guardians protect the ‘Sacha wagra’ in Colombia&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/celebrating-the-gardeners-of-the-forest-on-world-tapir-day/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Heat, fires and agribusiness squeeze traditional Amazon açaí harvesters</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/heat-fires-and-agribusiness-squeeze-traditional-amazon-acai-harvesters/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/heat-fires-and-agribusiness-squeeze-traditional-amazon-acai-harvesters/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 07:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Carla Ruas]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Alexandre de Santi]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23204151/e.-GP0STPODX_Low-res-800px-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318072</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Amazon, Amazon River, Brazil, Latin America, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Amazon Agriculture, Amazon Drought, Amazon People, Amazon Rainforest, Bees, Bioeconomy, Climate, Climate Change, Conservation, Crops, Drought, El Nino, Environment, Farming, Fires, Food, Forests, Heatwave, Indigenous Communities, Indigenous Peoples, Monocultures, Weather, and wildfires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The global craze for açaí is driving a plantation boom that leaves the forest’s original harvesters behind.]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[ACARÁ, Brazil — “I’ve spent my whole life working with açaí,” said Eliseu Carvalho, 57, who cultivates the berry in a floodplain area next to his home in the municipality of Acará, in the Brazilian state of Pará. “I’ve always made a living from it.” But after a devastating wildfire near his community, Carvalho is now considering abandoning açaí harvesting altogether. Acará is one of the most productive açaí regions in the state of Pará, with thousands of small-scale producers working in forest patches and along riverbanks. In 2024, the municipality was severely affected by an intense wildfire season. More than 18 million hectares (44.5 million acres) — an area the size of Cambodia — burned in the Amazon that year, according to the Brazilian collaborative research network MapBiomas. Most of the burning occurred in forest areas, threatening frontline communities. Carvalho said he watched the flames burn for more than 20 days and consume almost 30 hectares (74 acres) of forestland. Prolonged drought conditions had left the humid vegetation unusually dry, leaving it much more susceptible to fire. “The flames spread through roots and organic matter,” he told Mongabay in Acará. “We would put them out on the surface, but they kept burning underground.” Açaí farmer Eliseu Carvalho shows his land in Acará, where a devastating wildfire burned down their açaí production in 2024. Image by Carla Ruas. When firefighters and volunteers finally managed to control the fire, about 2 hectares (5 acres) of açaí palms had burned to the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/heat-fires-and-agribusiness-squeeze-traditional-amazon-acai-harvesters/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>After nearly a century, Taiwan&#8217;s legless lizard gets its own identity</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/after-nearly-a-century-taiwans-legless-lizard-gets-its-own-identity/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/after-nearly-a-century-taiwans-legless-lizard-gets-its-own-identity/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 04:01:42 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27035847/Low-Res_SciComm-PR-2026-Instagram-43-e1777262473998.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318174</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Citizen Science, Lizards, New Discovery, Science, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new study has cleared up a century’s worth of identity confusion surrounding a secretive, legless lizard found in Taiwan&#8217;s forests. Researchers from National Taiwan Normal University confirmed the Formosan legless lizard (Dopasia formosensis) is a distinct species endemic to the island, separate from the more widespread Hart&#8217;s glass lizard (D. harti), under which it [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new study has cleared up a century’s worth of identity confusion surrounding a secretive, legless lizard found in Taiwan&#8217;s forests. Researchers from National Taiwan Normal University confirmed the Formosan legless lizard (Dopasia formosensis) is a distinct species endemic to the island, separate from the more widespread Hart&#8217;s glass lizard (D. harti), under which it was previously clubbed. Legless lizards, often mistaken for snakes, possess several distinct features. The lizards have movable eyelids that allow them to blink, small external ear openings, and a longitudinal lateral fold that allows their skin to expand for breathing or carrying eggs. For nearly a century, scientists have debated whether Taiwan is home to one or two species of Dopasia legless lizards. Japanese zoologist Kyukichi Kishida first described Ophisaurus formosensis as a distinct species of legless lizard, endemic to Taiwan, in 1930 (the lizards were subsequently placed under the genus Dopasia). He noted that O. formosensis and O. harti, co-occurred in Taiwan but had slight differences in coloration: O. harti had blue spots while O. formosensis didn&#8217;t. However, in 2003, researchers concluded the two were a single species, and that the color differences were between females and young lizards, and males. The debate continued, the confusion stemming from the loss of the original specimen that Kishida had referred to after World War II. Legless lizards are notoriously difficult to find in their natural habitat since they stay hidden under leaf litter and humus. Dopasia is also protected in Taiwan. So, for the new study,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/after-nearly-a-century-taiwans-legless-lizard-gets-its-own-identity/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Endangered civet faces local extinction in Cambodian sanctuary</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/endangered-civet-faces-local-extinction-in-cambodian-sanctuary/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/endangered-civet-faces-local-extinction-in-cambodian-sanctuary/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 03:19:34 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27031840/Viverra_megaspila_ras.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318172</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Endangered, Endangered Species, Mammals, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The large-spotted civet is an endangered small carnivore found in pockets of forest across Southeast Asia. Now, a new study suggests the nocturnal mammals are heading toward local extinction in Cambodia’s Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS), once considered a global stronghold for the species. The study, published in Pacific Conservation Biology, analyzed a decade of camera-trap [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The large-spotted civet is an endangered small carnivore found in pockets of forest across Southeast Asia. Now, a new study suggests the nocturnal mammals are heading toward local extinction in Cambodia’s Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS), once considered a global stronghold for the species. The study, published in Pacific Conservation Biology, analyzed a decade of camera-trap data from the sanctuary and found a 75-95% decline in the large-spotted civet’s (Viverra megaspila) population density between 2009 and 2019. Over the 10-year period, estimated densities plummeted from approximately 9 individuals per 100 square kilometers (23 per 100 square miles) to fewer than 1 per 100 km2 (3 per 100 mi2). Population models now project the species could be extirpated from the sanctuary by 2034. However, in the same sanctuary over same study period, the closely related large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha) population flourished. Its population density tripled from 2 to 7 individuals per 100 km² (5 to 18 per 100 mi2). Researchers point to several factors driving these divergent fates. The large-spotted civet is believed to reproduce slowly, producing only two offspring per year during a strict breeding season, which the study suggests occurs between November and April. In contrast, the large Indian civet breeds year-round with larger litters, allowing it to better withstand high mortality rates from hunting and snaring. While there’s no direct evidence of hunting of large-spotted civets in the area, the study authors say indiscriminate snaring increased significantly over the study period, becoming the main driver of wildlife decline&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/endangered-civet-faces-local-extinction-in-cambodian-sanctuary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Peter Raven, botanist and advocate for biodiversity, has died, aged 89</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/peter-raven-botanist-and-advocate-for-biodiversity-has-died-aged-89/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/peter-raven-botanist-and-advocate-for-biodiversity-has-died-aged-89/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Apr 2026 00:18:39 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/27001539/peter_raven_mjacob-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318166</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[United States]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Biodiversity Crisis, Botany, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Extinction, Featured, Forests, Obituary, Plants, and Sixth Mass Extinction]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Life on Earth is often described as a web, but for much of modern science it was catalogued as a ledger: names, specimens, distributions, relationships drawn in careful lines. Over the course of the 20th century, that ledger gave way to a more connected view. Plants and animals were no longer just entries in a [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Life on Earth is often described as a web, but for much of modern science it was catalogued as a ledger: names, specimens, distributions, relationships drawn in careful lines. Over the course of the 20th century, that ledger gave way to a more connected view. Plants and animals were no longer just entries in a system; they were participants in it, shaping one another across deep time. The implications of that shift were not merely scientific. They pointed, more directly than before, to the role of a single species—our own—in altering the terms of that participation. Few scientists did more to define that transition, or to explain its consequences, than Peter Raven. Peter Hamilton Raven, who died last night, aged 89, was among the most influential botanists of the past century. Over a career that spanned more than six decades, he combined taxonomy, evolutionary biology and conservation into a coherent body of work: to understand the diversity of life, and to argue for its preservation with a clarity that was unusual among scientists of his generation. Peter Raven. Courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden He began with curiosity rather than doctrine. Born in Shanghai in 1936 to American parents, he spent his childhood in California after his family returned in the late 1930s. As a boy in San Francisco, he collected insects and then plants, drawn to the order that botany seemed to offer. The ranges of species were mapped; their forms could be compared. It was, as he later&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/peter-raven-botanist-and-advocate-for-biodiversity-has-died-aged-89/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Don Janssen, wildlife veterinarian who argued that caring for animals begins with people</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/don-janssen-wildlife-veterinarian-who-argued-that-caring-for-animals-begins-with-people/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/don-janssen-wildlife-veterinarian-who-argued-that-caring-for-animals-begins-with-people/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Apr 2026 16:38:30 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/26162755/Don-Janssen-okapi-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318163</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[United States]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animal Welfare, Animals, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Ex-situ Conservation, Obituary, Wildlife, and Zoos]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In a zoo, a crisis often begins before anyone names it as such. An animal stops responding to treatment. A pregnancy fails to progress. A procedure goes as planned but the animal does not recover as expected. The work is technical and uncertain, and the margin for error is narrow. Outcomes depend on biology, timing, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In a zoo, a crisis often begins before anyone names it as such. An animal stops responding to treatment. A pregnancy fails to progress. A procedure goes as planned but the animal does not recover as expected. The work is technical and uncertain, and the margin for error is narrow. Outcomes depend on biology, timing, judgment, and factors that are not immediately apparent. Over time, this shapes the people who do the work. Some grow detached; others become more deliberate. What matters is not only what is done for the animal, but how people carry the outcome when it goes against them. Leadership, in such settings, tends to show itself in small ways: who turns up, who listens, and who steadies the room. Don Janssen, a wildlife veterinarian who spent more than three decades at the San Diego Zoo and its Safari Park, came to see his profession in these terms. Early on, he had assumed that liking animals more than people was an advantage. A senior veterinarian corrected him. If you do not learn to work well with people, he was told, you will spend your career in conflict, and the animals will bear the cost. Janssen returned to that lesson often. Janssen trained at the University of California, Davis, graduating in 1978, and went on to build a career that helped shape modern zoological medicine. At San Diego, he rose to become director of veterinary services and later vice-president of animal health. His work ranged from routine clinical&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/don-janssen-wildlife-veterinarian-who-argued-that-caring-for-animals-begins-with-people/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>As Walk for Peace begins in Sri Lanka, activists call for animal rights</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/as-walk-for-peace-begins-in-sri-lanka-activists-call-for-animal-rights/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/as-walk-for-peace-begins-in-sri-lanka-activists-call-for-animal-rights/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Apr 2026 01:53:05 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Malaka Rodrigo]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Dilrukshi Handunnetti]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/26013737/1-Walk-for-Peace-march-with-Aloka-in-the-front-c-Walk-for-Peace-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318156</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, South Asia, and Sri Lanka]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Activism, Animal Rights, Animal Welfare, Animals, Environment, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Governance, and Law]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[COLOMBO — A group of barefoot Buddhist monks promoting peace, compassion, mindfulness and nonviolence has arrived in Sri Lanka, accompanied by an unlikely figure: a once stray dog named Aloka. The Walk for Peace, organized by 24 Buddhist monks of the Theravada tradition affiliated with a Vipassana meditation center in Texas in the United States [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[COLOMBO — A group of barefoot Buddhist monks promoting peace, compassion, mindfulness and nonviolence has arrived in Sri Lanka, accompanied by an unlikely figure: a once stray dog named Aloka. The Walk for Peace, organized by 24 Buddhist monks of the Theravada tradition affiliated with a Vipassana meditation center in Texas in the United States under the guidance of Vietnamese monk Bhikkhu Paññākāra, commenced in October 2025 and gathered momentum across the U.S. before gaining global popularity. Inspired by the teachings of Gautama Buddha and his 45-year walk, the journey aims to spread awareness of loving kindness and compassion in a world increasingly shaped by conflict. Aloka derives her name from Sanskrit, meaning light, and was first encountered by the monks during a 2022 pilgrimage to India. A stray, Aloka began following the monks despite being injured in a road accident and was eventually adopted by the monks. Her early life on the streets, marked by hardship and illness, has since become central to her identity as a symbol of resilience. Bhikkhu Paññākāra, who played a leading role in organizing the Walk for Peace, chose to include Aloka in the journey as both a companion and a living expression of compassion toward all living beings, a core principle of Buddhism. Sri Lanka marks the first international destination for the walk for peace outside the United States, but Aloka’s participation was initially uncertain. The journey from the United States to Sri Lanka typically exceeds 20 hours of air travel and involves&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/as-walk-for-peace-begins-in-sri-lanka-activists-call-for-animal-rights/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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						<item>
					<title>These tiny houses are designed to stand in extreme floods</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/04/how-bangladesh-builds-houses-that-stand-in-extreme-floods/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/04/how-bangladesh-builds-houses-that-stand-in-extreme-floods/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Apr 2026 15:05:49 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Lucia Torres]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sam Lee]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/25150421/KB_Asif_Salman_5.max-1800x1200-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=videos&#038;p=318153</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia and Bangladesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Community Development, Flooding, and Solutions]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[JAMUNA RIVER, Bangladesh — Bulbul has just married and moved into a small village in northeast Bangladesh, a region battered year after year by severe flooding. During the rainy season, water routinely invades homes, wipes out crops, and turns daily life into a struggle for survival. For families like Bulbul’s, rebuilding after each monsoon has [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[JAMUNA RIVER, Bangladesh — Bulbul has just married and moved into a small village in northeast Bangladesh, a region battered year after year by severe flooding. During the rainy season, water routinely invades homes, wipes out crops, and turns daily life into a struggle for survival. For families like Bulbul’s, rebuilding after each monsoon has become an exhausting cycle. A group of architects from Dhaka is working with rural communities to break that cycle. Through hands-on workshops, they teach villagers how to build simple, flood-resistant tiny houses that safeguard families and food supplies when waters rise. As Bulbul prepares to build one of these homes, the film follows his transition into married life and a community learning to adapt and endure in the face of climate extremes. Mongabay’s Video Team wants to cover questions and topics that matter to you. Are there any inspiring people, urgent issues, or local stories that you’d like us to cover? We want to hear from you. Be a part of our reporting process—get in touch with us here! Banner image: Khudi Bari hause, Bangladesh. ©Asif Salmana. Saving Mexico City’s ancient floating farmsThis article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/04/how-bangladesh-builds-houses-that-stand-in-extreme-floods/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Nan Schaffer, veterinarian who helped unlock the science of rhino reproduction, has died, aged 72</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nan-schaffer-veterinarian-who-helped-unlock-the-science-of-rhino-reproduction-has-died-aged-72/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nan-schaffer-veterinarian-who-helped-unlock-the-science-of-rhino-reproduction-has-died-aged-72/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 17:46:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24171404/nancy-schaffer-header-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318140</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[United States]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Captive Breeding, Environment, Ex-situ Conservation, Obituary, Rhinos, and Sumatran Rhino]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“One of the great tragedies of the 21st century,” Nan Schaffer once said, “will be humanity’s homogeneity.” The remark was less a warning than a diagnosis. In a world where landscapes were being simplified and species reduced to remnants, she concerned herself with what would be lost when difference itself began to disappear. For species [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“One of the great tragedies of the 21st century,” Nan Schaffer once said, “will be humanity’s homogeneity.” The remark was less a warning than a diagnosis. In a world where landscapes were being simplified and species reduced to remnants, she concerned herself with what would be lost when difference itself began to disappear. For species like rhinoceroses, that erosion of difference was already under way. In the controlled stillness of a zoo enclosure, where a four-ton animal may refuse to breed or carry a pregnancy to term, extinction can feel procedural. It is a matter of missed signals, incompatible pairs, and time lost in small increments. For the rhinoceros—ancient, solitary, and increasingly isolated—survival has often depended not on the drama of the wild but on the patience of those willing to study its most intimate biology. Schaffer spent much of her life in that patient, technical struggle. She believed that if rhinos were to persist, it would be because people learned how to help them reproduce when shrinking, fragmented populations could no longer sustain breeding on their own. Sumatran rhino at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary. Image by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay. Schaffer, a veterinarian who pioneered the science of rhino reproduction, died on March 27th after a prolonged battle with cancer. She was 72. Her work took her into pens and barns, across zoos and wilderness sites, and into a field that barely existed when she began: the reproductive physiology of large, endangered mammals. She was one of the world’s leading&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nan-schaffer-veterinarian-who-helped-unlock-the-science-of-rhino-reproduction-has-died-aged-72/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>AI is a double-edged sword for Indigenous stewardship, say U.N. experts</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-is-a-double-edged-sword-for-indigenous-stewardship-say-u-n-experts/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-is-a-double-edged-sword-for-indigenous-stewardship-say-u-n-experts/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 15:05:57 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aimee Gabay]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24150037/Capture-decran-le-2026-04-24-a-11.00.09-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318127</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Indigenous Peoples and Conservation]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, data, data collection, Indigenous Communities, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Technology, Technology And Conservation, technology development, Water, Water Scarcity, and Wildtech]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This story is republished through the Indigenous News Alliance. At the 2026 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, in New York, experts warned of the opportunities and dangers of using artificial intelligence (AI) in conservation and climate adaptation efforts. AI can support the protection and management of Indigenous peoples’ lands and resources, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This story is republished through the Indigenous News Alliance. At the 2026 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, in New York, experts warned of the opportunities and dangers of using artificial intelligence (AI) in conservation and climate adaptation efforts. AI can support the protection and management of Indigenous peoples’ lands and resources, such as by monitoring deforestation, fires and illegal extraction, but it can also contribute to greater environmental harm and infringe on Indigenous rights. A study published by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, former chair of the permanent forum from the Mbororo people of Chad, highlighted some of the possibilities and challenges AI presents for environmental protection, as well as the impacts of this technology on Indigenous territories. This includes land-grabbing, water overexploitation and land degradation due to its high energy, water and critical minerals needs. “For generations, Indigenous Peoples have protected the world’s most intact ecosystems without satellites, without algorithms or technologies,” Ibrahim told Mongabay over email. “AI can become a powerful ally to that stewardship, if it is used on our terms in a culturally appropriated way.” AI and conservation Ibrahim explained that AI can help Indigenous communities monitor biodiversity, detect deforestation, illegal mining, wildfires, or water contamination through the use of satellite imagery and sensors. “When combined with Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, AI can help predict climate impacts, track wildlife movements, and strengthen land-use planning while helping to plan faster resilience strategies,” she added. Setting up a camera trap in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-is-a-double-edged-sword-for-indigenous-stewardship-say-u-n-experts/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>NPFC adopts illegal fishing measures — but no Emperor Seamount protections</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/npfc-adopts-illegal-fishing-measures-but-no-emperor-seamount-protections/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/npfc-adopts-illegal-fishing-measures-but-no-emperor-seamount-protections/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 14:50:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Francesco De Augustinis]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Autumn Spanne]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24120605/Hendrika-Jacoba-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318105</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global, Japan, and Pacific Ocean]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Environment, Environmental Law, Environmental Policy, Environmental Politics, Fish, Fisheries, Fishing, Food, Food Industry, Governance, Illegal Fishing, Marine Conservation, Oceans, Overfishing, and Saltwater Fish]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) approved a series of measures aimed at combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and improving stock assessments during its latest annual meeting in Osaka, Japan, April 14-17. However, several NGOs viewed the meeting as a step backward for fish stock management, calling out the commission’s failure to add [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) approved a series of measures aimed at combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and improving stock assessments during its latest annual meeting in Osaka, Japan, April 14-17. However, several NGOs viewed the meeting as a step backward for fish stock management, calling out the commission’s failure to add protections for several vulnerable species and to halt bottom fishing in the Emperor Seamount Chain. The NPFC protects marine ecosystems and non-tuna fish stocks in the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean and is one of four regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) in the Pacific. Its 10th annual meeting gathered the nine members — Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Taiwan, the United States and Vanuatu — along with 11 observer groups and Panama as a cooperating noncontracting party. “It was a hard but a good week,” Gerald Leape, principal officer with the U.S.-based Pew Charitable Trusts’ international fisheries project, told Mongabay minutes after the closure of the meeting. Japanese sardines (Sardinops melanostictus). Image by Totti via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Combating IUU fishing NPFC members agreed to adopt a shared system of minimum standards for port inspection, a move that targets IUU fishing. The decision brings the commission in line with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), a binding international agreement marking its 10th anniversary this year. With the approval of this measure, commission members committed to implementing more stringent inspection standards and&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/npfc-adopts-illegal-fishing-measures-but-no-emperor-seamount-protections/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Investigators eye organized crime links in 3-ton pangolin scale haul at Jakarta port</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/investigators-eye-organized-crime-links-in-3-ton-pangolin-scale-haul-at-jakarta-port/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/investigators-eye-organized-crime-links-in-3-ton-pangolin-scale-haul-at-jakarta-port/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 12:26:32 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anggita Raissa]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24121549/Banten-Navy-Base-pangolin-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318115</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Indonesia, Jakarta, and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Conservation, Critically Endangered Species, Endangered Species, Environmental Crime, Habitat Loss, Illegal Trade, Mammals, Pangolins, Poaching, trafficking, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Trade, and Wildlife Trafficking]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[JAKARTA, Indonesia – Customs and excise investigators in Jakarta continue to trace the origin of more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales found in late February inside a shipping container at Indonesia’s largest port. “This is still under investigation,” Suhartoyo, a lead customs investigator at Tanjung Priok Port told Mongabay Indonesia, adding that evidence [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[JAKARTA, Indonesia – Customs and excise investigators in Jakarta continue to trace the origin of more than 3 metric tons of pangolin scales found in late February inside a shipping container at Indonesia’s largest port. “This is still under investigation,” Suhartoyo, a lead customs investigator at Tanjung Priok Port told Mongabay Indonesia, adding that evidence in the case remained in the container storage area in early April. On Feb. 18, customs officials at Tanjung Priok inspected a container declared as sea cucumbers and instant noodles, but found more than 3 metric tons of dried pangolin scales concealed in 99 boxes — an illicit haul valued at more than $10 million. Pangolins are insectivores clad entirely by scales made from keratin, the same protein as human hair and nails. These scales are prized by traditional healers in China and Vietnam, despite no scientific evidence that consuming them has any health benefits. All eight known species of pangolin in Africa and Asia are listed as threatened on the Red List maintained by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. Investigators remain focused on the company identified as the exporter of the shipping container, PT Temu Satu Rasa (TSR), as well as a company that may have provided customs clearance services. A review of corporate records held by the Directorate General of General Legal Administration showed TSR was registered to address in the west of Jakarta, the capital city, in January. Mongabay Indonesia visited this address by a minimart on a busy street,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/investigators-eye-organized-crime-links-in-3-ton-pangolin-scale-haul-at-jakarta-port/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>AI tool tracks spread of illegal gold mining in Amazon protected areas</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 09:56:11 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Constance Malleret]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Alexandrapopescu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Amazon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Destruction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gold Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illegal Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indigenous Communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indigenous territories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land tenure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Protected Areas]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/06/11143403/foto_58-edit-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317945</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Latin America, Peru, South America, Suriname, and Venezuela]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amazon Mining, Artificial Intelligence, Deforestation, Drivers Of Deforestation, Forest Destruction, Forest Loss, Gold Mining, Illegal Mining, Indigenous Communities, Indigenous Rights, Mining, and Satellite Imagery]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In July 2025, the Indigenous Shuar people celebrated the end of a decade-long struggle when they received official titles for three communities — the Shuar Tunants, Kampan and Tsuntsuim –- within the Kutukú Shaimi Protected Forest, in the south of the Ecuadorean Amazon. But in one of those communities, satellite imagery shows that between August [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In July 2025, the Indigenous Shuar people celebrated the end of a decade-long struggle when they received official titles for three communities — the Shuar Tunants, Kampan and Tsuntsuim –- within the Kutukú Shaimi Protected Forest, in the south of the Ecuadorean Amazon. But in one of those communities, satellite imagery shows that between August and December 2025, a gaping hole appeared in the forest around a riverbend — a mining scar. Despite the Tunants territory’s newly formalized status, deforestation due to gold mining nearly tripled, reaching 2 hectares (5 acres) in size in the last three months of 2025, according to Amazon Mining Watch Panorama, a new quarterly report. The report shows that deforestation due to illegal gold mining continues to grow across the Amazon, threatening protected parts of the rainforest. In total, 6,000 hectares (more than 14,800 acres) — about seven times the size of Central Park in New York City — of new mining scars appeared across protected areas and Indigenous territories over the last three months of 2025. This mining is presumed to be illegal, as most Amazonian countries have legislation prohibiting mining in Indigenous territories and protected areas, with experts warning that greater law enforcement is needed. Most of the deforestation caused by mining during that period took place in Brazil, with roughly 2,000 hectares (about 5,000 acres) of forest being cleared. This was followed by Peru with 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres), and Guyana with 900 hectares (about 2,200 acres). New mining scars were also&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/ai-tool-tracks-spread-of-illegal-gold-mining-in-amazon-protected-areas/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Photos: A shark meat processing village and market in Indonesia’s Lombok</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/04/photos-a-shark-meat-processing-village-and-market-in-indonesias-lombok/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/04/photos-a-shark-meat-processing-village-and-market-in-indonesias-lombok/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 09:40:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Garry LolutungPhilip Jacobson]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rebecca Kessler]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23144638/13-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=custom-story&#038;p=318032</guid>

					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Conservation, Environment, Fish, Fisheries, Fishing, Food, Food Industry, Marine, Marine Animals, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Conservation, Oceans, Overconsumption, Overfishing, Saltwater Fish, shark finning, Sharks, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Shark meat has quietly surpassed shark fins in international trade volume and value. In East Lombok it sells for as little as 29 cents a skewer. Photojournalist Garry Lolutung documented the shark trade at Lombok’s Tanjung Luar fish market and nearby Rumbuk village, an important shark meat processing center. EAST LOMBOK, Indonesia — Indonesia consistently [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Shark meat has quietly surpassed shark fins in international trade volume and value. In East Lombok it sells for as little as 29 cents a skewer. Photojournalist Garry Lolutung documented the shark trade at Lombok’s Tanjung Luar fish market and nearby Rumbuk village, an important shark meat processing center. EAST LOMBOK, Indonesia — Indonesia consistently ranks as the top shark-catching nation in the world. The fish market in Tanjung Luar village on the island of Lombok is often called the country’s biggest for sharks. It was bustling when Mongabay visited one morning in February last year. Vendors with plastic buckets greeted fishing boats from nearby islands, welcoming fresh catches. At the pier, fishers carried a shark from their boat to the auction site and placed it among others on the floor, ready for bids. &#8220;This has been a job passed down from the previous generation to our generation,” fisher Safruddin told Mongabay while unloading his catch. “This has become a daily livelihood for the people here to make a living, and the market price is still promising.” Lombok’s shark trade first gained prominence in the 1990s, locals say. Today, the animals sell at auction for 600,000-1 million rupiah each (about $35-$58). The sharks here are supplied by longline vessels that deliberately target them, which is generally legal in Indonesia, and by gillnet fishers who take them as bycatch. Tanjung Luar village and market, with Mount Rinjani looming in the distance. Safruddin, a fisher, carries freshly caught sharks from a boat&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/04/photos-a-shark-meat-processing-village-and-market-in-indonesias-lombok/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>New ‘cryptic’ gecko species discovered in Vietnam’s imperiled karst forests</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-cryptic-gecko-species-discovered-in-vietnams-imperiled-karst-forests/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-cryptic-gecko-species-discovered-in-vietnams-imperiled-karst-forests/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 03:37:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/24033543/Screenshot_2026-04-24_at_10.32.03_AM_optimized_4000-e1777001784115-768x512.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318090</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Habitat Degradation, Habitat Loss, Iucn, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the rugged karst forests of northern Vietnam, researchers have identified a new gecko species, Vietnam’s 12th known species of gecko. The discovery highlights how much diversity the often-overlooked landscape holds. Ziegler’s Slender Gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus ziegleri) was discovered during surveys in the Copia Nature Reserve, in Son La province. The species was named in honor [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the rugged karst forests of northern Vietnam, researchers have identified a new gecko species, Vietnam’s 12th known species of gecko. The discovery highlights how much diversity the often-overlooked landscape holds. Ziegler’s Slender Gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus ziegleri) was discovered during surveys in the Copia Nature Reserve, in Son La province. The species was named in honor of Thomas Ziegler from the University of Cologne, Germany, “for his outstanding contribution to biodiversity research and conservation in Vietnam,” the study said. These small, yellowish-grey geckos were observed at night on limestone cliffs and, in one instance, an electric pole in a cornfield. While study co-author Minh Le from Vietnam National University called the find “exciting,” he noted the team was not shocked. “Because we acknowledge, based on our research, that the diversity of this group of cryptic geckos is substantially underestimated,” he told Mongabay by email. “We expect that more new species will be described in the future.” In this case, the term ‘cryptic&#8217; refers to species that appear nearly identical to others. Despite their physical similarities, genetic testing revealed a 14% divergence between the new gecko and its closest relatives, a significant gap that represents a major evolutionary distinction between the new species and its relatives. This finding is part of a broader trend; 85% of species in this genus have been described only in the last decade. Though many of them have been newly described, their habitat and ecosystems are already under threat. For now, researchers recommend that the new slender&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/new-cryptic-gecko-species-discovered-in-vietnams-imperiled-karst-forests/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Indigenous knowledge helps identify new, highly threatened skink in Australia</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indigenous-knowledge-helps-identify-new-highly-threatened-skink-in-australia/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indigenous-knowledge-helps-identify-new-highly-threatened-skink-in-australia/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 02:04:12 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Megan Strauss]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shreya Dasgupta]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23235527/Kungaka_image_1._Tom_Parkin_copy.c28d931.width-1600.952b70b-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318086</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Australia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Critically Endangered Species, Endangered Species, Environment, Green, Happy-upbeat Environmental, Lizards, New Species, Species, Species Discovery, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Researchers have described a new-to-science species of skink that may be one of Australia’s most threatened reptiles. The small population of the skink, possibly fewer than 20 individuals, lives in a pocket of rocky gorge within the arid Mutawintji National Park in New South Wales state, the researchers report in a new paper. The skink [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Researchers have described a new-to-science species of skink that may be one of Australia’s most threatened reptiles. The small population of the skink, possibly fewer than 20 individuals, lives in a pocket of rocky gorge within the arid Mutawintji National Park in New South Wales state, the researchers report in a new paper. The skink has been named Liopholis mutawintji, in a nod to the park, the only place it’s currently known from. Its common name is Kungaka, meaning “the Hidden One” to Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners. This refers to the species’ habit of hiding in crevices and burrows. Scientists from the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) partnered with Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners and the New South Wales National Parks &amp; Wildlife Service to confirm the Kungaka as a distinct species. Thomas Parkin, the study’s lead author with AMRI, told Mongabay by email that the Kungaka was previously thought to be a highly isolated population of White’s skink (L. whitii), a species widely distributed in southeastern Australia. But with Mutawintji roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) away from the closest White’s skink population, the team decided to revisit the reptile’s taxonomy. The team analyzed DNA samples and compared physical traits of White’s skinks from different populations across Australia. Their analyses revealed that White’s skink is not one species, but three deeply divergent lineages. The three species in the revised taxonomy are the southern White’s skink (L. whitii), northern White’s skink (L. compressicauda), and the Kungaka. Parkin said the Kungaka can be distinguished from&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/indigenous-knowledge-helps-identify-new-highly-threatened-skink-in-australia/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Nepal plans park for ‘problem’ tigers as attacks raise concerns</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Apr 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Abhaya Raj JoshiMukesh Pokhrel]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Abhaya Raj Joshi]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23161619/tiger-in-bardiya-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318052</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Nepal, and South Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Big Cats, Biodiversity, Cats, Conflict, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Environmental Law, Human-wildlife Conflict, Mammals, National Parks, Tigers, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[BARDIYA, Nepal — The Nepali government recently proposed establishing a tiger park for the big cats that come into conflict with humans, as the country continues to grapple with an unintended consequence of its hugely successful conservation efforts. Authorities say the proposed 50-hectare (124-acre) park in the Durganar–Tikauli forest near Chitwan National Park will take [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[BARDIYA, Nepal — The Nepali government recently proposed establishing a tiger park for the big cats that come into conflict with humans, as the country continues to grapple with an unintended consequence of its hugely successful conservation efforts. Authorities say the proposed 50-hectare (124-acre) park in the Durganar–Tikauli forest near Chitwan National Park will take in “problem” tigers (involved in killing and eating one or more humans) from overcrowded holding centers, though several questions related to the plan remain unanswered. “Currently, we need to spend around 1.5 million rupees [about $10,000] annually for each captive tiger even if we feed it minimally,” said Hari Bhadra Acharya, a senior ecologist with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation under the Ministry of Forests and Environment, who chairs the committee that’s exploring the plan. “Similarly, many tourists visit national parks to see tigers, but only a few are lucky to do so.” According to Acharya, the park would feature a fenced habitat designed to hold tigers that have attacked humans. Instead of living in tiny, cramped cages in holding centers, each tiger would get outdoor space to roam, hide in tall grass, and live more naturally. The park would sell tickets for viewing the tigers, and the revenue generated would cover the costs of the tigers&#8217; food and veterinary care. Nepal, which had 121 tigers (Panthera tigris) in 2009, is now home to 355 of the endangered big cats, spread across major habitats such as Chitwan, Bardiya and Shuklaphanta national parks,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/nepal-plans-park-for-problem-tigers-as-attacks-raise-concerns/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Amid conflict and poaching, tech helps boost mountain gorilla numbers</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 21:55:31 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aimable Twahirwa]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sharon Guynup]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23165332/MOUNTAIN-GORILLA-RWANDA-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318058</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa and Central Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Apes, Biodiversity, Conflict, Conservation, Conservation Technology, Critically Endangered Species, Endangered Species, Environment, Gorillas, Great Apes, Habitat, Habitat Loss, Mammals, Poaching, Technology, technology development, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The population of the world’s last mountain gorillas has rebounded by 73% since 1989, allowing the subspecies to be reclassified from critically endangered — one step away from extinction — to endangered. But they remain imperiled, with about 1,063 left. They live in just one place: the Greater Virunga Landscape that straddles Rwanda, Uganda and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The population of the world’s last mountain gorillas has rebounded by 73% since 1989, allowing the subspecies to be reclassified from critically endangered — one step away from extinction — to endangered. But they remain imperiled, with about 1,063 left. They live in just one place: the Greater Virunga Landscape that straddles Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Conservation here has been extremely challenging, that&#8217;s been periodically embroiled in war, beset by armed groups, poachers and a plethora of other serious threats. Though these apes dwell at high altitude, from about 2,400-4,000 meters (8,000-13,000 feet) andoften deep within steep valleys and gorges, they’re still in the crosshairs. These apes are poached for their meat and body parts. Their infants are snatched for attractions that entertain tourists. Sometimes they&#8217;re trapped in snares set by bushmeat hunters for other wildlife. Meanwhile, their habitat falls to farmers and loggers. Rangers working in the region are increasing the use of cellphone-based software as part of broad efforts to protect mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and the lands they inhabit. This platform, known as the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART), can be programmed to the specific needs of a species or landscape, incorporating the boundaries of protected areas, wildlife corridors, patrol routes and so much more. It builds maps, has navigation capabilities, incorporates photos, and organizes and analyzes data. This information sometimes is used as evidence for prosecution of poachers. This information also helps pinpoint where to deploy personnel, and how&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/amid-conflict-and-poaching-tech-helps-boost-mountain-gorilla-numbers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Canada offers mines and more in $730b investment bid slammed as unsustainable</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/canada-offers-mines-and-more-in-730b-investment-bid-slammed-as-unsustainable/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/canada-offers-mines-and-more-in-730b-investment-bid-slammed-as-unsustainable/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 21:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[David Brown]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23211042/banff_1368.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318082</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Canada]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Critical Minerals, Economics, Economy, Industry, mine, Natural Gas, and Oil]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has touted his country’s natural resources as the main attraction for securing more than $700 billion in new investments over the next five years — a plan that a mining watchdog has blasted as “robber baron capitalism.” Carney announced in a press release a summit scheduled for Sept. 14-15 in [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has touted his country’s natural resources as the main attraction for securing more than $700 billion in new investments over the next five years — a plan that a mining watchdog has blasted as “robber baron capitalism.” Carney announced in a press release a summit scheduled for Sept. 14-15 in Toronto that will convene “top CEOs, entrepreneurs, and prominent global business leaders” in an effort to attract C$1 trillion ($730 billion) in investments. The government is highlighting Canada’s natural resources as one of the primary draws for investors, including liquefied natural gas and vast deposits of critical minerals like nickel, graphite and tungsten. The press release cites several major mining and LNG projects as examples of what the country offers global investors. Specific projects include the Canada Nickel Company’s Crawford mine in Ontario province, and the Nouveau Monde Graphite project in Québec province. “Canada has what the world wants,” Carney said in the release. “We’re an energy superpower, with the most educated workforce in the world and rock-solid fiscal strength. The first-ever Canada Investment Summit will capitalise on those advantages to help drive billions in new investments into Canada.” However, conservationists have raised concerns about environmental degradation associated with existing projects, and warn new developments will only exacerbate the problems. “A healthy environment is the foundation of Canada&#8217;s long-term prosperity,” Stephen Thomas, clean energy manager for the David Suzuki Foundation, wrote in an email to Mongabay. “That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s concerning the Prime Minister&#8217;s investment summit&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/canada-offers-mines-and-more-in-730b-investment-bid-slammed-as-unsustainable/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Sweden&#8217;s secondhand clothing swaps offer a trendy way to cut environmental waste</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 19:04:39 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Associated Press]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23185958/AP26111527548299-e1776971051644-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318068</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Sweden]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Circular Economy, Happy-upbeat Environmental, Pollution, Solutions, and Waste]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[STOCKHOLM (AP) — Alva Palosaari Sundman scoured the racks of secondhand clothes in Stockholm for hours in search of the right pair of preowned jeans. The 24-year-old art student was among hundreds of people attending an annual clothing swap on Sunday at a community center in Sweden&#8217;s capital. They exchanged their own clothes to “shop” for others. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[STOCKHOLM (AP) — Alva Palosaari Sundman scoured the racks of secondhand clothes in Stockholm for hours in search of the right pair of preowned jeans. The 24-year-old art student was among hundreds of people attending an annual clothing swap on Sunday at a community center in Sweden&#8217;s capital. They exchanged their own clothes to “shop” for others. Similar events drew thousands across the country to reduce the environmental cost of clothing production. Palosaari Sundman said she enjoyed seeing others pick out the clothes she’d brought. “It’s like, ‘Oh, OK, it gets a new life with this person,’” she said. “It just feels a bit more humane.” The U.N. Environment Program cites fast fashion as major player in environmental damage, producing up to 10% of the world’s carbon emissions. Discarded clothes gorge landfills that scar landscapes in developing countries, and the plastic fibers used to make cheap fabrics pollute oceans. To produce a pair of jeans, for example, roughly 2,000 gallons (7,571 liters) of water is required, UNEP has said. Sweden&#8217;s clothing swap initiative began in 2010 and has grown. Last year, some 140,000 people participated in 140 swap events and took home more than 44,000 preowned items. Sweden is often seen as environmentally advanced, but the reality is more nuanced. Clothing consumption contributes to roughly 3% of a Swede’s total emissions, according to Mistra Future Fashion, a research institute. Swedes last year were banned from throwing away clothes in the regular trash in a European Union bid to boost recycling. But the measure backfired when&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/swedens-secondhand-clothing-swaps-offer-a-trendy-way-to-cut-environmental-waste/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>In Pakistan&#8217;s deadly heat, low-cost cooling tools offer a lifeline for pregnant women</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/in-pakistans-deadly-heat-low-cost-cooling-tools-offer-a-lifeline-for-pregnant-women/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/in-pakistans-deadly-heat-low-cost-cooling-tools-offer-a-lifeline-for-pregnant-women/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 15:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shanna Hanbury]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Bobbybascomb]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23150002/AP24144351301897-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318046</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Pakistan]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change And Extreme Weather, Environment, Environmental Politics, Extreme Weather, Governance, Health, Heatwave, Planetary Health, Public Health, Urban Planning, Urbanization, and Weather]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Canvas canopies, hand fans, damp cloths and solar reflective paint may not sound like elaborate medical interventions. But in Pakistan’s hottest neighborhoods, they can act as a lifeline for pregnant women and newborns from low-income households. In a recent trial of affordable cooling solutions led by researchers at Pakistan’s Aga Khan University, low-tech interventions were [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Canvas canopies, hand fans, damp cloths and solar reflective paint may not sound like elaborate medical interventions. But in Pakistan’s hottest neighborhoods, they can act as a lifeline for pregnant women and newborns from low-income households. In a recent trial of affordable cooling solutions led by researchers at Pakistan’s Aga Khan University, low-tech interventions were able to cut indoor temperatures by 3-4° Celsius (5-7° Fahrenheit). Air-conditioning, and even fans, are often not available due to unreliable electricity supply. “Many commonly recommended heat interventions assume reliable electricity, formal workplaces, and universal phone access, making them impractical for many women in low-income countries,” Gregory Wellenius, director of the Center for Climate and Health at Boston University, told Zuha Siddiqui for Dialogue Earth. Temperatures in Pakistan often reach 40°C (104°F), with “feels like” temperatures nearing 50°C (122°F) in the summer. Climate change is making heat waves in the region much more likely and frequent, according to World Weather Attribution, a network of scientists studying extreme weather events. “The heat exhausts me. My body feels like lead,” Asiya, a woman identified only by her first name, told Siddiqui. Asiya lives in Lyari, one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Karachi, and is pregnant with her third child. “During my last pregnancy two years ago, I took showers thrice a day to cool down because I could feel my baby kicking in distress,” she added. The urban heat island effect traps heat in densely built urban areas, elevating city temperatures. In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/in-pakistans-deadly-heat-low-cost-cooling-tools-offer-a-lifeline-for-pregnant-women/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Linking habitats strengthens wildlife microbiomes, helps fight disease: Study</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 14:29:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sean Mowbray]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Glenn Scherer]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23133143/4-Atlantic-Forest-frog-Dendrophryniscus-haddadi-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318009</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Planetary Boundaries]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Brazil, Global, Latin America, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amphibian Crisis, Amphibians, Corridors, Diseases, Forest Fragmentation, Fragmentation, Freshwater, Frogs, Fungi, Habitat Loss, Microorganisms, Planetary Health, Research, Tropical Conservation Science, Tropical Forests, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new study has found that when deforestation and land use change break up key habitats vital to amphibian life cycles, those disconnects can play havoc with the animals’ microbiome, leaving them more susceptible to disease. This troubling finding could also apply to a host of other species, the study researchers say, but may also [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[A new study has found that when deforestation and land use change break up key habitats vital to amphibian life cycles, those disconnects can play havoc with the animals’ microbiome, leaving them more susceptible to disease. This troubling finding could also apply to a host of other species, the study researchers say, but may also have positive implications for conservation to counteract the problem. Habitat split, first associated with amphibian decline in a 2007 study, occurs when multiple “classes” of aquatic and terrestrial habitat — such as forests, streams and ponds — vital to a species’ life cycle are separated by human activities (such as agriculture), causing the species to decline. Studies have already shown that this phenomenon is a driver of localized frog extinctions in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. In the new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists investigated the effect of “habitat split” on the microbiome of four frog species (Haddadus binotatus, Rhinella ornata, Boana faber and Ischnocnema henselii), all dwelling in the highly fragmented Atlantic Forest. They found that where forest and aquatic habitats are linked, frogs are more likely to host skin microbes that inhibit the deadly fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. This fungus, known as chytrid, is responsible for large-scale declines of hundreds of amphibian species across the globe. Importantly, the skin microbiome of frogs living in areas where these habitats were split hosted fewer pathogen-fighting microbes, leaving the frogs more susceptible to infection. Two of the frog species sampled also&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/linking-habitats-strengthens-wildlife-microbiomes-helps-fight-disease-study/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Wetland destruction for mining, oil palm tied to crocodile attacks in Indonesia</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/wetland-destruction-for-mining-oil-palm-tied-to-crocodile-attacks-in-indonesia/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/wetland-destruction-for-mining-oil-palm-tied-to-crocodile-attacks-in-indonesia/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 14:01:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Taufik Wijaya]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23095951/Buaya-muara2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=317964</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Bangka Belitung, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conflict, Conservation, Environment, Habitat Degradation, Habitat Loss, Human-wildlife Conflict, Illegal Mining, Mining, Plantations, Pollution, Reptiles, Wetlands, Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[BANGKA, Indonesia — Residents of a centuries-old coastal settlement in the world’s largest tin-mining outpost — Bangka Island — fear that the environmental damage over just a few decades is behind a frightening rise in reports of violent deaths. In February, local fisher Jauhari became the latest person here on Bangka’s west coast to be [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[BANGKA, Indonesia — Residents of a centuries-old coastal settlement in the world’s largest tin-mining outpost — Bangka Island — fear that the environmental damage over just a few decades is behind a frightening rise in reports of violent deaths. In February, local fisher Jauhari became the latest person here on Bangka’s west coast to be killed by an estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). The 40-year-old was likely the 21st victim in the last five years, according to local wildlife charity Alobi Foundation. The saltwater crocodile — the world’s largest reptile — can exceed 6 meters (20 feet) in length weighing up to 2 tons (4,400 pounds) and live more than 70 years. On Bangka Island, it ordinarily lurks quietly beneath the surface of estuaries and lagoons. “This has happened because many swamps and tributaries that are the habitat of estuarine crocodiles have been damaged by illegal tin mining, and then turned into oil palm plantations,&#8221; Suhadi, who lives in western Bangka’s Menduk village, told Mongabay Indonesia in late March. The Menduk wetlands, formerly home to estuarine crocodiles, have been converted into palm oil plantations and illegal tin mines. Image by Nopri Ismi/Mongabay Indonesia. For some local people, 40-year-old Jauhari’s passing was a signal of how environmental damage can introduce new forms of violence into communities, a pattern that will intensify as climate pressures compound. One study published in the journal Biological Conservation in 2023 counted 665 cases of crocodile attacks in Indonesia in press reports from 2017 to 2019. Indonesia accounts&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/wetland-destruction-for-mining-oil-palm-tied-to-crocodile-attacks-in-indonesia/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Open dumping &#038; failed reforms bury Sri Lankan cities in waste problem</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/open-dumping-failed-reforms-bury-sri-lankan-cities-in-waste-problem/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/open-dumping-failed-reforms-bury-sri-lankan-cities-in-waste-problem/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 12:12:45 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Malaka Rodrigo]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Dilrukshi Handunnetti]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23114935/1-Sri-Lanka-Air-Force-pictures-of-Meethotamulla-Garbage-dump-disaster--768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=318011</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, South Asia, and Sri Lanka]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Disasters, Environment, Environmental Activism, Environmental Policy, Food Waste, Governance, Habitat, Law Enforcement, Pollution, Recycling, and Waste]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[COLOMBO — As Sri Lankans celebrate the traditional New Year on April 14 each year, a period marked by family gatherings and renewal, there are no celebrations at Keerthirathna Perera’s home anymore. In 2017, the Perera family was in celebration mode in their two-level home in Meethotamulla, in western Sri Lanka. But their festive lunch [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[COLOMBO — As Sri Lankans celebrate the traditional New Year on April 14 each year, a period marked by family gatherings and renewal, there are no celebrations at Keerthirathna Perera’s home anymore. In 2017, the Perera family was in celebration mode in their two-level home in Meethotamulla, in western Sri Lanka. But their festive lunch was interrupted around 2 p.m. by a faint tremor. Moments later, a neighbor shouted that the stairway was suddenly cracking. Alarmed, the family rushed outside, only seconds before a deafening roar engulfed the area as a massive wave of garbage and earth surged upward. Houses shifted, some collapsed instantly, while others were simply thrust aside. When the noise eventually faded, the neighborhood found itself reduced to a chaotic field of rubble. In this confusion, Keerthirathna searched desperately for his family. He found his wife trapped waist-deep in debris and saw only his granddaughter’s hand nearby, while there was no trace of his daughter and son-in-law. Rescue teams worked through the night, pulling his wife to safety around 10 p.m. and recovering the bodies of his granddaughter and son-in-law. After continuous digging through the unstable waste mound, four days later, his daughter’s lifeless body was finally recovered. The disaster killed at least 32 people, displaced hundreds and destroyed more than 140 homes, leaving more than a thousand homeless. The collapse of the mount at Meethotamulla exposed the catastrophic consequences of unmanaged urban waste accumulation and Sri Lanka’s repeated institutional failure to tackle the solid waste problem.&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/open-dumping-failed-reforms-bury-sri-lankan-cities-in-waste-problem/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Singapore to halt sourcing and breeding dolphins</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/singapore-to-halt-sourcing-and-breeding-dolphins/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/singapore-to-halt-sourcing-and-breeding-dolphins/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2026 11:41:10 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Mongabay.com]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Naina Rao]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/23114040/Eilat_Dolphin_Reef_3-scaled-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=318012</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Dolphins, Marine Mammals, Oceans, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa will stop sourcing wild dolphins for its aquarium and is suspending its captive-breeding program, according to insiders, reports Mongabay contributor Robin Hicks. Anbarasi Boopal, former co-chief executive of Singapore animal welfare charity Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said this was a positive step. However, she called for transparency about [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa will stop sourcing wild dolphins for its aquarium and is suspending its captive-breeding program, according to insiders, reports Mongabay contributor Robin Hicks. Anbarasi Boopal, former co-chief executive of Singapore animal welfare charity Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said this was a positive step. However, she called for transparency about the facility’s long-term plans for the animals already in captivity.  While the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) declined to comment on the dolphin sourcing and breeding program , Mongabay learned it is assembling a panel of experts to determine the future of the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) currently held at its Oceanarium — “more than 20,” staff at the facility told Mongabay. The youngest is a 7-year-old male named Kenzo.  RWS obtained 27 dolphins from the Solomon Islands in 2008 and 2009. At least four died during transit or from infections. The resort opened its exhibit to the public in 2013 amid widespread criticism from animal welfare groups. The RWS says its dolphins receive high-quality care and that the facility provides educational and conservation value.  “At the Marine Mammal Habitat, the health and well-being of our dolphins is a top priority,” RWS told Mongabay after publication of the article. “They are cared for by a dedicated team of Marine Mammal Specialists, supported by Veterinary Care, Environmental Health and Husbandry professionals, who provide round-the-clock care.” Staff who spoke to Mongabay said they doubted the animals could survive in the wild after so long in captivity. An international&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/04/singapore-to-halt-sourcing-and-breeding-dolphins/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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