Puerto Rico – Once nearly stripped bare by colonial agriculture and battered by fierce hurricanes, the island’s ecosystems now benefit from restoration strategies inspired by its native wildlife. Roots of Devastation Roots of Devastation (Image Credits: Flickr) Centuries of sugar and tobacco plantations erased 94 percent of Puerto Rico’s native forests, leaving just 6 percent … Read more
Unmasking South Africa’s ‘Wildlife Miracle’: The Bontebok Reality
Sameen David
South Africa – The bontebok antelope’s journey from near extinction to abundance stands as a cornerstone of the nation’s celebrated wildlife success story, though closer examination exposes a reimagined approach to conservation. A Dramatic Population Rebound A Dramatic Population Rebound (Image Credits: Unsplash) Conservationists point to the bontebok as proof of effective strategies. In the … Read more
Conservationists Challenge MSC Recertification of Antarctic Krill Fishery
Sameen David
Antarctica – Environmental organizations have filed formal objections to the Marine Stewardship Council’s draft recommendation to renew sustainability certification for krill fishing in the Southern Ocean, raising alarms over ecosystem risks and management lapses. A Foundation of the Southern Ocean Food Web A Foundation of the Southern Ocean Food Web (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com) Antarctic krill … Read more
North Sumatra Tribes Push to Reclaim Customary Lands After Pulpwood Permit Revocation
Sameen David
Medan, Indonesia – Indigenous communities in North Sumatra province have renewed their push to regain ancestral territories long overshadowed by a major pulpwood operation. A Legacy of Land Disputes Unfolds A Legacy of Land Disputes Unfolds (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com) PT Toba Pulp Lestari held a vast concession spanning 167,927 hectares since the 1980s, sparking enduring … Read more
White Sharks Abandon Neptune Islands for Reasons Beyond Orcas
Sameen David
Neptune Islands, South Australia – Great white sharks frequently vacated a key habitat over more than a decade, yet researchers determined that killer whales triggered only one of those prolonged absences. Orcas Target Shark Livers in Dramatic Encounters Orcas Target Shark Livers in Dramatic Encounters (Image Credits: Flickr) Killer whales prey on white sharks by … Read more
Reforestation’s Tough Choices: Global Maps Expose Climate and Biodiversity Conflicts
Efforts to expand forests worldwide for carbon sequestration increasingly intersect with irreplaceable habitats essential for countless species. 13% Overlap Signals Urgent Conflicts 13% Overlap Signals Urgent Conflicts (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com) A recent global analysis revealed that up to 13% of high-biodiversity lands overlap with sites proposed for land-intensive carbon dioxide removal projects like forestation and … Read more
Decoding Dinosaur Diets: What Ancient Evidence Reveals About Their Meals
Imagine trying to figure out what someone ate for dinner – not last night, but roughly 150 million years ago, without a menu, a kitchen, or any witnesses. That’s basically the challenge paleontologists face every single day. And honestly, the fact that they’ve made as much progress as they have is nothing short of remarkable. … Read more
Brazil’s Atlantic Forest – Native Plants Fuel Hope for Large-Scale Restoration
Efforts to revive Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity treasure reduced to scattered remnants, increasingly rely on the untapped economic value of native plant species. Nearly Six in Ten Species Boast Market Potential Nearly Six in Ten Species Boast Market Potential (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com) Researchers uncovered a striking fact: almost 60% of native plants in … Read more