Conservation’s mental health epidemic Conservationists, often seen as tireless stewards of the planet’s dwindling biodiversity, are burning out. In some cases, they are breaking down. www.butlernature.com/2025/07/17/c...

In 2006, Debby Ng was part of a team who bore witness to the destruction of Terumbu Bayan reef in Singapore. Ng describes the last moments of a pair of clownfish who vigorously defending their fry unaware that nothing could be done to change their fate. www.butlernature.com/2025/05/15/r...

Last month marks 20 years since I started the Mongabay news service. Our growth has been shaped by countless people: brave reporters risking their safety to tell urgent stories, editors refining every detail, partners who believed in our vision, & readers who care deeply. mongabay.cc/gvDbLS

Marielle Ramires, activist and communicator, died on April 29th, aged 45. Ms. Ramires co-founded Mídia NINJA in 2013, Brazil’s influential network of independent communicators that defied traditional media paradigms. www.butlernature.com/2025/05/01/m...

Half a million barrels of toxic waste off California’s coast were never meant to be seen again—until now news.mongabay.com/2025/03/5000...

On the edge of oblivion, a tiny parakeet is making a bold return. news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

We have entered a new era in the U.S.—one that carries profound risks for journalism. There is a fine line between fearmongering & foresight. But when an organization supports the livelihoods of many, its leadership has a duty to prepare. www.butlernature.com/2025/03/06/r...

What I wish I knew 25 years ago. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to anyone starting something new, it’s this: Don’t wait until you have all the answers. Start with what you have, and figure it out along the way. www.butlernature.com/2025/03/02/w...

Few ecosystems punch above their weight quite like seagrass meadows. These underwater pastures quietly perform a remarkable array of ecological services. A new handbook provides guidance on seagrass restoration. www.butlernature.com/2025/02/28/m...

In 2011 I chose to start a non-profit, rather than write a book, because I felt the potential for impact was greater. Here's a little context about that decision: www.butlernature.com/2025/02/27/w...

President Donald Trump last month undid America’s commitment to protecting 30% of U.S. lands & waters by 2030. In a commentary, Angelo Villagomez & Alia Hidayat argue the decision forces a reckoning that was already underway: How should conservation evolve beyond 30×30? mongabay.cc/ggEDRA

The concept of the “extinction of experience” has been used to describe the dwindling human connection with nature, often applied to the general public. But ecologists themselves are not immune. Across universities and research institutions, field-based studies are in retreat. mongabay.cc/w0Tc9L

Amidst the ashes, pangolins rebuild. A recent study underscores what is at stake when pangolins disappear from an ecosystem: resilience. Pangolins play a vital role in ecological recovery, particularly in landscapes ravaged by fire. news.mongabay.com/2025/02/pang...

Randy Borman, the man who became Cofán. Randy Borman was never meant to be Cofán. And yet, from the moment he was born in 1955, deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, he belonged to them. www.butlernature.com/2025/02/19/r...

Down to less than 10 individuals, the vaquita teeters on the brink of extinction. Here's how people are trying to save it. news.mongabay.com/2025/02/cons...

Vimla Bahuguna, who spent a lifetime defending India’s forests, empowering women, and championing the rights of the poor, died on Feb 14th, at the age of 93. www.butlernature.com/2025/02/16/o...

Kallur Balan did not seek recognition. He did not write books, nor command the podium at international climate summits. His work was quieter, the slow and unglamorous toil of one man against the arid land. But when he died this week at 75, the forests he left behind spoke for him mongabay.cc/zU00Xg

It’s been a rough time for those who care about the fate of the planet. But resilience isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about what we choose to do next. When the path forward looks bleak, it’s not a signal to stop—it’s a call to think differently, to shift strategies, to find new ways forward.

Lessons from the early years of Mongabay -Perseverance matters more than perfection -Focus on adding value -Resourcefulness beats resources. -Iterate relentlessly. -Impact outlasts metrics. -Recognize luck www.butlernature.com/2025/02/07/s...

Statement from a Cambodian government official: "All foreigners banned from Cambodia are 'either terrorists, spies, or criminals.'" Silencing journalists will not help Cambodia. Now, more than ever, the country needs independent voices to cover environmental issues. ⚠️ Journalism is not a crime.

On Jan 5, 2025, Mongabay journalist Gerald Flynn was denied entry to Cambodia, his home the past 5 years. We believe Flynn was blacklisted for his reporting on illegal logging in the country. news.mongabay.com/2025/02/stat...

I never set out to become a journalist. When I started Mongabay, it was just a side project—a way to channel my passion for rainforests into something tangible. In 2004, I took the leap: www.butlernature.com/2025/01/22/i...

Mongabay’s audience in 2024, by country Our websites had 95 million visits and 121M pageviews in 2024. Unsurprisingly, our largest audiences are often in countries where we produce the most coverage, with the U.S. being a notable exception. www.butlernature.com/2025/01/10/m...

As 2025 dawns, here is a look at some of the storylines that could shape the fate of tropical forests this year. news.mongabay.com/2024/12/rain...

Jimmy Carter’s conservation legacy www.butlernature.com/2024/12/30/j...

Some of the top new species discovered in 2024. news.mongabay.com/2024/12/phot...

The world lost many conservationists, Indigenous leaders, and environmentalists in 2024. Their lives were devoted to safeguarding the planet’s biodiversity, protecting vulnerable communities, and advocating for justice in the face of profound challenges. news.mongabay.com/2024/12/cons...

Mongabay’s 5 most read stories of 2024 www.butlernature.com/2024/12/23/m...

The year in rainforests: Key storylines that shaped tropical forests in 2024. news.mongabay.com/2024/12/the-...

Elva Gemita, a steadfast advocate for wildlife and forest conservation in Indonesia, passed away on November 24 at the age of 44. www.butlernature.com/2024/12/22/o...

Here's a short interview with conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier I did as a follow up to a longer feature youtu.be/45PsDnAQh6c The full interview: news.mongabay.com/2024/12/how-...

David Bonderman, who died on Wed, was best known as a titan of private equity. Less known is that Bonderman invested tens of millions of dollars into wildlife conservation. For him, effective conservation required addressing the intertwined fates of animals and humans. mongabay.cc/8omSEU

Cristina Mittermeier has spent decades capturing the fragile beauty of our planet while amplifying the voices of its stewards—particularly those often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Her lens does more than document; it inspires action and offers hope in an era overshadowed by despair.

Today is World Wildlife Day Nature documentaries paint an image of Earth teeming with wildlife, but the numbers tell a different story. A Feb 2023 PNAS study quantified the biomass of the world’s mammals and revealed an ecosystem heavily dominated by humanity and its livestock: mongabay.cc/JG2V6L

Scientists have described the tiniest frog on record in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, the Mata Atlântica. At just 6.95 millimeters—smaller than a pencil eraser—Brachycephalus dacnis ranks among the smallest vertebrates ever documented. news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

Is the carnivorous Ethiopian wolf a pollinator? In the highlands of Ethiopia, the endangered Ethiopian wolf has been observed indulging in an unexpected treat: nectar, which may make it a rare plant pollinator among large carnivores. news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

Today is International Jaguar Day, which is dedicated to a predator whose presence shapes forests, rivers, and plains from northern Mexico to Argentina. By keeping prey species in check, they support forest regeneration and help maintain the integrity of ecosystems. mongabay.cc/jUYt9W

The Rappahannock Tribe is the first in the U.S. to enshrine the rights of nature into their constitution. What sets this framework apart is its enforceability. Tribal members can bring legal cases on behalf of the river. news.mongabay.com/2024/11/rapp...

In the twilight of their lives, the world’s oldest creatures carry the weight of wisdom, experience, and resilience. Yet, these elders are vanishing. A new review lays bare the ecological void left behind when these venerable beings are lost. mongabay.cc/7jbORO

Thousands of chemicals from food packaging found in humans, a major study reveals news.mongabay.com/2024/11/thou...

In the 21st century, petrochemical-based building materials and furnishings have replaced traditional wood, fabric and metal materials in homes worldwide. But plastics are more flammable and release persistent toxic chemicals when burned or exposed to high heat. news.mongabay.com/2024/11/as-g...

A single manta ray can generate up to $1 million annually from tourism in some locations. Indonesia, for example, saw around $15M a year in the early 2010s from snorkelers & divers; the sector has expanded since then. By contrast, the country’s manta fisheries brought in just $442,000/year.

With populations in steep decline, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed extending federal protections under the Endangered Species Act to multiple giraffe subspecies: www.fws.gov/press-releas... 📷 Leucistic giraffe with a normal reticulated giraffe. By the Hirola Conservation Programme

Have you ever heard of the Chinese mountain cat? I hadn't until I read Ruth Kamnitzer's piece on this small cat that was only photographed for the first time in the wild in 2007. news.mongabay.com/2024/11/easy...

Declared extinct, the slender-billed curlew slipped from the world in the way of rare things: gradually, quietly, & irretrievably. “How can we expect countries beyond Europe to step up for their species when our comparatively wealthy countries have failed?” - Nicola Crockford. mongabay.cc/LwZQ0v

More than 20% of Earth’s plants grow only on islands, finds new research published in the journal Nature. Mapping over 300,000 known plant species, scientists have found that 21%, are unique to these isolated ecosystems. Islands comprise just over 5% of Earth’s landmass. mongabay.cc/ZmnGy8

Parties advocating for the delay of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) received donations from companies linked to illegal deforestation, according to an analysis by @earthsight.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2024/11/part...

Puerto Rico has a new marine protected area: Vega Baja and Manatí Underwater Gardens, which spans 202 square kilometers, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. It was created after a 16-year effort led by local organizations. news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

The world’s largest known coral has been discovered in the Solomon Islands after a National Geographic/Pristine Seas expedition. The Pavona clavus measures 34 meters across and 32 meters in length. news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

I prepare obituary sketches for some figures in advance, to be held until they’re needed to be developed into full obituaries. The following is one I hope to never publish, though as of today, fewer than 10 vaquitas are believed to remain in the wild. www.butlernature.com/2024/11/13/a...