“Keeping the nest tree standing and protecting a small area around that tree is one of our goals,” says Tânia Sanaiotti, founder of the Harpy Eagle Project, 25 years old now. “If you leave only the nest tree there in the middle of nowhere, the nestling won’t be able to take its first flight. It […]
Tag: Mongabay.com
Mexico dismantles illegal fishing cartels killing off rare vaquita porpoise
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO — Some of the country’s most ambitious and successful wildlife traffickers are now in jail, officials announced. Mexico’s navy confirmed in a press conference that members of cartels dedicated to the trafficking of totoaba have been arrested and put in prison, effectively dismantling some of the main organized crime groups contributing to […]
Unsustainable fishing to be banned in Irrawaddy dolphin’s Bornean sanctuary
JAKARTA — One of the most threatened population of Irrawaddy dolphins in Asia is set to get a much-needed reprieve as officials in Indonesia roll out a ban on unsustainable fishing gear in a key stretch of river. The Bornean population of the species, Orcaella brevirostris, is found in the Mahakam River, of which an […]
Strong marine protected areas credited with manta ray surge in Indonesia
Ocean-dwelling sharks and rays, including the majestic reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi), have declined globally by an estimated 71% since 1970 due to fishing. But a new study of reef manta rays in eastern Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago, combined with an exciting discovery from Komodo National Park further west earlier this year, suggests reef mantas […]
Plastic pellet pollution can end through coordinated efforts, report shows
The building blocks of almost all plastic items on the planet are little lentil-sized petrochemical-derived pellets, called nurdles, that are melted together and shaped to create larger plastic products. These nurdles are the raw material for making water bottles, automobile parts, food containers and countless other products we use in daily life. These pellets pose […]
Ebola-like African primate viruses ‘poised for spillover’ to humans, study finds
A family of viruses that can cause fatal Ebola-like symptoms that is also a critical threat to macaque populations is now “poised for spillover” to humans, a new report reveals. The study, published in September in the journal Cell, reveals that the animal virus has found ways to access human cells, multiply and evade parts […]
Hunting takes its toll on Himalaya’s blue sheep, favored prey of snow leopards
KATHMANDU — The Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve in western Nepal is known for its pristine high-altitude grasslands, and buzzes with helicopter traffic every October and November, at the onset of winter. The choppers carry more than half a dozen foreigners, mostly from the U.S., Russia, Canada, Norway and Germany, typically clad in camouflage and wielding hunting […]
Conservationists play matchmaker to boost Argentina’s jaguar gene pool
For about 70 years, jaguars were absent from Iberá Park in northeastern Argentina’s Corrientes province. To rectify this, conservationists reintroduced three jaguars into the park in 2021, followed by seven more. In July 2022, two cubs were born from this reintroduced population. But experts say the key to successfully reinstating the species isn’t just about […]