The Finnish folk musician Liisa Matveinen lives in a mustard-coloured house in Ilomantsi, 12 miles (20km) from the Russian border. Large books of folk songs line her walls. Sitting in her kitchen, Matveinen sings about a humble hunter going into the woods to find reindeer. The song tells us how they were “honoured” providers of […]
No signs of slowdown in wildlife trafficking in 2024 as demand persists
Wildlife trafficking remains a pressing threat to the survival of countless species, with sharks, pangolins, rhinos, birds, big cats and others among the hardest hit. Mongabay’s extensive reporting aligns with the 2024 U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) World Wildlife Crime Report, which highlights these species as prime targets of a $20 billion per […]
Dissecting the world’s rarest whale – in pictures
Conservationists and scientists in New Zealand were astonished to find the world’s rarest whale washed ashore in the South Island in July. As only the seventh spade-toothed whale identified, and with none ever seen alive, this month saw the first dissection of a complete specimen Rangers in New Zealand inspect a beaked whale, believed to […]
Massive tortoise rewilding in Madagascar’s spiny forest strives to save fraught species
TAOLAGNARO, Madagascar – Gabriel Andriamanjaka holds the radiotracking aerial aloft and marches into a spiky forest thicket. Branches whip around his body as he pushes through in pursuit of his quarry. The beeps emitted by the receiver he carries grow more frequent as he closes in. “Found it!” he calls back to us, pointing to […]
Results of the Best Photo of the Month December 2024
We are delighted to announce the results of our latest photo competition. Alan De Witt wins First with his outstanding image ‘Flying Squirrel‘ . Alan Murphy wins First with his inspirational image ‘Long-legged Myotis with Full Reflection‘ . Third Prize goes to Jess Findlay with ‘Northern Saw-whet Owl Nestlings‘. Please give kudos to the photographers […]
Conservationists call for fox-free zones to protect the Parma wallaby
The creation of more fox-free safe havens and greater collaboration between government and landowners is needed to ensure the survival of a species of wallaby, an expert from The Australian National University (ANU) argues. The Parma wallaby, also known as the white-throated wallaby, is listed as a vulnerable species in Australia, while the International Union […]
They lived through the ice age. Can the mighty musk ox survive the heat?
Built like a small bison, weighing as much as a grand piano and covered in thick, shaggy coat, the musk ox is one of the most distinctive species in the high Arctic. But from a hill on Greenland’s tundra, they seem impossible to find. Each bush, rock and clump of grass resembles a mass of […]
Golden jackals thrive in mangroves of Indian megacity Mumbai: Study
The wolf-like golden jackal still thrives in some parts of India‘s financial capital, Mumbai, according to a new study, reports contributor Sneha Mahale for Mongabay India. Historically, the golden jackal (Canis aureus) could be spotted in several areas of southern Mumbai, study co-author Nikit Surve, research manager at Wildlife Conservation Society-India told Mongabay India. “Today, […]