Mongabay Newscast

Indigenous bioacoustics: listening to the land for conservation and tradition

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Indigenous-led conservation initiatives are being aided by the growing field of bioacoustics, with many communities around the world creating listenin...

Mongabay Reports: New species of North America's rare spotted skunks discovered

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers analyzed spotted skunk DNA and found that rather than the four skunk species previously recognized by science, there are actually seven. R...

Extracted, exported and forgotten: the global race for resources and the DRC

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The world economy demands clean energy and cheap commodities and these are being extracted at a furious rate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ...

Mongabay Reports: In search of the 'forest ghost,' South America's giant armadillo

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Since 2010, the Giant Armadillo Project has been researching the world's largest armadillo, an animal that despite its size and range across almost ev...

The key role of Indigenous rights for the future of biodiversity conservation

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two top guests join this episode to discuss the importance of Indigenous rights to the future of biodiversity conservation and efforts to build a more...

Mongabay Reports: As Gabon gets paid to conserve its forests, will others follow?

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gabon recently received the first $17 million of a pledged $150 million from Norway for results-based emission reduction payments as part of the Centr...

Are tuna recovering well, like reports say? It's complicated.

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We look at some of the biggest news from the recent IUCN World Conservation Congress, like the upgraded conservation status of 4 tuna species, includi...

Mongabay Reports: Can climate-friendly agroforestry transform farming in the U.S. Midwest?

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Monocultures of corn and soybeans carpet 75% of the U.S. Midwest, leading to soil erosion, water pollution, and massive greenhouse gas emissions. Howe...

What makes conservation projects succeed, or not?

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The scientific evidence for what kinds of nature conservation programs actually work is always changing, and the use of such evidence should be standa...

Mongabay Reports: 'Extinction denial' is the latest anti-science conspiracy theory

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There's a growing refusal by some to acknowledge the ongoing global extinction crisis being driven by human actions, conservation scientists say. Thes...

What can seashells tell us about the oceans' health?

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Environmental journalist Cynthia Barnett joins this episode to discuss her fascinating new book, "The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the ...

Optimism for elephants fuels effective Indigenous conservation effort

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Top conservation photographer Ami Vitale rejoins the show to discuss the work of an Indigenous-owned elephant sanctuary in Kenya, where she has shot a...

Mongabay Reports: Two new Javan rhino calves spotted in the species' last holdout

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Indonesia recently announced exciting news, the sighting of two Javan rhino calves in Ujung Kulon National Park, the last place on Earth where the cri...

Reforestation done right, from Haiti to Honduras and Ho Chi Minh City

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Often called a panacea, 'tree planting' is a hot topic but it can fail when too little thought goes into it, so the guests on this episode reframe the...

Reconnecting kids and ourselves to the planet with author Richard Louv

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

During the past year's pandemic and lockdowns, spending time outdoors has been soothing for many--whether found outside our homes, in parks, or via na...

Mongabay Reports: Camera traps in trees reveal a richness of species in Rwandan park

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Wildlife researchers often use motion-sensing cameras, also known as camera traps, to study animals in the wild. However, these are usually positioned...

With billion dollar boost, bioacoustics is set to soar

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"This is an incredibly exciting time to be part of the field of bioacoustics," our guest on this episode says, and she's right: if you care about wild...

Can Biden's 30x30 plan put the U.S. back on a positive conservation track?

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. has been M.I.A. on many environmental issues for the last few years, but the new Biden Administration has been announcing positive policies r...

Mongabay Reports: How many trees are on the Earth?

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to the world's forests, two commonly asked questions are "How many trees are on Earth?" and "How many are cut down each year?" A study i...

Reforestation vs deforestation: Forest losses and gains this past year

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we discuss how newly released data shows deforestation rose in 2020, even while tree planting initiatives took root all around the pla...

Two tunas and a tale of managed extinction

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are international groups that manage declining tuna populations doing too good a job? Two guests on our show this week illustrate how these managers a...

As humanity exceeds key 'planetary boundaries' many solutions are on the horizon, too

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change & loss of biological diversity are just two of the 9 planetary boundaries scientists say humanity is currently pushing the limits of. H...

New investigation in the Amazon documents impact of palm oil plantations on Indigenous communities

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Palm oil plantations look likely to become a new cause of deforestation and pollution across the Amazon: though companies say their supply chains are ...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Solutions and optimism that drive conservation

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

'I'm amazed how resilient, adaptable and optimistic the people of Sumatra are,' conservationist and HAkA Sumatra founder Farwiza Farhan says in the fi...

Can agroecology feed the world?

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Agroecology is a style of sustainable farming spreading quickly around the globe, transforming the way food is grown. Industrial agriculture requires ...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Restoration for peat's sake

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Once drained for palm oil or other agricultural uses, Indonesia's peatlands become very fire prone, putting people and rich flora and fauna--from orch...

Rewilding, restoration, and real hope for the future

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Landscape rewilding and ecosystem restoration are likely our last/best chances to maintain life on Earth as we know it, the guests on this week's show...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: where are the rhinos?

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Sumatran rhino is a ridiculously cute but cryptic species that teeters on the brink: with an estimated 80 individuals left in the wilds of its sup...

Biomass and hydropower: climate solutions or delusions?

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two technologies being promoted as climate solutions, biomass and hydropower, actually have big environmental consequences and might not be sustainabl...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Omens and optimism for orangutans

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Sumatran orangutan is a lowland species that has adapted to life among this Indonesian island's highlands, as it has lost favored habitat to an ar...

Agroforestry: the most climate-friendly and biodiversity-positive agriculture technique is growing

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever drink 'shade grown' coffee or eat 'bird friendly' chocolate? Then you've enjoyed the fruits of agroforestry, an ancient agricultural technique pr...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Elephants and eternity

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Sumatran elephant is a small species of Asian elephant whose numbers are dwindling as their lowland forest habitats are converted to crops like oi...

What's in store for the world's forests in 2021?

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From fires to COVID, 2020 was a *bit* of a rough year for forest conservation efforts. But what's in store, and hopeful, for 2021? On this episode, we...

New conservation tech to clean up mining sector

23 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Valuable minerals are regularly dug out of sensitive ecological areas like rainforests, and a growing slice of this mining is of the small, "artisanal...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Tiger on the highway

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The wildlife rich island of Sumatra is experiencing a road building boom, causing some of its iconic creatures to be seen by construction workers: a p...

Cerrado solutions: Creative conservation for Brazil's massive savanna

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we look at how the largest and most biodiverse tropical savanna on Earth, Brazil's Cerrado, may finally be getting the conservation at...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Will the world's newest great ape species face a dammed future?

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

North Sumatra is home to 1 of only 8 known great ape species in the world, the newly described Tapanuli orangutan, first classified in 2017 after its ...

Land rights, and wrongs: How Indigenous and local communities are fighting to gain title to their territories

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We're taking a look at the importance of securing Indigenous & local communities' land rights -- and the global push for privatization that can depriv...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Deforestation demystified

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sumatra contains some of the largest tracts of intact rainforest left in the world, but it's at the center of a complicated web of deforestation drive...

In Madagascar, award-winning plant passion & lemur love

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have amazing recordings of indri lemur songs (click for the choruses, stay for the roars) and the award-winning architect of protected areas that h...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra: Saving the singing rhino

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sumatran rhinos are unlike anything else in this world: small in stature and docile by nature, they sport a coat of fur and sing songs reminiscent of ...

Amazon defenders, especially women, are set to get new protections

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Women are key leaders in Amazon conservation, and we're taking another look at this issue with a discussion of an international agreement that could h...

Mongabay Explores Sumatra, Episode 1: A land like no other

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"Sumatra is like a fossil relic of rare species...a giant, rhino horn-shaped island blanketed in the richest rainforest you can imagine...there's noth...

Gorilla Radio: innovation in conservation of super rare great apes

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Cross River gorilla is one of the world's rarest great ape subspecies, with only 300 individuals estimated to be living in Nigeria's Cross River S...

Can the oceans support a renewable energy transition?

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Slowing climate change will require a massive increase of renewable energy assets while reducing use of fossil fuels. And who wouldn't like to have a ...

Great ape forest gardeners of Africa benefit from big conservation victory

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Conservation of great apes in Africa relies on forest protection, and vice versa: on this episode we discuss a campaign in Cameroon to protect the sec...

In the Amazon, women are key to forest conservation

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Women everywhere are key voices for conservation, and an increasing body of research now recognizes the direct link between gender equality and enviro...

Singing cetaceans: New whale & dolphin recordings intrigue researchers

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Bioacoustics studies help scientists discover things never before known about all kinds of animals, but especially marine life -- on this episode of t...

From parks to payments, which conservation methods work best?

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For the 100th episode of the Newscast, we revisit Mongabay's groundbreaking Conservation Effectiveness series which asked a simple question: How can w...

Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 6: Hellbenders and super spreaders

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hellbenders are North America's largest salamanders, living in rivers and growing to an incredible length of over two feet. Eastern newts are tiny and...

Finding nature in the city

22 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

More than half of the world's population now lives in urban areas. And thanks to the COVID pandemic, many of us who are city-dwellers have spent at le...

Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 5: Policy possibilities?

15 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service imposed a trade ban on 201 salamander species in 2016 in order to prevent the import of the the fungal pathogen Bat...

Does trophy hunting support or hurt conservation? Years after Cecil the Lion was killed, debate continues

08 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we take a look at the ongoing debate over trophy hunting 5 years after the killing of Cecil the Lion sparked global outrage: he was a ...

Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 4: The 'Bsal battalion'

01 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

North America (and the US in particular) is the world's hotspot of salamander diversity, hosting about 1/3 of all species. Researchers think that abou...

Animals have culture, too, and for some it's crucial to their survival and conservation

23 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Animal societies have culture, too, as science keeps showing us ever since Dr. Jane Goodall first pointed it out, and on this episode we explore the c...

Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 3: On the Hunt

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Reporter Benji Jones and wildlife disease ecologist with U.S. Geological Survey, Daniel Grear, join this special edition of Mongabay's podcast to disc...

Conservation leaders create community & opportunity amid current crises of violence and viruses

10 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we look at how current environmental crises intersect with two others: the pandemic and the systemic racism and police brutality that ...

Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 2: Great diversity and danger

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why are salamanders so incredibly diverse in the United States? Among other things, a fluke of geography contributed to making it the global hotspot o...

How listening to elephants can help conserve rainforests

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Elephant Listening Project is a bioacoustics research effort that aims to preserve rainforests of Central Africa--and the biodiversity found in th...

Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 1: Are we ready?

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Another pandemic is currently on the march, and it's got salamanders in its sights. You may not have heard about 'Bsal' before, but it nearly wiped ou...

Forest fire season 2020: what will it look like and what can we do?

13 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Australia's fire season may have just ended, but most of the world's tropical forest regions will soon enter their own. We look at what's driving the ...

How to photograph wildlife ethically and why that's so necessary

28 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

At a time when so many people are trying to make photographs of wildlife -- to break the pandemic lockdown blues, or to share on social media -- we sp...

Inspiration for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day amid a global pandemic

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to celebrate the 50th Earth Day amidst a pandemic? Our guests for this episode provide options and inspiration to mark this importan...

The link between pandemics and the destruction of nature, with John Vidal

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Acclaimed environmental journalist John Vidal joins the show to discuss the current pandemic's links to the wildlife trade and the destruction of natu...

Songs and sounds of Bering Sea whales and seals reveal a story of change

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The songs, calls, clicks, and bumps of beluga whales, bearded seals, bowhead whales, ribbon seals, and walrus are the stars of this episode, which als...

New technologies deliver cutting edge conservation, discussion with Shah Selbe

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Shah Selbe is a rocket scientist who put his engineering skills into building a lab that uses open-source technologies to empower local communities t...

Conservation is a growth industry for Africa, Fred Swaniker says

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Fred Swaniker is the founder of the African Leadership University, which recently launched a School of Wildlife Conservation to help young Africans de...

Mongabay Newscast trailer

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Top scientists, authors, and activists appear on the Mongabay Newscast to discuss their latest research, describe new solutions for tough challenges,...

Galina Angarova on the indigenous relationship to land, conservation, and the sacred feminine

05 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

'Without the land, indigenous people cannot exist' the new leader of Cultural Survival, Galina Angarova, tells host Mike G. in this new episode. Raise...

How the sweet sounds of tropical katydids can benefit rainforest conservation

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Laurel Symes is a biologist who uses bioacoustics to study tropical katydids in Central America, and she joins us to play some of her hypnotic rainfor...

Top conservation photographer Ami Vitale discusses rhinos, pandas, hope and more

07 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ami Vitale is an award-winning war correspondent turned conservation photographer, and her iconic images of animals like Sudan the Rhino adorn the pag...

Best animal calls and songs of 2019

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For this last episode of 2019, we take a look back at some favorite bioacoustics recordings featured here on the Mongabay Newscast and play them for y...

Cleared for coca: Chris Fagan on his new investigation from Peru's rainforest

12 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with National Geographic writer Chris Fagan about the investigative report he just filed for Mongabay revealing a massive invasion of nationa...

How haunting gibbon songs can aid their conservation

26 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dena Clink is a primatologist studying individuality and variation in Bornean gibbon calls, which she says could aid these primates' conservation. She...

All zoos should put themselves out of business, Damian Aspinall argues

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Damian Aspinall is chairman of the Aspinall Foundation, a UK charity that works to conserve endangered animals and return them to the wild. Despite hi...

Buzzfeed's Katie Baker details their explosive investigation of WWF

29 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Baker is a reporter for the Buzzfeed News team investigating human rights violations committed against local & indigenous people by park rangers...

Deep sea diva: A dive to the ocean floor with biologist Diva Amon

16 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Plans for ocean floor mining are moving forward globally -- especially around thermal vents that create deposits of metals like gold, silver, copper, ...

Hitting the highway in Borneo to assess diversity and development

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mongabay's adventurous Middle East-based staff writer John Cannon just traveled the length of the Pan Borneo Highway and shares what he discovered on ...

Are humpback whale groups sharing their songs?

12 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For this episode we speak with Jim Darling, a marine biologist whose team found that the songs of different humpback whale groups can be so similar t...

"I'm excited!" Climate action star Rev Yearwood on the UN, youth and women's leadership & more

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, we speak with Reverend Lennox Yearwood about the upcoming UN Climate Summit in New York City and what it's g...

Return of the amazing superb lyrebird

13 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For an encore edition during this show's brief hiatus, we replay one of our most popular Field Notes interviews of all time, featuring Australian rese...

Baltimore, urban rats, and environmental justice

06 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Urban pests like rats have been in the news due to the US President calling Baltimore "rat and rodent infested." He isn't the first American politicia...

Celebrated author David Quammen on inspiring ecological restoration, evolutionary science, and more

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

David Quammen is an award-winning science writer, author, and journalist covering the most promising trends in conservation and evolutionary science f...

Right whales discovered singing for the first time: new recordings

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Crance is a research biologist who recently discovered right whales singing for the first time. While some whales like humpbacks and bowheads...

New CITES boss discusses reining in online wildlife trafficking, the next COP, and more

25 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Ivonne Higuero, new Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora — better ...

Zoos are more key to conservation than ever, Bronx Zoo director says

12 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Breheny is the director of the Bronx Zoo in New York City and joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss the contributions zoos make to global biodive...

What can talkative river dolphins teach us about their marine relatives?

28 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gabriel Melo-Santos studies Araguaian river dolphins in Brazil — his work has revealed that the species is much chattier than we'd previously know...

How to discover an untouched rainforest

14 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ecologist Julian Bayliss used satellite imagery, drones, and technical climbing to make a big discovery last year, an untouched rainforest atop a vir...

Paying for healthcare with a healthy rainforest

30 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kinari Webb founded Health in Harmony, providing healthcare to people to save Indonesian rainforests. She realized that most illegal deforestation hap...

Unusual tool-using chimp culture discovered in the Congo

16 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Primatologist Cleve Hicks leads a research team that has discovered a new tool-using chimp culture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After 12 y...

Sloths' amazing survival skills create a challenge for their survival

02 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rebecca Cliffe joins us to challenge myths about sloths like the popular perception of them as lazy creatures: moving slowly is a survival strateg...

Studying secretive humpback dolphins through sound

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How do you study a marine mammal that lives in waters so murky that it can hide from you in plain sight, even in shallow water? On this episode we spe...

Amazon explorer Scott Wallace: Uncontacted indigenous peoples are a true treasure

05 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

"The uncontacted and isolated tribes represent a true treasure," National Geographic writer and author Scott Wallace says in this episode. "Their know...

How sound can save a rare bird with an AI assist

20 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we speak with Oliver Metcalf, lead author of a new study using bioacoustics and machine learning (artificial intelligence or "AI") to ...

Good news from Mexico monarch reserve despite looming threats

05 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we hear from Mongabay's Mexico City-based contributor Martha Pskowski who recently traveled to central Mexico during the winter 'high ...

We need nature more than nature needs us: IUCN's Inger Andersen

23 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The IUCN is probably best known for its Red List of Threatened Species, a vital resource on the conservation statuses and extinction risks of tens of ...

Sound can save forests and major rainforest trends to watch with Mongabay's founder

08 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett A. Butler joins the podcast to discuss the biggest rainforest storylines to watch in 2019, and a major new paper he co...

How 96 rare sea turtle hatchlings survived a NY City summer

11 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, the largely untold [and very heartwarming] story of how 96 critically endangered sea turtle hatchlings survived this past summer in N...

Bill McKibben is down on COPs but bullish on climate action

27 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we check in about the upcoming international climate summit (COP24, early December 2018) with top American author and climate activis...

E.O. Wilson discusses Half-Earth and conservation solutions

13 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode we share a progress report on the Half-Earth Project (an ambitious effort to set aside half the world for nature) direct from legendar...