In Sri Lanka, volunteers and researchers survey owls at night along set routes to mark the International Owl Day. But what takes more effort is the public educational events to challenge deep-rooted superstitions about owls, which are generally viewed as a bad omen. This leads to persecution and eviction from nesting sites, even though species like barn owls provide valuable rodent control, hence being particularly useful in urban settings. by Malaka Rodrigo
Conservation news
With nocturnal surveys and awareness building, Sri Lanka steps up to protect its owls
COLOMBO — As darkness settled over Colombo on Aug. 3, a small group of young men, led by a zoology professor, slipped quietly into Sri Lanka’s ...
 #news
The lion, with its majestic mane and the loudest growl of all the big cats, is today a vulnerable species with decreasing populations in extremely fragmented habitats. It once ranged widely throughout Africa and Eurasia; today, it’s restricted to parts of sub-Saharan Africa and one small area in western India. For #WorldLionDay on Aug. 10, Mongabay looks back at some of our coverage this year of the challenges that Panthera leo faces. Compiled by Kristine Sabillo
Conservation news
World lion day: Why is the king of the savanna declining?
The lion, with its majestic mane and the loudest growl of all the big cats, is today a vulnerable species with decreasing populations in extremely ...
In 2024, the Sri Lankan government revoked the protected status of an ecologically important mangrove forest. Environmental groups challenged the decision in court, calling for reinstatement of its former conservation status. On July 26 this year, to mark World Mangrove Day, Sri Lanka declared several new mangrove areas protected, reinforcing its global recognition as the Commonwealth mangrove “champion.” by Malaka Rodrigo
Conservation news
Sri Lanka plans restoring revoked protection for an important mangrove patch in the island’s North
Mannar, SRI LANKA — The Vidattaltivu Nature Reserve, nestled along Sri Lanka’s northwestern coast in the Mannar district, is home to one of the...
 #news #conservation #mangrove #SriLanka
Ecuador’s Antisana páramo, southeast of Quito, was degraded for centuries by cattle ranches. In 2010, the Quito Water Conservation Fund and the Quito’s water utility secured funding to buy one of the most heavily impacted properties. Once non-native livestock were removed and restoration began, native vegetation, wetlands and species like deer, rabbits and foxes returned. by Ana Cristina Alvarado
Conservation news
Restoration brings back fresh water, wildlife to degraded páramos in Ecuador
When the sheep were removed, the páramo — high-altitude ecosystems in the Andes — started to heal. Without their waste, water quality improved...
 #news #restoration #conservation #environment #nature
Brazil, the world’s top importer of shark meat, is feeding much of it to preschoolers, hospital patients and more via government procurements, Mongabay has found. This influx of shark meat into public buildings is exposing infants and other vulnerable groups to high levels of mercury and arsenic, which accumulate in sharks. by Philip Jacobson, Karla Mendes and Kuang Keng Keuk Ser
Conservation news
That ‘fish’ on the menu? In Brazil’s schools and prisons, it’s often shark
Brazil, the world’s top importer of shark meat, is feeding much of it to preschoolers, hospital patients, military staff, public workers and more...
 * This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network.
They are not yet gone. But for thousands of species, the Earth is already holding its breath. A new review published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment confirms what conservationists have long suspected: more than 10,000 species now sit on the precipice, listed on the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, as critically endangered (CR) — the final designation before vanishing from the wild entirely. Founder's Brief by Rhett A. Butler
Conservation news
Requiem for the nearly lost
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. They are ...
 #news #conservation
Investments made in the Guianas, including Venezuela as a bordering and Amazonian country, are not in line with the federal model of countries such as Brazil. In Venezuela, which is seen today as a failed state, military rule was declared in several states. In Suriname & Guyana, despite centralization in their limited territories, the national government can generate policies and provide basic services through local jurisdictions. by Timothy J. Killeen
Conservation news
Centralized governance in the Guianas and economic legacy
Venezuela has a long history of federal government, and twelve of its 22 constitutions have included the word ‘Federal’ in the title, including...
 #news #Amazon
In August, representatives of the world’s nations will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, to hopefully finalize a U.N. plastic treaty. But negotiators remain far apart, with an overwhelming number of nations wanting a legally binding treaty that limits plastic production, while a much smaller number want a voluntary agreement focused on waste management. by Tosca Ballerini
Conservation news
As UN plastic treaty talks face possible deadlock, what are the ways forward?
Historically, most United Nations agreements have been reached by consensus. But based on recent events, this no longer seems likely for achieving ...
 #news #plastic #pollution #climate #UN #plastictreaty
Scientists recently estimated, for the first time, that the North Atlantic Ocean contains millions of tons of nanoplastics. To measure it, they used a detection method that picks up the chemical markers, or smell, of trace amounts of burned plastic. It's long been speculated that the oceans hold significant amounts of nanoplastics. but no one had managed to quantify them until now. by Shanna Hanbury
Conservation news
Scientists use the ‘smell of burned plastic’ to measure nanoplastics in the ocean
Scientists recently estimated, for the first time, that the North Atlantic Ocean contains millions of tons of nanoplastics. To measure it, they use...
 #news #oceans #nanoplastics #climate #environment #plastic
Rupestrian grasslands form an ecosystem of extremes: covering a mere 0.8% of Brazil’s territory, they are home to 15% of the nation’s flora. The list of threats to this mountaintop ecosystem is long, but mining poses the greatest threat. Conservation units to protect rupestrian grasslands have been set up, while universities are partnering with mining companies to drive restoration projects. by Letícia Klein
Conservation news
Scientists & communities rush to save rare, diverse Brazilian grassland ecosystem
“When I first saw this vegetation, I thought I was on another planet. It was all so different. … Not just the architecture of the plants, but t...
 #news #mining #ecosystems #environment #conservation