Conservation News
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Landmark debt swap to protect Indonesia’s coral reefs
The government of Indonesia announced this week a deal to redirect more than US$ 35 million it owes to the United States into the conservation of coral reefs.
January 15, 2025
Report: One-fifth of Mekong River fish face extinction
Unsustainable development has pushed one-fifth of the fish in the Mekong River — the lifeblood of Southeast Asia — to near extinction, according to a new report.
March 21, 2024
Biologist’s keen eye spots (another) new species in the Pacific
With the dazzling diversity of species that live on a coral reef, dwarfgobies are easy to overlook. While the may be easy to overlook — they are the most diverse of all fish genera.
March 20, 2024
In an undisturbed cave, expedition finds ‘microbats’ once thought lost
Pacific sheath-tailed bats are vanishing across Oceania. But recently, an expedition on one of Fiji’s least visited islands made a remarkable discovery: A cave containing thousands of Pacific sheath-tailed bats.
October 30, 2023
New conservation effort seeks $1 billion for Eastern Himalayas
A new initiative in the Eastern Himalayas aims to raise US$1 billion to accelerate — and scale up — local conservation work, providing resources to plant 1 billion trees, and protect and restore 1 million hectares by 2030.
September 20, 2023
3 ways Indigenous knowledge protects nature
On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Conservation News is highlighting three stories about Indigenous peoples on the frontlines of protecting the nature they rely on.
August 9, 2023
How an extraordinary new effort is giving sharks ‘a fighting chance’
Earlier this year, three zebra shark pups became the first endangered sharks ever to be bred in captivity for the purpose of being released into the wild. They're part of a bold plan to bring sharks back from the brink of extinction.
July 24, 2023
After Australia’s bushfires, AI cameras capture wildlife recovery
Three years after Australia’s most devastating fire season ever, new images from motion-activated cameras placed across the country’s scorched forests are giving researchers an unequaled view into wildlife recovery.
May 11, 2023
Indonesia protects ‘walking sharks.’ Are other sharks next?
The Indonesian government has granted six species of threatened “walking sharks” the highest level of protection — a move experts hope will lead to the conservation of other sharks, whose numbers have plummeted due largely to the shark fin trade.
April 19, 2023
From tiny nation, a ‘hallmark moment’ for climate justice
A small Pacific island nation is behind a landmark U.N. resolution that could hold carbon-polluting countries to account for failing to act on climate change. Conservation News explains what the resolution means and how it could advance climate justice.
April 6, 2023
3 things our experts loved in March
Conservation International is powered by 1,500 people in more than 30 countries — their interests, like their hometowns, are all over the map. In this monthly feature, we highlight three things that kept our experts busy while off the clock.
March 27, 2023
New study shows where manta rays thrive
Targeted for their gill plates and trapped accidentally in fishing nets, reef manta rays are in trouble; their populations around the world are plummeting. But in one protected area off the coast of Indonesia, the rays are not only bucking worldwide trends – they’re thriving.
December 2, 2022
News spotlight: Australia aims to end extinctions — critics see a plan that picks ‘winners’
Australia has lost more mammals to extinction than any other continent. A new plan commits to protecting its iconic wildlife, but some say it doesn’t go far enough.
October 10, 2022
In China, engineered wetlands remove waste from fresh water
In China, “engineered wetlands” are helping villages decontaminate their water by moving it through traditional infrastructure — such as shallow septic tanks — and into natural ecosystems such as marshes, plants and soil that absorb pollutants.
August 24, 2022
News spotlight: New hope for Mekong ‘megafish’
In case you missed it: A giant stingray hooked (and released) by a fisherman in Cambodia’s Mekong River earlier this month has taken the title of world’s largest freshwater fish.
June 27, 2022
New app aims to take a bite out of illegal shark fin trade
New technology will help inspectors tackle the illegal wildlife trade using a tool most already have in their pockets: their cell phones.
June 8, 2022
A ‘manta ray ruler’ could help protect these gentle giants
A new technique for measuring manta rays could offer critical insights into their health, reproductive status, lifespans and whether a population is growing or shrinking.
March 4, 2022
Notes from the field: fish-waste fertilizer, fire-resistant trees and more
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
February 25, 2022
New science: Satellite data preventing climate-fueled floods — and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts.
February 17, 2022
Shifting tuna populations could trigger ‘climate justice issue’: study
Ocean warming will alter the habitats of tuna, which could have catastrophic economic consequences for Pacific Island nations and territories, according to a new study.
July 29, 2021
Notes from the field: From fighting fires to cleaning seas, communities stand up for nature
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
April 8, 2021
Notes from the field: For communities, conservation brings business opportunities
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
January 21, 2021
New science: Saving freshwater species, lessons from China and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts.
November 12, 2020
Notes from the field: Sun-powered water, COVID and fishing, and more
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
October 22, 2020
In high seas, scientists see a lifeline for coral reefs
Coral reefs on the high seas could offer a lifeline for the world's dying reefs, a new study finds.
September 14, 2020
Meet a scientist: the island-hopping adventurer
Conservation News spoke to Conservation International scientist Mael Imirizaldu about his work helping countries and communities conserve the ocean that they depend on.
May 14, 2020
Notes from the field: Indigenous peoples protecting nature through tradition
Right now, around the world, the work of protecting nature and the climate is happening in the field — and achieving small triumphs that don’t make the news. Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
April 29, 2020
New science: saving life on land, record-breaking rays, freshwater action plan
Here’s a roundup of recent science published by Conservation International experts.
April 16, 2020
For Indigenous peoples, pandemic poses unique risks
In a recent article, the director of Conservation International's Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program explained why the COVID-19 pandemic affirms the need to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples.
April 14, 2020
Meet a scientist: a species-discovering savant
Conservation News spoke with Conservation International's Mark Erdmann about his job as a marine biologist, where he spends almost as much time underwater discovering new species as he does helping communities above ground conserve them.
March 25, 2020
The oceans are on the brink. Here are 3 ways to save them
A look ahead at ocean conservation in 2020 from Conservation International experts.
February 20, 2020
Deep dive: New findings from our whale shark watchers
On International Whale Shark Day, we sat down with two Conservation International scientists to learn more about their work tagging the world's largest fish.
August 30, 2019
Pacific islands face hardships as tuna follow warming waters
Human Nature spoke with a tuna expert about the powerful ways climate change will affect tuna populations.
July 1, 2019
Indonesian province leaps ahead in conservation
The government of the province of West Papua announced legislation establishing it as Indonesia’s first “conservation province.”
March 25, 2019
In Indonesia, villagers find innovative ways to adapt to climate change
A new study shows that using nature to adapt to intense storms and drought can be affective for thriving in a changing climate.
June 19, 2018
To feed itself, Hawai‘i must make sea change, study finds
To feed its growing population, Hawai‘i is looking to produce more locally sourced seafood, which has a smaller environmental footprint.
May 31, 2018
Satellite tags shed light on sea turtle treks
Knowing where the turtles go is the first step to protecting them.
May 22, 2018
How one ocean voyager uses tradition to connect to the future
Voyagers in Samoa use the Va’a as a way to connect with other cultures while learning to live in harmony with nature.
February 23, 2018
What on Earth is a ‘conservation agreement’?
Here, we break down “conservation agreements,” an approach that helps conserve biodiversity while improving the quality of life for local communities.
February 20, 2018
The doctor is in: Indonesia’s whale sharks get annual check-up
In Indonesia, scientists give whale sharks “physicals” — measuring, tagging and taking blood samples underwater, in 30 minutes — to assess the health of both the species and the surrounding waters.
September 28, 2017
Update: What we’re learning about the world’s largest fish
Two years into a whale shark tracking program, scientists are learning new facts about the world’s largest fish.
August 1, 2017
4 ways climate change is making life harder for tigers
A new threat looms for these remaining tigers: climate change.
July 19, 2017
Climate-induced species migrations could upend human society: study
A new study in Science on climate change’s effect on mass species migration reveals the impact on humans will be monumental.
April 3, 2017
What on Earth is ‘blue carbon’?
A term you might never have heard of has immense importance for curbing climate change.
November 1, 2016
To improve crop yields, just add trees
In an Indonesian province plagued by deforestation, a group of women farmers has found a more sustainable way to feed their families.
October 20, 2016
What on Earth is ‘land tenure’?
The concept of land tenure has major implications for conservation.
October 6, 2016
What on Earth is ‘sustainable’ coffee?
What makes coffee “sustainable,” and why it even matters.
September 29, 2016
6 facts you need to know about mangroves
Mangroves are a key piece of how we address climate change. It’s time we stop overlooking them.
July 25, 2016
Amid widespread coral bleaching, this reef is thriving
Already adapted to major temperature fluctuations, some Indonesian reefs may be better prepared for climate change than others.
June 21, 2016
5 ways indigenous knowledge can solve global problems
The traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples could help address environmental problems that plague the entire planet.
May 9, 2016