Wildlife Impact
@wildlifeimpact.bsky.social
Protecting wildlife & ecosystems via research, evidence-based evaluation, capacity building & advocacy. Fans of biodiversity, protected areas, clean energy, social & environmental justice, democracy, civil rights. Our office cats are strictly indoors.
= massive deforestation incoming
The Indonesian government is fast-tracking a massive food estate and biofuel push in South Papua, anchored by new plantations, an $8 billion bioethanol supply chain, and major infrastructure projects including a new highway and expanded airport plans.
With military backing and oligarch allies, Indonesia pushes controversial food estate
The Indonesian administration of President Prabowo Subianto is pushing ahead with a multibillion-dollar plan to build a vast string of plantations in South Papua province that it hopes will secure…
news.mongabay.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:27 PM
= massive deforestation incoming
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
Colombia will no longer approve new oil or large-scale mining projects in its Amazon biome, which covers 42% of the nation’s territory.
Acting Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres said the entire Colombian Amazon will be made a reserve for renewable natural resources.
Acting Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres said the entire Colombian Amazon will be made a reserve for renewable natural resources.
Colombia bans all new oil and mining projects in its Amazon
Colombia will no longer approve new oil or large-scale mining projects in its Amazon biome, which covers 42% of the nation’s territory, according to a Nov. 13 statement by its environment ministry.…
news.mongabay.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Colombia will no longer approve new oil or large-scale mining projects in its Amazon biome, which covers 42% of the nation’s territory.
Acting Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres said the entire Colombian Amazon will be made a reserve for renewable natural resources.
Acting Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres said the entire Colombian Amazon will be made a reserve for renewable natural resources.
Yikes! Please comment if you can, this could have devastating effects on marine ecosystems and areas of cultural significance.
The US is moving forward with offshore mineral plans that will impact the economy and environment of the Northern Mariana Islands.
pacific.scoop.co.nz/2025/11/us-a...
pacific.scoop.co.nz/2025/11/us-a...
US Advances Offshore Mineral Plans In American Samoa, Northern Marianas
The United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has taken major steps toward offshore critical minerals exploration in the Pacific.Mark Rabago, RNZ Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas...
pacific.scoop.co.nz
November 14, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Yikes! Please comment if you can, this could have devastating effects on marine ecosystems and areas of cultural significance.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
UNESCO has declared the floodplain around Malaysian Borneo’s Kinabatangan River a biosphere reserve, linking the Heart of Borneo to the Lower Kinabatangan–Segama Wetlands.
Conservationists warn that the landscape remains heavily fragmented by oil palm plantations and faces persistent threats.
Conservationists warn that the landscape remains heavily fragmented by oil palm plantations and faces persistent threats.
UNESCO biosphere listing raises hope, questions for Malaysia’s Kinabatangan floodplain
Malaysia’s Kinabatangan floodplain, home to orangutans, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys, has officially joined UNESCO’s global network of biosphere reserves, protected areas of high biological…
news.mongabay.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:18 PM
UNESCO has declared the floodplain around Malaysian Borneo’s Kinabatangan River a biosphere reserve, linking the Heart of Borneo to the Lower Kinabatangan–Segama Wetlands.
Conservationists warn that the landscape remains heavily fragmented by oil palm plantations and faces persistent threats.
Conservationists warn that the landscape remains heavily fragmented by oil palm plantations and faces persistent threats.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
The speed with which salmon have returned to the Klamath - like the Elwha - after dam removal is overwhelmingly hopeful. And in both cases thanks to decades of tireless advocacy by local Tribes.
Grateful to spend two days on the Klamath watching chinook, liberated by dam removal, return to streams from which they’d been precluded since the Titanic sank. Fish are everywhere, in numbers that stagger the mind & locations that biologists figured would take years to repopulate. Too beautiful.
November 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
The speed with which salmon have returned to the Klamath - like the Elwha - after dam removal is overwhelmingly hopeful. And in both cases thanks to decades of tireless advocacy by local Tribes.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
"The Trump administration is weaponizing the government shutdown to gut staffing, weaken environmental protections and normalize its ultimate goal of privatizing public lands. The alarm bells are loud, and our response must be louder."
Now, more than ever, we must fight to save our public lands.
Now, more than ever, we must fight to save our public lands.
Trump is using the shutdown to try and gut national parks
The government shutdown cut nearly two thirds of National Park Service staff.
thehill.com
October 25, 2025 at 2:30 PM
"The Trump administration is weaponizing the government shutdown to gut staffing, weaken environmental protections and normalize its ultimate goal of privatizing public lands. The alarm bells are loud, and our response must be louder."
Now, more than ever, we must fight to save our public lands.
Now, more than ever, we must fight to save our public lands.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
In an unprecedented move, Senate Republicans just voted to erase public land plans in AK, MT, and ND, all to benefit corporate polluters. And they're not done yet: similar resolutions have already been introduced. Tell your members of Congress to choose the people over polluters: sc.org/LandsAction
October 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
In an unprecedented move, Senate Republicans just voted to erase public land plans in AK, MT, and ND, all to benefit corporate polluters. And they're not done yet: similar resolutions have already been introduced. Tell your members of Congress to choose the people over polluters: sc.org/LandsAction
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
This is cool. Adoption of orphaned youngsters in chimps is relatively well documented, but I had not read or heard about this yet in orangs.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
A Case of Sibling Adoption in Wild Orangutans: Accelerated Development of Independence Following Maternal Loss
Vanna/Ronnie lost her mother Veli when she was between 4.2 and 5 years old (pictured together on the left). Subsequently, Vanna/Ronnie was seen traveling with and sleeping in the same nest as her old...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:02 AM
This is cool. Adoption of orphaned youngsters in chimps is relatively well documented, but I had not read or heard about this yet in orangs.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
There are more than 640 million acres of U.S. public lands that are open for all to enjoy and for wildlife to thrive.
These lands are now under attack, however, by the Trump administration.
Call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121 and tell them to protect public lands. #PublicLandsDay
These lands are now under attack, however, by the Trump administration.
Call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121 and tell them to protect public lands. #PublicLandsDay
September 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM
There are more than 640 million acres of U.S. public lands that are open for all to enjoy and for wildlife to thrive.
These lands are now under attack, however, by the Trump administration.
Call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121 and tell them to protect public lands. #PublicLandsDay
These lands are now under attack, however, by the Trump administration.
Call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121 and tell them to protect public lands. #PublicLandsDay
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
“It’s clear that the American people are speaking with one voice,” Weiss says. “And this is not a partisan issue. This is not a state by state issue. This is unanimous. Americans are telling the Forest Service: ‘Don’t do this.’”
via @outdoorlife.com
via @outdoorlife.com
More Than 99 Percent of Americans Disapprove of Roadless Rule Rollbacks, According to New Analysis
A public comment period for the planned rescission of the Roadless Rule ended Friday with more than 99 percent of comments opposing the move.
www.outdoorlife.com
September 23, 2025 at 4:02 PM
“It’s clear that the American people are speaking with one voice,” Weiss says. “And this is not a partisan issue. This is not a state by state issue. This is unanimous. Americans are telling the Forest Service: ‘Don’t do this.’”
via @outdoorlife.com
via @outdoorlife.com
Things are pretty terrible up here, but the other America has a new otter! Otters, science, and free speech are nice things, when you can protect them. Hoping for robust monitoring and protection for the northern neotropical river otter, amongst other things.
September 19, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Things are pretty terrible up here, but the other America has a new otter! Otters, science, and free speech are nice things, when you can protect them. Hoping for robust monitoring and protection for the northern neotropical river otter, amongst other things.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
Now the Trump Administration is trying to get rid of it.
Public comments are open and will close this Friday. I encourage you to make sure your voice is heard:
Public comments are open and will close this Friday. I encourage you to make sure your voice is heard:
Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; National Forest System Lands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is initiating an environmental impact statement (EIS) and rulemaking concerning management of inventoried roadless areas on approximately 44.7 million acres of Natio...
www.federalregister.gov
September 17, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Now the Trump Administration is trying to get rid of it.
Public comments are open and will close this Friday. I encourage you to make sure your voice is heard:
Public comments are open and will close this Friday. I encourage you to make sure your voice is heard:
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
We can't let this happen. Send a comment to the US Forest Service telling them that our forests need the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
Take Action! sc.org/Roadless/Rule
Take Action! sc.org/Roadless/Rule
Home
sc.org
September 3, 2025 at 7:05 PM
We can't let this happen. Send a comment to the US Forest Service telling them that our forests need the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
Take Action! sc.org/Roadless/Rule
Take Action! sc.org/Roadless/Rule
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
The achievable carbon uptake from planting trees is much lower than previous estimates, and even lower than many nations have committed to. New paper by Wang et al. in Science. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 🧪🌏🌳🌲🌐
September 3, 2025 at 7:49 AM
The achievable carbon uptake from planting trees is much lower than previous estimates, and even lower than many nations have committed to. New paper by Wang et al. in Science. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 🧪🌏🌳🌲🌐
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
New research in Indonesia shows that small islands, often considered extinction hotspots, can act as crucial refuges for rare mammals like the anoa and babirusa, which face severe threats from deforestation and poaching on larger land masses.
Small islands offer big hope for conservation of endemic species, study shows
Animals living on small islands are often thought to be more susceptible to extinction compared to those distributed across mainland land masses. Small population sizes, limited habitat availability,…
news.mongabay.com
August 30, 2025 at 11:10 PM
New research in Indonesia shows that small islands, often considered extinction hotspots, can act as crucial refuges for rare mammals like the anoa and babirusa, which face severe threats from deforestation and poaching on larger land masses.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
This is illegal. www.gao.gov/blog/what-po...
August 29, 2025 at 1:41 PM
This is illegal. www.gao.gov/blog/what-po...
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
In a recent move, the Bangladesh government has canceled allocation of more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of forest land planned for different development activities.
The move raised hope for the conservationists who criticized earlier decisions taken by the previous government.
The move raised hope for the conservationists who criticized earlier decisions taken by the previous government.
Bangladesh retreating from development activities planned in forest lands
In the last year, Bangladesh has seen an about-turn from occupying forest land in the name of development activities such as constructing ecotourism parks, football academies, residential and…
news.mongabay.com
August 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
In a recent move, the Bangladesh government has canceled allocation of more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of forest land planned for different development activities.
The move raised hope for the conservationists who criticized earlier decisions taken by the previous government.
The move raised hope for the conservationists who criticized earlier decisions taken by the previous government.
Hopeful news, for a change
"The solar panels imported into Sierra Leone in the last 12 months, if installed, would generate electricity equivalent to 61% of the total reported 2023 electricity generation" #EnergySky
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa | Ember
There has been a major pick-up in solar panel imports into Africa over the last 12 months - a shift that is likely to impact almost every country on the continent.
ember-energy.org
August 27, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Hopeful news, for a change
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
These rulings don't just have direct effects on the specific grants in question, but they have much larger indirect effects. If every federal grant can now be terminated with no notice for any (political) reason, no awardee can make any long term (> 3 months?) commitment to infrastructure or people.
Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling means that HHS does not have to restore $783M in terminated NIH grants. I explore the misguided, implicit assumptions in the decision and the repercussions for America's science and research landscape in a new post.
joshuasweitz.substack.com/p/restoring-...
joshuasweitz.substack.com/p/restoring-...
On Flawed Assumptions in Supreme Court Standard Science
“Those are my principles. If you don't like them, well I have others.” - Groucho Marx
joshuasweitz.substack.com
August 22, 2025 at 3:06 PM
These rulings don't just have direct effects on the specific grants in question, but they have much larger indirect effects. If every federal grant can now be terminated with no notice for any (political) reason, no awardee can make any long term (> 3 months?) commitment to infrastructure or people.
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
The U.S. has led the world in science since the mid-20th century for two reasons: funding & welcoming students and researchers from around the world. The Trump administration is destroying both advantages (1/2)
Science is the most international endeavor in human history.
This flagrantly racist administration is destroying the U.S.'s lucrative and life-saving leadership. www.thetransmitter.org/policy/what-... on @thetransmitter.bsky.social
This flagrantly racist administration is destroying the U.S.'s lucrative and life-saving leadership. www.thetransmitter.org/policy/what-... on @thetransmitter.bsky.social
What U.S. science stands to lose without international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers
Neuroscience in other countries will strengthen—at the United States’ expense—as rising visa restrictions and rejections block many international students from enrolling at U.S.
www.thetransmitter.org
July 28, 2025 at 5:52 PM
The U.S. has led the world in science since the mid-20th century for two reasons: funding & welcoming students and researchers from around the world. The Trump administration is destroying both advantages (1/2)
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
You don't hear this called out often. But it should be. Appreciation to @mulagostarr.bsky.social for doing so. Funders holding themselves and their grantees accountable would also force right-sizing of grants and inclusion of dedicated M&E/impact analysis $ as needed.
ssir.org/articles/ent...
ssir.org/articles/ent...
January 14, 2025 at 5:58 PM
You don't hear this called out often. But it should be. Appreciation to @mulagostarr.bsky.social for doing so. Funders holding themselves and their grantees accountable would also force right-sizing of grants and inclusion of dedicated M&E/impact analysis $ as needed.
ssir.org/articles/ent...
ssir.org/articles/ent...
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
A new study shows that the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico is a significant barrier to wildlife movement. Researchers monitored animals along the border for two years capturing new data that shows how wildlife avoid border infrastructure.
www.hcn.org/articles/see...
www.hcn.org/articles/see...
See what trail cams captured about Borderlands wildlife - High Country News
Alongside stunning footage, scientists found that the border wall deters wildlife.
www.hcn.org
July 25, 2025 at 7:34 PM
A new study shows that the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico is a significant barrier to wildlife movement. Researchers monitored animals along the border for two years capturing new data that shows how wildlife avoid border infrastructure.
www.hcn.org/articles/see...
www.hcn.org/articles/see...
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
Hey hey-- thinking of getting an #EV or improving your home's efficiency? Now is the time.
grist.org/buildings/co...
@ayanaeliza.bsky.social also talks about this on the latest episode of her amazing "What if we get it right" podcast. ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/p/debriefing... Listen and read!
grist.org/buildings/co...
@ayanaeliza.bsky.social also talks about this on the latest episode of her amazing "What if we get it right" podcast. ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/p/debriefing... Listen and read!
Congress is killing clean energy tax credits. Here's how to use them before they disappear.
There are just a few weeks left to take advantage of federal tax credits that make purchasing an EV, heat pump, or solar panels more affordable.
grist.org
July 12, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Hey hey-- thinking of getting an #EV or improving your home's efficiency? Now is the time.
grist.org/buildings/co...
@ayanaeliza.bsky.social also talks about this on the latest episode of her amazing "What if we get it right" podcast. ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/p/debriefing... Listen and read!
grist.org/buildings/co...
@ayanaeliza.bsky.social also talks about this on the latest episode of her amazing "What if we get it right" podcast. ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/p/debriefing... Listen and read!
Reposted by Wildlife Impact
A new study has uncovered how traffickers obtain valid CITES permits for trafficked animals — Galápagos iguanas in this case — and trade them legally, highlighting the role of national CITES authorities in enabling illegal wildlife trade.
Suspicions surround international legal trade in Galápagos iguanas
In 2013, when Sandra Altherr, co-founder of the German NGO Pro Wildlife, began looking into the reptile trade in Europe, she wondered why people paid thousands of euros for little-known reptiles…
news.mongabay.com
July 16, 2025 at 1:40 PM
A new study has uncovered how traffickers obtain valid CITES permits for trafficked animals — Galápagos iguanas in this case — and trade them legally, highlighting the role of national CITES authorities in enabling illegal wildlife trade.
This is so appalling - intentional wastefulness with no purpose other than to hurt people.
The Trump administration is set to incinerate nearly 500 tonnes of emergency food, enough to feed 1.5 million children for a week. Despite repeated requests from USAID staff to distribute the food intended for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, they did not receive approval.
The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food
Federal workers warned for months that the high-energy biscuits would go to waste.
www.theatlantic.com
July 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
This is so appalling - intentional wastefulness with no purpose other than to hurt people.