Keith Anthony Fabro

2 months ago | news.mongabay.com | Keith Anthony Fabro

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the ocean produce toxins that can sicken humans and marine animals. A new study has found an increase in large-whale deaths and injuries near HABs on the U.S. East and West Coasts, mainly due to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. The authors propose the reason may be that HAB toxins disorient whales, decreasing their ability to avoid ships and fishing gear. However, they say more research is needed to confirm the link.

2 months ago | news.mongabay.com | Keith Anthony Fabro

Indian scientists have proposed a new pangolin species, Manis indoburmanica, based on genetic analysis, suggesting it diverged from the Chinese pangolin 3.4 million years ago, though some experts call for additional evidence for full recognition. The proposed Indo-Burmese pangolin’s range overlaps with the Chinese and Indian pangolins, and its unique traits include slight differences in scale coloration, size and cranial features, along with genetic distinction.

Jan 23, 2025 | eco-business.com | Keith Anthony Fabro

On the slopes of Mount Kalatungan, a protected area on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, rows of robusta coffee shrubs thrive alongside tropical hardwoods like lauan. The verdant mountain is enveloped in mid-afternoon fog, with a cold breeze sweeping through. Reynante Polenda, a 40-year-old Manobo tribesman, carefully weeds around the trees he planted years ago, using his bolo, while birds chirp in the background.

Jan 16, 2025 | reccessary.com | Keith Anthony Fabro

Cagayan de Oro flood control project construction. (Photo: Courtesy of Project LUPAD) Flood-mitigation infrastructure built in the southern Philippines for more than $100 million by clearing native vegetation could exacerbate flood risk in the future, reports Mongabay’s Keith Anthony Fabro. In 2011, floods and landslides caused by Tropical Storm Washi, known locally as Sendong, killed more than 1,260 people in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

Dec 22, 2024 | news.mongabay.com | Keith Anthony Fabro

Pangolins, the world’s most trafficked mammals, frequently appear in wildlife seizures, yet there is no universal system for tracking or identifying individual animals. Researchers proposed what they call the Pangolin Universal Notching System (PUNS), a standardized way to assign unique identification numbers to up to 15,554 individuals.