Planet: Critical

Tropical forest news is coming fast lately, and we've got a top expert to discuss it with, beginning with the deforestation rate of the Brazilian Amazon in 2022 which is on pace to match the dismal heights of 2021; however, the upcoming Brazilian presidential election between incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luis Inacío Lula da Silva (Lula) could change forest conservation prospects.

Mongabay's CEO and sought after tropical forest news commentator, Rhett Butler, joins the Mongabay Newscast to share his analysis of how former president Lula could (once again) significantly decrease deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, like he's done in the past.

Rhett also shares his insight into a historic legislative move by the European Parliament to block 14 commodities linked to deforestation from entering the EU. The bill places the onus on the buyer to prove any 'dirty commodities' entering the EU are not linked to deforestation, whether legal or illegal. Rhett also discusses the renewed REDD+ agreement between Indonesia and Norway, which was canceled in 2021 when Norway failed to issue payment. 

Related reading from Mongabay: 

• Brazil faces two contrasting legacies for the Amazon in October’s elections

• Amazon deforestation on pace to roughly match last year’s rate of loss
• Amazon deforestation in Brazil booms in August

To hear our early 2022 conversation with Rhett, listen to Mongabay Newscast episode 136 here:

Podcast: The 411 on forests and reforestation for 2022

Episode artwork: Amazon rainforest canopy in Brazil. Image by Rhett Butler.

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Robbie Watt is a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester, researching climate change politics, carbon markets, global governance, and critical theory. His article, The Fantasy of Carbon Offsetting, was runner-up for Environmental Politics journal's best article award 2021.

Can an albatross detect illegal fishing vessels? Findings from published research say yes: over the course of six-months, 169 albatrosses fitted with radar-detecting trackers covered 47 million square kilometers of the southern Indian Ocean found radar signals from 353 ships.

Many of these vessels had no AIS signal, which is an indicator that a ship has switched it off in an attempt to remain hidden, but little did they know that the albatrosses revealed them.

Science journalist Shreya Dasgupta reported on the study for Mongabay in 2020, here:

Any illegal fishing going on around here? Ask an albatross

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Episode Artwork: A wandering albatross chick on its nest on Possession Island in the Crozet archipelago of the southern Indian Ocean. The species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Image by Alain Ricci via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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Trevor Hilder is an IT expert and cybernetics specialist who worked under Stafford Beer to develop the Viable System Model.

There's less than 10 years remaining to save Sumatran elephants, says guest Leif Cocks, founder of the International Elephant Project, so we followed up with him to learn what is being done to save the critically endangered species' shrinking habitats, and to discuss the growing movement to recognize their 'personhood' and thereby ensure their interests are considered in development decisions.

Leif also shares his thoughts on a planned hydropower dam in North Sumatra, sited in the only habitat where the last, critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans live. This project has also, tragically, claimed the lives of 16 workers in less than 2 years. 

Related Reading via Mongabay:

• ‘Chased from every side’: Sumatran elephants pinned down by forest loss
• Photos: Meet the Indonesians on the front lines of human-elephant conflict in Sumatra
• ‘Cursed’ dam project in orangutan habitat claims 16th life in less than 2 years

To hear our previous conversation with Leif on Sumatran elephants, see season 2, episode 6 of the Mongabay Explores podcast, here:

Podcast: With just 10 years left to save Sumatran elephants, what can be done now?

Episode artwork: Sumatran elephants play in water. Image by vincentraal via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips.

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Just kidding, you really shouldn't eat this.

Last February, researchers described a new-to-science species of frog literally unearthed in the Peruvian Amazon during a rapid inventory of the lower Putamayo Basin. The image of the frog circulated on Twitter where it was likened to the chocolate frogs as seen in the Harry Potter film franchise. One user described the frog as a 'smooth lil fella.'

The full scientific description of the tootsie-roll resembling amphibian is available here in the journal Evolutionary Systematics.

This episode of Mongabay Reports, features the popular article Chocolate frog? New burrowing frog species unearthed in Amazon’s rare peatlands.

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Photo Credit: Synapturanus danta by Germán Chávez.

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George Mobus is Professor Emeritus at University of Washington, Tacoma. His broad academic background saw him conduct research on artificial intelligence, cybernetics and systems science.

Since 2020, the "Prints for WIldlife" campaign has raised over 1.75 million for conservaiton funding for NGO, African Parks through a collaborative photography based initiative selling over 15,000 unique wildlife prints.

Normally in competition with each other, 100+ wildlife photographers have come together to participate in this campaign. Joining the Monagabay newscast is one such photographer, Marcus Westberg, to discuss the unique collaborative nature of this campaign, and ethical wildlife photogrpahy practices. 

Related Reading:

African Parks secures $100M for conservation in Africa

Episode artwork: Two Grauer’s gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, DR Congo. Grauer’s gorillas are the world’s largest primates, and highly threatened, their population having declined close to 80% in just a few decades. Image by Marcus Westberg

Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips.

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Please share your thoughts and ideas! [email protected].

Max Wilbert is an activist, wilderness guide and writer, co-authoring Bright Green Lies: How The Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It.

Cricket One is one of the world's largest cricket farms, and it's serving up an impressive palette of insect protein. Vietnam-based reporter Mike Tatarski reports on companies cashing in on the insect protein wave: coupled with the fact that insects (like crickets) use far less feed than cattle, and produce no methane, there is potential for the industry to replace animal-based protein sources.

Could delicacies such as the scorpion skewers served at Bugs Cafe in Cambodia make their way to the West?

This episode of Mongabay Reports features the popular 2020 story as read by Mike DiGirolamo. Find the full article here:

From scorpion skewers to cricket flour, bug protein is becoming big business

Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to have access to our latest episodes at your fingertips.

If you enjoy this series, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps!

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Photo Credit: Bugs Cafe in Siem Reap aims to turn insects into artfully presented cuisine, like this scorpion skewer. Image by Rishabh Malik for Atmos/Mongabay.

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