EcoAméricas

09/18/2025

Scientists are raising alarm about the survival of the migratory gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus). Once a conservation success story, the species is now struggling with:

⚠️ Record die-offs – 158 whales washed ashore in the first four months of 2025 alone.
⚠️ Starving whales seen in unusual places, including San Francisco Bay.
⚠️ A historic collapse in calf births – only 85 mother-calf pairs counted this year, the lowest ever.
⚠️ Shrinking Arctic food sources tied to climate change.

Experts warn that large-scale ecosystem change in the whales’ Arctic feeding grounds may be pushing them toward crisis. “I’m really wondering if they’ll make it out,” says Steven Swartz, co-director of Gray Whale Research in Mexico.

Gray whales not only play a key role in ocean ecosystems but also support ecotourism and coastal economies from Mexico to the U.S. and Canada. Their decline would be devastating on many levels.

Continue reading online at: http://bit.ly/4ndvFMS

09/18/2025

Scientists are raising alarm about the survival of the migratory gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus). Once a conservation success story, the species is now struggling with:

⚠️ Record die-offs – 58 whales washed ashore in the first four months of 2025 alone.�
⚠️ Starving whales seen in unusual places, including San Francisco Bay.�
⚠️ A historic collapse in calf births – only 85 mother-calf pairs counted this year, the lowest ever.
⚠️ Shrinking Arctic food sources tied to climate change.

Experts warn that large-scale ecosystem change in the whales’ Arctic feeding grounds may be pushing them toward crisis. “I’m really wondering if they’ll make it out,” says Steven Swartz, co-director of Gray Whale Research in Mexico.

Gray whales not only play a key role in ocean ecosystems but also support ecotourism and coastal economies from Mexico to the U.S. and Canada. Their decline would be devastating on many levels.

Continue reading online at: http://bit.ly/4ndvFMS

Concerns about the survival of the migratory gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) are growing. Sightings of malnourished or “skinny” animals, accounts of whales scrounging for food in strange places, a record number of documented mortalities, and a historic drop in calf births have triggered alarm...

08/27/2025

Two groundbreaking legal opinions, one from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) and another from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have declared that a healthy climate is a basic human right.

Though not legally binding, these opinions give environmental defenders, policymakers, and negotiators new tools to push for:

- Stronger climate action

- Protection for vulnerable communities

- Recognition of the rights of nature

- Reparations for climate-related harm



The IACtHR opinion (June 3) applies across the Americas and the Caribbean, while the ICJ opinion (June 23) applies globally to U.N. member nations. Both reinforce the need for urgent mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development with a human rights lens.

For many observers, the significance of the IACtHR opinion lies not only in its content but in the unprecedented amount of input sought by the court, which included public hearings in Barbados and Manaus, Brazil. The Caribbean and the Amazon are among the regions in the court’s jurisdiction that are most vulnerable to climate change.

The result is an advisory opinion that “confirms that the courts are on the right side of history,” says Luisa Gómez, senior attorney at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for International Environmental Law. She adds that the opinion “not only can, but should have long-lasting effects … and we can use this advisory opinion as a real toolkit to demand better climate justice.”

This article, written by Barbara Fraser, was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at: https://bit.ly/3HOVovE

08/27/2025

Two groundbreaking legal opinions, one from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) and another from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have declared that a healthy climate is a basic human right.

Though not legally binding, these opinions give environmental defenders, policymakers, and negotiators new tools to push for:
�✅ Stronger climate action�✅ Protection for vulnerable communities�✅ Recognition of the rights of nature�✅ Reparations for climate-related harm

The IACtHR opinion (June 3) applies across the Americas and the Caribbean, while the ICJ opinion (June 23) applies globally to U.N. member nations. Both reinforce the need for urgent mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development with a human rights lens.

For many observers, the significance of the IACtHR opinion lies not only in its content but in the unprecedented amount of input sought by the court, which included public hearings in Barbados and Manaus, Brazil. The Caribbean and the Amazon are among the regions in the court’s jurisdiction that are most vulnerable to climate change.

The result is an advisory opinion that “confirms that the courts are on the right side of history,” says Luisa Gómez, senior attorney at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for International Environmental Law. She adds that the opinion “not only can, but should have long-lasting effects … and we can use this advisory opinion as a real toolkit to demand better climate justice.”

This article, written by Barbara Fraser, was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at:

Two legal opinions issued in June, which state that a healthy climate is a basic human right, place new tools in the hands of environmental defenders, national policy makers and climate negotiators, experts say. The advisory opinions from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) and the Int...

08/13/2025

Abejones de Mayo, or May beetles (Phyllophaga spp.), have traditionally been so characteristic of the start of Costa Rica’s rainy season that there is even a popular saying, “clumsy as a May beetle,” to describe their erratic flight in the presence of artificial light.

But populations of the once-ubiquitous insects, also known as June bugs and July beetles elsewhere, appear to have cratered in recent years. “They used to swarm a single light bulb by the dozen, but it’s become apparent even to the general population that this phenomenon is a thing of the past,” says Andrés Arias, a biologist at the University of Costa Rica (UCR).

Also alarming, scientists have yet to explain the relatively sudden plight of the beetle, a key food source for animals ranging from birds and bats to frogs, armadillos and snakes.

“The population loss is so obvious that society is turning to academia to ask for explanations as to what’s happened to all the May beetles,” says Arias. “But we don’t have the facts. There are no studies.”

This article was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at:http://bit.ly/3UstXKU

08/13/2025

Abejones de Mayo, or May beetles (Phyllophaga spp.), have traditionally been so characteristic of the start of Costa Rica’s rainy season that there is even a popular saying, “clumsy as a May beetle,” to describe their erratic flight in the presence of artificial light.

But populations of the once-ubiquitous insects, also known as June bugs and July beetles elsewhere, appear to have cratered in recent years. “They used to swarm a single light bulb by the dozen, but it’s become apparent even to the general population that this phenomenon is a thing of the past,” says Andrés Arias, a biologist at the University of Costa Rica (UCR).

Also alarming, scientists have yet to explain the relatively sudden plight of the beetle, a key food source for animals ranging from birds and bats to frogs, armadillos and snakes.

“The population loss is so obvious that society is turning to academia to ask for explanations as to what’s happened to all the May beetles,” says Arias. “But we don’t have the facts. There are no studies.”

This article was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at:

Abejones de Mayo, or May beetles (Phyllophaga spp.), have traditionally been so characteristic of the start of Costa Rica’s rainy season that there is even a popular saying, “clumsy as a May beetle,” to describe their erratic flight in the presence of artificial light. But populations of the o...

07/29/2025

Once hunted to protect livestock, jaguars in Brazil’s Pantanal are now the stars of a booming ecotourism economy.

At Fazenda Caiman—a 53,000-hectare private ranch turned conservation hub—local guides like Wendell Ribeiro now lead safaris instead of hunts. The ranch hosts a luxury lodge and supports multiple wildlife initiatives, including the Onçafari project, a nonprofit jaguar-conservation project that has operated since 2011 at Caiman and has expanded from the Pantanal into three other Brazilian biomes—the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado savanna and the Atlantic Forest.

“This is the best place in the world to see jaguars,” said biologist Lucas Morgado, an ecotourism guide at Caiman, as he drove a group of visitors in a roofless vehicle outfitted to navigate the Pantanal’s dirt roads. “No tourist leaves here without seeing at least one jaguar. We’ve gone from 35 sightings in 2012, with 16% of visitors seeing jaguars, to 1,072 sightings in 2024, with 100% of visitors seeing jaguars. When we began, almost 15 years ago, jaguars were scared by the vehicles and would leave. Now they are accustomed and you can see them very relaxed.”

📸: Daniel Gutman

This article is available online at: http://bit.ly/456HgFB

🐢🐬🐧

07/28/2025

Once hunted to protect livestock, jaguars in Brazil’s Pantanal are now the stars of a booming ecotourism economy.

At Fazenda Caiman—a 53,000-hectare private ranch turned conservation hub—local guides like Wendell Ribeiro now lead safaris instead of hunts. The ranch hosts a luxury lodge and supports multiple wildlife initiatives, including the Onçafari project, a nonprofit jaguar-conservation project that has operated since 2011 at Caiman and has expanded from the Pantanal into three other Brazilian biomes—the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado savanna and the Atlantic Forest.

“This is the best place in the world to see jaguars,” said biologist Lucas Morgado, an ecotourism guide at Caiman, as he drove a group of visitors in a roofless vehicle outfitted to navigate the Pantanal’s dirt roads. “No tourist leaves here without seeing at least one jaguar. We’ve gone from 35 sightings in 2012, with 16% of visitors seeing jaguars, to 1,072 sightings in 2024, with 100% of visitors seeing jaguars. When we began, almost 15 years ago, jaguars were scared by the vehicles and would leave. Now they are accustomed and you can see them very relaxed.”

📸: Daniel Gutman

This article is available online at: http://bit.ly/456HgFB
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Until just a few years ago, it was common for men gathered in the local bars of Brazil’s Pantanal region, site of the world’s largest freshwater wetland, to swap stories about their latest jaguar-hunting experiences. So says Wendell Ribeiro, 48, a native of the region. Like many friends and fami...

07/22/2025

As deforestation and human-driven land-use change continue to fragment natural habitats globally, scientists are increasingly warning of an impending sixth mass extinction. Among the most effective, yet underutilized, tools to address this crisis are biological corridors—landscapes that connect protected areas, enabling the movement of species, genes, and ecological processes.

From the jaguar populations of Mexico’s Gran Calakmul region, which traverse international boundaries, to the voluntary conservation areas in Jalisco, Mexico, that integrate sustainable land use and habitat preservation, biological corridors play a crucial role in maintaining genetic diversity, preserving ecosystem stability and supporting climate regulation and carbon cycles.

That being said, structural connectivity—such as forest corridors—is not sufficient without functional connectivity, which ensures viable populations of native species. Aquatic systems, including rivers and marine environments, must also be protected to facilitate ecological continuity.

Experts emphasize that legal recognition and robust public policy are urgently needed to mainstream connectivity into national and regional conservation strategies.

“Without the integration of connectivity into legal frameworks, meaningful conservation cannot be fully implemented,” says Juan Bezaury-Creel, previously Mexico representative for U.S.-based The Nature Conservancy.

This article was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at: https://bit.ly/3TJsO1e

07/16/2025

As deforestation and human-driven land-use change continue to fragment natural habitats globally, scientists are increasingly warning of an impending sixth mass extinction. Among the most effective, yet underutilized, tools to address this crisis are biological corridors—landscapes that connect protected areas, enabling the movement of species, genes, and ecological processes.

From the jaguar populations of Mexico’s Gran Calakmul region, which traverse international boundaries, to the voluntary conservation areas in Jalisco, Mexico, that integrate sustainable land use and habitat preservation, biological corridors play a crucial role in maintaining genetic diversity, preserving ecosystem stability and supporting climate regulation and carbon cycles.

That being said, structural connectivity—such as forest corridors—is not sufficient without functional connectivity, which ensures viable populations of native species. Aquatic systems, including rivers and marine environments, must also be protected to facilitate ecological continuity.

Experts emphasize that legal recognition and robust public policy are urgently needed to mainstream connectivity into national and regional conservation strategies.

“Without the integration of connectivity into legal frameworks, meaningful conservation cannot be fully implemented,” says Juan Bezaury-Creel, previously Mexico representative for U.S.-based The Nature Conservancy.

This article was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at: https://bit.ly/3TJsO1e

As deforestation and other human-driven land-use changes rapidly fragment natural habitat around the world, it’s no wonder scientists are warning of a sixth mass extinction. Nor is it surprising they are calling increasingly for biological corridors, a conservation strategy recognized for over a h...

06/26/2025

Evidence is mounting that Costa Rica’s fishing subsidies, meant to support local livelihoods and sustainable practices, are being misused to enable drug trafficking, illegal shark finning, and unregulated overfishing.

Conservationists and watchdogs warn these tax exemptions, totaling US$15M annually, are undermining marine biodiversity and empowering organized crime. A lack of fishing quotas and poor enforcement have created conditions where fuel subsidies distort profits and incentivize illicit activity at sea.

“We are against fishing subsidies that intensify fishing by increasing the number of days at sea, and therefore the catch,” says Magie Rodríguez, head of political advocacy at MarViva Costa Rica, citing subsidies for fuel and onboard refrigeration. Subsidy abuse also endangers small-scale, sustainable fishing, those in that industry say. “If the government doesn’t control this, those of us who fish sustainably will be left without a livelihood as there will be nothing left for us to fish,” says Osvaldo Medina, who has used sustainable methods to fish in Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya for 35 years.

This article was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at: http://bit.ly/4k8lB5m

06/26/2025

Evidence is mounting that Costa Rica’s fishing subsidies, meant to support local livelihoods and sustainable practices, are being misused to enable drug trafficking, illegal shark finning, and unregulated overfishing.

Conservationists and watchdogs warn these tax exemptions, totaling US$15M annually, are undermining marine biodiversity and empowering organized crime. A lack of fishing quotas and poor enforcement have created conditions where fuel subsidies distort profits and incentivize illicit activity at sea.

“We are against fishing subsidies that intensify fishing by increasing the number of days at sea, and therefore the catch,” says Magie Rodríguez, head of political advocacy at MarViva Costa Rica, citing subsidies for fuel and onboard refrigeration. Subsidy abuse also endangers small-scale, sustainable fishing, those in that industry say. “If the government doesn’t control this, those of us who fish sustainably will be left without a livelihood as there will be nothing left for us to fish,” says Osvaldo Medina, who has used sustainable methods to fish in Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya for 35 years.

This article was published in the most recent issue of EcoAméricas, available in print and online at: http://bit.ly/4k8lB5m

Evidence that government fishing subsidies in Costa Rica are being used by organized crime to traffic drugs and conduct other illicit activities, such as catching sharks for their fins, has spurred calls for a review of the payments. In theory, fishing subsidies are designed to create jobs and stimu...