Obituaries and tributes
Dr. Ajith Kumar, a distinguished wildlife biologist, mentor, and educator, dedicated his life to the study and conservation of India’s biodiversity. His research and leadership over four decades shaped the landscape of wildlife science in the country, particularly through his work on primates and small carnivores, as well as
Obituaries and tributes
Francisco Marupa did not die as he lived. He had spent his years as a guardian of the forests and rivers of the Madidi National Park in Bolivia, walking its ancient paths as his ancestors had before him. His voice carried the weight of centuries, speaking for the Leco people,
Obituaries and tributes
Randy Borman was never meant to be Cofán. And yet, from the moment he was born in 1955, deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, he belonged to them. His parents, American missionaries, had come to translate the Bible into the Cofán language, but their eldest son took to the forest as
Obituaries and tributes
Vimla Bahuguna, who spent a lifetime defending India's forests, empowering women, and championing the rights of the poor, died on February 14th, at the age of 93. Her passing, four years after that of her husband, the renowned environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna, marks the gentle passing of a woman
Obituaries and tributes
Kallur Balan did not seek recognition. He did not write books, nor command the podium at international climate summits. His work was quieter, the slow and unglamorous toil of one man against the arid land. But when he died on Monday, aged 75, the forests he left behind spoke for
Obituaries and tributes
Mikkel Larsen, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 50, was a rare breed of executive: a practical idealist who believed that finance could be harnessed to heal the planet. As the former Chief Executive Officer of Climate Impact X (CIX), a Singapore-based carbon exchange, he worked to
Obituaries and tributes
James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th president of the United States, died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100 years old. Known to the world as Jimmy Carter, his presidency was marked by foresight, humility, and an enduring commitment to the environment that would define his
Mongabay Features
The world lost many conservationists, Indigenous leaders, and environmentalists in 2024. Their lives were devoted to safeguarding the planet’s biodiversity, protecting vulnerable communities, and advocating for justice in the face of profound challenges. While each had a unique story, they shared a commitment to the environment, often working on
Obituaries and tributes
Elva Gemita, a steadfast advocate for wildlife and forest conservation in Indonesia, passed away on November 24 at the age of 44. Born and raised near Kerinci Seblat National Park, she developed an early connection with the biodiversity that would define her life's work. Her career began in
Obituaries and tributes
David Bonderman, who died on Wednesday at the age of 82, was best known as a titan of private equity, acclaimed for turning undervalued companies into lucrative ventures. Over decades, his sharp instincts and strategic acumen at TPG Capital—formerly Texas Pacific Group—yielded control of firms as diverse as
Obituaries and tributes
In the gathering dusk of December 4th, Chhoeung Chheng, a Cambodian journalist with a dogged commitment to exposing illegal logging, was shot near Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary. He succumbed to his injuries three days later, his body failing to withstand the assault from a homemade gun. It was a weapon
Obituaries and tributes
The last wild Round Island hurricane palm, Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum, met its end in a gusty September storm, snapping the final thread tethering this rare tree to its native soil. For decades, it stood alone on its windswept perch on Round Island, a 1.7-square-kilometer dot off