https://www.scmp.com/rss/522230/feed The latest news and top stories on International Union for Conservation of Nature. A prominent Switzerland-based international non-profit organisation, the IUCN is dedicated to influencing, encouraging and assisting societies worldwide to conserve nature and ensure sustainable resource use. Established in 1948, it is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network. Its main areas of focus include compiling the authoritative Red List of Threatened Species, conducting scientific... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Shi Huang Shi Huang Researchers in China have replicated the epic journey of one of the world’s most fascinating migratory fish within the confines of an artificial pool, potentially saving it from extinction. From hatching to maturity and spawning, eels undergo six stages of physical transformation over at least five years as they travel 6,000km (3,700 miles) from the ocean depths to freshwater rivers and lakes. Zhao Feng and his team from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences used satellite-tracking technology... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350834/chinese-scientists-replicate-eels-6000km-breeding-journey-inside-research-pool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350834/chinese-scientists-replicate-eels-6000km-breeding-journey-inside-research-pool?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:59:39 +0000 Kitty Tam,Calvin Au Kitty Tam,Calvin Au When people picture Hong Kong, they often imagine a relentless concrete jungle – a vertical city where glass and steel dominate the skyline. Yet a quiet revolution is beginning to reshape how our city develops. Last week, the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department jointly launched the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines. This landmark document signals a shift in how we think about infrastructure and urban planning. It... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele As climate change fuels more frequent floods and storms across Southeast Asia, forests and wildlife are being pushed to their breaking point, with conservationists and scientists warning of a worsening impact on ecosystems due to a lack of oversight and countermeasures. In late November, cyclone-driven rains battered Indonesia’s Sumatra island, triggering floods and landslides that killed more than 1,000 people, left hundreds missing and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes, according... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337344/southeast-asian-floods-set-threaten-more-wildlife-due-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337344/southeast-asian-floods-set-threaten-more-wildlife-due-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 03:00:12 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Coral reefs at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are healthy and resilient to climate change, but growing thermal stress poses a potential bleaching risk, according to a Chinese environmental assessment. The report rated the atoll’s maritime environment as excellent, with no signs of cyanide in seawater, sediment or fish samples. Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is claimed by both countries, and Manila has accused... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3334611/stable-and-resilient-china-gives-disputed-scarborough-shoal-clean-bill-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3334611/stable-and-resilient-china-gives-disputed-scarborough-shoal-clean-bill-health?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 07:03:52 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Hong Kong incense master Aaron Tang Ho-chuen scoops up chunks of agarwood and breathes in their rich, smoky scent. “Agarwood creates a sense of calm, making it perfect for peaceful activities like meditation and yoga,” says Tang, the founder of the Hong Kong Incense Company, which makes incense with natural ingredients using traditional recipes. Agarwood – a dark, infection-fighting resin created when incense trees, or Aquilaria sinensis, are cut or damaged – is highly sought-after for its use... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3330625/how-agarwood-black-gold-worth-us25000-kilo-under-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3330625/how-agarwood-black-gold-worth-us25000-kilo-under-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The survival of Europe’s wild pollinators is increasingly at risk, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said on Saturday as it declared dozens of bee and butterfly species as threatened. Almost all flowering plants in Europe depend on wild pollinators, particularly bees, but habitat loss and climate change have driven many vital species to the brink of extinction. Nearly 100 additional types of wild bees have been classified as threatened in the most comprehensive evaluation... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3328653/key-bee-and-butterfly-species-europe-face-extinction-risk-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3328653/key-bee-and-butterfly-species-europe-face-extinction-risk-study?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 12:57:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters Sunnyda Yok Nun, a 38-year-old woman from Malaysia’s Semai tribe, remembers seeing gibbons for the first time while she was training to protect the animals as part of the country’s first all-female, all-indigenous wildlife ranger unit. Drawn to gibbons since she was a child, Sunnyda, also known as Cidot, said of their melodic calls: “Their voices are so powerful, as they overpowered the sound of the river.” Malaysia is home to five species of gibbons, all of which are listed as endangered by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3321158/meet-these-malaysian-tribal-women-saving-gibbons-hairy-situations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3321158/meet-these-malaysian-tribal-women-saving-gibbons-hairy-situations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 02:15:15 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo adored by fans worldwide, celebrated her first birthday on July 10 with an extravagant four-day party. Moo Deng’s home, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province near Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, organised a series of celebratory events from July 10 to 13. The zoo prepared a 20kg cake for the little hippo, crafted from her favourite tropical fruits, and shared it with her 26-year-old mother, Jona. Ahead of the celebration, the zoo auctioned the cake, with a skincare... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3317865/bouncy-pork-thai-pygmy-hippo-moo-deng-turns-1-grand-4-day-zoo-festival-delights-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3317865/bouncy-pork-thai-pygmy-hippo-moo-deng-turns-1-grand-4-day-zoo-festival-delights-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:00:14 +0000