| URL | http://www.mongabay.com |
|---|---|
| Commercial? | Yes |
| Type of site | Online Magazine |
| Registration | N/A |
| Owner | Rhett Ayers Butler |
| Launched | 1999 |
Mongabay.com is a web site that publishes news on environmental science, energy and green design, and features extensive information on tropical rainforests, including pictures and deforestation statistics for countries of the world. Founded in 1999 by Rhett A. Butler[1], mongabay.com's stated mission is "to raise interest in and appreciation of wildlands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging local and global trends in technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development."
Mongabay.com is independent and not affiliated with any other organization. The site has been used as an information source by CNN, CBS, the Discovery Channel, NBC, UPI, Yahoo, and other outlets. In 2008 Mongabay was named one of the top fifteen environmental websites by Time.
All of mongabay.com's content is available free of charge.
Butler, the site's founder, explained the origin of the name "mongabay" in an article on the site: "The name is derived from an anglicized spelling and pronunciation of an island off Madagascar, Nosy Mangabe. Nosy Mangabe is best known as a preserve for the Aye-aye, a rare and unusual lemur famous for its bizarre appearance."