Stefan Lovgren on the Manas River, Bhutan
Stefan Lovgren on the Manas River, Bhutan — reporting on the golden mahseer, a rare freshwater fish protected by the king.

Reporting from the World's Rivers

The following stories were written by Stefan Lovgren for a range of international media outlets — from National Geographic and Mongabay to Yale Environment 360, Science News, and others. They represent the kind of in-depth, field-based environmental journalism that Freshwater Frontlines is dedicated to supporting and expanding.

All stories focus on freshwater ecosystems — rivers, lakes, fish, dams, and the communities that depend on them. They are listed chronologically, with the most recent at the top.


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Mongabay
Migratory freshwater fish are in trouble: Will we act in time to save them?
Mongabay
In Tasmania, the mines have closed but the rivers remember
Mongabay
325 long-neglected migratory freshwater fish species need protection now: Report
Mongabay
Cambodian market survey a snapshot of a resilient — but stressed — Mekong
Mongabay
Earth's freshwater fish face harsh new climate challenges, researchers warn
Inside Climate News
Wisconsin Tribes Have Helped the Lake Sturgeon Recover. Climate Change Is Stressing Its Ability to Adapt.
Circle of Blue
Can the Mekong, the World's Most Productive River, Endure Relentless Strain?
National Geographic
How 600-lb. megafish became a collector's item in Thailand
Mongabay
Rare earth rush in Myanmar blamed for toxic river spillover into Thailand
Fisheries Magazine
The return of royalty: A record-breaking season for the critically endangered Mekong Giant Catfish
Science News
Like flyways for birds, we need to map swimways for fish
Science News
The 'Mekong ghost' megafish has resurfaced after an extinction scare
National Geographic
Wildfire smoke threatens lakes, too. How will it impact Lake Tahoe's future?
National Geographic
How can we save the 'world's most important' river?
National Geographic
One of Earth's biggest freshwater fish is bouncing back, a rare 'win win'
National Geographic
This 6-foot-long, 200-pound catfish is a goliath — and makes an epic migration
Yale Environment 360
In a Dammed and Diked Mekong, a Push to Restore the Flow
Atlas Obscura
Irrawaddy Dolphins Get Help from an Ancient Cambodian Folktale
National Geographic
How a wild river became a national park — and sparked a movement
National Geographic
Why we still haven't caught the world's largest fish
Texas Monthly
All Hail the Alligator Gar, a Giant and Primordial River Monster
Fisheries Magazine
The Wonders of the Mekong Project Shows Both the Wonders and Conservation Challenges of the Mekong River
The Conversation
How much is the world's most productive river worth? Here's how experts estimate the value of nature
Yale Environment 360
In Cambodia, a Battered Mekong Defies Doomsday Predictions
The Conversation
In search of the world's largest freshwater fish — the wonderfully weird giants lurking in Earth's rivers
National Geographic
They're one of Earth's rarest reptiles. But these crocodiles are bouncing back.
National Geographic
Is building more dams the way to save rivers?
National Geographic
Enormous stingray sets world record for largest freshwater fish
National Geographic
13-foot-long stingray found in deep hole in Mekong River
National Geographic
Inside the plan to save some of the biggest freshwater fish
National Geographic
New megadams threaten world's biggest fish
Circle of Blue
Dam Battles Converge on Cambodia's 3S Rivers
National Geographic
Will dams spoil one of Europe's last wild rivers?
National Geographic
Life on the Amargosa — a desert river faced with drought
Circle of Blue
Five Bright Spots in the Mekong
National Geographic
Rivers and lakes are the most degraded ecosystems in the world. Can we save them?
National Geographic
Enormous pigeon-eating catfish wreaking havoc on Europe's ecosystems
National Geographic
European rivers are littered with barricades, but a movement grows to remove them
National Geographic
Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake is running dry, taking forests and fish with it
National Geographic
Southeast Asia's most critical river is entering uncharted waters
National Geographic
This giant stingray could be world's biggest freshwater fish
National Geographic
How this rare, good-luck fish is thriving in Bhutan
National Geographic
Two-thirds of the longest rivers no longer flow freely — and it's harming us
National Geographic
River sanctuaries help giant fish recover in Southeast Asia
National Geographic
In Cambodia, giant turtles come back from the brink
National Geographic
How the world's largest snake hunt hurts Southeast Asia's biggest lake
National Geographic
An Epic Quest Aims to Find Giant Catfish Babies
National Geographic
Southeast Asia May Be Building Too Many Dams Too Fast
National Geographic
Enormous Fish Make One of the World's Largest Migrations