Drug-related deforestation in Central America is threatening migratory birds, research shows

In some Central American countries, so-called narco-deforestation is estimated to account for nearly one-third of all deforestation.

Activities associated with cocaine trafficking threaten two-thirds of the most important landscapes in Central America for 196 forest bird species, including 67 migratory species. This is the key takeaway from a study that colleagues and I published in June 2024 in the journal Nature Sustainability.