Mongabay’s short-form video series Stranger Creatures won the Social Media category at the 2026 Jackson Wild Media Awards, recognizing the organization’s creative approach to making nature and wildlife storytelling accessible to new audiences.
Hosted and filmed by Mongabay’s Romi Castagnino, the series takes viewers into the Amazon to explore some of the rainforest’s most extraordinary wildlife and survival strategies. From animals that disappear in plain sight to mind-controlling fungi, the videos reveal the unusual adaptations that help species survive in one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems.
“Stranger Creatures is all about curiosity…about looking closer at the animals we think we know and discovering the incredible ways they’ve evolved to survive,” says Castagnino.
The series was directed by Sam Lee and executive produced by Lucia Torres, with contributions from the wider Mongabay team.
The award was announced in November 2026 at a gala in Los Angeles, held in partnership with the Hollywood Climate Summit as part of Nature Media Exchange. Often described as the “Oscars of nature filmmaking,” the Jackson Wild Media Awards recognize excellence in storytelling about nature, wildlife, conservation, climate science and environmental issues. Previous winners have included major nature production organizations such as the BBC, National Geographic and Silverback Films.
For Mongabay, the win adds to a history of recognition from Jackson Wild, which previously honored the organization with two Special Jury Awards in 2021. The latest award further recognizes Mongabay’s digital-first nature storytelling, placing it alongside leading names in conservation filmmaking and entertainment.
Impact
The award provides external recognition of Mongabay’s ability to translate complex natural history and conservation subjects into engaging, accessible visual storytelling. By reaching audiences through short-form social video, Stranger Creatures offers an entry point into the Amazon’s biodiversity, introducing viewers to species and ecological relationships they might not otherwise encounter.
The series also demonstrates how Mongabay can adapt its environmental journalism and storytelling for platforms and formats that reach audiences beyond traditional news articles. Its short episodes use curiosity and surprising wildlife behaviors to draw viewers into broader questions about biodiversity, adaptation and the importance of tropical ecosystems.
One episode featuring oropendola birds was particularly instrumental in securing the award. The video highlights the remarkable behaviors of these birds, offering an engaging example of the series’ approach to making lesser-known aspects of Amazonian wildlife accessible to a broad audience.
The Jackson Wild recognition also raises the visibility of Mongabay’s video work within the wider nature media industry, potentially creating opportunities for new audiences, creative collaborations and distribution partnerships.
The award underscores the value of investing in distinctive, platform-native storytelling that combines scientific curiosity with compelling visuals. With Stranger Creatures, Mongabay has brought the wonders of Amazonian wildlife to new audiences while earning recognition from one of the nature filmmaking industry’s leading awards programs.
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Banner image: Screenshot of Social Media award winner. Image courtesy of the Jackson Wild Media Awards.