Sept. 28 2016 -- The following statement was released today by the Wildlife Conservation Society with the adoption by the CITES Parties of the resolution:  PROHIBITING, PREVENTING AND COUNTERING CORRUPTION FACILITATING ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED IN VIOLATION OF THE CONVENTION

Bronx, NY – September 28, 2016 – One of New York City’s most cherished traditions returns this weekend with Boo at the Zoo: Thirteen Days of Halloween at WCS’s (Wildlife Conservation Society) Bronx Zoo. Each weekend in October – including the Rosh Hashanah and Columbus Day holidays – will feature family-friendly, not-so-scary seasonal programming that combines traditional Halloween activities with the Bronx Zoo’s resident wildlife.

Lampung, Indonesia (September 28, 2016) Lampung Barat Police in collaboration with Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park rangers (BBSNP), WCS-Wildlife Crimes Unit (WCU) and Rhino Protection Unit (RPU) arrested three suspects and confiscated a Sumatran Tiger  skin found on sale in the West Lampung area on September 20, 2016.

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – (September 28, 2016) – WCS applauds the vote today to list all 8 species of pangolins in CITES Appendix I—the highest level of protection afforded by the treaty and a recognition that unfortunately, the species is indeed now threatened with extinction. 

Banff (September 27, 2016). Celebrating its tenth year since re-establishing in 2006, the American Bison Society (ABS) issued a “report card” highlighting major milestones reached during the renewed tenure of ABS. The report card was released at the ABS Meeting and Workshop – taking place for the first time in Canada, on September 26-29 in Banff National Park.

Sept. 26, 2016 -- The Indonesian Government is scheduled to propose a resolution at CITES Cop17 on Tuesday, Sept 27, to ask for stricter enforcement from all nations to prevent the helmeted hornbill from going extinct.

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - September 26, 2016 - Unless the government of Madagascar takes swift action to enforce international anti-poaching and anti-trafficking laws, the country’s largest tortoise—the ploughshare tortoise (or angonoka tortoise)—will likely go extinct in the wild within the next two years. 

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – (September 23, 2016) – Lao PDR’s announced a decision at CITES CoP17 to end the practice of breeding tigers for commercial purposes.

New York, NY (Sept 22, 2016) – Man. District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) Commissioner Basil Seggos, and Wildlife Conser- vation Society (“WCS”) Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli, today announced the indictment of an antiques store, its owners, and a salesperson for selling and offering for sale illegal elephant ivory worth more than $4.5 million.

WASHINGTON (September 21, 2016) – WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) applauded the U.S. Congress's passage of the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act today. The bill now moves on to the White House for the president’s signature.