“Our team at WCS mourns the loss of Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and one of the world’s foremost philanthropists for species conservation.

“Mr. Allen, also the founder and Chairman of Vulcan Inc., gave tirelessly of his time and resources to ensuring that advancements were made in areas ranging from the sciences, technology, and health, to community services, the arts, and education. A signatory of The Giving Pledge, he made transformative commitments through Vulcan Inc. and Paul G. Allen Philanthropies to wildlife conservation focused on saving critical iconic species and their habitats.

“Among the myriad projects and initiatives he supported, Mr. Allen funded the Great Elephant Census in 2013 to establish elephant population baselines in Africa. This work continues to be the repository for essential data in saving elephants. Similarly, Mr. Allen supported the Global FinPrint initiative, which began in 2015, to survey sharks and rays in coral reef areas. Mr. Allen also led efforts fighting against the wildlife trafficking of endangered species through successfully passed legislation.

“His philanthropic devotion to the environment spans making cities more sustainable through national challenges aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions; the innovative use of reusable energy in Kenya; and oceanic and atmospheric monitoring systems via the International SeaKeepers Society. In 2014, Mr. Allen pledged support to combat the Ebola virus.

“Mr. Allen’s philanthropic leadership set an example as to how innovative, unique, and large-scale approaches can have unprecedented global impact.

“We extend our sincere condolences to his family and colleagues.”

###