Authors of study recommend protected area expansion must target areas that contain high numbers of threatened species that are currently unprotectedNew York (June 24, 2014 at 5 p.m. ET)—Scientists from James Cook University, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Queensland, Stanford University, BirdLife International, the International Union for Nature Conservation, and other organizations have warned that the world’s protected areas are not safeguarding most of the world’s imperi...

(BOZEMAN - June 23, 2014) A new report from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) calls for completing the legacy of Wilderness lands on the Flathead National Forest in Montana. The report identifies important, secure habitats and landscape connections for five species—bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears, wolverines, and mountain goats. These iconic species are vulnerable to loss of secure habitat from industrial land uses and/or climate change. Located in northwest Montana ad...

New York State Makes History: Sends Clear Message to Criminals Benefiting from the Killing off of Elephants and Rhinos Legislation Elevates Penalties; Emphasizes That Poaching of Wildlife Leads to Security Problems in Communities Across the Globe NEW YORK (June 20, 2014) – The Wildlife Conservation Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Humane Society of the United States praised the New York State Legislature today for passing landmark legislation that bans the sale and purch...

Planning tool unites stakeholders with a focus on sustainable, collaborative development THUNDER BAY, June 19, 2014 — With the Ontario government poised to spend $1 billion to promote development in the Ring of Fire, a new paper from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada and Ecojustice identifies risks inherent in the current planning legislation and provides a solution. Ontario’s Far North is the world’s largest ecologically intact area of boreal forest. It contains North America's...

Flushing, N.Y. – June 16, 2014 -- Bouba, a young Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), goes for a swim at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo. Bouba is a 2–year-old male that made his debut at the Queens Zoo in the fall. He shares a habitat with a female Andean bear named Spangles. The Andean bear is the only bear species endemic to South America. It is native to Andean lowlands in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. The species is classified as “Vulnerable” by th...

"By passing this legislation our New York State lawmakers will show global leadership to stop the serious crime killing off Africa's elephants and rhinos and sparking security issues across the world‎.” New York, June 17, 2014 -- The Wildlife Conservation Society applauds New York State lawmakers for their agreement on a bill to stop the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade and encourages Albany to take the final legislative steps to pass the ban. WCS President and CEO Cristiàn Samper, wh...

New Study Says Females use more mountainous terrain than males NEW YORK (June 16, 2014) – A new study led by the Wildlife Conservation Society says that in wild yak societies, it’s the mothers that are the real climbers. The study found that mothers with young are on steeper terrain and slightly higher elevation than either males or females without young. The authors of the study expect that this strategy is an adaptive way to avoid predators and to access more nutritious food. Wild ya...

WCS Trustee Diane Christensen, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation Chelsea Clinton Honored At Wildlife Conservation Society’s Annual GalaNEW YORK – June 12, 2014 – The Wildlife Conservation Society honored tonight Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation Chelsea Clinton, and WCS Trustee Diane Christensen for their commitments to saving elephants and protecting wildlife and wild places.Held at the WCS Cen...

New York, June 12, 2014 -- The Wildlife Conservation Society welcomed the historic vote in the New York State Assembly on Wednesday aimed at banning the purchasing and sale of elephant ivory and rhino horn. The New York State Assembly passed legislation amending the state’s environmental law to ban ivory sales with only a few exceptions for antiques with small amounts of ivory, and transfers for educational and scientific purposes or through the distribution of estates. The New York State Senate...

National Bison Legacy Act Led by Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) Bill Recognizes the Cultural, Economic, Historical and Ecological Contributions of America’s Largest Land Mammal Washington, D.C. – June 11, 2014 – The Vote Bison Coalition today applauded the introduction of legislation in the U.S. Senate to officially recognize bison as the National Mammal of the United States. The bill, titled the National Bison Legacy Act, was introduced by Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Sen. J...