U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Holds Hearing on Wildlife Trafficking Administration’s National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Spurs Debate in Congress Washington, DC – February 26, 2014 –The following statement was released today by WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign John Calvelli: “The Wildlife Conservation Society would like to applaud U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ed Royce for his leadership in calling today...

WCS Statement on Introduction of Ivory Bill into New York State Legislature:New York Takes the Lead in State Efforts to End Ivory Trade State and Federal Collaboration is Key to Closing Loopholes, Ending Ivory Trade New York, Feb. 20, 2014 – The following statement was released today by John Calvelli, Wildlife Conservation Society Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign:“The Wildlife Conservation Society welcomes the introduction of a bill into the N...

WCS commends Indonesian Government for adopting new law prohibiting fishing and trade of manta rays NEW YORK (February 19, 2014)—The Wildlife Conservation Society applauds the Government of Indonesia for its recent decision to protect the world’s largest ray species, the giant and reef manta rays, from fishing and trade throughout the country. On 28 January 2014, Indonesia’s Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister declared both the giant manta ray and reef manta ray as protected species under I...

Study authors mull solutions for addressing less support for protected areas and species restrictionsTo access the study click here >> NEW YORK (February 19, 2014)—Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and other groups have found that the fishing villages of Madagascar—a country with little history of natural resource regulation—are generally supportive of fishing regulations, an encouraging finding that bodes well for susta...

Effort led by WCS and Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation Mass hatching event for the Giant South American river turtle produces more than 200,000 hatchlings NEW YORK (February 10, 2014)—Turtle biologists seeking to learn more about threatened and endangered turtles in Brazil’s Abufari Biological Reserve recently hit the mother lode—a mass hatching event producing an estimated 210,000 baby turtles, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Chico Mendes Institute fo...

A Global Crackdown on Wildlife CrimeLondon Declaration Sends Strong Message: Wildlife Trafficking is a Serious Crime on a Global ScaleLondon, Feb. 13, 2014 – The following statement was released today by Dr. John G. Robinson, WCS Chief Conservationist and Executive Vice President of Conservation and Science:“We greatly welcome the London Declaration on Illegal Wildlife Trade, which today sends a strong message across the globe: Wildlife trafficking is a serious crime, on a global scale, and must...

Authors of landmark 2013 study, coordinated by WCS, show that forest elephant poaching continues apace   65 percent of forest elephants lost between 2002 and 2013New information released at United for Wildlife International Wildlife Trafficking Symposium: February 11-12, 2014 at the Zoological Society of London London (February 12, 2014)—New data from the field in Central Africa shows that between 2002 and 2013, 65 percent of forest elephants were killed. They are being...

Game-Changing: Plan Includes Marshaling All Federal Agencies to Address Wildlife Crime and a Ban on Trade in Elephant Ivory Washington, DC – February 11, 2014 – The following statement was released today by WCS President and CEO Cristián Samper, who also serves as a member of the United States Advisory Council to the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking:“The United States government committed today its full power behind efforts to end the crime of wildlife trafficking. Wildlife crimi...

Programs are available for children of all agesRegister online at:wcs.org/campNew York –– February 11, 2014 -- The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and New York Aquarium have opened registration for family, youth, and camp programs for the 2014 spring and summer season. Programs include age-appropriate hands-on science activities, animal encounters, exhibit visits, and arts-and-crafts. Early registration is recommended as space is lim...

Anak Pattanavibool speaks at International Wildlife Trafficking Symposium:February 11-12, 2014 at the Zoological Society of London, Regents Park NEW YORK (February 11, 2014)—A systematic patrol system called the “Smart” program has become a vital component in the protection of tigers, elephants, and other wildlife species in the forests of Thailand, according to scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society at a wildlife trafficking symposium in London this week. Implemented in 2005 in Tha...