NEW YORK (May 18, 2013) —The following statement was released today by the Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristián Samper in response to the news that Gabon has agreed to help improve the management of the Central African Republic’s protected areas, which are currently threatened by large-scale elephant poaching for ivory, and that security has returned to Dzanga-Sangha National Park. At least two dozen elephants were killed in Dzanga-Sangha National Park in the Central African...

Proposals to protect five species of sharks, freshwater sawfish, and two manta ray species have been accepted by CITES. These protections are critical to ensuring that international trade does not threaten the survival of commercially valuable shark and ray species.

Five commercially valuable shark species, manta rays & freshwater sawfish listed  The following statement was issued today by WCS President and CEO Cristian Samper: The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today celebrates the decision by an historic, broad group of nations from around the world to list five new sharks, freshwater sawfish, and two manta ray species for protection by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This vote is a fi...

Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tom Udall (D-NM) join Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) in introducing legislation to renew the stamp in Congress The Tiger Stamp has generated $1.89M for species conservation programs at no cost to taxpayers Washington, D.C. – February 7, 2013 – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) applauded today’s Senate introduction of legislation that would renew the Save Vanishing Species postage stamp for an additional four years.  ...

Paradise Found for Latin America’s Largest Land Mammal WCS documents at least 14,500 lowland tapirs thriving in Peru and Bolivia’s Madidi-Tambopata Landscape Weighing over 650 pounds, lowland tapirs are threatened by over-hunting and habitat loss NEW YORK (January 22, 2012) —Wildlife Conservation Society scientists have documented a thriving population of lowland tapirs – the strange forest and grassland-dwelling herbivore with the trunk-like snout – living in a network of remote nat...

Despite dangerously low global numbers, tigers are rebounding in three significant landscapes where WCS operates. Success in India, Thailand, and Russia fosters hope for these iconic big cats.

Hatching of five Chinese yellow-headed box turtles is a part of the WCS strategy to save the most critically endangered turtles Fewer than 150 Chinese yellow-headed box turtles remain in the wild Download B-Roll video here: DV Yellow Headed Box Turtle Release.mov Bronx, NY – Dec., 17, 2012 – Five Chinese yellow-headed box turtles have hatched at the WCS Bronx Zoo. The hatchings are a part of WCS’s strategy to save some of the most critically enda...

WCS CEO Cristián Samper: “We need to protect the source,break the chain and stop demand.” Join the Global Pledge at WildlifePledge.org Washington, D.C. – December 4, 2012 – The Wildlife Conservation Society, in concert with the U.S. State Department, urged citizens around the world to pledge to help stop the illegal wildlife trade on Wildlife Conservation Day, December 4th. The pledge, found online at WildlifePledge.org, was conceived by ...

New York (December 3, 2012)  WCS President and CEO Dr. Cristián Samper issued the following statement for Wildlife Conservation Day:  The Connection Between Species Extinction, Organized Crime Illegal wildlife trafficking may prove to be the demise of many of our Earth’s species. Further, this activity – which is snuffing out the last populations of elephants, tigers and other animals -- finances organized crime and augments the sp...

Photograph documents first record of an oncilla in Madidi National Park NEW YORK (November 29, 2012) — A photograph taken by Wildlife Conservation Society scientists of a little known Bolivian cat species called an oncilla has won a BBC Wildlife camera-trap photo competition. The photo, which won the New Discoveries category, documents the first-known occurrence of this extremely rare spotted cat in Madidi National Park. The Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) occurs across the Amazon and al...