Wildlife Conservation Society joins call on governments to list species of sharks and rays on CITES NEW YORK (March 6, 2013)—Government delegates to the 16th meeting of the 178 member States of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) convening in Bangkok, Thailand this week can help conserve some of the world’s most threatened sharks and rays—ancient, cartilaginous fish species that are under severe pressure globally from over-fishing –...

Two million hectares of tropical forests will be protected thanks to Size of Wales, an environmental charity based in its namesake country. WCS-Europe worked with Size of Wales on its project in the Republic of Congo’s Conkouati National Park.

Study shows that “conservation development” has some developers thinking, and seeing green Editor’s note: Photos and charts are available with the news release at http://www.news.colostate.edu. FORT COLLINS (March 5, 2013) – Homes in neighborhoods that incorporate protected open space command prices 20 to 29 percent higher than those without open space, according to a new study by a Colorado State University multidisciplinary research team that included Wildlife Conse...

PLOS ONE study with largest dataset on forest elephants ever compiled reveals a loss of more than 60 percent in the past decade Decline documented throughout forest elephant’s range in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Republic of Congo Conservation scientists urge immediate measures to save the species Elephants are being discussed at CITES meeting in Bangk...

WCS conservationists fear the worst for forest elephants in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a new survey shows their numbers in the Okapi Faunal Reserve have taken a dramatic plunge. Ivory poaching is to blame.

Forest elephants could be extinct in DRC within a decade if current slaughter continues NEW YORK ( Feb. 28, 2013 ) — The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) largest remaining forest elephant population, located in the Okapi Faunal Reserve (OFR), has declined by 37 percent in the last five years, with only 1,700 elephants now remaining, according to wildlife surveys by WCS and DRC officials. WCS scientists warn that if poaching of forest elephan...

Pilot Project Helps Scientists, Managers, and Conservationists Pro-Actively Prepare for a Changing Climate BOZEMAN (February 27, 2013). Researchers have successfully piloted a process that enables natural resource managers to take action to conserve particular wildlife, plants and ecosystems as climate changes. The Adaptation for Conservation Targets (ACT) framework is a practical approach to assessing how future changes in air and water temperatures, precipitation, stream flows, snowpack,...

“Battle for the Elephants” premieres Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS NEW YORK (February 26, 2013)— The Wildlife Conservation Society is collaborating with the National Geographic Society on the release of the film “Battle for the Elephants,” which premieres Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS.WCS has partnered with National Geographic on conservation issues for years. In this case, the organization is teaming up with National Geographic ...

Most important arctic wetlands and corridors for caribou and migratory birds to be conserved Record of Decision puts the final management plan into effect Washington, D.C. – February 21, 2013 – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) lauded the U.S. Department of the Interior’s issuance of a Record of Decision enacting the final management plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) ...

A study co-authored by WCS conservationists shines light on the important question of how many humpback whales swam the North Atlantic before commercial whaling. This historical information will help guide future conservation goals for the species.