Bronx, New York (January 22, 2014) -- The following statement was issued today by Dr. Cristián Samper, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society: "The Wildlife Conservation Society expresses its alarm at the new findings released yesterday by IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, indicating the heightened threatened status of the world’s sharks, rays, skates and chimeras, the cartilaginous fishes.“A global analysis of the conservation status of the 1,041 specie...

The U.S.’s confusing web of ivory trade laws remains easy to manipulate—and helps keep New York City as one of the world’s largest ivory markets.

WCS applauds appropriations bill that grows key conservation funding accounts and will help address elephant poaching crisis Support for USAID, GEF, and Dept. of the Interior programs is preserved Washington, DC – January 17, 2014 – The Wildlife Conservation Society hailed the omnibus Fiscal Year 2014 spending bill passed this week by Congress, which maintains key conservation accounts and creates a new funding source to combat wildlife trafficking while ensuring budgetary stability over the ne...

January 16, 2014 Good afternoon. My name is Elizabeth Bennett. I am the Vice President for Species Conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today regarding the plight of African elephants due to demand for ivory, and the actions that New York State can take to improve their conservation status in the wild. My background is that I have spent 30 years working in wildlife conservation, from long-term field research on wildlife and h...

WCS applauds the Parliament’s wide-ranging wildlife crime resolution condemning illegal elephant killing and other illegal trafficking activities Resolution calls on E.U. Member States to introduce moratoria on all trade in ivory products until wild elephant populations are no longer threatened by illegal killing Brussels – 15 January, 2014 – The European Parliament took powerful action against illegal elephant killing through the passage of a groundbreaking resolution on wildlife trafficking th...

Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation Will Examine Effectiveness of New York Restrictions on Ivory Sales Hearing will take place Thursday, January 16, in Manhattan New York is the largest market for ivory in the U.S. 96 Elephants are killed every day by ivory poachers NEW YORK (January 14, 2013) – The New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation announced a public hearing on ways to improve the effectiveness of the state’s laws and regulations prot...

Brussels – 13 January, 2014 – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) issued the following statement on upcoming debate on wildlife trafficking in the European Parliament: “With debate on a landmark wildlife trafficking resolution beginning today, WCS looks to the European Parliament to make a powerful statement to the world that eliminating illegal hunting and the ivory trade is a priority,” said John Calvelli, WCS's Executive Vice President of Public Affairs. “As global citizens, we all ca...

Joe Walston, WCS Asia Executive Director, believes the importance of China's ivory crush lies within the government's internal debates, not in its impact on the price of ivory.

NEW YORK – Jan. 3, 2013 – The Government of China is set to destroy ivory and other wildlife products confiscated from illegal trade at a public ceremony on Jan. 6 in the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. The Wildlife Conservation Society is among the invitees to attend the event. Follow @theWCS, @wcschina and @joewalston_wcs to learn more about the event and the reaction from the Chinese public. The destruction of ivory by China follows the U.S. government’s destruction of six tons o...

Smuggling Ringleader Pleads Guilty in Federal Court in New Jersey Bronx, NY – December 20, 2013 – The Wildlife Conservation Society applauded the prosecution of Zhifei Li, the owner of an antique business in China, for wildlife trafficking crimes. Li pled guilty to leading a worldwide conspiracy in which he and his associates smuggled 30 rhinoceros horns and other illegal products made from rhino horns and elephant ivory worth more than $4.5 million. The case was the result of a joint effort b...