New York (August 19, 2014) – The following statement was issued by John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign: “Today’s landmark study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, authored by 96 Elephants partner Save the Elephants and other groups, confirms the widespread slaughter of elephants throughout Africa driven by ivory poaching. These tragic numbers underscore the urgency of banning the ivory trade. Recent WCS res...

Eighty years ago, WCS naturalist William Beebe and engineer Otis Barton plunged more than 3,000 feet into the ocean and observed never-before-seen marine life in its natural habitat.

New global research reveals extreme vulnerability of primary forests Authors say just 22 percent of primary forests are located in protected areas, which is the equivalent of only five percent of original primary forest Analysis provides clear policy recommendations to protect primary forests Paper URL:http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12120/full August 18, 2014: An international team of conservationist scientists and practitioners has published new research showing the precarious...

Brooklyn, N.Y. – August 15, 2014 – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Prospect Park Zoo is offering ongoing family-friendly activities throughout the summer. “Inside Scoop Mondays” include presentations by zoo educators about animals in the zoo. Each week features different animals. (Mondays, 12 to 3 p.m.) “Storytelling Tuesdays” feature animal stories and puppet fun in the Amazing Animals building. (Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.) “Wild Art Wednesdays” include animal-themed cr...

On his historic dive, writes Institutional Archivist Madeleine Thompson, WCS naturalist William Beebe took on the then-unprecedented work of attempting to understand the lives of these animals in their natural habitat.

Caleb McClennen, executive director for the Wildlife Conservation Society's Global Marine Program, explains the most important take away from Discovery Channel's Shark Week: sharks are an extraordinarily threatened species.

During "Shark Week" this year, says WCS Executive Vice President of Pubic Affairs John Calvelli, consider the serious threats to sharks and the vital New York seascape they rely on.

Authors find that Giant South American river turtles have a repertoire of vocalizations for different behavioral situations, including caring for young New York (August 14, 2014)— Turtles are well known for their longevity and protective shells, but it turns out these reptiles use sound to stick together and care for young, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society and other organizations. Scientists working in the Brazilian Amazon have found that Giant South American river turtles actuall...

Impressive reptiles top 600 poundsB-roll download here:Bronx Zoo Aldabra Giant Tortoises B-roll.movBronx, NY – Aug. 14, 2014 – Two giant Aldabra tortoises (Geochelone gigantean) are now grazing outside Zoo Center at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo.Both tortoises are males; one weighs approximately 400 pounds and the other tips the scales at around 600 pounds. Their exhibit is located at the iconic Zoo Center and resembles their natural habitat with a sandy substrate, lush vegetatio...

New Pronghorn Management Guides share latest science, inform issues impacting species BOZEMAN (August 13, 2014) – Biologists from the U.S., Mexico, and Canada have collaborated for the first time to produce recommendations to protect and manage North America’s fastest land mammal – the pronghorn. Pronghorn are endemic to North America and numbered an estimated 35 million in the early 19th century. Today, about 700,000 remain and more than half of those live in Wyoming. The guides provide the l...