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...

In this profile of Dr. Ullas Karanth, WCS Director for Science-Asia, we learn how the esteemed tiger expert got his start and how his approach to saving the endangered big cats has changed over the course of his career.

“Little Hatchlings” is geared towards children ages 10 to 23 months Register online at: www.queenszoo.com Flushing, N.Y. ––Dec. 30, 2013 -- The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo has announced registration for its winter/spring 2014 Little Hatchlings program. Little Hatchlings is an early education program for children ages 10 to 23 months with an adult. The program will provide a fun and engaging introduction to animals, nature, and the environment. Participants will explore the zoo wi...

John Weaver, Senior Conservation Scientist with WCS-Canada, warns that the Alberta government’s draft Regional Plan for the South Saskatchewan, which would establish new Wildland Parks in about a quarter of the area, will be inadequate to conserving its vulnerable fish and wildlife populations and sources of precious water that are cherished by southern Albertans.

It's rare to see a snowy owl in the lower 48, but this winter the birds are heading south. Steve Zack, Coordinator of Bird Conservation at WCS, explains the reason for their arrival—and why these denizens of the Far North do care if we’re naughty or nice.

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...

Story by Influential Chinese Newspaper, Southern Weekly, widely shared on Chinese social mediaNEW YORK (December 20, 2013) – One month after the publication of a front-page story in an influential Chinese newspaper about the ivory trade, the story has exploded on digital and social media within China.The story, titled “The Blood Ivory: Behind the Largest Ivory Smuggling Cases in China” appeared in the November 15th edition of Southern Weekly one of China’s most influential newspapers with a long...

NEW YORK (December 20) – SILVER BELLS, SILVERBACK -- The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) released this stunning camera trap photo of a silverback Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) taken in Nigeria’ s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. Cross River gorillas are the rarest of the four gorilla subspecies – numbering fewer than 300 individuals and found only in the forested, mountainous border region of Nigeria and Cameroon. WCS conservation work at this site is supported by Save our Sp...

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 (December 19, 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...

Children of Bronx military families in need to receive toys donated to annual toy driveSanta and Mrs. Claus to help distribute toys to childrenFriday, December 20, 2013Bronx, NY – Dec. 18, 2013 – On Friday, December 20, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will join Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo to distribute toys to local Bronx military families in need of support this holiday season. This event has become an annual tradition in the Bronx. The New York ...