Chinese scientists have identified a “wet market”—where live and dead animals, including many wildlife species, are sold for consumption—as the chief suspect for the origin of the Wuhan coronavirus.

"We hope to provide a space for thousands, perhaps millions, of people to learn about and participate in science projects on biodiversity across the globe and in our own backyards," writes WCS's Tim O'Brien in a new commentary for The Revelator.

"In Ontario, we are working hard to quantify both the conservation potential of one of the world’s greatest intact areas and the importance of northern peatlands as a carbon storehouse," writes WCS Canada's Justina Ray.

"Keep your property, bears and yourself safe by breaking the cycle of rewarding bears with trash," advises WCS's Kris Inman. "Ask L&L Site Services or Republic Services for a bear-resistant trash can."

New findings suggest that the Sulawesi civet occupies a wider variety of habitat types than previously thought. In addition to primary forests, researchers obtained records of this species in areas closer to humans and outside protected areas.

WCS is working with communities to develop participatory land use plans that ban the planting of non-native trees in intact forest areas and put community-designed limits on unsustainable hunting and deforestation practices.

We believe that the information and areas identified with this project will contribute to the effective implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) required by the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).

"The objective is to identify priority areas for conservation, then avoid development of those areas as part of COMBO’s efforts to achieve a target of No Net Loss of biodiversity," write WCS's Hugo Costa, Hugo Rainey, and Ray Victurine.

Clearly, when climate change drives threats across multiple sectors, community engagement produces tangible results.We should all look at ways in which adaptation project outcomes can benefit from community inclusion.

The ecosystems of the newly-protected Bamyan Plateau in Afghanistan are irreplaceable biological treasures that are also key to the livelihood, economy, well-being and cultural identity of local communities.

On Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, WCS is working in partnership with the local communities and the government to establish a network of community conservation areas that will offer long-term protection.

On a national level, climate stability, watershed protection, renewable natural resources, and jaguar conservation go hand in hand. Range wide conservation takes place country by country..

Jaguars need vast areas for long-term survival, notes WCS jaguar coordinator John Polisar in a blog for International Jaguar Day, adding that their home ranges often span 200–400 square kilometers or more.

Building partnerships to support fisheries sustainability is a complicated process that starts with defining joint objectives and getting commitments from all relevant stakeholders to work towards a common goal.

It’s always a balancing act,” writes WCS’s Constance O’Connor. “As my kids grow and change, and as I continue to develop as a scientist, I am sure that there will be countless more lessons in how to be both a mom and a scientist.”

There is growing interest in ensuring that the approaches we are using in fisheries and conservation incorporate gender equity and social inclusion to realize outcomes are fair, just and sustainable.