Op-Eds and Blogs

In a new commentary for the German publication NZZ, WCS's Chris Walzer argues that the corona pandemic shows what happens when the structure of humans, animals and the environment is out of balance.

Sarawak maintaining its ban on all commercial sales of wild meat provides a laudable way for it to conserve its wildlife, maintain the healthy diets and cultures of native communities, and maximize the future health of the entire population of the state.

This Thanksgiving, let’s thank one entity that rarely gets the full measure of gratitude it deserves: Nature. Nature-based solutions to the global environmental challenges we face are at the heart of WCS’s mission to save wildlife and wild places.

While still in the grips of a global pandemic, it has become painfully apparent that addressing the complex interactions of human, animal, and environmental health needs multilateral and national adoption of a fully integrated One Health approach.

If we are truly to avoid future pandemics and the devastating consequences of mass extinctions and accelerated climate change, Germany and governments worldwide must take the One Health approach further.

A little-considered impact of warming temperatures in the Arctic is the increased activity of ice breakers. WCS's Martin Robards and Beverly Maksagak, of the Ekaluktutiak Hunters & Trappers Organization, say ice breakers threaten Inuit ways of life.

The decisions of governments during the Convention on Biological Diversity negotiations and their actions in the years to come will determine whether or not our planet's coral reefs will continue to exist in ways that provide benefits to biodiversity and society.

Avoiding species extinctions resulting from fire in Australia will require assessment and recovery of species imperilled by mega-fires, including stopping habitat loss and managing threats to species survival in remaining unburnt forests.

"Bat Week and emerging zoonotic disease threats are really about us," argues WCS's Sarah Olson. "If we can shift attitudes and beliefs about bats, we can begin to have more difficult conversations about how we choose to live on this planet."

In a commentary for The Revelator, WCS's Emily Darling describes new upgrades to the collaborative ‘Marine Ecological Research Management AID’ (MERMAID) that can turn coral reef data into conservation action just when it’s needed most.

For ecologists studying wolverines, a tri-axial accelerometer attached to an animal collar can track what that creature is doing for every second of every day for months on end, note WCS Beringia's Martin Robards and Tom Glass.

If the EU is serious about fighting elephant poaching, it must completely close its domestic ivory market and ban all ivory imports and re-exports, argue EU Parliament Member Frédérique Ries and WCS's Arnaud Goessens.

With a snout lined with sharp teeth that makes them vulnerable to getting entangled in fishing gear, these unique fish are Critically Endangered and have vanished from many parts of the ocean.

This week’s United Nations Summit on Biodiversity highlights in particular the urgent need for commitments and action to retain and protect the world’s last remaining highly intact ecosystems, while respecting and honoring the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

If we are to reduce the likelihood of future pandemics like COVID-19, we must adopt a comprehensive approach for which the U.S. government has a critical role to play.

Wise stewardship of natural resources by Indigenous Peoples within their traditional territories has had a profoundly positive impact on the conservation of species on land and in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.