NEW YORK —After 15 years of research in the waters of the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and an international coalition of organizations have unveiled the largest genetic study of humpback whale populations ever conducted in the Southern Hemisphere. By analyzing DNA samples from more than 1,500 whales, researchers can now peer into the population dynamics and relatedness of Southern Hemi...

A new study says that banning certain types of fishing gear can help save coral reefs from the damaging effects of climate change, by protecting key fish populations that help stressed reefs recover.

(June 17, 2009)  – Banning or restricting the use of certain types of fishing gear could help the world’s coral reefs and their fish populations survive the onslaughts of climate change according to a study by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and other groups. The international team of scientists has proposed that bans on fishing gear - like spear guns, fish traps, and beach seine nets  – could aid in the recovery o...

Once considered “mission impossible,” a grueling study of Papua New Guinea’s long-beaked echidna reveals this rare, egg-laying mammal’s elusive habits.

Study on Papua New Guinea’s long-beaked echidna reveals elusive habits NEW YORK (June 9, 2009)—A Wildlife Conservation Society research intern working in the wilds of Papua New Guinea has successfully completed what many other field biologists considered “mission impossible”—the first study of a rare egg-laying mammal called the long-beaked echidna. The WCS-supported study—which consisted of thousands of hours of grueling field work in Papua New Guinea’s Crater Mountain Wildlife Manage...

Brooklyn, NY – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which conducts conservation projects throughout the world’s oceans, proudly supports World Oceans Day on June 8th, an event now officially recognized by the United Nations. World Oceans Day, organized by the Ocean Project with support from WCS and other groups, comes as a sweeping new national survey reveals that Americans are concerned about the health of the ocean and are ready to take personal action to make a difference. The Wildlife ...

Wildlife Conservation Society applauds the launching of Coral Triangle Initiative at CTI Summit in Manado, Indonesia NEW YORK (MAY 15, 2009) On May 15, 2009, the Heads of State of Indonesia, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Malaysia, signed a “leaders declaration” to officially launch the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). As part of this historic initiative, the six countries pledge “accelerated and colla...

In the face of warming ocean waters due to climate change, some coral reefs off East Africa are demonstrating unusual resiliency. A WCS study shows that successful fisheries management is key.

Successful reef management coupled with geophysical factors produces hearty corals off East Africa coast NEW YORK (April 23, 2009) – The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today a study showing that some coral reefs off East Africa are unusually resilient to climate change due to improved fisheries management and a combination of geophysical factors. WCS announced the results of the study at the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), which is meeting this week in Phuket, Thailand. The ...

The Wildlife Conservation Society, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and other groups say the health of coral reef fish is directly linked to local economies. Wealthy and least developed regions have the healthiest fish populations, while those in the middle are suffering.