Survey shows that more than 80 percent of New Yorkers favor a ban on ivory sales Support remains strong, even if a ban affects antiques dealers and private property owners 96 elephants are killed every day in Africa for their ivory WCS’s 96 Elephants campaign URL: www.96elephants.org NEW YORK (April 7, 2014) – A statewide independent survey shows that more than 80 percent of New York voters are in favor of a permanent state ban on the sale of ivory that is decimating Africa’s elephants, accordi...

Aligning Efforts to Address the Crime; and Considering Destruction of Stockpile of Rhino Horn, Elephant Ivory and Tiger Bone Hanoi, 24th March 2014 - The Vietnam CITES Management Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development today hosted a roundtable meeting that marks the nation’s first step toward synergy to minimize the transnational wildlife crime affecting this nation; and further, a Vietnam official indicated they are considering destroying stockpiles of rhino horn, elep...

NEW YORK (March 6, 2014) – A group of international scientists have completed the first global inventory of flu strains in birds by reviewing more than 50 published studies and genetic data, providing new insight into the drivers of viral diversity and the emergence of disease that can ultimately impact human health and livelihoods. The research, published in the journal PLOS ONE and performed as part of the USAID PREDICT project, identified over 116 avian flu strains in wild birds. This is roug...

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Holds Hearing on Wildlife Trafficking Administration’s National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Spurs Debate in Congress Washington, DC – February 26, 2014 –The following statement was released today by WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign John Calvelli: “The Wildlife Conservation Society would like to applaud U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ed Royce for his leadership in calling today...

WCS Statement on Introduction of Ivory Bill into New York State Legislature:New York Takes the Lead in State Efforts to End Ivory Trade State and Federal Collaboration is Key to Closing Loopholes, Ending Ivory Trade New York, Feb. 20, 2014 – The following statement was released today by John Calvelli, Wildlife Conservation Society Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign:“The Wildlife Conservation Society welcomes the introduction of a bill into the N...

Following recent ivory crushes by the governments of France, China, and the U.S., the editorial board of the New York Times evaluates an initiative by New York State legislators to prohibit all ivory sales in the state, including those that are now technically legal.

WCS congratulates Hong Kong’s Government for sending strong anti-poaching message NEW YORK (January 28, 2014) – The Wildlife Conservation Society congratulates Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department’s Endangered Species Advisory Committee for announcing last week they will destroy their stockpile of approximately 30 metric tons of confiscated ivory. The announcement is seen as a major step in the effort to protect elephants from the ravages of ivory poaching. Hong Kong ...

January 16, 2014 Good afternoon. My name is Elizabeth Bennett. I am the Vice President for Species Conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today regarding the plight of African elephants due to demand for ivory, and the actions that New York State can take to improve their conservation status in the wild. My background is that I have spent 30 years working in wildlife conservation, from long-term field research on wildlife and h...

Joe Walston, WCS Asia Executive Director, believes the importance of China's ivory crush lies within the government's internal debates, not in its impact on the price of ivory.

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...