Only One in Four Protected Areas is Well Managed Gland, Switzerland, 6 November 2014 – A fundamental step-change involving an increase in funding and political commitment is urgently needed to ensure that protected areas deliver their full conservation, social and economic potential, according to an article published today in Nature by experts from Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Queensland, and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). The paper, The performance ...

Flushing, N.Y. – June 16, 2014 -- Bouba, a young Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), goes for a swim at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo. Bouba is a 2–year-old male that made his debut at the Queens Zoo in the fall. He shares a habitat with a female Andean bear named Spangles. The Andean bear is the only bear species endemic to South America. It is native to Andean lowlands in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. The species is classified as “Vulnerable” by th...

“Green Oscar” awarded for conservation of Borneo’s iconic great apes London, UK: 8 May 2014 – HRH The Princess Royal will today present a Whitley Award, a prestigious international nature conservation prize, to Melvin Gumal at a special ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in honour of his work to conserve orang-utans in Sarawak.Melvin Gumal is one of eight exceptional individuals to have been awarded a share of prize funding worth £280,000 by the Whitley Fund for Nature, winning the W...

New York, (April 11, 2014) -- Melvin Gumal, Director of the WCS-Malaysia Programme since 2003, has been named one of eight finalists for this year's Whitley Awards. This prestigious international prize honors exceptional individuals working in grassroots nature conservation in the world's developing countries, and who often face humanitarian, environmental and political challenges in the projects they undertake. The prize, awarded by The Whitley Fund for Nature (@WhitleyAwards ) is called the Gr...

Andean bears are the only South American bear species Populations are declining due to habitat loss and hunting B-Roll Video Download HD Andean Bear at Queens Zoo b-roll.mov Interview With Queens Zoo Director Scott Silver www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFfI8WU5CXI Flushing, N.Y. – Nov. 14, 2013 - The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo is home to a new Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the only bear species endemic to South America. The Andean bear is native to Andean lowlands in Venezuela, ...

WCS stop-action images reveal rare bear species in Bolivian park attempting to destroy hidden cameras.Watch videoWCS’s studies bears and other wildlife in the Greater Madidi Tambopata Landscape – one of the world’s most wildlife-rich regionsNEW YORK (October 22, 2013) — A series of camera-trap images released by the Wildlife Conservation Society today shows rare Andean bears acting like angry Hollywood celebrities – at least when it comes to having their picture taken.The stop-action images rev...

Proposals to protect five species of sharks, freshwater sawfish, and two manta ray species have been accepted by CITES. These protections are critical to ensuring that international trade does not threaten the survival of commercially valuable shark and ray species.

Five commercially valuable shark species, manta rays & freshwater sawfish listed  The following statement was issued today by WCS President and CEO Cristian Samper: The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today celebrates the decision by an historic, broad group of nations from around the world to list five new sharks, freshwater sawfish, and two manta ray species for protection by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This vote is a fi...

WCS works with Ecuadorian communities to promote financial and environmental sustainability in the country's Yasuní National Park. Writing for National Geographic NewsWatch, Galo Zapata, WCS's Ecology and Wildlife Management Coordinator for Ecuador, underscores the need for collaborative conservation as economic developments threaten previously untouched wild places.  

Wildlife Conservation Society joins call on governments to list species of sharks and rays on CITES NEW YORK (March 6, 2013)—Government delegates to the 16th meeting of the 178 member States of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) convening in Bangkok, Thailand this week can help conserve some of the world’s most threatened sharks and rays—ancient, cartilaginous fish species that are under severe pressure globally from over-fishing –...