A massive decade-long study of Western Equatorial Africa’s gorillas and chimpanzees has uncovered both good news and bad about our nearest relatives. The good news: there are one third more western lowland gorillas and one tenth more central chimpanzees than previously thought. The bad news: the vast majority of these great apes (80 percent) exist outside of protected areas, and gorilla populations are declining by 2.7 percent annually.

December 19, 2017 -- The following statement is by WCS Senior Conservation Scientist George Schaller on allowing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is part of the tax bill expected to pass Congress and be signed into law this week. Schaller was part of the original scientific expedition in 1956 that led to the Refuge’s creation:

December 12, 2017 –  Maps of the world’s most important wilderness areas are now freely available online following a University of Queensland and Wildlife Conservation Society-led study published today.

December 11, 2017 – He’s tall, muscular and has striking black hair. He is shy, known locally as “Ichi,” and he’s looking for a mate. Please leave him alone.