Fourth annual event awards enforcement personnel and others on the front lines of illegal wildlife trade Wildlife Conservation Society created the event in 2008 BEIJING (July 25, 2012) — Nominees for China’s fourth annual “Wildlife Guardian” competition, which awards the best customs officials, forest police, border guards, community organizations, and individuals working on wildlife conservation and law enforcement, were announced in Beijing recently. The competition, cre...

NEW YORK July 25, 2012—Many of the world’s tropical protected areas are struggling to sustain their biodiversity, according to a study published today in Nature by more than 200 scientists from around the world. Professor William Laurance, from James Cook University in Cairns, Australia, and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, said: “These reserves are like arks for biodiversity. But some of the arks are in danger of sinking, even though they are our best hope to sustain trop...

A rare species in U.S. zoos, Bronx Zoo’s World of Birds is home to three chicks Bronx, NY – July 25, 2012 – Attached Photos: One of three recently hatched spur-winged lapwing chicks at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo explores its surroundings at the World of Birds. The chicks hatched last month and can be found at the popular bee-eater exhibit. The species is rare in U.S. zoos; there are currently only 35 birds in 14 AZA-accredited facilities. Spur-winged lapw...

The arrival marks the first hatching of this endangered species at the aquarium in 15 years View footage of the penguin Brooklyn, N.Y. – July 24, 2012 – The newest animal to nest at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium is a black-footed penguin chick, the first one to hatch in 15 years at the aquarium. Black-footed penguins are endangered, making the chick’s arrival significant not only for the aquarium, but for the species’...

WCS tracks oryx in South Sudan, a country celebrating its first year of independence. Although uncertainty looms for this young nation, locals and conservationists hope to preserve South Sudan's natural resources while improving conservation efforts and ecotourism opportunities. 

Zoo to Offer Free AT&T Wi-Fi as Part of Citywide Wi-Fi in the Parks Initiative Online photo contest gives visitors a chance to win a family membership to WCS Click here to download b-roll of eventFlushing, N.Y. – July 19, 2012 – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and AT&T* today launched free AT&T Wi-Fi service at the Queens Zoo. The zoo is the 24th NYC parks location to receive free AT&T Wi-Fi th...

Leopard first photographed by WCS in 2004 Leopard ID-ed through computer software that compares unique spot pattern NEW YORK (July 19, 2012)— A dramatic photo of a male leopard dragging a massive gaur (or Indian bison) calf in Karnataka’s Bandipur Tiger Reserve turned out to be the same animal photographed by a WCS camera trap nearly eight years ago. The photo, taken by Indian photographer Vinay S. Kumar, was initially submitted to Conservation India, a not-for-profit portal to enab...

Saturday, July 21; 12 p.m. Brooklyn, N.Y. - July 19, 2012 – ATTACHED PHOTO - An aquatic-themed sand sculpture represents the Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium at last year's annual Sand-Sculpting Contest & Unity Day Celebration in Coney Island. The sculpture was created by pro sculptor Chuck Feld and his team from Sound Pounders. This year's event will be held on Saturday, July 21, kicking off at 12 p.m. Jon Forrest Dohlin, WCS Vice President and Direct...

The Bubble Safari social game from Zynga.org stars a monkey whose friends are captured by poachers. As they come to his aid, players can raise funds for WCS and its mission to save wildlife and wild places around the globe.

New York Senator Becomes Co-sponsor of Bill to Make North American Bison the National Mammal of the United States To help generate more co-sponsors, go to www.votebison.org NEW YORK (July 18, 2012)— The Vote Bison coalition applauded the news that New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand became a co-sponsor of the National Bison Legacy Act in the U.S. Senate, which if passed would officially designate bison as the national mammal. The bill, which was introduced by U.S. Sens...