New York, Aug. 17, 2020 – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) President and CEO Cristián Samper has issued the following statement today:

“At WCS, we stand strongly against the Administration’s announcement to approve an oil leasing program for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Oil and gas drilling in one of our last remaining wilderness areas is a direct hit against our country’s natural heritage. We ask Congress to take action to stop this development."

Coney Island, NY Aug. 17, 2020 – The New York Aquarium will reopen to the public on Thursday, Aug. 27 after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 16. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) member-only days will be Aug. 24-26. The aquarium’s decision to reopen follows New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement on Friday that museums and other cultural institutions can open in New York City starting on Aug. 24. Many of the indoor exhibits and spaces at the f...

A study by WCS and partners produced new analyses to pinpoint the most important forests for biodiversity conservation remaining in Central Africa.

A scientist for the Wildlife Conservation Society, Dr. Jonathan Slaght, has written a memoir on his efforts to study and conserve the Blakiston’s fish owl (Bubo blakistoni), an enormous and endangered owl species in Russia. 

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) congratulates the Government of Belize for legislating the expansion of its southernmost marine protected area.

The following statement has been released by the Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristián Samper:

A harbor seal pup (Phoca vitulina) was born at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) New York Aquarium while the facility remains temporarily closed to the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On July 23^rd 2020 the Vietnamese Government released Prime Minister’s Directive No. 29 on urgent solutions to manage wildlife. This has been largely reported in the global media as a widespread ban on wildlife trade in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wildlife Conservation Society welcomes the Prime Minister’s Directive and the renewed attention it will bring to combating illegal trade and consumption of wildlife. However, there are a number of points that have been mis-reported in the global media and areas we think require greater attention to reduce the risks of future zoonotic pathogen outbreaks

Bronx, NY, July 24, 2020 – The Bronx Zoo reopened to the public today along with the Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Zoo to all guests. The official reopening came following four days of members-only access that began on Monday, July 20.Each park is open at reduced capacity and all visitors must reserve date-specific tickets in advance. For a full list of “Know Before You Go” guidelines, visit each parks’ website. The Bronx Zoo’s Know Before You...

The “Brooklyn Bridge Forest,” which calls for sustainably harvested wood to benefit local communities in Guatemala while safeguarding 200,000 acres of rainforest, is a finalist in a competition to Reimagine the Brooklyn Bridge. The public can vote online to support this project from July 24-30.