New York, June 3, 2024 – Three 5-month-old Andean bear cubs are debuting at the Queens Zoo, marking a rare occurrence as Andean bears typically only have one or two cubs at a time. The cubs were born on January 3 this year, including two males and one female. With these births, eight Andean bear cubs (Tremarctos ornatus) have been born at the Queens Zoo since 1995.  Since birth, they have been cared for by their mother in the birthing den, and the cubs have now reached the age...

NEW YORK, NY (May 28, 2024) -- Subsequent to a necropsy at the Bronx Zoo, the wings and tissue samples from Flaco, a Eurasian eagle owl, were transferred to the American Museum of Natural History to become part of its scientific collection. Historically, the Bronx Zoo has donated specimens to the Museum. These collections are used extensively by scientists and also by artists who develop images for educational materials, including birding field guides. The remains will not be on public...

GENEVA, May 25, 2024—The following statement was released by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) did not reach consensus on a new agreement or treaty on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The WHO’s World Health Assembly will consider the outcome when it convenes next week and decide if and how to proceed with the process. All multilateralism requires compromise and agreement, and thinking of the common good fo...

Bronx Zoo – May 24, 2024 –The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) recently hosted its first-ever Supplier Diversity event, “Diverse/Reverse Vendor Fair” supported by Columbia University and Ascend NYC on May 23rd, with more than 25 vendors showcasing their products and services to various business units throughout WCS.  The WCS event was part of ongoing efforts to continue to build and nurture a supplier diversity program that in...

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (May 24, 2024) – For the third year in a row, the city of La Paz, Bolivia topped the list of participants in the City Nature Challenge, a friendly citizen science competition among cities from around the global that measures the highest number of wildlife observations, species diversity, and participant engagement. In a remarkable showing, Bolivia boasted five cities making significant contributions towards biodiversity conservation. La Paz, the seat of the governme...

NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2024) -- To meet the imperative of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework target, which seeks to protect at least 30 percent of the planet by 2030, researchers in an essay in PLOS Biology argue that “conservation areas need to be large enough to encompass functioning ecosystems and their associated biodiversity, and located in areas of high ecological integrity.” These priority areas, which the authors call “Nature’s Str...

Yasuní, Ecuador, May 20, 2024 -- The globally renowned Yasuní ecosystem in Ecuador will receive a significant boost in conservation efforts through a new agreement between the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Legacy Landscapes Fund (LLF), supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  Following LLF’s perpetual funding model, this agreement commits to providing an annual grant of $1 million for a minimum of 50 years to support the long-term preservation o...

NEW YORK  (May 14, 2024)—As the world presses forward with urgency towards reaching global biodiversity and climate targets by 2030, there must be increased attention to center equity in dialogue and practice when designing ocean conservation, adaptation and development interventions.  The world is facing a dual biodiversity and climate crisis. Yet, without focused attention to equity, say a group of researchers and practitioners in a new study published today in Nature E...

Brooklyn, NY, May 14, 2024 – With the re-opening of Prospect Park Zoo set for Saturday, May 25 after being closed due to flooding from Tropical Storm Ophelia in 2023, city, state and borough officials welcomed the news. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said: “After a long recovery, Brooklynites will finally be reunited with their furry, scaly, and feathered friends at the Prospect Park Zoo. Thank you to Governor Hochul for securing the funds from the federal go...

Brooklyn, NY, May 14, 2024 – The Prospect Park Zoo is re-opening to the public on Saturday, May 25, after being temporarily closed for almost 8 months due to extensive flood damage to its facilities and infrastructure during the extreme rain from Tropical Storm Ophelia which hit New York City on Sept. 29, 2023. The zoo will open for a special preview for Wildlife Conservation Society members on Friday, May 24; and will open to all on Saturday, May 25. “We are very pleased to an...