WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 12, 2017) – WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) released a statement following the Senate’s passage of the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver (WILD) Act by unanimous consent.

The following statement was released by John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs:

“WCS is very pleased that the Senate passed the bipartisan WILD Act, which contains several measures that are imperative to conserving wildlife and wild places. We thank the bill’s sponsors, Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Tom Carper (D-DE), as well as its co-sponsors Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

“We are especially grateful that the bill reauthorizes the Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF), a key program in the fight to save the world’s endangered species, administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The five programs that make up the MSCF are helping conserve some of the world’s most iconic species: elephants, rhinos, tigers, great apes, and marine turtles.

“The need for the MSCF program remains great. Elephant populations are plummeting due to ivory trafficking, great apes populations are being decimated due to habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade, and tigers currently occupy only seven percent of their historical range. Marine turtle species and rhinos continue to be poached and traded to the brink of extinction.

“In addition, the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize is an exciting concept that will encourage innovation in wildlife conservation, combating wildlife trafficking and poaching, and other areas.

“We look forward to working with conservation champions in the House of Representatives for final passage of this bipartisan legislation.”

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