The State Prosecutor of North Sumatra and WCS’s Wildlife Crimes Unit announced the arrest of a suspect for trafficking a living orangutan in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The trafficker allegedly sold wildlife through Facebook and by BlackBerry Messenger. The arrest was made on April 13, 2015.

The following statement was given today by John Robinson, WCS Executive Vice President for Conservation and Science at the 2015 ECOSOC Integration Segment held by the Permanent Missions of Germany and Gabon:

 

The following testimony was submitted today by Sara Marinello, WCS Executive Director of Government and Community Affairs, before the Connecticut General Assembly Committee on Environment:

The following testimony was submitted today by Dr. James Deutsch, WCS Vice President of Conservation Strategy, before the California Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife committee:

NEW YORK (March 6, 2015) –The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Russia Program, in partnership with the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve and Udegeiskaya Legenda National Park, released a camera trap slideshow of a family of Amur tigers in the wild showing an adult male with family. Shown following the “tiger dad” along the Russian forest is an adult female and three cubs. Scientists note this is a first in terms of photographing this behavior, as adult male tigers are usually solitary.  Also included was a photo composite of a series of images showing the entire family as they walked past the a camera trap over a period of two minutes.

A scientific team from WCS, Myanmar’s Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division – MOECAF, and National University of Singapore (NUS) has rediscovered a bird previously thought to be extinct.

New York – Mar. 2, 2015 – Brooklyn just received another 3.5 inches of snow. The WCS Prospect Park Zoo is always a beautiful place to visit no matter the weather. 

March 3 2015 marks World Wildlife Day, and this year’s theme is: “It’s time to get serious about wildlife crime.” The Wildlife Conservation Society Central Park Zoo will host the United Nations and key government and civil society partners for a high-level panel discussion on international wildlife crime.

A copy of the testimony submitted today to the Hawaii House Committee on Water and Land in support of HB 837, which would help shut down the illegal trade in ivory currently decimating elephants across Africa. 

Three Chinese big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalum) have hatched at WCS’s Prospect Park Zoo.