Traders supplied live orangutans, along with a live tiger cub and skins from tigers, clouded leopards, and golden cats Arrest was made by Aceh Provincial Police (Polda Aceh) with technical assistance from WCS’s Wildlife Crimes Unit NEW YORK (May 9, 2014) – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Wildlife Crimes Unit announced today that Aceh police arrested two wildlife traders selling ivory, elephant bones, live orangutans, a live tiger cub, and other wildlife. WCS’s Wildlife Crimes Unit operates...

“Green Oscar” awarded for conservation of Borneo’s iconic great apes London, UK: 8 May 2014 – HRH The Princess Royal will today present a Whitley Award, a prestigious international nature conservation prize, to Melvin Gumal at a special ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in honour of his work to conserve orang-utans in Sarawak.Melvin Gumal is one of eight exceptional individuals to have been awarded a share of prize funding worth £280,000 by the Whitley Fund for Nature, winning the W...

Study in Journal Science Says: fences can cause “ecological meltdown” of wildlife NEW YORK (3 April 2014) - Wildlife fences are constructed for a variety of reasons including to prevent the spread of diseases, protect wildlife from poachers, and to help manage small populations of threatened species. Human–wildlife conflict is another common reason for building fences: Wildlife can damage valuable livestock, crops, or infrastructure, some species carry diseases of agricultural concern, and a few...

On a remote and protected Indonesian beach, strange birds and sea turtle hatchlings were recently released into the wild – over thirty olive ridely sea turtles and two maleos, their adult counterparts shown here. 

Sulawesi coastal area serves as critical nesting ground for maleos and olive ridley sea turtles NEW YORK (March 13, 2014)—Working on a remote and protected beach in Indonesia, conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society and PALS—a local partner organization—recently celebrated the release of rare animal hatchlings into the wild, part of a plan to save the olive ridley sea turtle and an extraordinary bird called the maleo. On February 23 on Sulawesi’s Binerean Cape, conservation mana...

Ray populations in Indonesia face serious threats from overfishing, but recently the government has taken action to ensure their future.

WCS commends Indonesian Government for adopting new law prohibiting fishing and trade of manta rays NEW YORK (February 19, 2014)—The Wildlife Conservation Society applauds the Government of Indonesia for its recent decision to protect the world’s largest ray species, the giant and reef manta rays, from fishing and trade throughout the country. On 28 January 2014, Indonesia’s Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister declared both the giant manta ray and reef manta ray as protected species under I...

Opening Remarks by Dr. John G. Robinson, WCS Chief Conservation Officer and Executive Vice President of Conservation and Science“This symposium is less about political consensus and more about prioritizing the strategies and approaches." London, Feb. 11, 2014 – The following remarks were delivered today by Dr. John G. Robinson, WCS Chief Conservation Officer and Executive Vice President of Conservation and Science, at the opening of the International Wildlife Trafficking Symposium at the Zoologi...

A team of conservationists from WCS will be in London for the United for Wildlife symposium – “International Wildlife Trafficking: Solutions to a Global Crisis” on Feb 11-12 at the Zoological Society of London. The WCS team will be addressing wildlife trafficking issues with an emphasis on stopping the killing, stopping the trafficking, and stopping the demand. WCS experts will present case-studies from projects around the world. This gathering of leading conservationists and governments is ...

An international trader with ties to global crime syndicates was arrested today for smuggling live animals, including baby siamangs and komodo dragons.