(Pictured above, one of the two last known Swinhoe’s softshell turtles (Rafetus swinhoei). This photo was taken in May of 2022 in Dong Mo Lake, Vietnam.) NEW YORK, January 15, 2025 – Scientists have developed and validated a, first-of-its-kind, portable environmental DNA (eDNA) test to help detect the world’s rarest turtle, the Swinhoe’s softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), which is teetering on the brink of extinction. Two of these turtles are curr...

A Standard for Financial Institutions on Biodiversity Risks Management recently launched in Kaihua, Zhejiang Province located in China’s Yangtze River Delta.

A team of scientists led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Appalachian State University used environmental DNA (eDNA) to document the breadth of high-alpine biodiversity present on Earth’s highest mountain, 29,032-foot Mt. Everest (8,849 m).

WCS released a statement by Dale Miquelle, WCS Tiger Program coordinator and director of WCS’s Russia Program, upon the commencement of the Lunar Year of the Tiger.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) welcomes China’s white paper, Biodiversity Conservation in China and the increasing commitment of China to biodiversity conservation, both at home in China and across the globe.

Animal and human health doctors and conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), University of Oslo, and Global Wildlife Conservation will give a “One Health” briefing on COVID-19 that looks at the links between wildlife, livestock, and humans.

To prevent future major viral outbreaks such as the COVID-19 outbreak, impacting human health, well-being, economies, and security on a global scale, WCS recommends stopping all commercial trade in wildlife for human consumption (particularly of birds and mammals) and closing all such markets.

With the outbreak of the Wuhan Conronavirus, the Wildlife Conservation Society is calling for governments to recognize the global public health threats of live animal markets and to strengthen enforcement efforts on trafficking of wild animals. 

Steadfast efforts continue to prevent the extinction of the Giant Yangtze Soft Shell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), even with the news that the last known female of the species died on Saturday, April 13, 2019.

The last known female Giant Yangtze Soft Shell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) died on Saturday, April 13, 2019, during recovery from anesthesia after an artificial insemination procedure in Suzhou, China.