A new initiative involving 20 of the world’s leading conservation organisations, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, today issued an unprecedented joint declaration to the G20 calling for urgent action to invest in nature to protect biodiversity, reduce the risk of future pandemics, and safeguard the long-term well-being and security of current and future human generations.

A team of conservationists say that in order for the public to help bats, they need to be perceived as less scary.

The following statement is from John F. Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President for Public Affairs of the Wildlife Conservation Society in support of the Global Wildlife Trade Biosecurity Act.