View the video at:http://youtu.be/Q2lDV0MMrcw Bronx, NY – Aug. 15, 2012 – ATTACHED PHOTO AND VIDEO: A Caribbean flamingo hatchling takes its first steps at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. The chick is helped to its feet by its mother and stands on a nest mound in the pond outside of the zoo’s Aquatic Birds exhibit. Flamingos are hatched with white downy plumage but develop trademark pink coloration from pigments in the algae, crustaceans, and oth...

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) Take the Lead in Making Bison the National Mammal of the United States Sens. Akaka, Blumenthal, Gillibrand, Lieberman, Portman, and Schumer are the Latest to Co-sponsor Bill in the Senate More than 67,000 Letters to Congress Sent through VoteBison.org NEW YORK (August 14, 2012)— The Vote Bison coalition applauded the news th...

MOST IMPORTANT ARCTIC WETLANDS AND CORRIDORS FOR CARIBOU AND MIGRATORY BIRDS WOULD BE CONSERVED "By keeping development and disturbance away from essential wildlife habitat, Arctic wildlife will continue to thrive.” – WCS President and CEO Cristián Samper NEW YORK (August 14, 2012) – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) expressed support for today’s announcement by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar of a proposed plan balancing conservation, subsistence rights for Alaska Nati...

Flushing, N.Y. – Aug. 13, 2012 – Two blue-throated macaws perch on a branch in the historic aviary at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo. These parrots live in the zoo’s geodesic dome aviary among other exotic birds including scarlet macaws, blue and gold macaws, and sun conures. The blue-throated macaws can be recognized by their brightly colored blue and yellow plumage and the blue patches on their cheeks. Not to be confused with the similar blue-and-gold macaw, the blue-throat...

“Rose” is selected from more than 500 online submissions Flushing, N.Y. – Aug. 10, 2012 – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo staff has chosen “Rose” as the name for the Texas Longhorn calf born in May. The name was selected from a pool of more than 500 names submitted online. Rose was approximately 60 pounds at birth and is growing quickly. She will reach maturity at 8 years old. As an adult, her horns can reach a width of up to six feet from tip to tip. Including Rose, there ar...

In his first blog celebrating bison, WCS Executive Vice President for Public Affairs John Calvelli discusses ongoing efforts to protect this iconic species. WCS has been protecting buffalo since the turn of the 20th century and is currently working with conservationists, sportsmen, Native American tribes, and lawmakers to advance the National Bison Legacy Act.

Study by Wildlife Conservation Society and University of the Azores identifies additional risks to reefs stemming from pollution and heavy fishing NEW YORK (August 6, 2012)— Microbes, sponges, and worms—the side effects of pollution and heavy fishing—are adding insult to injury in Kenya’s imperiled reef systems, according to a recent study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Azores. The authors of the study have found that pollution and overfishing on reef sys...

On August 1, 2012, Dr. Cristián Samper began his tenure as President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society. As head of WCS, Dr. Samper will lead the world’s preeminent science-based conservation organization, which includes the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and conservation projects in 65 nations and all the world’s oceans.

A recent blog for National Geographic NewsWatch celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize, the country's first marine reserve and one that protects the greatest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Conservation efforts there ensure continued success for blue striped grunts and other precious fish and marine animals.