Wildlife Conservation Society

Last week, we marked 22 years of conservation in Mongolia with the opening of the new Gobi Ecological Research Station. This will be a dedicated hub for wildlife research, conservation, and community engagement in the heart of the Gobi-Steppe ecosystem. bit.ly/4mdsSCV 🌏

Signs of Lion Recovery: WCS Camera Trap Captures First Lioness in Northern CAR since 2019 Bamingui-Bangoran National Park, Central African Republic, August 7, 2025—The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has captured camera trap evidence of an adult female lion in North-Eastern Central Afr...

This #WorldLionDay2025, signs of recovery. A WCS camera trap captured evidence of an adult female lion in northeastern Central African Republic for the first time in six years. bit.ly/4m6ABTj

Today’s statement is issued jointly by WCS’s Sushil Raj and Dawa Yangi Sherpa; Myrna Cunningham of the Pawanka Fund; and Roberto Múkaro Agüeibaná Borrero of the Inclusive Conservation Academy.

Indigenous Peoples’ Rights at the Intersection of Conservation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) New York, NY, August 8, 2025—The following statement was released today by Sushil Raj and Dawa Yangi Sherpa of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS); Myrna Cunningham of the Pawanka Fund; and Robert...

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: A statement with partners about Indigenous Peoples’ rights at intersection of conservation and AI. While Indigenous Peoples as knowledge holders have always been data collectors and protectors, rights to their data are under threat. bit.ly/4owOXOs

Ahead of #WorldLionDay2025, a WCS camera trap has photographed the first lioness in Northern CAR since 2019.

“This is a truly exciting and hopeful sign for lions in the region,” said Armand Luh Mfone, WCS’s Director of Programs for CAR.

🌍 bit.ly/4m6ABTj

This is what global coordination for shark and ray conservation looks like. WCS is proud to support the Government of Kenya and the work of our Kenya marine team, who continue to lead efforts to protect these species in national waters and beyond.

At stake: proposals that would regulate 96% of the global shark fin trade, including full trade bans for Endangered species like whale sharks, oceanic whitetips, and manta rays. Backed by 50+ countries, these proposals represent a critical turning point for global shark and ray conservation.

This week in Mombasa, the Government of Kenya is bringing countries together to build momentum for new global protections for sharks and rays under CITES. 🌍

Today, with our partners, we released a rehabilitated Kemp’s ridley sea turtle back into the Atlantic Ocean.

The event, held at WCS’s New York Aquarium, was a celebration of the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, which supports critical conservation work like this.

🌎 bit.ly/45m5ewR

Thanks to careful protection by DRC’s Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), WCS, partners and the community, it appears that they are using all available habitat in the reserve. 🌍

A rare sight from Kabobo Wildlife Reserve in DRC. This footage shows the Foa’s red colobus—the first ever of this Endangered species.

They used to be widespread in Kahuzi-Biega National Park and across the Itombwe Mountains all the way down to Kabobo, but now maybe only in Kabobo. 🌍

Interested in how to manage for climate-resilient coral reefs? Have a read of the new blog by @wcs.org's @emilysdarling.bsky.social and ICRI's Margaux Monfared promoted through the #TogetherForTheOcean campaign: lnkd.in/gaXsshGY

A team from @wcs.org and U of Florida confirmed the world’s largest freshwater turtle nesting—over 41k giant S American River turtles—using drones and statistical modeling on the Amazon’s Guaporé River. A leap forward for conservation and a win for science-based planning and policy. bit.ly/3JiyAof

DNA research changes the fate of the most trafficked parrots in Colombia Parrots of the Amazona genus are among the most trafficked birds in Colombia. With their distinctive feathers, these parrots are relatively easy to identify by authorities after they have been rescued...

DNA research is changing the fate of trafficked parrots in Colombia, says @mongabay.com. Learning the origin of the birds aids reintroduction.

We are working to combat the illegal and unsustainable pet trade both in Colombia and beyond, through IUCN and CITES.

🌎 news.mongabay.com/2025/08/dna-...

Kenia Yamileth Argeñal Martínez is a ranger in Honduras’s Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve. “This job has made me more aware and responsible,” she says.

More on rangers in Mesoamerica: bit.ly/3JaV0I0 #WorldRangerDay2025 /8

Life is booming in the New York Bight. Our WCS Ocean Giants team saw fin whales, humpbacks, and common dolphins all feeding together.

At the surface, two different pectoral fins emerged, a side-lunging fin whale and a fin-slapping humpback. A feeding frenzy on a fave prey type. 🌎

Since 2017, Gaétan Balebingui has made the protection of wildlife in Central African Republic his mission. In 2019, he became a patrol leader, leading two teams in the field in surveillance and anti-poaching missions. “Wildlife is the first asset of our region,” he says. /7 #worldrangerday

Yenny works in Chiribiquete National Park, Colombia, a landscape rich in cultural and biological diversity. She works closely with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, whose deep ties to the forest play a key role in protecting species like the jaguar, tapir, and harpy eagle. /6

Marceline is an eco-guard in DRC. She is Chief Brigadier and works as a data entry operator at the Operations Command Center. "Biodiversity is our future,” she says. “If it is poorly managed and protected, future generations will suffer and will not benefit from it.” /5

Han Xueling is a community patrol ranger in northeast China. She sees snare removal from her community-managed forest as a responsibility. If the snares are not removed in time, wild animals may be injured. /4

At the peak of the ivory crisis, poachers masquerading as fishermen used Tanzania's Lake Rukwa to get to nearby game reserves. WCS and the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) established specially trained boat units which today are a necessary and established deterrent. /3

Altantsetseg is a community ranger in Mongolia’s remote Gobi steppe. Between August 2024 and June 2025, she travelled 975 miles to monitor wildlife and identify emerging threats across her pasturelands.

She's building traditional herding and a thriving Gobi ecosystem can support each other. /2

🧵 This #WorldRangerDay2025, we extend our deepest appreciation to all the guardians protecting the planet’s most vulnerable species from threats like poaching, habitat loss, and human conflict.

Their sacrifices often go unseen, but their impact echoes across generations. /1 🌏

Recently, WCS’s New York Aquarium got a call from the authorities to assist with an illegal shipment of corals. When corals come into the country like this, they typically can’t be returned to the wild.

🌎 On #WCSWildAudio, the rescue and how the corals can help conservation: apple.co/45bTQDJ

Tiger Conservation Coalition Discover how the Tiger Conservation Coalition is transforming the future of wild tigers across Asia. A global alliance of experts dedicated to restoring tiger populations and conserving tiger landscap...

We’re proud to be part of the Tiger Conservation Coalition making significant progress on the global effort to conserve tigers.

This #InternationalTigerDay, check out the coalition’s new website: tigercoalition.org

This #InternationalTigerDay, encouraging news for tigers. Success is possible, if we don’t walk away. bit.ly/45ovGa6 🌏

Motion cameras were set up in the jungles of Guatemala — and they captured something incredible These (literal) thirst traps are helping wild animals beat the heat.

In Guatemala, artificial waterholes are helping wildlife adapt to increasingly unpredictable conditions. Camera traps aid us in monitoring them.

“The diversity of species using the water sources was amazing,” WCS’s Gabriela Ponce tells @voxdotcom.bsky.social.

🌎 www.vox.com/down-to-eart...

16 teams of 62 emerging conservationists from 12 countries. Congrats to the 2025 CLP Team Award Winners!

Proud to partner in this effort to empower and accelerate the next generation of conservation leaders from all parts of the globe. 🌏

From Guatemala to Mozambique and around the world, we are celebrating #WorldMangroveDay. Working to protect and restore mangroves, which are vital to the health of coastal areas, including as a buffer against rising seas. 🌎

100 years ago today, @wcs.org's Department of Tropical Research began their study of the Hudson Canyon as part of the Arcturus Expedition. They were awestruck by the diversity and beauty of the species they found just 100 miles off the coast of New York City.
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