The WCS is a huge conservation organization based at the Bronx Zoo in New York City. They run five zoological collections and have programs all around the world, and with them starting off their new 2020 plan, I figured it might be nice to have a proper discussion thread as oppose to using the Bronx Zoo News thread. I also figured it'd be nice to have a thread highlighting conservation stories and issues and for discussion on any projects they're involved with, questions about them, or news. ~Thylo
The WCS recently completed a survey that revealed a 77% decline across the Eastern Lowland Gorilla's, Gorilla beringei graueri, range. They found that more than 13,000 individuals have been lost over the past 20-years and that less than 4,000 remain. Due to this, they now consider the taxa to be Critically Endangered and have called for the creation of two more protected parks to save populations that otherwise could be lost within the next 5-years. During the survey, the team came across an illegal mining camp and a firefight broke out between the rangers accompanying them and the militia that was protecting the miners. Five miners were arrested and no one was killed or injured, although the ranger Oscar Mianziro was killed shortly after the completion of the survey. Video on the survey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIiUjyGJfvs ~Thylo
Further to a request by Thylo, this thread has been moved into the Wildlife & Nature Conservation forum.
The WCS's Andrea Turkalo, a leading expert on African Forest Elephants, Loxodonta cyclotis, has returned to Dzanga Bai for the first time after it was overrun by Séléka rebels in 2013. She is attempted to work out which animals were killed during the attack. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YYe_NeA618 ~Thylo
The WCS and the Blackfeet Nation have relocated a herd of American Bison, Bison bison, from Elk Island National Park in Canada to the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. It also mentions that: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_H-Oyl-U_Q ~Thylo
From the WCS CEO: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Jana Robeyst, who died @MbeliBai while doing what she loved studying wildlife @TheWCS https://www.facebook.com/1374269996...7426999658859/957557974312420/?type=1&theater http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20160411_02232014 https://translate.google.com/transl...nt/biologe-vertrappeld-door-olifant-a2673996/
New ( small ) population of Eastern lowland gorilla's found : As Grauer’s gorillas cling to survival, new population found
