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WCS’s New York Aquarium Supports World Oceans Day with Global Conservation Action

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Brooklyn, NY – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which conducts conservation projects throughout the world’s oceans, proudly supports World Oceans Day on June 8th, an event now officially recognized by the United Nations.

World Oceans Day, organized by the Ocean Project with support from WCS and other groups, comes as a sweeping new national survey reveals that Americans are concerned about the health of the ocean and are ready to take personal action to make a difference. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been hard at work to make that difference.

Despite low levels of ocean literacy, when asked, Americans say they support protecting the health of the ocean and the environment. In a significant shift from views expressed in a 1999 survey, also commissioned by The Ocean Project, Americans now believe that their individual actions can have a positive effect on protecting the environment and improving the health of the ocean.

The concept for World Oceans Day was proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and it had been unofficially celebrated every year since then.

Official designation by the U.N. is a significant step in conserving and protecting our world’s oceans. WCS develops and implements innova¬tive solutions to the most challenging threats facing priority Coral Reef Seascapes and Ocean Giants through research, capacity building of local individuals and organizations, and policy action. WCS maintains a long-term commitment to priority species and sites in 15 countries worldwide, recognizing that true conservation requires sustained on-the-ground efforts over decades.

“The New York Aquarium is proud to support World Oceans Day”, said Aquarium Director Jon Forrest Dohlin. “We strive to inform our guests of the importance of our oceans through inspiration and education from viewing our many exhibits and want our guests to learn more about how each person can contribute to a healthier ocean and a healthier future for us all”.

“Both in New York and around the world WCS helps people understand, connect to and responsibly manage and conserve our living oceans. This day is an important time to reflect on how we are all connected via a single world ocean that is vital for the existence of humanity and much of the biodiversity on planet earth” added Dr. Caleb McClennen, WCS Marine Conservation Director.

Conserving Coral Reef Seascapes

The widely published decline of coral reef ecosystems world wide has been attributed to a range of pressures from climate change to overfishing. WCS addresses these threats with a science-based, on-the-ground ap¬proach, working closely with governments and communities in Belize, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Madagascar, and islands in the broader western Indian Ocean.

Protecting Ocean Giants

The world’s oceans once supported large and thriving populations of large marine vertebrates, what we term Ocean Giants. WCS is helping Ocean Giants flourish once again by developing conservation strategies and approaches to protect these icons of wild, healthy oceans. Our species conservation ini¬tiatives focus on whales, dolphins, elephant seals, sea turtles, manatees, and sharks in key habitats across the Gulf of Guinea, western Indian Ocean, south Atlantic, Caribbean, and Indo-Pacific seas.

Integrating Land/Seascape Conservation

Leveraging WCS’ multi-decade commitment to coastal landscapes, several “summit to seas” efforts are currently protecting large adjacent tracts of both land and sea.

The Next Decade

With the effects of serial overfishing and cli¬mate change on the world’s oceans becoming starkly clear, the next decade may be a turn¬ing point for coral reefs, sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and sharks. Though we have more scientific and management tools on hand than ever before, the challenge of applying these tools in the most effective way is signif¬icant. WCS brings to this challenge a proven track-record in delivering results around the world that are based on sound science and tailored to succeed in the local context Interviews available by request.

The New York Aquarium opens every day of the year at 10am, and closing times vary seasonally. Admission is $13.00 for adults, $9.00 for children ages 3-12 and $10.00 for senior citizens (65 and older); children under 3 years of age are admitted free. Fridays after 3pm, admission is by suggested donation. The Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue at West 8th Street in Coney Island. For directions, information on public events and programs, and other Aquarium information, call 718-265-FISH or visit our web site at http://www.nyaquarium.com. Now is the perfect time to visit and show support for the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn’s most heavily attended attraction and a beloved part of the City of New York.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

Contact
Fran Hackett
718-265-3428

Government of Afghanistan Releases Its First-Ever List of Protected Species

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

From snow leopards, to rare elm trees, more than 30 species now safeguarded

Wildlife Conservation Society, with funding from USAID, served as scientific advisors in compiling the list

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (June 3, 2009) -- The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced today that the Afghanistan’s National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA), in an effort to safeguard its natural heritage, has released the country’s first-ever list of protected species now banned from hunting or harvest.

The wide-ranging list of endangered and threatened species includes such well known wildlife as snow leopards, wolves, and brown bears, but also lesser-known species such as the paghman salamander, goitered gazelle, and Himalayan elm tree.

The list, consisting of 20 mammals, seven birds, four plants, and a single amphibian and insect, provides legal protection to Afghanistan’s wildlife, which have been devastated by more than 30 years of conflict.

NEPA, in partnership with the USAID-funded* Wildlife Conservation Society, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, and Kabul University created the Afghanistan Wildlife Executive Committee (AWEC) to facilitate the listing process. In July 2008, AWEC began evaluations of species such as the snow leopard, Marco Polo sheep, and Asiatic black bear. To make status determinations, AWEC and WCS worked with world-experts to obtain the most recent and accurate information available for Afghanistan and the region, and then evaluated those data using scientific criteria established by the global authority on species listing – the IUCN Red List. By the end of 2009, WCS says the list may be expanded to as many as 70 species.

“The Wildlife Conservation Society commends the Afghanistan’s National Environment Protection Agency for showing a continued commitment to conserving its natural heritage – even during these challenging times,” said Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, President and CEO of WCS. “WCS believes that conservation can often serve as diplomacy, and we are optimistic that this commitment to conservation will benefit all of Afghanistan’s people.”

In Afghanistan, species like the snow leopard are under pressure from excessive hunting, loss of key habitat and illegal trade. Snow leopard pelts for sale in tourist shops can go for as much as $1,500 each. International trade in species like the snow leopard is illegal under international law because it is globally endangered. Now that the snow leopard is protected under Afghan law, it is also illegal for Afghan nationals or internationals to hunt or trade the species within Afghanistan.

The protected species list also comes at a critical time for Afghanistan’s wild species. The Presidential Decree banning hunting in the country expired in March 2009. Only one week ago, it would have been legal for any person to kill an endangered species like the snow leopard in Afghanistan.

NEPA has also worked collaboratively with students at the University of Richmond in Virginia, USA to complete the listing process. In the spring semester of 2009, students conducted research on Afghan species for AWEC and participated electronically in an evaluation session to answer questions for the Committee. Six species assessed by students are now listed as protected in Afghanistan.

NEPA will be responsible for managing Afghanistan’s protected species including writing recovery plans for species designated as threatened. Species will be re-evaluated every five years to determine whether populations have recovered to the extent where they may be removed from the protected list.

NEPA gratefully acknowledges the assistance it has received from the international community including the USAID funded program of the Wildlife Conservation Society, and looks forward to its continued partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock and Kabul University in managing Afghanistan’s threatened and endangered species.

Last month, Afghanistan announced the creation of its first national park: Band-e-Amir, a spectacular series of six deep blue lakes separated by natural dams made of travertine, a mineral deposit.

WCS is currently the only organization conducting ongoing scientific conservation studies in Afghanistan in the past 30 years, and is continuing to work with the Afghan government to establish a network of parks and protected areas.

Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a web link where they can make donations in support of helping save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to: www.wcs.org/donation

Contact
Stephen Sautner: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)
John Delaney: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)

*This program is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the terms of USAID/Afghanistan Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement No. 306-A-00-06-00501-00. The contents of this press release are the responsibility of the Wildlife Conservation Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo Opens New Aardvark Habitat

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Bronx, NY- June 4, 2009 – When searching for the word “aardvark” many of us usually find it as the first noun in the dictionary. Now, you can find two aardvarks at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo.

The zoo is debuting its aardvarks this week. They are from Tanzania and can be seen living in a habitat much like their African homeland.

The nocturnal aardvarks live in a habitat that simulates nighttime with enough light for visitors to observe these unusual creatures when the animals are active.

“We are excited to be able to present new exhibits this year,” said Jim Breheny, Director of WCS’ Bronx Zoo. “Our in-house team worked very hard to create an environment that is visually pleasing, comfortable for the animals, and that lets us continue our mission of conservation and of educating the public.”

The aardvarks are a male and a female, and approximately two years old. The male weighs about 100 lbs, and the female is about 115 lbs. Females have a wider head than males and are generally lighter in color.

The aardvarks are living with a breeding pair of white-faced scops owls in the in the zoo's Carter Giraffe Building.

Fun Facts:

Despite its porcine name (Afrikaans for earth pig), the aardvark is more closely related to an elephant than it is to a pig.
To recreate their sub-Saharan diet of ants and termites, these aardvarks are fed moistened insectivore chow and meat slurry.
Although the aardvark is a species classified as least vulnerable, its habitat is still subject to human encroachment, and the animal is sometimes hunted for its meat and for its claws and snout, considered good luck by some indigenous people.

WCS in the Field
WCS has been working in Tanzania for 50 years to help safeguard this unique global heritage. More than 130 projects have been supported, encompassing training, research, monitoring, institutional support, education, and the establishment and extension of Tarangire, Ruaha, Serengeti and Kitulo National Parks.

To learn more about WCS conservation efforts in Africa and around the world, visit www.wcs.org for more information.

The Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays through November 2, 2009. Adult admission is $15, children (3-12 years old) $11, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $13. Parking is $12 for cars and $16 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit www.bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.

Contact
Danna Goldman Schoenberg – 718.220.5182 / dschoenberg@wcs.org
Steve Fairchild - 718.220.5189 / sfairchild@wcs.org

All photos taken 5/12/09 at Aardvark habitat in the Carter Giraffe House at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS

Final City Budget Negotiations Spark Concern and Support for Funding of City Cultural Institutions

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Businesses and Community Groups Flood City Hall with Concerns for the funding For Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo And New York Aquarium

The Business Generated by Cultural Groups Means Business for Local Merchants And Jobs for New Yorkers

NEW YORK (June 1, 2009)— More than 20,000 petitions are being sent to City Hall, including 3,200 emails and 40 community/business support letters, asking that funding of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium gets restored for fiscal year 2010.

City Hall is currently in its last week for finalizing the fiscal year 2010 budget. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium face a $2.3 million reduction from fiscal year 2009 to fiscal year 2010. This cut would further threaten frontline jobs at these facilities. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium are a part of the city’s Cultural Institutions Group (34 groups in all), which overall face an $18 million cut from fiscal year 2009 to fiscal year 2010.

“We appreciate each and every petition, letter and email sent to City Hall on behalf of all the cultural organizations and the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium,” said WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli. “We are hearing from local businesses their concerns that when we are affected, their bottom lines are affected, too. WCS alone pumps more than $400 million into the city’s economy.”

In a letter to the media, one local Bronx business owner, Ferdinando Fusco, of Antonio’s Trattoria wrote: As the owner of a restaurant near the Bronx Zoo, I worry about the proposed reductions in city funding for the zoo. I’m concerned that fewer people will be visiting our businesses. We need to keep investing in what makes this city unique and special.”

In testimony at City Hall recently, Frank Franz with the Belmont Business Improvement District said, “Having been born and raised in the Belmont section of the Bronx, also known as Little Italy in the Bronx, the Bronx Zoo and the Botanical Garden have been my lifelong neighbors and places of enjoyment for me and my entire family.

“Having been president of the local merchant association for the past twelve years and now as chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District, I have realized the enormous economic impact these institutions have on our community.”

Community Groups Sending City Hall Letters of Support for the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium Funding:

Cyclone Roller Coaster; New York League of Conservation Voters; Living and Learning by the Arts; Literacy, Inc.; New York State Institute on Disability; American Media Concepts Inc.; Interwest United Insurance Brokerage, Inc.; South Brooklyn Youth Consortium Inc.; Friends of Van Cortlandt Park; Parkside Senior Center; Riverdale Senor Services, Inc.; Van Cortlandt Jewish Center; Jackson Avenue Block Association; Phipps Community Development Corp.; Bronx Chamber of Commerce; Fort Schuyler House: Hutchinson Metro Center; Morris Park Community Association; North East Bronx Senior Citizens Center; Our Lady of the Assumption School; Preston High School; RAIN Boston Road Senior Center; St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf; Throggs Neck Merchant Association; Waterbury LaSalle Community Association; Bronx River Art Center; Fordham Road Business Improvement District; Brooklyn Community Board 8; Heart of Brooklyn; Bronx Community Board 1; H.O.G.A.R. Senior Case Assistance; South Bronx Action Group; Sustainable South Bronx; Brighton Neighborhood Association; Broken Ankle Productions, Inc.; Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson; Westchester Community Opportunity Program; Community Mayors; Heart Gallery NYC; TSUNAMI Hospital Foundation; Bronx Community Board 11; Hunt’s Pt. Economic Development Corp.

Wildlife Conservation Society Economic Impact Facts

A break down of a $414.6 million economic impact on NYC by WCS looks like this:

$285,800,000, due to operational expenditures
$76,200,000, due to capital expenditures
$52,560,000, due to expenditures by visitors.

All the institutions managed by WCS in New York City are the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Zoo, as well as the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn.

Specific positive economic impacts of the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium include:

More than 4 million visitors come to our facilities each year. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium are both located in underserved areas.
WCS offers free Wednesday admission to all at the Bronx Zoo and free Friday afternoons at the New York Aquarium.
We are one of the largest youth employers in the Bronx. (400 at Bronx Zoo; 100 at New York Aquarium).
In FY 08, we hired 800 seasonal employees at the Bronx Zoo, including students, retirees, and people on public assistance.
The New York Aquarium welcomes more visitors each year than any other cultural institution in Brooklyn.
WCS is the only cultural institution located in four of New York’s five boroughs.

Additional added value from WCS to the City, beyond the parks:

WCS provides advice and services for public health and animal control in the City and throughout the region.
WCS is the principal repository in the region for snake anti-venin.
And in this world city, where global health issues can become local ones in no time, WCS chairs the New York City interagency task force on wildlife diseases and human public health.

Special note to reporters: If you would like to interview any business people or community groups supporting this funding, please call us and we can put you in touch with these individuals.

Contact
Mary Dixon (1-347-840-1242; mdixon@wcs.org)
Stephen Fairchild (1-718-220-5189; sfairchild@wcs.org)

Central Park Zookeeper Extraordinaire Works with Endangered Snow Leopards

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

New York, N.Y. - Heather Gordon, a zookeeper at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Central Park Zoo, has always had a passion for wildlife. A lover of all animals, she's in charge of caring for such exotic animals as polar bears, Japanese snow monkeys and sea lions. But her job has taken a wild turn, and now she’s taken the lead in caring for one of the most critically endangered species in the world.

As the Central Park Zoo gears up to open the new Allison Maher Stern Snow Leopard exhibit next month, Gordon has been working to prepare these beautiful rare cats for their new home. She's among several zookeepers working with the zoo's three recently acquired snow leopards to get them acclimated to their new digs here in Central Park, which will be a beautiful outdoor habitat that resembles the evergreen forests of their native Central Asia. Over the last two months, Gordon has spent several hours a day working with and training these amazing animals, encouraging them to explore their new exhibit.

Although this is no doubt an exciting job, Gordon admits it can be tough work. Sometimes it can be exhausting to work with such naturally shy animals who are very sensitive to changes in their life, including a change of surroundings. Because of this, the keepers must have a lot of patience during training and remember that getting the cats acclimated to their home will come in time.

"Training with the snow leopards has been a bit challenging since they're still getting used to their new environment, but we've been working on developing a bond and a lot of trust that has shown them to be more comfortable here these days than when they first arrived," Gordon explained. "Now, they are coming to the front of their holding area to solicit interaction from us, which they didn't appear to do upon their immediate arrival at the zoo."

Training the snow leopards isn’t only necessary for bringing the animals on and off exhibit, but also to keep their minds and bodies vital and active.

In addition to her work with these critically endangered animals at the zoo, Gordon has been researching their status, and the plight they face in wild. Like many other animals in across the globe, snow leopards are rapidly decreasing because of human habits, including hunting for their pelts.

"Because of they are so endangered, it's both our and the public's responsibility to help conserve this magnificent rare species," Gordon said.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo is Looking for YOU!

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Flushing, N.Y. – The Queens Zoo is looking for a few good animal lovers to join its volunteer team. Becoming a volunteer with the zoo’s education department means teaching schoolchildren and other zoo visitors about animals through guided tours, assisting with special programs and events, speaking at narrated feedings, and leading arts and crafts activities.

Queens Zoo volunteers also get the opportunity to get involved in a variety of special events that take place at the zoo, including the annual Boo at the Zoo and Presents to the Animals events. Most importantly, becoming a volunteer means discovering the world of wildlife, the environment, and having fun while doing it!

Candidates must be at least 18 or older, available for a multi-week training program, and able to commit at least four hours every other week. For more information, visit www.queenszoo.com to download an application or call 718-271-1500 for more information.

The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111th Street in Flushing Meadow’s Corona Park and is open 365 days a year. Zoo hours are 10am to 5pm weekdays; 10am to 5:30pm weekends. Admission is $7.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors, $3.00 for children ages 3-12, and free for children under 3. For general information, please call (718) 271-1500, or visit our web site at www.queenszoo.com

Contact
Barbara Russo 212-439-6527

Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium and Other City Cultural Organizations Have Whale-Sized, Positive Impact on New York City Economy

Thu, 28 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium provide jobs, tax revenue, and pump millions of dollars into the local economy

NEW YORK (May 28, 2009) – John Calvelli, Executive Vice President for Public Affairs of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), testified today before the New York City Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs about the tremendous economic importance of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium to the City, and the other NYC cultural organizations that are a part of the Cultural Institutions Group working together to restore their city funding.

The testimony was in response to a proposed cut to the city’s 34 cultural institutions by $18 million over a one-year period, from FY09 to FY10. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium face a reduction of $2.3 million – that’s 24 percent less than FY 2009 support. This is on top of the $1.3 million cut imposed in the current fiscal year (2009).

“Our cultural institutions, including the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium, make New York the greatest city in the world,” said Calvelli. “We employ New Yorkers and pump dollars into the cash registers of our businesses while educating and inspiring millions of children. New York is a city that lives and grows thanks to people with big dreams. Many of those dreams were born and nurtured thanks to our cultural institutions. We are part of the DNA of this City.”

A break down of a $414.6 million economic impact on NYC by WCS looks like this:

$285,800,000, due to operational expenditures
$76,200,000, due to capital expenditures
$52,560,000, due to expenditures by visitors.

All The institutions managed by WCS in New York City are the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Zoo, as well as the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn.

Specific positive economic impacts of the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium include:

More than 4 million visitors come to our facilities each year. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium are both located in underserved areas.
WCS offers free Wednesday admission to all at the Bronx Zoo and free Friday afternoons at the New York Aquarium.
We are one of the largest youth employers in the Bronx. (400 at Zoo; 100 at AQ)
In FY 08, we hired 800 seasonal employees at the Bronx Zoo, including students, retirees, and people on public assistance.
The New York Aquarium welcomes more visitors each year than any other cultural institution in Brooklyn.
WCS is the only cultural institution located in four of New York’s five boroughs.

Additional added value from WCS to the City, beyond the parks:

WCS provides advice and services for public health and animal control in the City and throughout the region.
WCS is the principal repository in the region for snake anti-venin.
And in this world city, where global health issues can become local ones in no time, WCS chairs the New York City interagency task force on wildlife diseases and human public health.

“The quantitative impact on NYC by WCS is impressive,” said John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs. “Add to that what can’t be quantified and WCS is a great investment to the city. Much of WCS’ impact upon our local area cannot be measured by these quantitative measures alone. WCS enhances and benefits the local community through its provision of education and teacher training, its entertainment and recreation facilities and its community outreach programs. These work to improve the quality of life and attractiveness of New York City to visitors and residents, particularly among under-served groups. WCS and all the city’s cultural institutions are what make New York City great. For every dollar invested in WCS, alone, by the city, we raise another $9 that helps bring all these services to the city. ”

The Wildlife Conservations Society, a member of the city’s Cultural Institutions Group, is working with NYC’s other cultural institutions asking City Hall to fully restore their funding in FY 2010. The CIG is 34 NYC cultural institutions that include botanical gardens, museums, performance arts centers, zoos and aquariums. They and the city are linked through formal partnership agreements which have guaranteed a measure of public funding to the institutions. In return, the cultural organizations have produced a diverse array of public services and amassed world-famous collections ranging from rare art and specimens to endangered plants and animals.

Contact
Stephen Sautner: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)
Jogn Delaney: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)

NYC Cultural Institutions Mean Big Business for Nearby Small Businesses

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

“I must also say that we must not be short-sighted in cutting resources to those institutions and organizations that contribute to our economic vitality and may well be part of the solution in restoring prosperity.” Frank J. Franz, Belmont Business Improvement District

NEW YORK (May 27, 2009)—The following testimony was given by Frank J. Franz, Chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District, to the New York City Council in support of the full restoration of funds for New York City’s 34 cultural institutions (Cultural Institutions Group, CIG).

In this statement, Franz outlines the importance of institutions such as the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden as economic drivers for local community shops, restaurants, and other businesses. The following are excerpts from his statement:

“I can….tell you of the pleasure millions of people enjoy every year when visiting the Bronx Zoo and The New York Botanical Garden or of the attention and stature organizations of this caliber bring to the Bronx.”

“Having been born and raised in the Belmont section of the Bronx, also known as Little Italy in the Bronx, the Bronx Zoo and the Botanical Garden have been my lifelong neighbors and places of enjoyment for me and my entire family.”

“With millions of visitors each year [to the zoo and garden], getting just one percent of their visitors to eat at our area restaurants and visit our shops means tens of thousands of additional customers each year.”

“These same visitors also flood our businesses and are a significant part of the economic well-being and success of the Belmont business community.”

“I must also say that we must not be short-sighted in cutting resources to those institutions and organizations that contribute to our economic vitality and may well be part of the solution in restoring prosperity.”

“The Bronx Zoo and The New York Botanical Garden have also been great partners in working together for our mutual benefit by working on cross promotional and marketing events, distributing information about our community and partnering with us to promote services and activities that affect not only us but the entire community, as well as the Bronx at large.”

“I speak not only for myself, but for my entire community, when I say I am willing to sacrifice a little more so that the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden remain vital economic engines for Belmont, the Bronx and the entire city.”

City Funding Facts and Economic Impact Facts

Our city’s 34 cultural institutions are being cut by 28 million over a two-year period.
The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium face a reduction of $2.3 million—that’s 24 percent less than Fiscal Year 2009 support. This is on top of the $1.3 million cut imposed in the current fiscal year (2009). We can no longer continue to absorb these cuts—that is why we must realign our people and programs as we reduce our budget.
By restoring our funding—the city will be investing in the education of our children, the employment of our residents, the economic survival of our merchants and businesses, and the quality of life for all New Yorkers and visitors to our great city.

We are 34 of the greatest institutions in the world, including: The Wildlife Conservation Society; American Museum of Natural History; Wave Hill; The Bronx County Historical Society; The Bronx Museum of the Arts; Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; The New York Botanical Garden; and many more.

A break down of a $414.6 million economic impact on NYC by WCS looks like this:

$285,800,000, due to operational expenditures
$76,200,000, due to capital expenditures
$52,560,000, due to expenditures by visitors.

All the institutions managed by WCS in New York City are the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Zoo, as well as the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn.

Specific positive economic impacts of the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium include:

More than 4 million visitors come to our facilities each year. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium are both located in underserved areas.
WCS offers free Wednesday admission to all at the Bronx Zoo and free Friday afternoons at the New York Aquarium.
We are one of the largest youth employers in the Bronx. (400 at Bronx Zoo; 100 at New York Aquarium).
In FY 08, we hired 800 seasonal employees at the Bronx Zoo, including students, retirees, and people on public assistance.
The New York Aquarium welcomes more visitors each year than any other cultural institution in Brooklyn.
WCS is the only cultural institution located in four of New York’s five boroughs.

Additional added value from WCS to the City, beyond the parks:

WCS provides advice and services for public health and animal control in the City and throughout the region.
WCS is the principal repository in the region for snake anti-venin.
And in this world city, where global health issues can become local ones in no time, WCS chairs the New York City interagency task force on wildlife diseases and human public health.

Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a web link where they can make donations in support of helping to save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to: www.wcs.org/donation

Contact
Stephen Sautner (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)
John Delaney (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)

WCS Applauds Inclusion of Forestry Provisions In American Clean Energy and Security Act

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Landmark Legislation Paves Way to Comprehensive Climate Change Policy

NEW YORK (MAY 21, 2009) - The Wildlife Conservation Society applauds U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for including provisions on forestry preservation in the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

The provisions call for action to avoid the burning or cutting down of the world’s forests. Deforestation results in one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions – more than all the world’s cars, trucks, planes and ships combined, and, destroys the ecosystems that both animals – many endangered -- and people rely on for their survival.

WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli said, “We praise U.S. Reps. Henry Waxman and Edward Markey for their leadership in including provisions to protect tropical forests in the groundbreaking American Clean Energy and Security Act. With 20% of annual global emissions resulting from tropical deforestation in developing countries, these provisions are a critical component to comprehensive climate change legislation.”

The Wildlife Conservation Society has a long history in the area of forest conservation and policy. Currently, WCS is helping countries around the world, in places like Cambodia, Chile, Bolivia, and Madagascar, protect their carbon resource interests while they combat climate change. While many such countries contain biological richness, indigenous peoples often live in poverty. Decades of deforestation—much of which has occurred to support small-scale and unsustainable subsistence farming—has left them with a small fraction of their original forests.

Forest carbon crediting is being used successfully in some of these places now - creating carbon-based revenue streams that provide an economic alternative to degrading and cutting forests. This system not only mitigates climate change but also protects the current and long-term interests of the local communities and the unique wildlife like tigers, gorillas, and jaguars that directly depends upon the forest for survival. The forestry provisions allow for the sale of carbon credits generated by forest protection and avoided deforestation in developing countries, to U.S. companies looking to offset their carbon emissions.

Conact
Stephen Sautner: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)
Scott Smith: (1-718-220-3275; ssmith@wcs.org)

WCS Finds Vietnam’s Commercial Wildlife Farms Hurting, Not Helping Wildlife

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

New report says farms are a detriment to conservation efforts & enforcement

NEW YORK (May 21, 2009)—Commercial wildlife farms in Southeast Asia—where rare snakes, turtles, crocodiles, monkeys, and other species are bred and raised in captivity for the purpose of producing meat and wildlife products—do not alleviate the exploitation of populations in the wild.

In fact, wildlife farms make the problem worse, according to a recent joint study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Vietnam’s Forest Protection Department. The study found that commercial wildlife farms actually deplete wild populations and contribute to illegal wildlife trade.

Rather than protecting wild populations, 42 percent of the 78 farms surveyed in Vietnam were regularly bringing animals in from the wild. And 50 percent of the farms reported that their founder populations were taken from the wild or produced from a combination of wild and farm stock. Researchers also found links between several farms and the illegal wildlife trade, with farm owners admitting to illegally transport wildlife to the Chinese border for export into Chinese markets. Other illegal practices uncovered included the purchase of farm stock from commercial hunters, and unlicensed transport and importation of wildlife and wildlife products.

“Instead of enhancing conservation, commercial wildlife farms actually threaten wild populations,” said Dr. Elizabeth L. Bennett, Director of WCS’s Hunting and Wildlife Trade program, “From the report’s analysis it appears the negative impacts of wildlife farms on wild populations vastly outweigh any advantages.”

Even farms raising fast-growing species with high-reproductive rates negatively impact conservation efforts through the continued importation of wild animals, according to the study. And 20 percent of wildlife farm owners interviewed reported escapes of dangerous animals (crocodiles, cobras, pythons, etc.), hybridized animals (soft-shelled turtles), and animals outside of their natural range.

With respect to the needs of local communities, the study concluded that commercial wildlife farms do not reduce the reliance of rural communities on wild animal populations for protein or contribute to food security, but rather supply luxury items to urban consumers.

The study focused on wildlife farms located in 12 provinces in northern, central, and southern Vietnam. Farm owners were interviewed by study authors, who documented 22 farmed species, including six globally threatened species and five species listed on Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which prohibits all international commercial trade in Appendix I species. CITES is an international agreement between governments, formed to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

In light of the study’s findings, the report’s authors recommend prohibiting farms from holding both nationally-protected species and Globally-threatened species appearing on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species; applying strict penalties to farm owners in violation of wildlife protection laws; and transferring to farm owners the burden of proving the source of animals kept on wildlife farms.

Contact
Stephen Sautner: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)
John Delaney: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)