WCS Wild Audio

Participants from around the world have gathered in Nice this week for the third United Nations Oceans Conference. It's an opportunity to assess the current state of marine conservation and seek ambitious new opportunities to achieve progress toward ocean protection. WCS was there with a big announcement to make.   Reporting: Nat Moss Guests: Stacy Jupiter, Pamela Castillo   The 30x30 Ocean Accelerator is made possible through funding support from the Thomas L. Kempner, Jr. Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, BlackRock, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, the Shark Conservation Fund, and several other visionary private donors, with multilateral partners now engaged to expand its reach.

In today's episode, we journey to the heart of the Amazon Basin—home to the largest freshwater system on Earth. These waterways don't just support rich biodiversity—they're a vital source of food and nutrition for millions across South America, where fish are often the most affordable and accessible source of protein.  But this life-sustaining resource is under threat. Mercury contamination, overfishing, and the pressures of a globalized food market are putting fish populations—and the health of the people who rely on them—at risk. In this episode, we explore how conservationists are working to reimagine food systems in the Amazon—blending traditional knowledge with science to protect rivers, restore fisheries, and ensure a healthy, sustainable future for communities and ecosystems alike.  Reporting: Hannah Kaplan Guests: Silvia López Casas, Sebastian Heilpern

A leopard. A giant pangolin. A group of forest elephants. They can be almost impossible to spot in the wild. But in February, WCS and wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas released a series of high definition camera trap photos of these species and more from the Republic of Congo's Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park. The hope is that sharing these remarkable pictures of rarely seen animals in their natural environment will inspire people to protect them. See some of the photos: https://www.wcs.org/get-involved/updates/unseen-rainforest Reporting: Dan Rosen Guest: Will Burrard-Lucas

For four decades, the Conservation Leadership Programme, or CLP, has been providing critical early career funding awards to emerging conservationists. Born out of a partnership between Birdlife International, Fauna & Flora, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, the CLP has opened the door countless scientists working across the globe in countries rich in biodiversity but often lacking resources for their protection. As the program turns 40, we checked in with a few alumni to hear how the program has helped them to advance in their journey to become conservation leaders.   Reporting: Nat Moss Guests: Camila Kass, Jorge Parra, Deepshikha Sharma

As Earth Day turns 55 this year, it seemed like a good moment to reflect on WCS's mission to protect wildlife and wild places. Why does the protection of biodiversity carry with it so many other benefits for people and the planet? What are the approaches that work and what are the challenges? And what can the average person do to make it a priority in their lives? WCS Wild Audio knew just the right person to ask.   Reporting: Nat Moss Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Bennett  

In Part 3 of our series featuring the inaugural REEL WILD New York Film Festival, which launches in New York City this week, we talk to the hosts of the popular television series Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom “Protecting the Wild.” They'll be on hand for the screening of several of the show's episodes in an exciting and inviting family-friendly program on Saturday, April 5.    Reporting: Nat Moss Guests: Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, Peter Gros To learn more about the festival and purchase tickets, go to https://www.wcs.org/reelwild

In the second episode of our three-part series on WCS's REEL WILD New York Film Festival, we go behind the scenes to uncover the inspiration behind this inaugural event celebrating remarkable filmmakers and extraordinary wildlife stories from around the globe.    From Namibia's resilient desert lions to a massive annual walrus gathering in the Russian Arctic, this year's lineup aims not only to captivate audiences but also to spark meaningful conservation action. Hannah Kaplan has this report.   Get your tickets for The REEL WILD™ NEW YORK Film Festival: reelwild.org   Reporting: Hannah Kaplan Guests: Natalie Cash, John Calvelli 

This spring, the inaugural WCS-curated REEL WILD New York Film Festival comes to Manhattan. Taking place April 4-5, this two-day event showcases award-winning natural history films and offers a unique chance to hear directly from the filmmakers and experts behind the stories. In the first of a 3-part series on the festival, we look at one of those films, the 2022 Oscar-nominated documentary “Haulout,” which explores the impact of climate change on walrus habitat in the Arctic.   Reporting: Nat Moss Guests: Evgenia Arbugaeva, Martin Robards, Jonathan Slaght, Natalie Cash   Learn more about the festival and purchase tickets at: https://www.wcs.org/reelwild. [Parts of this episode originally aired in March 2023.]

The Bronx Zoo's Herpetology Team cares for a number of venomous snakes at the zoo's World of Reptiles. As professionals, they know what they're doing. Just in case, though, the zoo team keeps antivenom on site and a thorough plan in place to address any potential emergencies. Fortunately, it hasn't been needed any time in recent memory. Instead, that antivenom, and the team, are helping to save lives outside the zoo through an impactful partnership with nearby NYC Health and Hospitals–Jacobi. Reporting: Dan Rosen Guests: Kevin Torregrosa, Dr. Joshua Z. Silverberg

The khulan - a species of wild equid - is a true nomad, covering distances unmatched by any other land mammal. Yet, their survival in Mongolia's harsh Gobi desert is a constant battle. Populations already strained by overhunting and harsh winters – exacerbated by climate change – are now facing a growing threat from rapid road and railway construction, which fragments the landscape and cuts them off from essential resources. Now, WCS is developing innovative solutions that benefit both this vital species and the local communities that share its habitat. WCS wishes to thank Cartier for Nature for their invaluable support of WCS Mongolia's efforts with local communities.  To learn more about Cartier for Nature visit cartierfornature.org.We also extend our deepest gratitude to Fondation Segré for their commitment to khulan conservation in Mongolia.  To learn more about Fondation Segré, visit fondationsegre.org.Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuests: Buuveibaatar Bayarbaatar, Bayarmaa Chuluunbat, Batbayar Galtbalt

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is having an unprecedented and devastating impact on wildlife. We have the latest on its path and where it may be headed, including whether or not it could pose an even bigger threat to humans.Reporting: Dan RosenGuest: Dr. Christian Walzer

Rangers are the frontline guardians of conservation efforts, regularly putting their physical and mental health at risk to protect our planet. But they can't do it alone—they need more support and resources to stay safe and effective in their vital work.  That's where URSA, the Universal Ranger Support Alliance—which supports the International Ranger Federation and counts WCS among its members—steps in to ensure they get the backing they deserve. Visit wcs.org and ursa4rangers.org to learn more.Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuests: Alexa Montefiore, Rohit Singh, Yahaira Urbina

Roughly 90 percent of coral reefs globally face collapse by 2050 due to human activity. At the same time, close to a quarter of all marine life is found in coral reef ecosystems, which support some one billion of the world's population. Miamba Yetu is a creative new financing mechanism designed to help protect coral reefs off the coasts of Kenya and Tanzania that are resilient to climate change, while supporting the communities that depend on them. Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Fahd Al-Guthmy, Ray Victurine, Evelyn Namvua

In 2004, the investment bank and financial services firm Goldman Sachs came into possession of a group of distressed assets that included a 680,000-acre parcel of land at the bottom of South America. In Part 2 of our celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Chile's Karukinka Natural Park, we dive into the exceptional story of how Goldman came to gift this pristine landscape to WCS for conservation.  Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Bob Christie, John Calvelli, Larry Linden, Kent Redford, Steven Sanderson  WCS wishes to acknowledge the important contributions of the following individuals to the successful transfer of land from Goldman Sachs to the Wildlife Conservation Society for the creation of the Karukinka Natural Park in Tierra del Fuego, Chile: Chris Austin, Kathy Barclay, John Bryan, Norman Christensen, Bob Christie, Dale Cooney, Brad D Gillman, Max Gitter, Salman Kahn, Nico Kogan, Adam Levine, Larry Linden, Kim Maxfield, John O'Leary, Kevin Padrick, Hank Paulson, Juan Robayo, John F.W. Rogers, Peter Rose, Jed Schaefer, Don Stern, Doug Tompkins, Kris Tompkins.

The 300,000-hectare Karukinka Natural Park was created in 2004 after land in Chilean Tierra del Fuego was donated to the Wildlife Conservation Society by Goldman Sachs. As the park celebrates its 20th anniversary, we begin a two-part series on how its establishment helped to spur both the development of an ambitious WCS Country Program in Chile and the expansion of the country's national conservation efforts. Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Bárbara Saavedra, Melissa Carmody, Rodrigo Munzenmayer

It's Bat Week. White-nose syndrome is a deadly fungus that's wiping out bats across North America. New research makes the case that it's having a direct negative impact on human health, too. WCS Canada has an innovative solution to address the problem.  Reporting: Dan RosenGuest: Cori Lausen

The United States is one of only two UN Member States that is actually not a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Back in the 1990s, the Senate failed to ratify the treaty. But, when the parties meet in Colombia next week at COP16, the U.S. is expected to have a significant presence. Over the years, the U.S. government has been successful at driving ambition in policy, action, and nature finance pledges. In our 3rd episode exploring the themes of the coming CBD COP, Wild Audio checked in with WCS Executive Director of Federal Affairs & Policy Kelly Keenan Aylward to learn more.Reporting: Dan RosenGuest: Kelly Keenan Aylward

Cali, Colombia will soon play host to the biennial gathering of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The theme of this important international meeting will be “Peace with Nature.” WCS will have a significant delegation on the ground.For our 2nd episode highlighting the CBD's 16th Conference of the Parties, or COP, WCS Wild Audio caught up with a few critical members of that delegation to hear their thoughts on the coming meeting and what WCS's priorities will be.  Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Susan Lieberman, Catalina Gutierrez, Jose Luis Gomez

The 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity—or CBD COP16—convenes in Cali, Colombia beginning on October 21. More than 14,000 participants are expected to attend, representing national governments, NGOs, Indigenous groups, the private sector, and others.In the first of a three-part series on the coming COP, WCS Wild Audio spoke with CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper to learn more about what brings the conservation community to Latin America and what they hope to achieve there.  Reporting: Nat MossGuest: David Cooper

In Part 2 of our podcast series exploring the themes of New York Climate Week, we look at a new initiative being piloted by the WCS Forests and Climate Change program to attract investment in large tropical areas with healthy ecosystems. The High Integrity Forest Investment Initiative, or HIFOR, provides a novel approach to compensate nature and its protectors for the services they provide.  Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Ashley Camhi, Tom Evans

Season 5 of the WCS Wild Audio podcast begins with a two-part series looking to NY Climate Week, which runs during the US General Assembly this month. For Part 1, we explore how WCS is focusing on ecological restoration, transforming degraded lands into thriving habitats with the collaboration of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and innovative tools enabling real-time tracking of conservation progress. Hannah Kaplan explores how restoration, technology, and community partnerships are shaping a sustainable future. Reporting: Hannah Kaplan Guests: Tim Rayden, Diane Detoeuf, Itma Selene Torres Rodríguez

The world produces over 400 metric tons of plastic every year today. Single-use plastics—from utensils and straws to soda bottles and packaging—enter our waste stream at an alarming rate. Less than 10 percent of all plastic is recycled.For Part 6—and the final episode—of our summer series on marine conservation, we investigate the impact of plastic pollution on marine life and steps being taken to reduce single-use plastic consumption at WCS and its home in New York City.  Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Margaret Spring, Niko Radjenovic, Greg Edgar, Chris DurosinmiToday's episode of WCS Wild Audio is brought to you by our partners at Armitron. Armitron aims to bring awareness and inspire action to help protect marine ecosystems around the world, particularly as it pertains to single-use plastics. Armitron's ocean plastic watches, the Wave and Reef Collections, are crafted from recycled ocean-bound plastic, blending eco-consciousness with impeccable design.

The waters off New York City are some of the busiest in the world with both ships and marine life. In fact, new research co-authored by WCS shows that fin whales can be found in these waters all 12 months. And that has important conservation implications.Reporting: Dan RosenGuests: Carissa King-Nolan, Dr. Melinda Rekdahl

As top predators, sharks help maintain healthy and productive ocean ecosystems. They also play important roles in coastal livelihoods and food security through fisheries and tourism. But time is running out to save them says Luke Warwick, Director of the WCS Sharks & Rays program. In Part 4 of our WCS Wild Audio marine-themed Summer Series, Luke argues that we must turn recent international policy progress into concrete results to protect these vulnerable species.To learn more about WCS's shark and ray conservation efforts, follow this link.Reporting: Dan RosenGuest: Luke Warwick

Small Scale fisheries are the cornerstone of livelihoods and economies across the world, providing essential micronutrients to more than 4 billion people. What's more, they also employ over 150 million people in the industry, the majority of whom live in the Global South, and are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In Part 3 of our marine-themed summer series, Wild Audio's Hannah Kaplan talks to WCS's Hoyt Peckham, Director of Community fisheries, who manages a team supporting 30 Country programs as they work to achieve a more sustainable and equitable approach to managing our marine resources.Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuest: Hoyt Peckham

“With all this strangeness, there is also beauty beyond words.” That's how the famous scientist and explorer William Beebe described an underwater marvel off the coast of New York and New Jersey in the late 1920s. In Part 2 of our marine-themed summer series, we return to the Hudson Canyon, which has been nominated as a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary. As WCS Wild Audio's Dan Rosen learned from Noah Chesnin and Dr. Merry Camhi, there's still a lot we don't know about this massive canyon.  Reporting: Dan RosenGuests: Noah Chesnin, Merry Camhi

Season 4 of WCS Wild Audio is in the books. Today we begin a summer series highlighting marine conservation stories. First up, our interview with WCS Life Trustee Allison Maher Stern, who was the model for the swimmer in the famously provocative marketing campaign for Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster film Jaws.   While shark incidents with people are statistically very rare, each event understandably creates fear among beachgoers contemplating a swim in the ocean. Nothing has influenced the public's attitude toward sharks more than Jaws. WCS Wild Audio caught up with Allison to ask about her historic modeling job half a century ago and why sharks need our conservation support now more than ever.  Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Allison Maher Stern

Turtles and tortoises are facing extinction like few other species groups. Nearly half of the 300+ species are at risk. The international pet trade is a major reason why. WCS's Bronx Zoo, as a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, is working to tackle the problem and the case of the radiated tortoise is a good example. Reporting: Dan RosenGuests: Kevin Torregrosa, Dr. Susie Bartlett

Last week in Part 1 of our series on bison conservation, we explored the historical role that WCS and Indigenous and other partners played in helping to save the American bison from extinction and begin to restore this iconic species on tribal lands in the west. In Part 2, we look at how critical partnerships across lines of geography, culture, and politics helped to establish the bison as the national mammal of the United States.  Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Keith Aune, John Calvelli, Dave Carter, Jim Stone

For millennia, tens of millions of bison roamed the plains of North America. By the end of the 19th century, westward expansion and overhunting at the hands of settlers had devastated these populations. The fate of one of the America's most iconic animals teetered on the edge of extinction. Hannah Kaplan looks at how collaboration between the Bronx Zoo, along with many other organizations and Indigenous Peoples, helped pull one of North America's most endangered species back from the brink. Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuests: Pat Thomas, Jason George, Madeleine Thompson

One of WCS's priorities is protecting an underwater marvel off the coast of New York and New Jersey. Along the way, the goal is to deepen the connection of the more than 28 million local residents to our treasured ocean resources. There are a number of voices contributing to the effort, including young people. Reporting: Dan RosenGuests: Leslieann Peers-Roman, Brynn HellerToday's World Oceans Day episode of WCS Wild Audio is brought to you by our partners at Armitron. Armitron aims to bring awareness and inspire action to help protect marine ecosystems around the world, particularly as it pertains to single-use plastics. Armitron's ocean plastic watches, the Wave and Reef Collections, are crafted from recycled ocean-bound plastic, blending eco-consciousness with impeccable design.

When the Cat Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, met in San Diego in 2019 they were keen to identify fresh insights in jaguar conservation. Delayed due to COVID, the effort got back on track in 2023 and this winter its findings were published. It seemed like a good moment to check in with some of WCS's leading jaguar conservationists to see how Latin America's biggest cat is faring.  Read the IUCN Cat Specialist Group jaguar status report HERE.Reporting: Nat MossGuests: Esteban Payan, Rob Wallace, Mariana da Silva

This week for Endangered Species Day we revisit a report from a year ago by WCS Wild Audio's Dan Rosen with WCS Vice President for Species Conservation Elizabeth Bennett. The scale of the current species extinction crisis is dangerous and unprecedented, according to experts. Dan talks to Liz about why it demands our attention and what we can all do to stop it.Reporting: Dan RosenGuest: Elizabeth Bennett

WCS supports the government of Belize in the management of two marine reserves in Belize, protected by a dedicated team of local rangers and monitored by experienced local and international scientists.  Beyond preserving marine ecosystems, their focus extends to supporting the livelihoods of fishing communities there. Ralna Kay Lamb Lewis, WCS Belize's Assistant Director, says it's about ensuring that communities—especially women who have often been underrepresented—have the tools to manage resources, ensuring their own incomes and quality of life. Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuest: Ralna Kay Lamb Lewis

It's been over 50 years since the first Earth Day in 1970. As we commemorate this year's edition, says WCS's John Calvelli, there is a great deal of concern about our future. But there is also reason for optimism. One example comes from the Miombo Woodlands in Southern Africa. Reporting: Dan RosenGuest: John Calvelli

April 22 is Earth Day, which could not be a more fitting occasion for conservationists, ministers, and development experts to gather in Bhutan hosted by the Royal Govt of Bhutan, under the Patronage of Her Majesty The Queen, Jetsun Pema Wangchuck. The goal: to develop a long-term plan for sustainable funding to protect tigers across their range.  To understand the stakes and the opportunity, we turned to several representatives of the global Tiger Conservation Coalition, which includes: the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Fauna & Flora International (FFI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Natural State, Panthera, TRAFFIC, the United Nations Development Programme (UNPD), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).  Reporting: Nat Moss  Guests: Stuart Chapman (WWF), John Goodrich (Panthera), Joob Jornburom (WCS), Phurba Lhendup (IUCN), Maxim Vergeichik (UNDP)  You can follow all the action in Bhutan on Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23 at these streaming links (Bhutan time is GMT +6):  YouTubeDay 1 (April 22): https://youtube.com/live/UWHhgF0JttADay 2 (April 23): https://youtube.com/live/_3dQIcaW6DU   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1069989520755200/   

The waters off New York City are some of the busiest in the world with both ships and marine life. In fact, new research co-authored by WCS shows that fin whales can be found in these waters all 12 months. And that has important conservation implications.Reporting: Dan RosenGuests: Carissa King-Nolan, Dr. Melinda Rekdahl

Winner of the Conservation Prize at this year's New York Wild Film Festival, Hamid Sardar's documentary film Mongolia: Valley of the Bears highlights a clash between the traditions of a nomadic community in northern Mongolia and one dedicated ranger's mission to conserve wildlife in the boreal “taiga.”Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Hamid Sardar

In the second episode of our two-part series on the current avian influenza crisis, WCS Wild Audio's Hannah Kaplan looks at the rise of this new, more deadly strain in domestic poultry farming. In places like Cambodia, such farms have become a breeding ground for the virus, and the last five years have seen a dramatic increase in rates of infection of wild birds that share the same habitats.  Meanwhile, scientists continue to track the growing threat to mammals, with the recent transmission to dairy cows in the US causing new concerns of potential new spillover to wildlife and people.Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuests: Dr Emily Denstedt and Robert Tizard

 WCS's Global Health team has been closely watching the spread of avian influenza—first as it decimated populations of bird species around the world, and more recently when it jumped to mammals. In this two-part series, we look at the potentially devastating impacts of this growing wildlife pandemic and what is being done to slow its spread.Reporter: Hannah KaplanGuests: Dr Christian Walzer, Dr Paulo Colchao

Film Archivist Leopold Krist has been steeped in a century's worth of WCS history as he catalogues and digitizies historic archive films documenting conservation work globally, and across New York's zoos and aquariums.  Thanks to funding from the Leon Levy Foundation, which allowed WCS to create the Shelby White and Leon Levy WCS Archives Film Initiative, he is preserving footage of everything from studies of biomechanics of crabs, to the growth of the Bronx Zoo, to polar research expeditions. To see the full catalogue of films, launching in Spring 2024, visit https://library.wcs.org/ Reporting: Hannah KaplanGuest: Leopold Krist

The United Nations Development Programme, or UNDP, works in 170 countries and territories around the world to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. Not surprisingly, that work aligns in a variety of ways with nature conservation. Leading the UNDP's Nature Hub is Midori Paxton. WCS Wild Audio checked in with her to discuss the work of the hub and the implementation of its Nature Pledge. Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Midori Paxton

WCS Wild Audio returns for its 4th season on March 6 with a conversation with Midori Paxton, who heads the Nature Hub for the United Nations Development Programme. During our break, we were thrilled to receive the Audience Honor in both the Podcasts and the Conservation & Preservation categories, and the juried Gold Honor in the Conservation & Preservation category, of the Shorty Impact Awards, which recognize short form digital content for a better world. As we look to the launch of a new season, check out these highlights from Season 3. You can hear all of our previous episodes at this site and, as always, thanks for listening!

Thanks for joining us for Season 3 of the WCS Wild Audio podcast. We'll be back in a couple weeks with Season 4, featuring all new stories from the Wildlife Conservation Society's global conservation program, zoos and aquarium, and conservation partners. In the meantime, here are some highlights from our recent conversations with WCS staff and colleagues working across the planet to protect wildlife and wild places.

Many people think of the Amazon as this vast, highly intact tropical forest, but it is also the largest freshwater system in the world. It's the most biologically diverse place on Earth. Home to hundreds of Indigenous Peoples and traditional cultures. And also, two important species of catfish. Those will be up for discussion at the upcoming Convention on Migratory Species meeting. This is a special episode of the WCS Wild Audio podcast. We'll be back soon with our 4th season.Reporting: Dan Rosen, Hannah KaplanGuests: Mariana Montoya, Susan Lieberman

This week representatives from across the globe are gathering in Dubai for the 28th Conference of the Parties, or COP, of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Wildlife Conservation Society will have a large delegation attending. They're focused on issues essential to addressing the climate crisis that range from preserving ecological integrity to the empowerment of Indigenous peoples. WCS President and CEO Monica Medina leads the delegation and spoke with Wild Audio for this report. Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Monica Medina

This week word came of the sad passing of multi-talented illustrator Roger Kastel, whose painting for the cover of the paperback edition of Peter Benchley's “Jaws” would go on to become the image for the movie poster—one of the most iconic images in film history. This summer WCS Wild Audio had a chance to sit down with Allison Maher Stern, the model for that painting. She discusses the process for developing that famous image, working with Kastel, and her growing involvement in the wildlife conservation field.Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Allison Maher Stern

The 5 Great Forests from Mexico to Colombia contain 7.5 percent of the world's biodiversity and support five million people. One of the iconic species there is the scarlet macaw. In Guatemala, protecting these bright red birds from habitat destruction and poaching for the pet trade is a major challenge. As Wild Audio's Dan Rosen discovered in this episode from our 3rd season, the WCS Guatemala team has taken an interesting approach.Reporting: Dan RosenGuests: Rony Garcia, Gabriela Ponce Santizo, Jeremy Radachowsky

The bad news: WCS Wild Audio Season 3 has concluded. The good news: we have many great past espisodes to share as we prepare Season 4. In this episode we spoke to WCS Library and Archives Direct Madeleine Thompson to hear how she and her team are working to preserve a rich and dynamic history.Learn more about the WCS Library and Archives at library.wcs.org. You can purchase mugs, t-shirts, hats, pillows, shower curtains, and other items with illustrations from the WCS Department of Tropical Research at the WCS Archive Red Bubble online shop: www.redbubble.com/people/wcs-archives/shop.Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Madeleine Thompson

For too many species, the rise of social media has created a growing market for the illegal smuggling and possession of wildlife. In the case of the Mexican spider monkey, whose status is Endangered on the Red List of threatened species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the growth of the illegal pet trade into the United States has reached a crisis point. WCS Wild Audio wanted to find out what's driving this trade and how conservationists are responding.Reporting: Nat MossGuest: Keith Lovett

At the heart of the University of Cambridge sits a collaborative center which is changing the way that organizations and academic institutions work together to address immediate environmental challenges. The Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI) is an innovative approach, bringing together 11 leading NGOs and world-class researchers in one creative hub. It's mission? To change how we approach science-based conservation models.Hannah Kaplan spoke to Executive Director of CCI, Dr Mike Maunder, to learn more.To learn more about CCI, visit www.cambridgeconservation.org