Priority Species

©WCS/J.Maher

With targeted activities, we conserve key populations of species that occur in our project sites and landscapes. WCS conservationists are working with over 350 species around the world and continue to discover new species previously unknown to science. We are also committed to the conservation of a selected set of “global priority species.” These species are vulnerable to extinction, important to humans, and powerful icons of nature.

In order to ensure continued survival of species throughout their range, our approach extends beyond the traditional boundaries of protected areas and international borders. At the core of this work is a long history of field research documenting population numbers, distributions, and the impacts of growing threats such as disease, hunting, and habitat loss. This critical data provides the measurements needed to develop species-specific action plans and monitor conservation success.

On a global scale, we are working with partners and policymakers to put this data into action. In recent years we have joined with the conservation community to bring issues such as species migration, illegal trade, and disease transmission to the attention of international governments.