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From WCS President and CEO Cristian Samper
“We come together tonight at a critical moment for wildlife conservation and our planet. Last month, a United Nations report concluded that up to one million of the estimated eight million plant and animal species on Earth are at risk of extinction. Biodiversity is declining faster than ever before in human history. As you know, human activities are driving this decline—and destruction of habitat, overharvesting, and climate change are the key drivers. What many people don’t realize is that the loss of biodiversity and habitat does not just threaten animals and plants. But also poses an existential threat to our own survival by putting agriculture, water, food security, health—and indeed whole economies—at risk.”
"He has demonstrated that a global leader taking local action can change the world. His commitment to protecting the world’s oceans and coral reefs from the effects of climate change and other threats has led to a fruitful partnership with WCS through the Vibrant Oceans Initiative. Mike Bloomberg’s strong focus on climate change has been truly inspirational.”
—Board Chair Alejandro Santo Domingo (left) on Gala honoree Michael R. Bloomberg (center). WCS President and CEO Cristian Samper (right).
"It is an honor to serve as WCS’s Board Chair and help advance our incredibly important mission: to save wildlife and wild places. I love animals. As a child growing up in New York I spent a lot of time at the Central Park Zoo and the Bronx Zoo. Now as a father, I look forward to taking my own daughter to discover the natural world through our zoos and aquarium.”
