How Do I Become a Conservation Biologist?

The World Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in New York, USA. It is one of the largest and most successful non-profit non-governmental organizations in the world. It is committed to protecting wildlife and its habitats. Currently in Asia, Africa, There are more than 500 field projects in 64 countries in Latin America and North America. WCS's work in China started in the 1980s, and now it has formed a systematic working framework. It has carried out the Western Qiangtang Protection Project, the Siberian Tiger Protection Project, the Reptile Project, the South China Wildlife Trade Project, and has China Border Wildlife Guard Award. WCS currently has offices in Beijing, Lhasa, Hunchun and Guangzhou. ^[1]

International Wildlife Conservation Society

The World Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in New York, USA. It is one of the world's largest and most successful non-profit non-governmental organizations dedicated to protecting wildlife and its habitats. There are more than 500 field projects in 64 countries in Latin America and North America. WCS's work in China started in the 1980s, and now it has formed a systematic working framework. It has carried out the Western Qiangtang Protection Project, the Siberian Tiger Protection Project, the Reptile Project, and the South China Wildlife Trade Project. Border Wildlife Guard Award. WCS currently has offices in Beijing, Lhasa, Hunchun and Guangzhou. ^[1]

WCS is headquartered in

1. Set up field research topics and field work plans;

2. Send experts to heal wildlife and train local veterinarians around the world;

3 WCS's Ministry of Education has developed elementary and elementary school textbooks to strengthen nature conservation content and holds teacher training courses around the world. ^[2]

WCS's work in China began in the 1980s. then,

WCS History Highlights

George Schaller

Born in Berlin, Germany in 1933, he is a field conservation biologist and writer. He is the chief scientist of the International Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Since the 1950s, Dr. George Schaller has devoted himself to the research and protection of wildlife. He is recognized as the world's most outstanding field biologist and pioneer of many large endangered species such as gorillas and African lions. Sex research. His footprints in the wilderness of Asia, Africa, and South America, he is the founder of many long-term research projects, revealing many protection issues, and has a profound impact on academia and society. He organically combines esoteric scientific research with public communication, government cooperation, and respect for life. He informs the world of many little-known animals and their status, and assists local governments in many countries to promote local wildlife and Ecosystem protection at the landscape level. ^[3]

WCS's mission-protecting wildlife and their natural habitat

WCS takes a rigorous scientific attitude.

WCS strategy

WCS's strategy is to conduct long-term and in-depth field research to provide technical support for the protection of wildlife populations; train local nature conservation professionals to improve their own level of conservation management; at the same time, WCS enhances the public through various forms of publicity and education activities Awareness of wildlife protection.

WCS's strategy in China is to work with governments and wildlife researchers to protect China's unique and important wildlife and wild ecosystems through active conservation and education activities.

WCS's mission-protecting wildlife and their natural habitat

The International Wildlife Conservation Society takes a rigorous scientific attitude.

The International Wildlife Conservation Society is committed to protecting wildlife and its natural habitat. Under the leadership of the Bronx Zoo, they hold a rigorous scientific attitude, carry out international conservation activities and publicity and education, and manage the world's largest urban wildlife park system. It is hoped that these actions will change people's attitudes towards nature and give them a bright hope for the harmonious coexistence of humans and wildlife at the local or global scale. WCS is committed to protecting nature because they believe that it is necessary to maintain the integrity of life on Earth. Since 1895, WCS has been headquartered in the Bronx Zoo, and has carried out the protection of wildlife and natural habitats around the world.

The International Wildlife Conservation Society has carried out millions of ground-breaking environmental education projects in the region, nationally and internationally, especially combining the resources of the New York Wildlife Park with wild field projects around the world to stimulate people's awareness of nature. Love and lead environmental education efforts to help maintain the biodiversity on this planet.

Every year more than 4 million people visit the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium and Central Park, Queens and Prospect Zoo, and staff encourage these visitors to understand the natural world and care about the future of nature.

The prospects for closely combining zoo and aquarium wildlife exhibitions with environmental education and wildlife conservation projects are bright. --Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, Chairman and CEO of WCS

Persisting long-term wildlife research:

We will continue to leverage the strengths of WCS scientific research, target flagship species, conduct long-term field research in the western alpine plateau, and extend our research to conflicts between wildlife and livestock and the health of ecosystems.

Landscape-level conservation plans:

Beyond species-level research, we will focus on landscape-level conservation efforts. By using the framework of the WCS Life Landscape Project, combining the needs of species and human development to make a model of landscape protection, in order to determine the direction of conservation efforts and effectiveness monitoring.

Skill building:

In the areas covered by the project, both local residents and workers specializing in protection are the keys to the sustainable development of local protection. In order to improve the protection concepts and capabilities of local communities and protectors, WCS will combine international and domestic advanced scientific protection experience with practical applications based on field research to carry out capacity building work based on communities and local grass-roots protection agencies.

Relationship between traditional culture and nature protection:

In western China, the magnificent natural landscape has nurtured the fascinating culture of local minorities. Local residents have lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years, and their traditional philosophy is indispensable for wildlife protection. Therefore, based on landscape protection and environmental education, we should stimulate the pride of the local people's nationality, culture and beliefs, formulate a reasonable sustainable eco-tourism plan, promote community development under the concept of beliefs, and let local residents participate in every protection In the project, I tried to discover the positive factors of Tibetan Buddhism in wildlife and nature protection, and considered the balance between nature protection and cultural protection, and also a beautiful mountain in the western region.

China's land borderline is more than 21,000 kilometers long, which contains a series of unique ecosystems and is home to a variety of rare wild animals. However, in these areas, wildlife faces the threat of illegal poaching and smuggling, and the difficult law enforcement environment in the border areas has made local protection work more complicated. In 2008, the WCS China project launched China's first award for wildlife law enforcement protection in border areas, the China Border Wildlife Guard Award. The award aims to inspire and recognize collectives and individuals who combat poaching, control illegal wildlife cross-border trade, and make an important contribution to China's wildlife protection, and promote exchanges between relevant personnel in border areas on wildlife protection and law enforcement, and improve them. Wildlife protection and law enforcement capabilities.

In December 2008, the first China Border Wildlife Guard Awards finally selected 25 winners. In addition to receiving material awards such as relevant law enforcement equipment, the winners also participated in wildlife conservation and law enforcement training organized by WCS in Xinjiang, and went to Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos for inspections and visits to learn about local advanced wildlife protection and law enforcement experiences.

In October 2009, WCS launched the second China Border Wildlife Guard Award, and finally selected 5 outstanding guard awards, 5 outstanding guard awards, and 15 outstanding guard award winners. On January 25, 2010, the second "Guardian Award" award ceremony was hailed by the British "Guardian" as "Osaka-style wildlife conservation award ceremony".

On October 24, 2009, November 27, and January 25, 2010, WCS and Sohu.com held three public welfare interviews, calling on the public to refuse to consume wildlife products and to support law enforcement and protection of wildlife in border areas. Well-known actor Tao Hong, well-known director Feng Xiaoning and well-known show host Gong Ning attended the interview as special guests.

During the second "Guardian Award", well-known director Feng Xiaoning and well-known program host Gong Ning were invited to serve as WCS wildlife conservation ambassadors, and together with WCS appealed for more public attention to wildlife conservation in China. Tibet's Qiangtang Biodiversity Conservation Project (2007-2010) The Qiangtang area in the southwest of the Tibetan Plateau is one of the most unique landscapes in the world, with rich and unique wildlife resources. However, the continuous increase in the population and livestock in the region has led to areas that were not previously used by humans also beginning to be used by humans. Herdsmen's tents were replaced with houses, and horses were replaced with motorcycles. These changes have led to escalating human-wildlife conflicts in the Qiangtang region, including the killing of livestock, competition in pastures, and misalignment of wildlife habitats. The overlap of livestock and wildlife areas has also led to the spread of disease between them. And, newly built

WCS not only pays attention to the protection of wildlife and natural habitats, but also pays attention to the public's education on biodiversity protection, and transmits scientific wildlife protection concepts through books, exhibitions, audiovisual works and other forms. WCS also develops teaching materials based on research results, integrating nature conservation into teaching. Whether at the WCS headquarters in New York City or in project areas around the world, WCS conducts conservation education programs that allow local students and educators to try to appreciate nature and understand issues related to wildlife conservation.

In China, the WCS China Project has written, edited and translated a series of books on biodiversity conservation, covering scientific research, popular science works, and highly practical species inquiry manuals. It has published the China Red List of Species. , Chinese Wild Animals Manual, Geographic Atlas of China's Biodiversity, Guide to Wildlife Trails in the Far East, Biological Invasion and Ecological Security in China, Teacher of the Tiger, Landscape on the Hunting Platform The editor-in-chief of the quarterly journal "World Nature Conservation Information" was published 11 years ago, and distributed free of charge to all levels of protected areas, forestry bureaus, environmental protection bureaus, scientific research institutions, and people from all walks of life who care about nature protection. To bring the latest international protection experience and information to China's protection work. In addition, the public can learn about the work of WCS and related biodiversity conservation news through the website of the WCS China Project "Protect China's Biodiversity".

WCS also cooperated with the Ministry of Education of China to launch teacher training activities in some primary and secondary schools in Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Yunnan provinces in 1997. By 2002, 11 teacher training courses had been held with a total of 448 teachers. 28 teachers' meetings were held, with thousands of participants.

In 2004, WCS cooperated with the Ministry of Education to incorporate wildlife protection knowledge into the curriculum of elementary and middle schools, and established 120 demonstration schools featuring wildlife education in China. In December 2004, WCS held a training course for Wild Animals in Python in Shanghai for 40 teachers and popular science workers in characteristic schools of wildlife protection in Shanghai. In August 2005, the WCS Ministry of Education successively held training classes in Shanghai and Hunchun. And introduce tiger courses.

Overview

WCS's education department has a responsibility to provide long-term education for young people, which was once again recognized when the Bronx Zoo Wildlife Science Project won the AZA Major Achievement Award in 2003. This award emphasizes the importance of protecting the environment for the younger generation of the country. Working with the National Science Foundation's Gender Equality Program in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology, they work with the Greater New York City Girl Scout Committee to stimulate young women's interest and achievement in science. The seminar was attended by more than 2,000 women, most of them from New York City. The seminar provided participants with a convenient way to access animal care and management, education, exhibition design, field science, wildlife health, Professional work in management of wildlife science parks. Young women with a high sense of responsibility were selected for a 200-hour summer internship at the WCS Living Institutions, further expanding their horizons related to conservation. Their work usually has an immediate effect on teenagers, and it is vital that these immature teenagers pay their respects to nature. There are 24 young zoo guides who graduated from the IMAGINE project in 2002, together with the working partners of the Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Project, to spread protection information to zoo visitors. The project provides training in conservation biology and technology. 86% of parents in the survey stated that their children's participation in the program improved their school performance and increased self-confidence.

National Teacher Education Project

1200 teachers from New York, Connecticut, South Dakota, Kansas, Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Iowa, and Nebraska benefit from the WCS Teacher Training Program. In addition, teachers in Ottawa, Canada and Puerto Rico also received training and curriculum materials.

International Education Project

The education department conducts international projects in areas where WCS field scientists work and where wildlife exists, allowing students, schools, and educators in these areas to begin to appreciate nature, raise their awareness of ecological principles, and enable them to understand the relevance of wildlife conservation Matters. In 1993, we also launched formal environmental education programs in countries outside the United States, such as China, which has the world's largest market for wildlife products; soon after, we launched education programs in Papua New Guinea, a biodiversity hotspot. These are the first similar education projects in both countries.

Educational projects and teacher training in collaboration with Munda Wanga Zoo in Lusaka, Zambia, are also ongoing.

China Species Information Service (CSIS )

China has extremely rich animal and plant species and a large number of endemic species, and it is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. But at the same time, China's biological resources are being destroyed at an alarming rate, largely due to lack of information. However, without sufficient information such as biological distribution and ecosystem status, it is difficult for us to formulate cooperation for key areas.

Rational decision.

The China Species Information Service (CSIS) database started in 1996 and is one of the projects carried out in the second phase of the Biodiversity Working Group of the International Cooperation Committee for Environment and Development of China. Its purpose is to establish a Comprehensive species database and retrieval system provide reference for decision making. For many years, the input and update of CSIS species data and information has been continued. It includes the classification, distribution, and habits of more than 10,000 species of Chinese species (all terrestrial vertebrates). It also includes terrestrial species Vertebrate species identification, China's protected areas, conservation experts, invasive alien species and other information retrieval materials.

Since 2001, the CSIS database can be searched online. After 2005, the CSIS was jointly managed by the WCS China Project and the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. CSIS provides a platform for the public. Regardless of whether they are professional protection workers, visitors can search and query relevant biodiversity information and data here to quickly and easily understand China's biodiversity. In addition, CSIS also disseminates biodiversity knowledge to the public and provides teaching assistance.

China Red List of Species

Based on the CSIS, the "China Red List of Species" project has also been carried out. Since 2005, WCS has participated in this project. The project aims to evaluate the 10,000 species of wild flora and fauna in China by applying the IUCN Red List grading standard, and propose a red list of species of animals and plants in China for relevant departments and policy makers, scientific research And teaching units, people in the conservation community and all aspects of society care about biodiversity conservation and sustainable development

Exhibition for people.

Based on years of data collection, the first, second, and third volumes of the Red Catalogue of Chinese Species have been published since 2004. They not only include a list of more than 10,000 species of animals and plants evaluated, but also threaten more than 1,500 species. Detailed information on vertebrates and 1171 threatened invertebrate species is collected and collated to assess their extinction risk. These materials can be found on the WCS China Project website.

Geographic Atlas of China's Biodiversity

Based on the CSIS and the Chinese Red List of Species, the WCS China project, with the support of the Nature Conservation Association, published the Geographic Atlas of China's Biodiversity in 2009 after two years of preparation. Du produced a series of color maps that clearly and clearly show the composition, distribution, endangerment, and conservation status of China's biodiversity, and provide basic and intuitive information for conservation decision-making, environmental impact assessment, and education. In addition, it analyzes some threatened factors and makes recommendations on some areas in China that need to be protected in priority.

In addition, based on the work of CSIS, WCS also assisted in the publication of the "Chinese Bird Field Manual" and "Chinese Beast Field Manual", which comprehensively describe the biological characteristics and geographical distribution of various species of birds and mammals in China. The distribution map and detailed hand-drawn drawings are ideal reference books for researchers and wildlife lovers.