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 Rosen
Guest: 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 Rosen
Guest: Kelly Keenan Aylward

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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 Moss
Guests: Susan Lieberman, Catalina Gutiérrez, 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 Moss
Guest: 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 Moss
Guests: 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 Moss
Guests: Margaret Spring, Niko Radjenovic, Greg Edgar, Chris Durosinmi

Today'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 Rosen
Guests: 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 Rosen
Guest: 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 Kaplan
Guest: Hoyt Peckham