WildlifeConservationSociety.

The Toyota Reef. Keith Ellenbogen June 8 (That's today!) is World Oceans Day. In recognition of the annual event, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Pacific Blue Foundation, Wetlands International, and the Waitt Institute have declared that the Toyota Island coral reef in Fiji is officially "sacred," according to a WCS press release. Toyota's island chiefs traditionally impose fishing bans when fish stocks face threats of depletion, but the most recent such ban was lifted by the island's last chief due to the great commercial benefit provided by fishing. The people of the island had the reef declared sacred today in order to protect its precious resources. "Because the people have an ...

Corbis Wanna have the cheetahs come alive next time you head to the zoo? Be sure to wear a big-cat-approved fragrance. In 2003, general curator of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo, Pat Thomas, made a fascinating discovery: Big cats of all stripes go wild for designer fragrances. Oddly enough, however, these cats won't get frisky for just any perfume or cologne. They have highly discriminating tastes when it comes to fragrance. You might even call it a feline "obsession." The Wall Street Journal reports that in a scientific test of 24 designer fragrances, Thomas found that his subjects (two of the zoo's cheetahs) spent an average of two seconds interacting with objects ...

Evan Jacobs If animals could speak, certainly they would ask to participate in Halloween. "We're already dressed up," they would say. "As animals." Many zoos around the country have answered this hypothetical request by offering Halloween-themed exhibits and activities during the season. A partial list includes: San Diego Zoo Brookfield Zoo in Chicago St. Louis Zoo Houston Zoo Cleveland Metroparks Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay Denver Zoo Phoenix Zoo North Carolina Philadelphia Zoo Seattle Zoo Of course, if your local zoo isn't on the list, just check out its Web site and see if it is participating in the festivities. New ...

Photo: Julie Larsen Maher, WCS New York City welcomed some adorable new zoo residents this week. Three baby dwarf mongooses were born at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo, and they're a triplet of cuteness. According to the WCS, dwarf mongooses (not mongeese) are found in sub-Saharan Africa, and they are the smallest carnivores on their native continent. They are social animals who live in small groups led by one dominant male and one dominant female. But in the comfort of the Bronx zoo, they are playing hide-and-seek in a hollowed-out log and spending some quality time with Mom. You can visit these newborns at the Bronx Zoo's Carter Giraffe Building, and other dwarf ...