History of Wildlife Conservation Timeline

(1900 - Present)

The history of wildlife conservation traces humanity's evolving relationship with nature, from ancient hunting restrictions and the establishment of protected areas to international treaties, environmental movements, and modern efforts to preserve biodiversity in the face of habitat loss, climate change, and species extinction. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Founding and Early Years

New York Zoölogical Society founded

1895

Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoölogical Society, the organization embraced a mandate to advance native wildlife conservation, promote the study of zoology, and create a first-class zoological park that would be free to the public.

Image source: Wildlife Conservation Society

WCS chartered by New York State

Apr 26, 1895

The organization that would become the Wildlife Conservation Society was originally chartered by the government of the State of New York on April 26, 1895, laying the legal foundation for what would become a global conservation organization.

Hornaday conducts wildlife survey by mail

1896

In the late nineteenth century, William Temple Hornaday, then director of the New York Zoological Park (now the Bronx Zoo), carried out a direct-mail survey of wildlife conditions through the United States, documenting the state of the nation's fauna.

Image source: William Temple Hornaday

Decline of birds and mammals publicized

1897

Through the organization's annual reports, Hornaday publicized the alarming decline of birds and mammals across the United States, helping raise public awareness of the need for wildlife protection.

Hornaday hires field researcher Andrew J. Stone

1897

In 1897, Hornaday hired field researcher Andrew J. Stone, expanding the society's capacity to gather firsthand information about wildlife populations and conditions in the field.

Ota Benga featured in zoo exhibit

1906

Beginning in 1906, Hornaday featured Ota Benga, a member of the Mbuti people from the Congo, in a zoo exhibit at the Bronx Zoo, a deeply troubling episode now widely condemned as racist and exploitative.

Image source: Ota Benga

Save-The-Redwoods-League founded with Merriam

1918

Merriam, another eugenics supporter, partnered with conservationists in 1918 to form the Save-The-Redwoods-League, working to protect California's coast redwood forests from logging.

Conway becomes President of WCS

1992

After leading the Bronx Zoo for three decades, Conway became President of WCS in 1992, guiding the organization through a period of major institutional growth and global conservation expansion.

Organization renamed Wildlife Conservation Society

1993

Then known as the New York Zoölogical Society, the organization changed its name to the Wildlife Conservation Society in 1993, reflecting its evolution into a global conservation organization.

Bison Restoration

American Bison herd gathered near Pelham Parkway

1901

In 1901, a small herd of American Bison were gathered in a 20-acre meadow just off what is now the Pelham Parkway roadway, an early effort to preserve the species from extinction.

Image source: American Bison Society

Hornaday leads national bison reintroduction campaign

1905

Starting in 1905, Hornaday led a national campaign to reintroduce the almost extinct bison to government-sponsored refuges, one of the earliest large-scale wildlife restoration efforts in American history.

American Bison Society formed

1905

Hornaday, Theodore Roosevelt and others formed the American Bison Society in 1905 to coordinate efforts to save the bison from extinction and restore it to the American landscape.

Bronx Zoo sends 15 bison to Wichita Reserve

1907

The Bronx Zoo sent 15 bison to Wichita Reserve in 1907, a landmark translocation that helped reestablish wild bison herds on government lands in Oklahoma.

Image source: Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Additional bison sent in later years

1908

Following the initial shipment to Wichita Reserve, the Bronx Zoo sent additional bison in later years, continuing its pioneering role in restoring the species to western refuges.

Scientific Research

Beebe researches wild pheasants in Asia

1908 - 1911

William Beebe's research on wild pheasants took him to Asia from 1908 to 1911, producing extensive field observations of pheasant species across the continent.

Image source: William Beebe

Series of books on pheasants published

1918 - 1922

The results of Beebe's Asian expeditions were published as a series of books on the birds, establishing his reputation as a leading ornithologist and documenting little-studied pheasant species.

Department of Tropical Research created

1922 - 1948

Beebe's field work resulted in the creation of the Society's Department of Tropical Research, which Beebe directed from 1922 until his retirement in 1948, advancing tropical ecology worldwide.

Bathysphere dives off Bermuda

1930 - 1934

From 1930 to 1934, off the coast of Bermuda, Beebe conducted groundbreaking deep-sea research in an undersea vessel called the bathysphere, observing ocean life at unprecedented depths.

Image source: Bathysphere

Schaller studies mountain gorillas in Congo

1959

In 1959, WCS sponsored George Schaller's seminal study of mountain gorillas in Congo, foundational research that transformed scientific understanding of great apes and their conservation needs.

Image source: George Schaller

Zoo Exhibits and Parks

African Plains exhibit opens

1941

Beginning with the African Plains exhibit in 1941, animals were grouped by continents and ecosystems, rather than genetic orders and families, revolutionizing how zoos presented wildlife.

Image source: Bronx Zoo

Jackson Hole Wildlife Park founded

1946

In 1946, WCS helped found the Jackson Hole Wildlife Park in Wyoming, creating an important site for wildlife display and education in the Greater Yellowstone region.

Image source: Grand Teton National Park

Jackson Hole Wildlife Park joins Grand Teton National Park

1962

The Jackson Hole Wildlife Park, which WCS had helped found in 1946, became part of Grand Teton National Park in 1962, integrating its mission into the national park system.

Conway becomes director of the Bronx Zoo

1962

William G. Conway became director of the Bronx Zoo in 1962, ushering in decades of innovation in zoo design, animal care, and conservation leadership.

World of Darkness opens for nocturnal species

1969

Under Conway, the Bronx Zoo opened its World of Darkness for nocturnal species in 1969, a pioneering exhibit allowing visitors to observe active night animals in reversed lighting conditions.

World of Birds opens at Bronx Zoo

1974

The Bronx Zoo opened its World of Birds in 1974, offering immersive avian displays that showcased bird diversity and behavior in naturalistic settings.

Central Park Zoo redesigned and reopened

1988

The redesigned Central Park Zoo opened in 1988 under WCS management, transforming the historic urban zoo into a modern facility focused on naturalistic habitats.

Image source: Central Park Zoo

Queens Zoo opens

1992

The Queens Zoo opened in 1992 following WCS redesign efforts, adding another wildlife park to the society's growing network of New York City zoos.

Image source: Queens Zoo

Prospect Park Zoo opens

1993

The Prospect Park Zoo reopened in 1993 after WCS-led renovations, completing the expansion of the society's network of city wildlife parks alongside the Central Park and Queens zoos.

Image source: Prospect Park Zoo

Modern Conservation

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary established

1994 - 1996

From 1994 through 1996, Archie Carr III of WCS helped establish the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize, a reserve dedicated to protecting endangered jaguars.

Image source: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Makira Forest Protected Area program launched

2001

In 2001, in collaboration with the Madagascar Ministry of Environment and Forests, WCS launched a program to create the 372,470 hectare Makira Forest Protected Area, safeguarding Madagascar's rainforests and unique biodiversity.

Image source: Makira Natural Park

Manhatta Project launched

2009

The Manhatta Project is an initiative exploring the historical ecology of the New York area in 1609, prior to colonization, reconstructing the island's original ecosystems to inform urban conservation.

Cool Effect partnership supports Makira Natural Park

2017

In 2017, WCS partnered with carbon-reduction platform Cool Effect to allow users to fund ongoing carbon-reduction projects directly supporting the Makira Natural Park in Madagascar.

WCS apologizes for racist history

Jul 2020

In July 2020, the Wildlife Conservation Society apologized for its past racist actions, including the 1906 exhibition of Ota Benga, committing to confront and learn from this painful chapter of its history.

Key Facts

The Lacey Act of 1900 was one of the first major U.S. federal laws protecting wildlife by prohibiting the trade of illegally taken animals.
In 1916, the United States and Great Britain signed a treaty protecting migratory birds between the U.S. and Canada, leading to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 became one of the world's strongest laws for protecting threatened plants and animals and their habitats.
The first national park, Yellowstone, established in 1872, set a global precedent for protecting large landscapes for wildlife and public enjoyment.
International cooperation expanded with agreements such as CITES (1975), which regulates trade in endangered species worldwide.

Source

This History of Wildlife Conservation timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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