John, I wanted to make sure you saw this sad but important story about an adorable 65-pound baby dugong found on a beach in Southern Thailand in 2019. Baby Marium quickly captured the hearts of conservationists around the world.

As the vice president of plastics initiatives at WWF, I'm deeply passionate about protecting our oceans from plastic and the health of our planet—just like you.

Have you heard of dugongs? They're a close relative of manatees and usually nurse for the first 18 months of their lives. But Marium's mother was nowhere in sight. Veterinarians began to care for the baby—hand-feeding her with a bottle. Wildlife experts worked to help her get strong enough to be released.

But Marium never made it back into the open sea. Just four months later, she died. An autopsy revealed that plastic had caused obstructions in her stomach and intestines, leading to inflammation and a respiratory infection.

Sadly, it's too late to save Marium... but it's not too late to stop plastics from choking our planet.

With your gift today, you will help protect our planet's vulnerable wildlife and habitats from threats like plastic pollution. Our work to end plastic pollution is just one of many critical conservation solutions that people like you make possible.

With people like you by our side, I am so hopeful for our “No Plastic in Nature” campaign. Our ambitious and holistic work to end plastic pollution brings together partners from all over the world—companies, governments, and people—to make the solutions possible.

Marium's story reminds us how much is at stake... for wildlife, nature, and our planet. Will you help me and my colleagues make nature plastic-free by 2030?

Your donation today of $20 (or any amount) will support WWF’s critical mission and do a world of good! You'll protect nature from plastic pollution, stop deforestation, wildlife crime and many other threats, and conserve wildlife and wild places around the world.

With your support, we can protect the future of nature. We can't do it without you.

P.S. Did you know that more than 100,000 marine mammals like Marium are killed by plastic debris each year? Please join us today to help end plastic in nature and tackle other major environmental threats.

Make your best gift today to protect our oceans and support WWF's critical conservation work around the world. Thank you.

All donations will support the breadth of WWF's global conservation work.

Photo of Marium the dugong © Sirachai Arunrugstitchai/NPL/Minden Pictures