Plus: Sharks get much-needed protection

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** You Can Help Save Wildlife by Fighting Climate Change
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As carbon increases in the atmosphere and the planet warms, critical ecosystems and animal habitats are under siege. According to some estimates, the climate crisis is becoming the biggest threat to wildlife survival. To address this, WildAid has launched The Environment Excuse. This new campaign is built on compelling—and empowering—data provided by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that reports up to 70% of carbon emissions can be eliminated through consumer engagement and lifestyle behavior changes. Ready to learn more about how small behavioral changes (like buying vintage furniture over new) can have a big impact on protecting wildlife habitats and reducing eco-anxiety? Visit TheEnvironmentExcuse.org ([link removed]) .


** Partnering to Halt Illegal Fishing in Gabon
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To improve protection over Gabon’s vital waters—which are home to the world’s largest nesting population of leatherback sea turtles, critically endangered humpback dolphins, humpback whale calving grounds, and over 50 species of sharks and rays—WildAid signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with Gabon’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. This move will also help to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and wildlife trafficking. The agreement comes about five years after our initial foray in Gabon, where we launched a project at four pilot sites in the country’s marine protected area (MPA) network that has enabled better protection of sea turtle sites throughout the region.


** Shark Protection for the Win!
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You may have already heard this game-changing news, but we think it is worth repeating … Sharks received historic protections at the 19th Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). More than 90 shark species, including 54 species of requiem sharks, six species of hammerhead sharks, and 37 species of guitarfish, have been listed under Appendix II, providing them with better protection from international trade. With over one third of shark species threatened with extinction, we’re hopeful this lifeline will have a significant impact on saving these majestic creatures who play a critical role in balancing the ocean’s ecosystem. Collaboration is fundamental to conservation— and WildAid is grateful to the government of Panama, Wildlife Conservation Society, Humane Society International, and all who contributed to bringing this win for sharks to fruition.


** Game on for a Green Ocean
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Could a video game raise awareness of the devastation that bottom-trawling and drift nets do to seagrass beds and marine ecosystems? WildAid recently launched Help Keep Our Oceans Alive in China. The digitally focused campaign features online materials, visually captivating billboards, and a unique interactive mini game played across social media platforms that helps reinforce the importance of MPAs and their overall impact on marine ecosystems. The “Help Keep Our Oceans Alive” topic immediately surged in popularity, reaching number six on the list of hot topics on Weibo during the campaign’s first week, garnering nearly 52 million impressions.


** Ensuring Gabon’s Beauty and Biodiversity
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The picturesque landscape found in West Africa is among the most beautiful in the world. To keep it that way—and ensure its diverse and spectacular native wildlife remain safe—WildAid has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the risks to the region. The Wonders of Gabon campaign ([link removed]) was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Water, Forests, Sea, and Environment and the National Agency for National Parks (ANPN) and will also help promote Gabon as a leading African eco-tourism destination. Short videos broadcast on screens throughout the Leon-Mba International Airport in Libreville through April will help highlight the region’s beauty and potential.


** TV Chef: Sharks Belong in the Ocean, Not Restaurants
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We all have a role to play in protecting marine life, and it starts with what we eat. That’s the message relayed by “MasterChef Junior Thailand” winner, Parima ‘Manta’ Sinhaphali, who recently appeared in a WildAid and WWF Thailand PSA ([link removed]) . In the video, the accomplished chef shares her touching experience with sharks and tells viewers that no menu should serve shark dishes. The PSA is just the latest project in a long-standing joint campaign with WWF Thailand to reduce shark harvesting and raise awareness about the role sharks play in the ecosystem.


** Big Wins at China’s 12th Philanthropy Festival
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We’re thrilled to share that WildAid won the Annual Philanthropy Communication Award at the 12th Philanthropy Festival! This festival is China’s most influential annual event in the field of philanthropy and was attended by 9 million people online this year.

We were recognized for our work to reduce consumer demand for wildlife products and to encourage low-carbon lifestyles. Two WildAid campaigns—Tigers are Making a Comeback with Wu Jing and Say No to Shipping Illegal Wildlife Products with Huang Xuan—also each received a 2022 China International Philanthropic Movie Festival Award.

These wins add to a long list of accolades achieved by WildAid China within the last year, and we couldn’t be prouder!


** Join Us for Some Exciting Events in 2023!
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You’re invited to an evening devoted to conservation at the beautiful Donum Estate in Sonoma, California on Saturday, May 6. Enjoy a vegetarian dinner paired with wines from the Donum Estate.

Purchase tickets and learn more here ([link removed]) .

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Be a star for animals, the ocean, and the environment! Join us on Saturday, October 21 in Los Angeles for our gala Our Stars Align for WildAid. Together we’ll celebrate WildAid’s mission to inspire and empower the world to protect wildlife and vital habitats from critical threats.

Purchase tickets and learn more here ([link removed]) .

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