June is Keep Wildlife in the Wild Month, created by Born Free USA to encourage people to protect wild animals in their own backyards and around the globe. The official month-long “call to action” includes an essay contest for children, photo contest, educational tools, online activities and more, to engage the public to become more aware and protective of animals in the wild. Keep Wildlife in the Wild Month focuses on creating a national movement to stop the exploitation of wildlife and protect our planet.
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According to Adam Roberts, executive vice president of Born Free USA, “Our mission every day at Born Free USA is to keep wildlife in the wild. But we are designating a month when we can shed a brighter light on that mission and push even harder on education and awareness of vital issues that need the support and action of the public. Keep wildlife in the wild month aims to get people to stop, think and act.
“We particularly hope to engage children of all ages this year with an essay contest for elementary, middle and high school kids to express their feelings about wild animals. They are future conservationists and it is critical that we give them tools to learn as much as possible about protecting our planet.”
Throughout June a variety of new materials and activities will be available at www.bornfreeusa.org/kww, including:
- Kids’ essay contest: “How I am Going Wild for Animals this Summer Essay Contest” is for school-age children who want to submit an essay up to 100 words about what wildlife they hope to see this summer; what they can do to help protect wildlife; or a story about a time when they encountered wildlife. Prize packages include gift certificates, T-shirts, stuffed animals and more. Judging will be in three age categories: 10 and younger, 11 to 14, and 15 to 18. For more information on how to enter, go to www.bornfreeusa.org/kww.
- Photo contest: Born Free USA’s “Keep Wildlife in the Wild Photo Contest” is for animal lovers of all ages. Submit a candid picture of an original photo of any animal who lives in the wild and enter to win exciting prizes.
- Informational Action Alerts: Throughout the month e-mailed alerts will feature several Born Free USA campaigns along with actions and activities that can really make a difference. Issues to be addressed include the trapping and fur trade, exotic animals as “pets,” animals in entertainment, the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, and more.
Born Free USA is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to the United States the message of “compassionate conservation” — the vision of the United Kingdom-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film “Born Free,” along with their son Will Travers, now chief executive officer of both organizations. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally.
More at www.bornfreeusa.org; on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bornfreeusa; and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BornFreeUSA.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, publicrelations@bornfreeusa.org, (203) 270-8929.