The U.S. Postal Service recently released a Save Vanishing Species stamp that benefits international wildlife conservation and complements Henry Vilas Zoo's worldwide conservation efforts. Net proceeds from the stamps, which feature an illustration of an Amur tiger cub, directly support efforts to save beloved species like rhinos, elephants, tigers, turtles and great apes through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. The funds include:
African Elephant Conservation Fund:Elephants capture our imagination, but poaching and loss of habitat have taken their future hostage. The African elephant population has shrunk dramatically, and while conservation efforts have stabilized the elephant population in southern Africa, much remains to be done.
Asian Elephant Conservation Fund: Asian elephants also face habitat issues. Conservation efforts have assisted in developing land use strategies that will benefit both man and animal, allowing both to flourish together.
Great Ape Conservation Fund: Endlessly fascinating, great apes are especially vulnerable. Orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and bonobos are all at risk. Conservation efforts address issues of habitat loss, poaching, and disease in hopes of saving these amazing creatures.
Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund: Powerful and compelling, the rhinoceros and tiger are targeted by poachers and pressured by human civilization. Conservation programs have helped bring Africa's white rhino population back to more than 17,000 and improved poaching detection and prosecution to stem the loss of tigers in various localities.
Marine Turtle Conservation Fund: For more than 100 million years, the ancestors of marine turtles swam the oceans. Yet in less than a century, exploitation and habitat destruction have devastated their numbers. Conservation projects work toward the goal of restoring large numbers of these ancient, intriguing creatures to the world's oceans.
