Corpus Christi, TX, May 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Texas State Aquarium is the first official participant in the #Pied4APorpoise challenge, a social media campaign among the world’s leading zoos and aquariums to save the vaquita, the world’s most endangered marine mammal, with only 30 remaining in the wild.
Similar to the popular Ice Bucket Challenge, Pied4APorpoise challenges participants to film themselves throwing a cream pie in their or another person’s face to raise awareness for the vaquita. Participants are also challenged to donate $30 to vaquitacpr.org, a charity which is raising funds to save the vaquita from extinction.
The Aquarium released a video on its social media channels on Thursday, May 18, where several employees and volunteers at the Aquarium were pied in the face. The Texas State Aquarium also challenged the Florida Aquarium, El Paso Zoo, and the Aquarium of the Pacific to film and release their own Pied4APorpoise video.
“The Pied4APorpoise challenge, like the Ice Bucket Challenge, is a fun way to call attention to a very important cause,” said Suraida Nanez-James, the Aquarium’s STEM Integration Manager. “The Aquarium was among the first institutions to fight to save the vaquita, so we’re honored to kick off what we hope will be a viral campaign that contributes to preventing the vaquita’s extinction.”
The Texas State Aquarium invites all of its guests and supporters to film their own Pied4APorpoise video to call attention to the vaquita. Participants are asked to share information about the vaquita and nominate a minimum of 3 others to take the challenge by tagging these individuals in text that accompanies the video. Participants can also spread the word with the hashtags #Pied4APorpoise and #SavetheVaquita. A nominee may opt out of the challenge by donating $30 to vaquitacpr.org. All participants, however, are encourage to donate to the cause.
For more information on the ongoing efforts to save the vaquita, visit vaquitacpr.org.
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Texas State Aquarium – Our mission is to engage people with animals, inspire appreciation for our seas,
and support wildlife conservation.
The Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3aaa4e9e-0bc0-4bd7-aaf0-2a6531b44c4f
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44908fd0-3f5c-4582-9bc3-41b0de89d31d