Texas State Aquarium Commemorates International Sa

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, July 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, July 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, the Texas State Aquarium will host International Save the Vaquita Day in its main lobby.

International Save the Vaquita Day is a global event to spread awareness for the vaquita, a critically endangered porpoise native to Mexico’s Gulf of California, and support the ongoing fight to prevent its extinction. The vaquita’s decline is mainly due to entanglement in gillnets, which fishermen in Mexico continue to use despite a recent law banning their use. With only 30 vaquitas remaining in the wild, there has never been a more urgent time to spread the news on the endangered vaquita and what is being done to protect it.

International Save the Vaquita Day activities will include learning stations with conservation games and activities, a photo station, and a table where guests can pledge their support for the vaquita and learn what they can do to help. All activities are included with guest admission during its regular hours of 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The Texas State Aquarium has been active in efforts to save the vaquita for years and has donated over 75,000 to date towards conservation efforts. Onsite signage and social media are used as vehicles to spread awareness. In May, the #Pied4aPorpoise campaign, where participants pie themselves or someone else in the face, was kicked off by employees and shared on social media.  Participants are also asked to donate $30 to VaquitaCPR.org for the $30 remaining porpoises. Donations will help fund a plan by the Mexican government and international conservation experts to capture those few remaining vaquitas and place them in a protective seapen. #Pied4aPorpoise and other campaigns have helped raise funds for this plan, but organizers say they still need hundreds of thousands of dollars in a short amount of time to make the plan a reality. 

For more information on the vaquita and to donate to its conservation plan, visit VaquitaCPR.org.

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The Texas State Aquarium (TSA), the Official Aquarium of the State of Texas, is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) institution that is fully accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Its mission is to engage people with animals, inspire appreciation for our seas and support wildlife conservation.  TSA provides high-quality science education about marine conservation and the habitats and species of the Gulf of Mexico to families primarily in Texas. Recently, it was named the number one cultural attraction in South Texas and one of the Top 20 Aquariums in the nation by TravelChannel.com. Learn more at texasstateaquarium.org .

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...02eb3add74

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...874d96fc46

Seamus McAfee Texas State Aquarium 361-881-1259 smcafee@txstateaq.org