14 DAY TRIAL // Presently, a total of 587 wildlife sites provide 920 of the planet's nearly extinct species with the environmental conditions they need in order not to completely fall off the biodiversity map.
Of these, 20 were chosen by the Alliance for Zero Extinction to enter an online voting campaign, whose goal is to select 7 such wildlife sanctuaries, together with the one or more endangered species inhabiting them, and make sure these areas get all the media attention they need in order for conservation efforts to yield the best of results.
More precisely, the Alliance for Zero Extinction agreed to get behind environmental campaigns aimed at safeguarding 7 of the 20 wildlife sites selected for this online poll, yet it is up to the general public to decide exactly which species they like best and wish to see protected.
Global Animal explains how the 20 green-oriented projects from which the general public can choose revolve around birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles.
Therefore, nobody can complain that one category of animals received significantly more attention than another one, and people can vote according to their own personal inclinations.
In case anyone was wondering, the number 7 has a story behind it and was not merely chosen because one or more conservationists happened to like the sound of it.
Thus, as the people from Alliance for Zero Extinction explain, their goal was to raise awareness with respect to the fact that the Seven Wonders of the World need not be just about history and archaic monuments, but also about wildlife and natural habitats.
“By highlighting seven places out of the 587 sites that are most important to the preservation of the Earth’s biodiversity, in the tradition of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World,’ we can help draw attention to the importance of saving these sites,” said Mike Parr from the Alliance for Zero Extinction.
“The idea is to stimulate interest in – and hence action to save – threatened species that only occur in one place. Local pride will go a long way towards protecting these species,” argued one other conservationist working with the same organization.
This online poll will be open through November, so those wishing to get involved can vote here.