Yowie Donates to the Wildlife Conservation Society and Educates Children on the Importance of Conservation, One Piece of Chocolate at a Time
Yowie's fourth Surprise series, the Wildlife Conservation Series, supports the Wildlife Conservation Society and puts a spotlight on endangered species. (Photo: Business Wire) Multimedia Gallery URL
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
-- Yowie Encourages Kids to Conserve the Natural World Through Delicious, Premium Chocolate and Limited Edition Endangered Animal Collectibles --
In introducing its fourth Surprise series – the “Wildlife Conservation Series” – which will support the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Yowie puts a spotlight on endangered species such as the Siberian tiger and the snow leopard. Yowie strives to bring attention to the plight of wild animals while connecting kids to that mission through a Premium Milk Chocolate treat. With a focus on conserva- tion, inside each Yowie chocolate is a limited-edition collectible animal figurine and a leaflet that profiles the animal, its habitat, food sources and threats to the animal and its environment.
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One of the animals in Yowie’s “Wildlife Conservation Series” is none other than the largest living feline, the Siberian tiger. The majes- tic tiger, once the top predator of nearly all of Asia’s vast tropical and temperate forests, today is faced with a number of threats to its future and its environment. Not only are tigers killed in huge numbers for their skins, bones, and canines, but they are combating deforestation and a lack of food supply as humans are overhunting their prey. This has led tigers to become highly threatened, making them an endangered species. Yowie’s Siberian tiger micro collectible is one of 26 animals or characters that can be found hidden inside each capsule.
WCS has been working to protect wild tigers around the world since the 1960s. Since 2004, WCS has collaborated closely with the gov- ernment in Thailand for tiger conservation. As a result of the incredible work by the Thai government in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, and with WCS’s support, the park’s population of wild tigers has substantially increased and the government has increased its commitment to managing the sanctuary. Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary now serves as a model for tiger recovery in Thailand and beyond, and similar conservation efforts are being replicated in neighboring protected areas.
Another at-risk animal is the Sumatran orangutan. Considered the “person of the forest” for their human-like behaviors, Sumatran orangutans are a critically endangered species. These animals are essential to their wildlife habitats, as they play a vital role in the dis- persal of seeds over a huge area. If they were to disappear, so would several tree species.
The leading threat affecting Sumatran orangutan survival is deforestation. Sumatran orangutan habitat is being lost at a high rate, mainly due to conversion of forests to oil palm plantations, which often uses fire for clearance. Not only do fires destroy vast areas of orangutan habitat, but these slow-moving apes are often unable to escape the flames. Ensuring a future for these apes requires expanding the protected area network and strengthening protection of all reserves, especially through forest ranger patrols. WCS is working to implement these conservation measures across the Sumatran orangutan's remaining range.
Other endangered animals in the series include the mandrill, Burmese star tortoise, the humpback whale, the Kipunji monkey, okapi, southern elephant seal, the blue shark, guanacos, the silky sifaka, the fossa, the irrawaddy dolphin, the Andean bear, the cheetah, the snow leopard, Madagascar day gecko, Kihansi spray toad, and the Sumatran ground cuckoo.
Yowie fans can collect all 26 animals or characters and build their own virtual library on Yowie Scope, the augmented reality app that launched earlier this year.
“The Wildlife Conservation Society is a perfect partner for Yowie,” said Cove Overley, Global Chief Marketing Officer. “As we look at the future of wildlife we need to align our mission and spirit to organizations that not only educate the public but activate in the field. Children learn more about each animal they collect every time they pick a Yowie off the shelf,” said Cove Overley, “it is our mission to expand this awareness across the globe.”
For every Yowie chocolate sold from the “Wildlife Conservation Series” between June 2018 and July 2019, WCS will receive a portion of the net proceeds to support its mission to save wildlife and wild places worldwide. To learn more details about this donation, please visit yowieworld.com/wcs.