UPDATE: The Save Vanishing Species Stamp is now available for purchase online and in most US Post Offices! Click here to purchase your stamps now and support the Multinational Species Conservation Fund!
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Great news! The Save Vanishing Species wildlife conservation stamp will soon be available for purchase again! In 2010, the U.S. Congress authorized a Semipostal stamp for two years to raise money for the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund and the Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF) for African and Asian elephants, tigers, rhinos, and great apes. Known as the wildlife conservation stamp, it depicted the image of an Amur tiger cub.
The stamp’s ultimate goal was to generate public awareness and financial support for critically important conversation efforts on behalf of endangered species worldwide, including marine turtles.
On September 20, 2011, the stamp was officially launched for public purchase at an unveiling event held at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington DC.
Proceeds from the Save Vanishing Species stamp directly benefit the Multinational Species Fund, which has provided more than 1,800 grants for endangered species, including marine turtles, over many years.
Hawksbill Photo by Mel Moncrieff
Like the famous Breast Cancer Research Semipostal stamp, the Save Vanishing Species stamp was sold at the premium cost of 55 cents, with 9 cents from each stamp purchased supporting wildlife conservation. From September 20, 2011, to December 31, 2013, stamp sales raised $2,567,000 for the conservation of all MSCF species. Unfortunately, the wildlife stamp was not marketed particularly well and wasn’t available in many post offices. It could be purchased online, but only one-quarter of the stock was sold. When the Stamp’s two-year authorization ended in 2013, there were still millions of unsold Save Vanishing Species stamps in stock!
Now the wildlife stamp has been given a second chance, thanks to the advocacy of Sea Turtle Conservancy and the other Multinational Species Coalition members, along with the support of Senators Rob Portman (OH) and Tom Udall (NM) and Congressman Michael Grimm (NY). Together, we were able to prevent the planned destruction of the 74 Million unsold tiger stamps, and new legislation has breathed life into the Vanishing Species Stamp. On September 8, a bill reauthorizing the Save Vanishing Species Stamp for another four years was passed by the House of Representatives (it had passed earlier in the Senate), which sent the measure to President Obama’s desk for certain signature. Colin Sheldon at Wildlife Conservation Society and Will Gartshore at World Wildlife Fund deserve our gratitude for their leadership of the Multinational Species Coalition and their persistence in making the stamp a reality once again.
STC will make another announcement when the stamps are available for purchase. Once they go on sale again, please buy the wildlife conservation stamps online or at your post office and spread the word to your friends! Help us Stamp Out Extinction!
To learn more about the Save Vanishing Species stamp, visit TigerStamp.com
Sea Turtle Conservancy
