The Save Vanishing Species stamp has already raised a remarkable $1.58 million for projects that protect tigers such as cracking down on poachers and protecting parks. But if Congress doesn't renew the stamp, this critical funding will disappear.
Help us flood Congress with letters asking them to stand up for tigers.
Subject: Please renew the Save Vanishing Species stamp that funds crucial tiger conservation programs
As your constituent and a supporter of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), I write to ask you to enact H.R. 3510/S.3208 the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act, which renews for four more years the wildlife stamp that benefits global priority species such as gorillas, tigers, rhinos, elephants, and sea turtles, without any burden on the U.S. taxpayer.
This wildlife stamp, which features the image of an Amur tiger cub, allows members of the public to voluntarily support conservation through the purchase of a postage stamp at a price slightly above the first class mail rate. The additional monies - 10 cents per stamp - go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to implement congressionally authorized programs to conserve the world's most majestic wildlife.
As with the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, the wildlife stamp was created through an act of Congress signed by the president in 2010, after a decade-long push by conservation organizations including WCS.
The U.S. Postal Service issued the stamp in September of 2011 and in one year, more than 14.9 million have been sold, raising $1.58 million in revenue. This creative funding mechanism will help to combat illegal poaching, resolve human-animal conflicts, protect habitat, and support conservation education programs. Most importantly, passage of this bill will have no impact on the federal budget.
The wildlife stamp has proven its ability to raise a significant amount of money for wildlife in a financially responsible way. For this reason, I urge you to support this important legislation and ensure the stamp is renewed for four more years.
