Save the Masters of the Sea Purchase WWF “My Baby Shark” to show your support for shark conservation

NOT serving shark fin soup at banquets is now the trendy thing to do! To demonstrate the support for shark conservation, local artists Miriam Yeung, Mandy Cho, Cherrie Ying and Jordan Chan also opted for a shark’s fin-free banquet menu for their wedding. Now you can help by participating in WWF’s “My Baby Shark” programme, and help raise funds for WWF and its vital shark-conservation programme. By doing so, you will be telling your friends and families about your commitment to marine life in a very fashionable manner.

Hong Kong is world’s largest trade centre for shark fin. About 10 thousand tonnes of shark fin has been traded in Hong Kong every year for the past ten years. Due to the lack of regulation of the fishery industry and the huge market demand for shark products, approximately 73 million sharks are killed globally every year. The number of threatened shark and related species has multiplied from 15 in 1996 to 181 in 2010. Sharks are the top predators in the ocean food chain, and if shark numbers keep falling, the marine ecosystem will eventually collapse!

It is time for every one of us to save the sharks. Other than say NO to shark fin, you can also purchase “My Baby Shark” packages to show your support. Proceeds from the programme directly support WWF-Hong Kong’s conservation and education efforts, specifically in the area of shark conservation. There are six designs; each Baby Shark is sold at $HK50. For more details, please visit wwf.org.hk/mybabyshark

“My Baby Shark” package includes:

• A Baby Shark key chain: a Baby Shark key chain will be randomly assigned, to give supporters an additional surprise when they meet their adorable Baby Shark.
• A personalised e-certificate: Every Baby Shark comes with an e-certificate of thanks for your support for marine conservation.
• Google Map: WWF invites you to name your own Baby Shark, and upload its photo to Google Maps, so that when others go to the Google Maps site, they can locate the virtual shark you named. You can even leave a message to say if the Baby Shark is actually a gift for your loved ones. We hope that in the near future all owners of Baby Sharks can ‘gather’ in Victoria Harbour on Google Maps and occupy a place for their sharks to ‘dwell’ in.

WWF is a key driver in shark conservation. For couples who are planning to get married, why not consider having a “Shark-free” Banquet and choose Baby Shark as gifts for your guests. A special rate will be offered if you order the Baby Shark in bulk. Please send an e-mail to pandashop@wwf.org.hk for more information.

“Go beyond the hour, consume wisely” by saying NO to shark fin!
The annual ‘Lights Out’ event, Earth Hour 2011, is happening on Saturday 26 March 2011 at 8:30pm. The theme for this year is “Go beyond the hour, consume wisely”. WWF-Hong Kong invites everyone to build a sustainable future together, and one simple but effective action is by saying NO to shark fin, and to save marine resources. Now you can purchase “My Baby Shark” packages to help promote the marine conservation message, and to prevent this precious species from extinction.

There are six designs of the Baby Shark key chain, representing six different species of sharks. The adorable Baby Shark key chains not only promote the shark conservation message, they are also a perfect gift for ocean lovers! The six designs are:

• Whale Shark: Whale Shark is as large as whales; it can be as long as 20 meters, nearly the length of two buses. Whale Shark is one of the largest living fish species and it lives in warm tropical waters.
• Blacktip Reef Shark: This adorable shark has a black tip which makes it easy to be identified! They can usually be found near tropical coral reef areas. Blacktip Reef Shark prefers to swim in shallow water.
• Hammerhead Shark: This shark is famous for its unique hammer-shaped head. Funnily enough, its eyes are separately located on the two ends of the ‘hammer’, which can help it to search for prey more effectively.
• Great White Shark: It usually appears as the fierce predator in the movies, but in reality, its survival is threatened. Same as the Whale Shark and the Basking Shark, the Great White shark is listed on Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which means that their trade is supervised by the 175 signatory states.
• Sawfish:Sawfish can be easily identified by its rostrum which looks exactly like a saw. It is covered with sensors that can help in locating the location of prey.
• Zebra Shark (Juvenile):The adorable feature about this kind of shark is that they have zebra stripes when young — when it grows up, these zebra stripes turn into leopard spots.