Group Gives Out 100,000 Endangered Species Condoms for Valentine's Day

With 3,000 volunteers operating in all 50 states, the Center for
Biological Diversity will distribute 100,000 free Endangered Species
Condoms beginning on Valentine's Day and has launched an educational
Web site - www.EndangeredSpeciesCondoms.com
- chronicling the devastating impact of human overpopulation on
endangered species. Additional free condoms will be distributed through
the site, and five people will win a lifetime condom supply.

Six different packages with original artwork and edgy slogans feature the polar bear ("Wrap
with care, save the polar bear"), jaguar ("Wear a jimmy hat, save the
big cat"), American burying beetle ("Cover your tweedle, save the
burying beetle"), snail darter ("Hump smarter, save the snail darter"),
coqui guajon rock frog ("Use a stopper, save the hopper"), and spotted
owl ("Wear a condom now, save the spotted owl"). All six species are
listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.

"Human overpopulation is destroying
wildlife habitat at an unprecedented rate," said Randy Serraglio, a
conservation advocate leading the Center's overpopulation campaign.

"All
of the major threats to the earth's biodiversity - sprawl, logging,
mining, dams, pollution, and climate change - are driven by human
overpopulation. Our Endangered Species Condoms are designed to capture
peoples' attention, get them laughing, and get them talking about the
impact of overpopulation on our small and fragile planet."

The
Endangered Species Condoms will be distributed in bars, supermarkets,
schools, concerts, parties, and other public events by grandmothers,
college students, university professors, health-care providers,
ministers, rock bands, and people from all walks of life.

"We've
been overwhelmed with volunteers," said Serraglio. "We expected 100,
but got over 3,000 in just a month. The demand far exceeded our first
run of 100,000 condoms. We'll be producing another 100,000 as soon as
the first batch hits the streets."

The human
population stands at 6.8 billion and is projected to reach at least 9
billion by 2050. "Without universal access to free birth control and
engaging public education about the serious consequences of
overpopulation, the global population could reach 15 billion by
mid-century," said Serraglio. "The Earth simply can't sustain that many
people and provide a high-quality life for all species, including
humans."

The current extinction rate is about 1,000
times the normal background rate that has existed for hundreds of
millions of years. "Unlike previous mass extinctions, which were the
result of cosmic or geologic catastrophes, this one is being caused by
a single species: human beings," said Serraglio. "With a little more
thoughtfulness and responsibility for our reproductive behavior, we can
ensure future generations inherit a world that's still full of a
diversity of life.

"Through the empowerment of
women, universal, free access to birth control for everyone who wants
it, and education of all people, we can stabilize global population at
a sustainable level," said Serraglio. "The United States, which has the
highest population growth of any developed nation and extremely high
consumption levels, is a key factor in this problem. We should be
taking the lead in promoting policies that will stabilize global
population."

The Center's new Web site - www.EndangeredSpeciesCondoms.com
- has images of the six colorful condom packages, information on how
overpopulation is impacting climate change, global fisheries collapse,
public lands, and the extinction crisis. It allows people to sign up to
become Endangered Species Condom distributors in their own
neighborhoods and to enter a contest to win free condoms for life.

On the web:

www.EndangeredSpeciesCondoms.com
www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/overpopulation/index.html