For Immediate Release
Peter Galvin, (707) 986-2600
New, Free Android App: Find Endangered Species Wherever You Are
Center for Biological Diversity App Provides Android Users With "Species Finder"
SAN FRANCISCO - The Center for Biological Diversity today released a new free app for Android mobile phones that allows users to find endangered animals and plants wherever they are (or anywhere in the United States) in just a few taps. “Species Finder” is the latest creative media project from the Center, which also provides hundreds of free ringtones featuring the calls and other sounds of endangered species.
“Species Finder is an incredible way to instantly connect with endangered species where you live or wherever you’re traveling,” said Peter Galvin, the Center’s conservation director. “More than 1,000 plants and animals are on the endangered species list — from butterflies and bears to birds and rare plants. This app lets you see which ones are close by and, hopefully, sparks an interest in their survival.”
“Species Finder” works through the Android phones’ GPS to call up a comprehensive list of all threatened and endangered species in whatever county users are passing through. There’s also a search option that brings up a list of species for any county in the United States. The app provides a species list for each county and each state, plus links for more information about each plant or animal.
“This unique app will bring people and endangered species closer together, allowing anyone with a Droid to discover biodiversity and wildlife in a new way,” Galvin said. “Whether you’re a kid with a passion for wildlife, a birdwatcher looking for rare birds, a natural history buff or just a tourist who wants to explore the local landscape, you’ll be able to call up information about these extraordinary animals in a few keystrokes.”
The app features a link to the Center’s wildly popular endangered species ringtones, which have been downloaded more than 470,000 times in 150 countries. The ringtones include the eerie warble of the Puerto Rican crested toad to the gray wolf and the Okinawa dugong.
The app also includes the latest news from the Center for Biological Diversity and ways to help save endangered species.
“Species Finder” is available for a free download at the Android Marketplace. It’s also available through the Center’s website, www.biologicaldiversity.org.
At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive.