Although the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico officially ended on September 19, the spill could continue to affect Gulf waters, wildlife refuges, and the wildlife that depend on them for decades. Thanks to our friends at Southwest Airlines, the brown pelicans, manatees, terns, sea turtles and other wildlife that make their homes in 36 national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast, and throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System, will have some much-needed help to survive and thrive into the future.
We’re grateful to Southwest, the official airline of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, for supporting our work to help wildlife and habitat recovery efforts in the Gulf and throughout their range. Southwest’s pledge—to donate $1 for every EarlyBird Check-In™ reservation made between September 21 and October 4—will result in up to $100,000 in much-needed support for wildlife that depend on the health of Gulf Coast refuges.
Our partnership with Southwest is a win for wildlife, and it’s a win for Southwest’s loyal Customers too. The National Wildlife Refuge System includes more than 550 refuges found in all 50 states. We believe the future of refuges is intimately tied to the future of conservation in this country, with refuges being the ecological focal points in a complex web of private lands, local and state parks, and other federal lands including national parks and national forests. Unlike any other lands, public or private, the primary purpose of refuge lands is the conservation of plants and wildlife – no other places can fill the niche of refuges.
Want to learn more? Check out our web site at www.refugeassociation.org. Flying to one of Southwest’s many destination cities? Find a nearby National Wildlife Refuge by visiting http://www.fws.gov/refuges/ and clicking on the interactive map.