The semipostal stamp to benefit elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, great apes, and marine turtles. (Photo: USFWS)

The public can now directly support the conservation of tigers, rhinos, African and Asian elephants, great apes, and marine turtles by pre-ordering the Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp.

In the revised draft vision document, there is a stronger focus on international conservation, as well as a call for a more informed and engaged citizenry. This new stamp is one way to get the public more involved.

On May 11th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Postal Service unveiled the semipostal stamp image whose purchase will directly benefit the Wildlife Without Borders Multinational Species Conservation Funds (MSCF) administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. An Amur tiger cub will be featured on the special Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp. Stamps can now be pre-ordered through the U.S. Postal Service’s website and will go on sale throughout the nation in September 2011.

A semipostal is a stamp issued at a cost of 55 cents, which is above the present first-class postage rate. A first day of issuance ceremony will be held in September 2011 and the stamp will remain on sale for at least two years. The Save Vanishing Species stamp is only the fourth semipostal stamp to be issued in the history of the Postal Service.

The MSCF program supports conservation efforts directed at certain endangered species worldwide considered of great importance to the American public and authorized by specific legislation. The five funds presently enacted by Congress are: the African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988; the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994; the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1998; the Great Apes Conservation Act of 2000; and the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004.

The MSCF supports community conservation, anti-poaching and law enforcement initiatives, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, capacity building, sustainable livelihoods, monitoring and evaluation, outreach and education, wildlife health, coalition/partnership-building and protected area management along with a wide variety of other essential conservation activities.

To learn more about the Wildlife Without Borders Multinational Species Conservation Funds and the Save Vanishing Species stamp, visit www.fws.gov/international/semipostal. Follow the Service’s International Program on Twitter @USFWSInternatl and on Facebook, USFWSInternationalAffairs.

By Tracy O’Toole, Outreach and Education Specialist, Branch of Policy and Partnerships, Division of International Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service