Australia Post celebrates 50 years of the World Wide Fund for Nature
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Australia Post celebrates the 50th anniversary of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) with the release of its second joint Australian territories stamp issue. There are four domestic-rate (60 cents) stamps depicting animals from Australia, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory. This stamp issue is available from 30 August 2011.
"The World Wide Fund for Nature: 50 Years stamp issue marks an important milestone in nature conservation history. The release of these stamps continues a tradition for Australia Post, which has issued more than 30 World Wide Fund for Nature stamps since 1998. The stamps highlight the importance of species preservation and biodiversity," said Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt.
The WWF was officially registered as a charity in 1961 and was conceived to raise funds for the conservation of nature, its mission being to stop degradation of the natural environment and to preserve biodiversity. It has grown into one of the largest independent conservation networks worldwide, and is active in around 100 countries with some five million members. At any one time it will have around 1,300 conservation projects operating around the globe.
The Australian stamp features the Quokka (Setonix brachyurus), a small herbivorous and mainly nocturnal animal which inhabits the south-western corner of Western Australia. It is most numerous on Rottnest and Bald Islands.
The Christmas Island stamp features the Christmas Island Shrew (Crocidura trichura), which is extremely rare, possibly extinct. It was thought that this forest-dwelling mammal had vanished by 1908, but after an unconfirmed sighting in 1958 it was rediscovered in 1985.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands stamp features the Dugong (Dugong dugon). Its name comes from the Malay language, in which duyung means "lady of the sea" or "mermaid". It is known to occupy the waters of the Indo-Pacific, from the east coast of Africa to the central Pacific. The species is thought to have declined significantly and it is now listed as vulnerable. A single male has inhabited the waters of Cocos (Keeling) Islands since 2002.
The Australian Antarctic Territory stamp features the Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina), which inhabits mainly subantarctic regions. It spends most of its time at sea, usually between the north edge of the pack ice and the subantarctic convergence. It returns to land to breed, give birth and moult.
The World Wide Fund for Nature: 50 Years stamp issue was illustrated by well-known wildlife artist Kevin Stead, who also illustrated the Species at Risk (2009), joint territories stamp issue.
The stamp products for this issue include a first day cover, stamp pack, four individual minisheets and a set of four maxicards. There is also a special minisheet pack comprising a block of four stamps and all four minisheets - an Australian minisheet, Christmas Island minisheet, Cocos (Keeling) Islands minisheet and an Australian Antarctic Territory minisheet. The stamps and associated products are available from participating Australia Post retail outlets, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps from 30 August 2011 while stocks last.
