Clemson and Alabama Students Rally Fans through #ProtectOurMascot Initiative during College Football

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

University Conservation Programs Rally Thousands of Fans During the College Football Playoff National Championship Game to Support Mascot Conservation

Contact: Sean Carnell, Spirit Campaign Manager, National Wildlife Refuge Association, scarnell-t4t@refugeassociation.org, 607.280.4331

(Washington, D.C.) – January 11, 2016 – During tonight’s Clemson vs. Alabama national championship game, thousands of students will form a virtual truce on social media to show solidarity for both teams’ wild mascots, the tiger and the elephant.

The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition, a program of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, is leading a joint social media campaign with two student-led initiatives from Clemson University and the University of Alabama: Clemson Tigers for Tigers and Tide for Tusks. With a stadium filled with an estimated 65,000 people, the two organizations will ask thousands of students and fans to show their support for their wild mascots by using the hash-tag #ProtectOurMascots.

Despite the rivalry between the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers, fans from both schools will form this virtual truce for the day to draw attention to the plight of their mascots’ cousins in the wild. An estimated 96 elephants are poached every day, and the number of wild tigers has dwindled to only 3,200.

“The teams’ athletes may be winning on the field, but their mascots are losing the big game in the wild,” said Spirit Campaign Manager Sean Carnell. “Despite our differences on the field, we can all agree that we love our mascots and want to protect them in the wild before it’s too late.”

The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition program works with student clubs and universities across the country to harness school spirit and pride to empower students, fans and alumni to support wild mascot conservation. The National Championship game is a perfect opportunity to promote the great conservation work and student engagement at the University of Alabama and Clemson University.

The group is encouraging the fans to join their campaign tonight at 8:30pm EST by using the hash-tag #ProtectOurMascots.

To join their efforts, please visit www.tigersfortigers.org or follow Tigers for Tigers on twitter @T4T_Coalition.

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About the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition:

The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition harnesses school spirit and pride at tiger mascot colleges to empower students and fans to support international tiger conservation efforts. Tigers for Tigers is a program of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. For more information about the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition and our campaign, visit our website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram.

About Tide for Tusks:

Tide For Tusks is a University of Alabama student-led initiative to raise awareness for poaching of African elephants and promotes a deeper understanding of the trafficking of endangered wildlife. For more information about Tide for Tusks, please visit their website, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

About Clemson Tigers for Tigers:

Clemson Tigers for Tigers was established in 1997 by concerned students who wished to protect our tiger mascot from extinction in the wild through education, research, and service learning. For more information, visit their website, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.