June 27, 2000 CARE2.COM, LARGEST ONLINE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, TEAMS UP WITH WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY TO LAUNCH RACE FOR THE BIG CATS Care2.com and WCS Make Protecting Endangered Tigers, Jaguars, and Snow Leopards As Easy As One Click (MENLO PARK, CA) Care2.com (www.care2.com), the leading online site for environmentally conscious consumers, along with the Wildlife Conservation Society (www.wcs.org), a leading nonprofit organization working to save wildlife and wild lands throughout the world, today announced the launch of an online, 100-day-long Race for the Big Cats promotion. Care2.com is teaming up with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to protect the habitat of three endangered big cat species: the Tiger, the Jaguar and the Snow Leopard. The Race for the Big Cats will support the following WCS programs: the WCS Jaguar Conservation Program of the Americas; the WCS Tiger Program of India, Southeast Asia and Russia; and the WCS Asia Program for Snow Leopards. Funds generated will help WCS to improve and expand the system of protection and management of the habitat of these endangered cats. The programs also include hiring more rangers to protect the cats from illegal poaching and habitat destruction. How Does It Work? Similar to Care2.coms highly successful Race for the Rain Forest, which has resulted in a donation of more than $70,000 to The Nature Conservancy and saved more than 3,300 acres of rain forest land, the Race for the Big Cats enables users to log on and immediately start protecting acres of big cat habitat. Participants simply go to http://bigcats.care2.com and click on one of the three endangered cats. Each click generates a donation to the Wildlife Conservation Society from Care2.coms corporate sponsors. One hundred percent of the funds generated by the Race will go to WCS. The initial sponsor of the race is Adventureseek.com (www.adventureseek.com), the leading adventure travel Web site. At the completion of the Race for the Big Cats, October 4, 2000, the top 100 participants will be announced on the Care2.com Web site. Of those 100 participants, a winner will be selected from a random drawing to win an Adventureseek.com Amazon jungle adventure for two. The once-in-a-lifetime expedition will tour Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve in Peru, the most remote and undisturbed part of the Amazon. The National Park and Reserve boasts four million acres of tropical forest and hundreds of miles of river shared by numerous exotic animals including Jaguars, Anacondas and over 850 species of birds. In addition, Adventureseek.com will be providing roundtrip airfare for two and $200 worth of REI gear. Race for the Big Cats participants can protect additional acres of habitat by inviting friends and family to join in the Race. Participants can track their cumulative progress, as well as their friends progress, on a daily basis through a real-time graphic. This online promotion demonstrates that one individual can make a considerable impact on global efforts and it highlights the power of effective use of the Internet to help improve the environment. Scientists consider Tigers, Jaguars and Snow Leopards to be umbrella species, which means that these animals sit on top of an often large, complex ecosystem and play a critical role in maintaining its balance. If a Tiger, Jaguar or Snow Leopard population is lost, much of the diversity and complexity that makes these systems worth saving will also be lost. The staggering statistics on the plight of the big cats are as follows: In 1900, there were over 100,000 Tigers in the wild. Experts estimate today that there are only 5,000-7,000 Tigers left in the wild. Approximately 50 percent of the Jaguars original habitat is now gone due to urban sprawl and deforestation. Only 5,000 7,000 Snow Leopards are left in the wild due to demand for their fur. "We are thrilled to be working with Care2," said Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, the director for science for WCS in Asia and one of the worlds foremost big cat experts. "Their philosophy of making it as easy as possible for people who care about the environment to make a positive impact complements our own efforts to protect endangered species like the Tiger, Jaguar and Snow Leopard. The Race for the Big Cats is a wonderful vehicle for WCS to promote public awareness of these endangered animals." "Care2.com is excited to partner with a world-class organization like the Wildlife Conservation Society," said Randy Paynter, president and chief executive officer of Care2.com. "Together, we are providing an easy and unique way for our members to make a positive difference in the world through their everyday use of the Internet. We are committed to continue offering our members fun and innovative ways to help protect and preserve wildlife and the environment." About Wildlife Conservation Society The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is dedicated to being the most effective conservation organization, protecting and promoting a world rich in wildlife and wilderness. WCS manages more than 300 field projects in 53 countries and develops award-winning environmental education programs for schools in the U.S. and abroad. At its celebrated wildlife parks in New York the Bronx Zoo, the New York Aquarium, and Central Park, Queens and Prospect Park Wildlife Centers WCS inspires over 4.5 million annual visitors to care about wildlife and wild lands and to participate in conservation efforts. To learn more about WCS, visit www.wcs.org. About Adventureseek.com Adventureseek.com helps people add outdoor adventure to their lives. This comprehensive Web site gives travelers the power to learn new things, explore new places and participate in exciting activities. Through Adventureseek.com's interactive tools, people can easily find, buy and prepare for all types of adventure vacations. Founded in 1998, Adventureseek.com has assembled a talented management team from leading technology, travel, investment banking, consulting and Internet companies. Members of the team have hiked, cycled, climbed, dived and kayaked their way through more than 100 countries around the world, from the depths of the Red Sea to the summit of Mt. Everest. The site has recently been included on Forbes Best of the Web list. Adventureseek.com is a privately held company based in San Francisco. Investors include Baccharis Capital, Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), the former Chairman and CEO of Rand McNally & Company, and the former President of Ziff-Davis. About Care2.com With more than 9 million members, Care2.com is the first and largest global community on the Web for environmentally conscious consumers. The overall buying power of the light green consumers targeted by Care2.com is a market estimated at $546 billion dollars worldwide, according to the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability Journal (www.LOHASjournal.com). By partnering with The Nature Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Society for online promotions, and by donating 10 percent of its revenue to other top environmental organizations, Care2.com provides a simple, yet effective way for eco-conscious people to protect and preserve the environment with every visit to the Web site. Care2.com integrates commerce, content, and community to offer free, innovative and useful Web services, including e-cards, email, headline news, and shopping. Founded in September 1998, Care2.com is privately held. For more information on Care2.com, visit http://www.care2.com. Back to Care2.com in News More Race Information Overview | FAQs | Rain Forest Race | Privacy | Race Sponsorship   The Race for the Big Cats is a joint effort of Care2.com and the Wildlife Conservation Society. All rights reserved.