[Press]Disney and Conservation International to Raise Awareness for Fresh Water Initiative

‘Every Duck Counts’ Awareness Campaign launches with $50,000 donation from Disney

January 19, 2012 (Arlington, VA) – Conservation International (CI) today announced the launch of a new awareness raising effort with Disney using the free versions of the popular game Where’s My Water? as a fun way to educate users about the value of fresh water. For the ‘Every Duck Counts’ campaign, Disney Friends for Change and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund will make a generous donation of $50,000. The game will educate users about the value of fresh water in a fun and unique way by encouraging players to collect as many ducks as possible within the game to raise awareness for the accessibility of clean water and its importance on a global scale.

Now through the end of February, anyone playing the free online or mobile versions of Where's My Water? will learn about fresh water facts, water saving action items, and species that depend on fresh water in CI’s project areas. Where’s My Water? is a fun, simple — yet challenging — physics-based puzzle game featuring Swampy the Alligator and his quest to access clean water so he can take a shower.

The donation will also play an important role in supporting freshwater ecosystems (currently not being protected sufficiently) that thousands of species across the planet depend on. CI’s Freshwater Initiative strives to protect and restore freshwater sources that support some 126,000 species and more than 500 million people.

“For millions of people across the world, fresh water doesn’t come as easily as turning on the faucet. For too many people safe, drinkable or usable water is out of reach and millions of lives are impacted each year," said Bart Decrem, general manager of Disney Mobile. “Who better to call attention to this important issue than Swampy, who spends his days in search of fresh water? We hope that this initiative can help raise awareness for the conservation of fresh water with the millions of people playing Where’s My Water?”

The two organizations have collaborated on several other initiatives over the years. Most notably, they reached a landmark agreement in late 2009 when Disney announced it would fund two significant forest projects in Peru and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Disney Friends for Change has also supported CI freshwater projects in South Africa and Cambodia.

“Conservation International is delighted to be working with Disney in a way that will not only provide direct support to our Freshwater Initiative but also serve to creatively educate consumers about the importance of protecting our supply of clean water in our everyday life,” said Jennifer Morris, Executive Vice President of CI’s Ecosystem Finance & Markets division.

Recognizing the critical services nature provides, CI and Disney are committed to bringing the message of the need to protect our freshwater resources to audiences around the world. A counter on Disney Mobile’s Facebook page is tallying the number of ducks collected during the campaign. Learn more about Every Duck Counts at www.conservation.org/everyduckcounts

In September 2011, Disney introduced Swampy the Alligator, the studio’s first original character for mobile. Since launching on Apple’s App Store “Where’s My Water?” has become a favorite among critics and gamers alike, reaching the No. 1 spot on the App Store in 67 different countries, and maintaining a 5-star user rating. Since then, “Where’s My Water?” has made its debut on Android Market, and Disney announced that Swampy will make his debut online in a 12 episode web series called, “Where’s My Water?, the Adventures of Swampy.” The 3-4 minute weekly episodes are slated to launch on Disney Online in early 2012.