SeaWorld Kids And Bindi Irwin Inspire Youth To Take Action For Wildlife

ORLANDO, Fla., March 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In the U.S. alone, there are more than 74 million kids, tweens and teens.  Together, Bindi Irwin and SeaWorld® believe in this group's passion and power to change the world. SeaWorld Kids - the kid-focused entertainment program of SeaWorld -- is launching a new initiative to inspire their efforts and change the way kids look at, and act on, conservation.

Globally recognized animal conservationist Bindi Irwin is the new youth ambassador for SeaWorld Kids' new Generation Nature™ (GenN), a multimedia engagement platform where kids can participate in environmentally responsible activities, share their actions and become educated and empowered to serve as game changers for animals and nature.

Launching March 6, GenN includes a website, digital apps, video blogs, online games and activities that highlight a new animal each month, like polar bears, tigers, manatees and animals in backyard habitats.

Monthly Challenge:

Kids and their families are issued a conservation challenge and can log their actions online to earn badges and points and ultimately see an impact in the world. For each point earned, kids can direct money that SeaWorld gives to help save wildlife and wild places. SeaWorld will donate to the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, and kids can choose what programs that money goes to support – such as conserving cheetahs or saving penguins in the wild.

In GenN's inaugural month of March, sea turtles take center stage with a calendar that includes a video blog from Bindi regarding the obstacles these animals face.  Since many sea turtles are affected by pollution, and nearly all waterways throughout the world are connected, March's GenN Conservation Challenge is to help "clean your world."  Families are asked to send in pictures of the oddest item they find during their clean-up, and user-generated content will be showcased online at the end of March. 

More Fun Activities:

Parents also can download a fun new educational app and activities on each month's animal.  In March, the GenN app is, "Ocean Tales: Turtles, Sharks and Dolphins" and features books, games, puzzles, pictures and videos. The app is available for download on iTunes.

Website:

GenN is located on SeaWorldKids.com, a fun online destination for all things nature- and kid-related.  The site is designed around the SeaWorld philosophy that the more that kids and families understand animals, the more they'll do to protect them. From an award-winning television show, "Sea Rescue™," to the new television series, "The Wildlife Docs," to apps, games, animated content and more, SeaWorldKids.com is packed with SeaWorld-created resources that inspire and educate children about animals and the world we share.

About Bindi Irwin

Bindi, 15, already is an internationally acclaimed celebrity who has inherited her father's passion for wildlife and conservation. Bindi has been passionate about conservation since she was old enough to say the word. Bindi's father, Steve Irwin, was best known as "The Crocodile Hunter." He achieved worldwide fame through his wildlife documentary series of the same name.

About SeaWorld Kids

The SeaWorld® Kids brand features entertainment and lifestyle content and products that connect children ages 12 and younger with the joy and wonder of animals and the natural world. Joining inspiration and innovation, this initiative brings kids up close to nature in fun new ways, allowing them to connect with the world we share at home, play, school and on-the-go. SeaWorld Kids represents both original and library-driven content programming in animation, TV, film, gaming, publishing, music and more.

About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ inspires millions, through the power of entertainment, to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world. The company has been creating innovative entertainment experiences that blend imagination with nature for more than 50 years and is best known for its 11 U.S. theme parks, attractions that hosted more than 24 million guests in 2012 and include the beloved SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens® and Sesame Place® brands. In 2011, the company began expanding its popular brands into media and entertainment platforms to connect people to nature and animals through movies, television, and digital media; plus began developing new lines of licensed consumer products. 

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company collectively cares for one of the largest animal collections in North America and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. They rescue and rehabilitate ocean marine animals that are ill, injured and orphaned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld rescue team has helped more than 23,000 animals in need over the last four decades.

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SOURCE SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment