Rare's turtle mascot raises awareness about conservation in Bahía de Kino, Mexico, near the Isla San Pedro Mártir Biosphere Reserve.

We recently read that despite conservation efforts, a significant number of plants and animals are at risk from extinction, according to a Convention on Biological Diversity report. Frogs and other amphibians top the list of animals most at risk to become extinct due to climate change, deforestation, pollution, poaching and overfishing, and about one-fourth of plant species are in danger.

In fact, 2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations, and May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity. So we can’t think of a better time for global nonprofit conservation agency Rare to launch RarePlanet.org, an online network for conservationists on World Turtle Day, May 23.

Rare decided to announce the launch of RarePlanet.org on World Turtle Day to bring attention to one of the many species the organization aims to protect. Rare’s Campaign for Sustainable Fisheries Management/Biosphere Reserve Isla San Pedro Mártir in Sonora, Mexico, protects a habitat for 30 species — including sea turtles — in the area by training local fishermen how to reduce overfishing. Orvis, which specializes in outdoor activewear, is currently matching donations through 2010 for the Isla San Pedro Mártir Biosphere Reserve, donating a total of $30,000 until the $60,000 goal is reached.

World Turtle Day was started 10 years ago by American Tortoise Rescue to raise awareness of conservation issues. Several videos have been created for World Turtle Day, including a heart-wrenching clip about South Australia’s dying freshwater turtles, and a cute video of tortoises sharing a snack. (To further cheer ourselves up, we also took a look at this tiny tortoise eating a strawberry.) World Turtle Day e-cards also are available to send.

Residents of Charleston, SC, can head to the South Carolina Aquarium to learn more about the state reptile, the loggerhead sea turtle. The Humane Society of the United States has a helpful list of 12 things to do to help turtles and tortoises, from being mindful of litter to asking for the ban of live animal markets, where they are sold and cut apart for food while still alive.

Do you plan to do something for turtle, wildlife or plant conservation?

Photo credit: Courtesy Rare

Tags: American Tortoise Rescue, Australia, Bahía de Kino, Charleston, e-cards, Environment, Environmental Issues, Extinction, food, Herpetology, Humane Society of the United States, Mexico, online network, Product Release, Rare Ltd, RarePlanet, Sea turtles, Sonora, South Australia, South Carolina, Testudinidae, Tortoises, Turtles, United Nations, Ur-turtle, USD, World Turtle Day, Zoology