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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANIMAL PLANET'S JEFF CORWIN AND CLOROX LEAP INTO NEW DOCUMENTARY PROJECT ON FROG EXTINCTION Wildlife Biologist Travels The Globe To Solve The Mystery Of The Vanishing Frog |
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SILVER SPRING, MD, February 29, 2008 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Animal Planet and Clorox have joined forces to focus worldwide attention on the deadly fungus that is destroying frogs and other amphibian populations around the world through a new multimedia project called THE VANISHING FROG. The film, produced by Discovery Studios, sends Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin on a worldwide mission that uncovers clues on the frog's deadly plight while also unifying viewers with a common cause of environmental protection of wildlife resources. THE VANISHING FROG is slated to premiere this fall during Leap Year. From the rocky streams of coastal Australia to the jungles of South America - and even to the American West, the world's frogs are mysteriously vanishing at alarming rates. Frogs and their relatives have thrived on earth for more than 360 million years, but now they're under serious threat. Experts believe that as many as one-third to one-half of the planet's 6,000 amphibian species are in danger of disappearing - victims of one of the most significant mass extinctions since the dinosaurs. Why are amphibians in such dire straits? And can we take action to save them? Jeff Corwin, who has experienced the most mammoth of mammals, reptiles and marine life worldwide, will take on these questions in the documentary THE VANISHING FROG. "Frogs are incredibly amazing creatures with a variety of astonishing skills and innate abilities," commented Corwin. "The plight of the small amphibians is - unfortunately - quite large. Frogs have been with us since the dinosaurs; they are a critical part of the ecosystem and now they are disappearing." "Jeff is so passionate about raising awareness for this crisis and has such a deep knowledge of the issues affecting these fascinating creatures that he is the perfect person to take us on this journey of discovery," noted Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. "We're thrilled that our partner Clorox has been an ardent advocate for the amphibian crisis and is taking that commitment even further by partnering with us to produce THE VANISHING FROG documentary project." Clorox, whose namesake bleach* is used in the field everyday in the battle to save the frogs, last fall became the first corporate sponsor of the "Year of the Frog" and signed on to THE VANISHING FROG project while it was still in development. Right now, the only hope of saving frogs is to rescue them - to capture them in the wild and take them into protective custody. Frogs that are rescued are treated with anti-fungal medicine. Anything else that has contact with water during the rescue is treated with a bleach solution, from boots and clothing to instruments and transport containers to help control the spread of fungus to new, uncontaminated areas. "The power of Animal Planet to raise awareness of the amphibian crisis could save dozens of amphibian species from immediate extinction," said Benno Dorer, vice president and general manager of Clorox's Cleaning Division. "The only question for us was 'how can we help' and 'when can we start?'" For additional information about the project before the documentary's premiere later this year, visit www.savethefrog.com. About Animal Planet Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, connects humans and animals with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; PetsIncredible, a major producer and distributor of pet-training videos and includes web service PetVideo.com; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions. About The Clorox Company The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer products with fiscal year 2007 revenues of $4.8 billion. Clorox markets some of consumers' most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products, Green Works(TM) natural cleaners, Armor All(R) and STP(R) auto-care products, Fresh Step(R) and Scoop Away(R) cat litter, Kingsford(R) charcoal, Hidden Valley(R) and K C Masterpiece(R) dressings and sauces, Brita(R) water-filtration systems, Glad(R) bags, wraps and containers, and Burt's Bees(R) natural personal care products. With 8,300 employees worldwide, the company manufactures products in more than two dozen countries and markets them in more than 100 countries. Clorox is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where its employees work and live. Founded in 1980, The Clorox Company Foundation has awarded cash grants totaling more than $69.7 million to nonprofit organizations, schools and colleges. In fiscal 2007 alone, the foundation awarded $3.4 million in cash grants, and Clorox made product donations valued at $5.9 million. For more information about Clorox, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com. *Clorox Regular Bleach is an EPA-registered fungicide Contact: Alison Liebich, Fleishman-Hillard, (916) 600-2743 |
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