How to Adopt Blue Whales

Blue whales joined the endangered species list in 1970. Though commercial whaling has been banned, the population of blue whales remains at the ‘endangered' level. Both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act offer protection for blue whales. The World Wildlife Fund is an internationally recognized charity for the protection of wildlife. The WWF's home page prominently displays the seals of approval of both the Better Business Bureau and the Charity Navigator organization. World Wildlife Fund symbolic adoptions come with a choice of multiple gift packages; each are associated with a different donation amount.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Funds for donation
• Internet access

1. Go to the symbolic adoption page for blue whales on the World Wildlife Organization's website. Review information on the current status of blue whales.

2. Review the listed symbolic adoption gift packages and prices. The packages include items such as color photographs of blue whales, a plush blue whale toy, and an adoption certificate.

3. Enter in the appropriate box the quantity of each gift package you wish to receive. When finished, click on the ‘Add Items to Cart’ button.

4. Go to ‘Checkout’ or continue shopping on the website.

5. Once finished shopping, select the checkout option and fill in all appropriate order information. Verify the information is correct, and submit the information with your payment. Your symbolic adoption gift package should arrive in one to two weeks from the time of your order.

Tips & Warnings

• You may also adopt a blue whale through the World Wildlife Fund by phone seven days a week, except on major holidays. The phone number for the World Wildlife Fund is 1-800-225-5993.
• Other organizations offer blue whale adoption. Some adoptions are for the entire species while others are for an individual blue whale. Before you choose to donate through any charity, be sure to investigate them. Smart Money Magazine offers a guide for researching charities. The Charity Navigator website rates charities based on factors such as what percentage of received donations go to their causes, as well as the history of the charity.
• The website's fine print notes that the symbolic adoption gift will not only help the animal species you selected, but also others. If you want your donation to only go to one specific species, you will need to donate through another organization.

Resources

• World Wildlife Organization – Adopt a Blue Whale Page
• Smart Money’s Guide – How to Check up on Your Charity
• Charity Navigator.Org – Rates and Gives Details about Charities