Emails from AJHQ + Earth Week Day 2

Hey Jammers! Before I begin Day 2 of Earth Week, I have some new info from AJHQ themselves that will probably tie up the "Nat Geo Leaving" saga for good. (Hopefully, if no more noticeably unfortunate changes occur as a result)

I emailed AJHQ a few days ago– and got a very clear, non-automated response! 

For context, here is what I wrote:

"Dear AJHQ,

I have played your game for a long time and I love it a lot. Recently, me
and some other Jammers have noticed the erasure of National Geographic
content and logos throughout Animal Jam. On the official WildWorks
website, it says that the partnership between you and Nat Geo is still
projected to continue for another six years, so we are a little confused.

Is National Geographic still under an agreement with Animal Jam, or has
that been broken off?

I hope you are able to answer that question, but if not, I understand.

Regardless, thank you for maintaining such an awesome game."

Here is the reply I received:

"Hello,

We're so glad you think our game is awesome - we try!

National Geographic and Wildworks have mutually agreed to end the 

license agreement for use of the National Geographic name and trademarks inassociation with the Animal Jam virtual world.

We hope this helps.

All the Best,
Nicole
AJHQ"

So, there you have it! Confirmation that National Geographic is no longer going to provide content to Animal Jam. 

But this doesn't necessarily mean the end of Animal Jam's educational content, or that AJ is in danger of shutting down. Let me remind you of an email (from this same person from AJHQ) that was made public a few months ago:

"- National Geographic has never been involved with funding, building, or



publishing Animal Jam. Animal Jam is wholly owned and operated by



WildWorks. 








* WildWorks has partnered with a number of outside institutions to advance wildlife conservation projects, contribute to our educational materials, and endorse the game itself. We will continue to explore synergistic partnerships in the future. 








- Animal Jam continues to grow and flourish as an online community, and WildWorks will continue expanding it with new features, content, and surprises. 








* Animal Jam is in no danger of shutting down or changing. As we’re demonstrating with the Packs feature, we are always looking for ways to give players MORE for their membership dollar, and there are no plans to raise prices. 








We hope you continue to enjoy our products and games. 








All the Best, 










Nicole AJHQ"

You may not realize at first, but a lot of AJ's educational content already comes from places other than Nat Geo. For instance...

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is associated with the Birds of Paradise Journey Book...

This image from a current museum exhibit seems to be sourced from the National Institute of Standards and Technology... maybe that means a partnership? Or at least an interaction?

But most of all:

I know for a fact that Tierney Thys and Gabby Wild are not directly associated with Nat Geo. They're staying!

Brady Barr works for National Geographic... and wears a Nat Geo hat in most of his videos... but I am really hoping that the new videos in his theater are proof that he's staying. 

It would be more a loss than a gain if the break in the Nat Geo agreement meant that any of the three scientists had to leave. :\

Now, we come to the big question: Why are AJHQ and Nat Geo calling it off?

I didn't ask AJHQ that directly, because they probably wouldn't answer it. My idea is that Wildworks' success has something to do with it. Now that AJ is the most popular browser game, they no longer need Nat Geo's support.

There's probably other stuff involved, too, but we don't know yet. :P

I also came up with a theory about why Brady's Expeditions were removed.

You can still watch playthroughs of it on YouTube, and you'll find that some footage around the intro looks like it might be from his National Geographic show Dangerous Encounters. 

If that's the reason why it was removed, then because no directly Nat Geo sponsored footage is used in Barr's normal videos, then he'll most likely stay! 

I'm gonna finish up talking about this now so I can finally get into Day 2 of Earth Week. 

Just know that everything is fine in the realm of AJ!!! 

If AJHQ broke ties, it's most likely for a good reason!

---

Welcome to Day 2 of Earth Week! If you didn't see my Day 1 post, here it is for context. I'm too lazy to explain everything again. :P

Information courtesy of April's issue of Nat Geo Kids magazine. Here are some things you can do to help Mother Earth!

Prevent Pollution

"Form a club in your classroom to reduce your waste at school. Monitor what's thrown away each week, and think about ways to cut down on those items."

(NOTE: You can also do this at home with your family!)

"People in the United States recycle only about 35 percent of their waste, so recycle what you can. Ask your teacher to help create a paper and plastic recycling program in your classroom."

(NOTE: Reduce comes before Recycle, so if there is not a recycling program near you, just try to Reduce the stuff you throw out.)

Combat Climate Instability

"Hand up and reuse your towels instead of washing them after each use. This saves water and energy."

"Livestock such as cows account for most of Earth's heat-trapping gas emissions. Eating more plants cuts down on the need for so much livestock."

(NOTE: Studies show that if all Americans stopped eating beef, all of the United States air pollution/climate change goals would be met!)

Prohibit Habitat Destruction

"Work a lemonade stand, host a bake sale, or sell homemade jewelry to raise funds to protect wildlife and their habitats."

(NOTE: Find out if there are any wildlife sanctuaries in your region and donate to them to make a direct impact!)

"Ask your parents to help you plant a garden full of local trees, flowers, and shrubs to provide habitats for native bees, birds, and other animals."

(NOTE: It doesn't need to be a big native garden to make a difference! I have a small-ish rectangle of Native Plants in my apartment's backyard and I see lots of cool animals. Every little bit helps. 

If you want to learn what plants are native to your region, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has a great and easy-to-understand database.)

Bring Back Biodiversity!

"Feeding animals makes them less fearful of and more dependent on humans, which negatively affects the critters' ability to survive. Human food can also make animals sick."

(NOTE: You can plant native plants on your property to help animals feed themselves!)

"Avoid souvenirs or other items made from animal parts like scales, teeth, feathers, tortoise shells, seashells, coral, and especially ivory. Animals were most likely harmed or disturbed to make them."

Thanks for reading, guys!!! 

As I said before, Earth Week is not about demanding you do everything on the list. Just doing what you can is what matters. :)

See you in Jamaa~