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Popular Porcupine Ads Prod NY Governor

Activists say state aid cuts will hurt wildlife industry

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 20, 2009 3:42 PM CDT

(Newser) – New York’s wildlife advocates are hoping an unemployed porcupine can help in a prickly battle with Gov.David Paterson, Audubon Magazine reports. Paterson has proposed cutting $9 million from the state’s 76 zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. To convince lawmakers to reject the cuts, opponents are releasing humorous PSAs featuring Wednesday the porcupine—and some 75,000 people have contacted state officials to oppose the proposal.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (2)]

Children visiting the Bronx Zoo pause to watch as a female mallard lead one of her young offspring across a paved zoo pathway in New York, Tuesday, June 10, 2008. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

The Wildlife Conservation Society has released its second ad featuring its porcupine, Wednesday, who is out of work because of proposed aid cuts in New York. (YouTube)

Another screen grab from the porcupine campaign. (WCSMedia)

Animal advocates say students will lose out on a key educational experience if New York cuts aid to zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. (Getty Images)

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http://www.wcs.org Times are tough for the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium...and a certain porcupine is bearing the burden. Help save us from devastating state budget cuts! GO TO http://www.wcs.org ...and help make a difference! (WCSMedia)

Wednesday the porcupine is laid off from the Bronx Zoo because of pending cuts in aid from the state of New York. (youtube.com)

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Popular Porcupine Ads Prod NY Governor