COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CN) — On a quiet Whit Monday morning, the BettyZoo tattoo studio in central Copenhagen comes alive with the buzz of a needle. A young woman, Helene Spetzler, 27, is getting leopard spots tattooed on her thigh.
“I’ve always loved felines, so choosing an animal was easy,” Spetzler said. She is among many Danes getting tattoos of endangered animals this week.
Tattoo artists across Denmark have teamed up with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to raise awareness about endangered species. Profits from tattoos of endangered animals will support WWF preservation projects. The campaign, which began last Monday, will run until Friday.
“When you have a tattoo of an endangered animal, it reminds you daily of the species’ plight,” said Jacob Fjalland, WWF’s environmental director, in a news release. “It can also spark conversations about the importance of protecting nature.”
The WWF reports that biodiversity loss is accelerating, with over 44,000 species at risk of extinction due to factors like coral reef degradation, Amazon deforestation, and overfishing.
The wild leopard, like the one on Spetzler’s thigh, is one of the species WWF aims to protect. Spetzler explained her decision, saying, “I’ve wanted another tattoo for a while. This campaign gave me the perfect reason. It inspired me to choose an endangered animal.”
Spetzler isn’t alone in her enthusiasm. Tanya Betty, the studio owner and artist behind Spetzler’s tattoo, received an email in April from a WWF project coordinator inviting her to join the initiative.
“I thought, let’s do it. It’s for a good cause and involves animals and tattoos,” Betty said.
Betty’s studio has seen a surge in customers eager to participate in the campaign. She had to turn some away because their tattoo ideas didn’t feature endangered animals. Despite a busy schedule, she continues to fit in as many campaign supporters as possible before the Friday deadline.
“It’s great to use our platform to spread awareness. It’s also fun to be part of such projects and meet new people,” Betty said.
The leopard tattoo took less than an hour to complete. Looking at her new ink, Spetzler paused and said, “I should research how threatened they are. I need to look into that.”