A conservation group used the “This Barbie is…” memes in an infographic to make the public aware of an endangered fish in the Philippines.
In a Facebook post, Protect the Verde Island Passage or Protect VIP group posted an infographic that showcased the colorful parrotfish, a species of fish that thrive in warm places like the Philippines.
“For this week’s edition of #WhatIsDa, let’s meet the colorful parrotfish of the Verde Island Passage,” the post reads.
“Parrotfishes play an important role in the marine ecosystem, as they eat algae from coral reefs, making them clean and healthy. Without parrotfishes, coral reefs will be overgrown with algae and will become unhealthy,” the group added.
In the graphic, a caricature of a parrotfish was integrated into a poster-like meme that referenced elements of the “Barbie” movie.
“This Barbie is a resident of the Verde Island Passage,” it reads.
“Protect VIP,” it also stated.
The poster resembled the Barbie selfie generator that the team behind “Barbie” launched following the release of the movie’s trailer.
This generator can be accessed on the film’s official website here Barbie Selfie Generator.
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The pink color scheme and the quirky font style quickly caught most of the internet’s attention. Posters of people as “Barbie” or “Ken” were shared across social media platforms.
Some people later used the selfie generator to create hilarious and witty memes.
The Verde Island Passage, meanwhile, is touted as the “epicenter of marine biodiversity” in the world.
RELATED: 5 reasons why you should care about Verde Island Passage
A massive oil spill on Mindoro Island earlier threatened the destruction of life there.
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Last March, reports stated that the oil from the sunken MT Princess Empress ship reached the Verde Island, the island located along the passage between Mindoro and the other islands of Luzon.
In an update last June, the National Task Force on Oil Spill Management said that the cleanup of the toxic substance on seawaters reached the final phase.
The “Barbie” of the Verde Island
Meanwhile, the group shared interesting trivia about the parrotfish’s sexuality and anatomy that make it “Barbie-like.”
“Did you know? Parrotfishes are capable of changing their sex and their colors throughout their lives, a process called ‘protogynous hermaphroditism’,” the cause-oriented group shared.
“Aside from that, parrotfishes have fused teeth that look like a bird’s beak, hence the name. They also have more teeth inside their throats, which help them digest hard corals. These digested corals will be expelled as white sand that we see on beaches,” it added.
The numbers of these sea creatures, however, are rapidly declining, according to Protect VIP.
It renewed the call for Verde Island’s protection to ensure the preservation of marine life such as the parrotfish.
“However, population of parrotfishes are now significantly declining due to climate change, pollution, overfishing, among others,” Protect VIP said.
“Marine animals in the Verde Island Passage like the parrotfish must be protected to ensure the preservation of this crucial marine ecosystem dubbed as the ‘center of marine shore fish biodiversity’. Protect our parrotfishes, #ProtectVIP!” it added.
Parrotfish, also known as loro fish, is also a popular aquarium pet and seafood fare in some areas in the Philippines.
Advocates have since flagged local markets that sell them to the public.
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