Congratulations, Islanders! We achieved our goal of 30,000 zones cleared in the Shark GoodQuest. Because of YOU, six warden boats will be repaired in the REAL world to help catch REAL poachers. This will help save REAL sharks and other animals in the Galapagos Islands!

Though the goal has been met, the GoodQuest doesn’t officially end until Friday. If you haven’t cleared at least one zone, it’s not too late to join the fun, and guarantee that you get a QuestKey! With your QuestKey, you will unlock new places, receive special prizes, and discover another part of the secret of Elf Island!

There will also be special prizes for our top zone clearers at the end of the quest, so to make sure to keep on catching those poachers!

The SharkQuest Party begins this Friday, with prizes given out every hour on Saturday and Sunday! See you there! More information on the Quest party coming soon.

As the SharkQuest nears an end, we need everyone to make a BIG push if we want to reach the Quest Goal.

If you want to earn the QuestKey, unlock part of the Secret of Elf Island, and repair all six warden boats in the real world, we have to reach the goal first!

To reward our community for their hard work in the Shark GoodQuest, and to provide everyone with a little extra inspiration to keep trying, Elf Island will be running a special promotion on Saturday, February 21st and Sunday, February 22nd.

Any islander that catches 27 poachers on Saturday and/or Sunday will receive a “No Finning” sign to help show their support for sharks! If you manage to catch 27 poachers on BOTH days, you’ll receive two signs.

Come on Elf Islanders, we can still do it!!!

Prizes will be awarded by Monday, February 23rd. Please do not request a prize through the M button.

UPDATE: Due to confusion regarding the rules of this contest, the prize will go to everyone that cleared at least 27 zones combined between Saturday and Sunday. Anyone that cleared at least 54 zones on Saturday and Sunday  will receive 2 prizes.

On Thursday, February 19^th, Elf Island will be hosting a very special chat event with two representatives from one of our non-profit partners, WildAid.

“WildAid” and “SaveSharks” will be on the island from 7-8 PM EST to talk about sharks, the SharkQuest, and animal protection. Islanders that attend this event will receive a limited edition Hammerhead Shark Wind Up Toy from our Hosts, so come with questions prepared!

Meet WildAid at the Beach and SaveSharks at the Marsh. You can identify both of these speakers by their new guest speaker badge when you roll over them with your mouse. Hope to see you there!

And of course, remember to keep on catching those poachers in the SharkQuest!!!

Where: The Beach and The Marsh

When: Thursday, February 19^th

Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST

Tracking down shark poachers is a tricky process.  Check out these quick tips to navigating the underwater mazes:

1.    Don’t swim into a hook.  Those things are crazy sharp; instead bite the boxes that make them move.  A disabled hook is a harmless hook.
2.    Use your mini-map. Make sure you are using your mini-map to see where you’ve been, where you should go, and in which areas the poachers might lurk!
3.    Find the poachers.  While collecting coins and freeing sharks is important, the main goal is to catch the poachers.  Focus on finding their boat! Remember it’s a boat, so its will be floating on the waters surface at the top of the map.
4.    Watch out for the walls.  Lots of plants and mud on the surface of the ocean floor can grab onto you and make you get stuck to the cave walls.  When this happens, swimming back into the wall helps you get free.

The ultimate goal is to keep all of the patrol zones free from poachers.  As long as there is a demand for illegal animal products, the poachers will keep coming back, so make sure you patrol often.

If you have questions or suggestions for the other Elves out there patrolling waters of the Galapagos for poachers, post them here.   If we all work together we can make a big difference!

Beginning tomorrow, January 29th, Islanders will have the opportunity to join WildAid in their quest to protect sharks in the Galapagos Islands. Almost 25% of the World’s species of sharks are in danger of becoming extinct. You can help by Gaming for Good and accepting the challenge through Elf Island’s GoodQuest game.

Join Elf Island’s Shark GoodQuest and go undercover as a shark and navigate your way through undersea mazes filled with dangerous poacher traps. Through this intense time-based game you will free captured sharks and find and tag the poacher’s boat with a GPS unit, so the poachers can be stopped and arrested.

Islanders, together we have 30-days to clear 30,000 zones of the virtual poachers. It’s a lofty goal, but we know that you are ready to stop these illegal fishermen and make a difference by Gaming for Good.

By reaching this collective goal, Elf Island and WildAid will repair REAL boats used by the REAL park wardens in the Galapagos National Park, so that more REAL poachers can be kept off the water.

You can make a difference. Start your GoodQuest tomorrow!

Play Games. Do Good. www.elfisland.com