IN MARKETING, sex sells; which must be the reason an US environment group’s endangered animals-themed condoms are going down so well.

Since 2009, the Center for Biological Diversity has handed out hundreds of thousands of free condoms in packs emblazoned with endangered animals and amusing wordplay in an attempt to reduce the rapid and unsustainable growth in the human population.

The non-profit, which also runs the annual Rubber Dodo awards for species and biodiversity destruction, hands these rubbers out at everywhere from concerts to farmers’ markets, and even via grandparents.

Here are some of the designs, thought up by Lori Lieber with artwork by Shawn DiCriscio:

Memorable stuff. You can find more at the CBD website.

Pleasingly, the project is going well and has people (pillow) talking.

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“The condoms are very popular, they have been received very well,” CBD director Stephanie Feldstein told The Guardian.

“This time of year is the busiest time for getting busy so they are good stocking stuffers.

“It’s important that we give these out for free and to have volunteers talk about the impact of population [growth] upon wildlife and to increase access to reproductive healthcare.”

The seriousness of the overpopulation problem is spelt out on the CBD website.

“The rapid growth of our human population is pushing other species off the planet in what most scientists are calling the sixth mass extinction crisis. Yet this population explosion is too often ignored by the public, the media and even the environmental movement, while it continues to drive all the major environmental problems that plague our planet — including climate change, habitat loss, ocean acidification and resource depletion.”

“We’d love to give condoms to every sexually active person in the United States, because everyone should have access to the tools that let them choose when and how many kids they have. We’d also love to see everyone talking about the connection between human population and endangered species. But of course, the Center is a nonprofit organization and can’t always meet the demand for Endangered Species Condoms.”

You can donate to support the condoms project by clicking here.

I guess one species the CBD is not a fan of is the stork.