The Association of Zoos and Aquariums is using crowdfunding website Kickstarter to raise at least $150,000 to build artificial nests for African penguins.

The "Invest in the Nest" campaign is part of a larger program by AZA and its members called SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction. The money raised through Kickstarter will be used to build and place 1,500 artificial nests for penguins in South Africa and Namibia. African penguin populations have dropped to just 25,000 breeding pairs in recent years, putting the species at risk of extinction.

"We believe the Kickstarter community is a natural fit to ‘invest in the nest,' and more importantly, play a direct role in helping to save this species," AZA CEO Daniel Ashe said.

AZA was less than $300 short of its goal Thursday morning with eight days left in the Kickstarter campaign. Users could pledge anywhere from $3 to more than $2,500, with different awards for different pledge levels. Awards ranged from a voicemail recording by TV celebrity Jack Hanna to a personal meeting with penguins at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The campaign kicked off May 17 with a $30,000 pledge by organic yogurt maker Stonyfield and ends June 16. http://kck.st/2sGZaf7

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