FRANKFORT, Ky. — After a historic bid at the 2020 Kentucky Wild auction, GoWild Alpha won naming rights for a newly discovered crayfish species as the top bidder. It was recently announced that the Louisville-based outdoors company selected "MoWild" as the official common name of the species.
“This auction’s goal was to raise awareness and resources for conservation of Kentucky’s nongame and at-risk species,” said Zack Couch, a wildlife biologist specializing in endangered species conservation at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
"I can’t think of a better partner in this effort than the folks at GoWild," he said.
The MoWild crayfish species, discovered by Couch in 2006, is considered endangered and has only been found in streams in parts of Jefferson, Bullitt and Meade counties.
While Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will determine the species' scientific name, this was the first time in Kentucky history that the naming rights to a state-native species became available for public bid.
“Conservation is important to our company, and this was a really fun way to support those who are protecting our wild lands and wildlife while also raising awareness of the platform,” GoWild Alpha CEO Brad Luttrell said. "Our mission is to unlock the gate to the outdoors. In other words, we want to make everyone a little 'MoWild.'"
GoWild Alpha was formed in 2017 and hosts a social media platform geared toward connecting outdoors enthusiasts and sharing their experiences.
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