RAGES
Over the last 4 years I have worked closely with the Sabah Wildlife Department and Wildlife Rescue Units to contribute towards a long term plan whilst evaluating the community needs, the needs of the elephants and resources available.
We have already found a corporate sponsor who donated towards the annual milk powder needed. RAGES purchased a container for storage and a commercial water blaster to eliminate cross contamination and marked out an area for this reinforced enclosure. Under Rotary’s area of focus this project incorporates 3 priorities and I urge you to consider a donation.
* Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
* Basic Education
* Economic and Community Development
The request for Rotary support is from the Deputy Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department
Members of the Animal Rescue team with Deb Mair and some of the elephants Donations of milk powder from Fonterra can be seen as well
We have already found a corporate sponsor who donated towards the annual milk powder needed. RAGES purchased a container for storage and a commercial water blaster to eliminate cross contamination and marked out an area for this reinforced enclosure. Under Rotary’s area of focus this project incorporates 3 priorities and I urge you to consider a donation.
* Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
* Basic Education
* Economic and Community Development
The request for Rotary support is from the Deputy Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department
Members of the Animal Rescue team with Deb Mair and some of the elephants Donations of milk powder from Fonterra can be seen as well
The request is to fund the installation of a 3 tier reinforced cable enclosure for the orphan elephants who currently spend 23 hours in individual pens in a restricted area. The proposed enclosure has walking track access to a viewing platform within a 9 acre sanctuary at Sepilok. There are up to 2000 visitors daily in the area at the Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, Discovery Centre and Sun Bear Conservation Centre all within 1 km of this proposed enclosure. This enclosure will
1. Provide a designated area for the elephants to act as a herd, reducing their dependency of a care keeper
2. Optimising manpower and reducing the cost when only one ranger will be needed to supervise the 5 elephants in the enclosure
3. Provide a safe environment to observe the behaviours of the elephants to learn how to prevent human/elephant conflict.
4. Provides an opportunity to run educational programs for locals and students with a viewing platform to encourage Eco-tourism to preserve critically endangered species.
5. Once the certification of the NGO is authorised; a fee to observe the elephants from visitors/tourists will raise much needed funds to pay for the orphan elephants annual food and medical costs.
The quoted cost for the entire project is $6000NZD. This is a small cost for the huge progression that a Borneo Elephant Conservation Centre enclosure will provide for the elephants, local employment, running educational programs, safe Eco-tourism and potentially sustaining itself from the visitor fees charged. Rotary will be promoted with signage also showcasing the project online. There is urgency to save the Borneo Pygmy Elephant which are a critically endangered species. There are currently only 1500 left in the world today. Extinction is forever, there are no second chances!
Can your Club assist this Project with a donation?
Dr Laura Benedict, who heads off to the US for a 5 week Leadership Program sponsored by the US Embassy in Malaysia (where she will learn about the management of an NGO) will set-up and operate the NGO (BECC) that will shelter, rehabilitate and assist the orphan elephants back into the wild.
It is hoped that RAGES will support the Borneo Elephant Conservation Centre long term.
Deb Mair
02102747494
Project Director of South East Asia
RAGES have over 400 members from 26 countries. Join us here: http://www.endangeredrag.org/join/