Sydney Tropical Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney

Please donate to the Wildlife Asia appeal for the Asian Rhino Project,
Set up a personal fundraising page and encourage your friends to help,
or visit our website to see how you can help. 

The rhino crisis on our doorstep.

Tim Flannery, Patron of the Asian Rhino Project, was keynote speaker at a Wildlife Asia event held at the Sydney Tropical Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, last night.  His address focussed on the crisis in biodiversity in Indonesia and in particular the plight of rhino in Indonesia.

Peter Hall, head of ethical investment company Hunter Hall, Patron of the Asian Rhino Project and Director of the International Rhino Foundation, detailed the practical field projects that are helping save the Sumatran and Javan Rhino.  Peter is a philanthropist leading by example and is asking others to contribute to this urgent fundraising appeal.

L to R: Kerry Crosbie, Project Director, Tim Flannery and Peter Hall, Patrons

Also speaking at the event were:

Brett Summerell, Deputy Executive Director, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney promoting the Rainforest Seedbank Project, and

Dermot O’Gorman, CEO, WWF Australia, representing the WWF contribution to wildlife conservation in Indonesia.

Cameron Kerr, Director and CEO of Taronga Conservation Society and a Director of the International Rhino Foundation, was also present.

The presentation was made in the presence of the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia, Gary Jusuf and the audience included representatives of the Australia Indonesia Business Council.

Gary Jusuf, Consul General, Republic of Indonesia meeting Tim and Peter

Many in the audience recognised that a cooperative approach was needed and thanked Australia’s newest conservation group, Wildlife Asia, for bringing together the key players in saving the Sumatran rhino, the most endangered rhinoceros species in the world, and the Javanese rhino the rarest large mammal in the world.

‘We all recognise the need to save African rhino but most Australians still don’t know about the urgent rhino crisis on our region’, 
said Wildlife Asia Partnerships Manager, Scott Lyall.

Fortunately The Asian Rhino Project, a small and cost effective Australian organisation, has been able, with the help of its donors, to contribute 31% of total International Rhino Foundation spend in Indonesia.

That is the message of the Wildlife Asia appeal for The Asian Rhino Project that will run until World Rhino Day on 22 September 2012.

Donations are tax deductible and 100% of donations go to fieldwork in Indonesia.  This is possible because the Asian Rhino Project’s administration is funded separately by the Patrons of The Asian Rhino Project.

‘We are seeking a total of $325,000 for projects in Indonesia in 2012-2013.  We are encouraged by recent progress including the birth of a Sumatran rhino and the outcomes of the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group meeting discussions held in March this year. 

 We are calling on all Australians to help, especially those with an interest in wildlife or in our relationship with Indonesia.  Please donate to the Wildlife Asia appeal for the Asian Rhino Project or contact us to sponsor one of our projects’
said Kerry Crosbie, Project Director, the Asian Rhino Project

Contact:
Scott Lyall, Partnerships Manager, Wildlife Asia, 0499 773 303
www.wildlifeasia.org.au