2010 - 2011 Annual Report - Zoos South Australia

CONTENTSYear In ReviewPresident and CEO’s ReportPresident ReportCEO’s ReportConservation ProgramsConservation ArkVeterinary Conservation ProgramsAssets & InfrastructureAdelaide Zoo, Monarto ZooAnd Warrawong Wildlife SanctuaryGreen TeamWild AfricaOverseas Conservation ToursConservation EducationLibraryInterpretationHistoryThe Animals & HorticultureOverviewLiving CollectionsStatus Of CollectionAppendicesHorticultureWild TimesFinalsOverseasConservation ToursMokhohlolo TourThis special experience tour to Kruger National Park in SouthAfrica and to lower Botswana is open to all zoo membersor other members of the public interested in seeingfirsthand how the Rangers and Veterinarians handle animalmanagement in one of the largest national parks in the world.Now in its third year of operation, tour members get toparticipate in game capture (rhinos and elephant), learnabout poaching techniques and counter poaching operations,go on game walks, helicopter rides, and camp out amongstthe multitude of wildlife that populate Kruger’s over twomillion hectares of national park (there are around 15,000elephants in the park which can make things very exciting).This very unique camp, operated by the South African GameParks Honorary Rangers, has only had a very limited numberof wildlife adventure travellers stay during its fifteen yearsor so of operations. All profits go towards supporting thepurchase of modern counter poaching equipment for theRangers responsible for the protection of wildlife in the park.The dramatic increase in rhino poaching over the last fewyears only highlights the need for more support for theseimportant men and women who are trying to stay aheadof modern poaching methods. Kruger is now home to thelargest number of Black and White rhino in the world.The tour also travels through the rest of the 400kms ofKruger and into lower Botswana staying at different campsalong the way.A must for wildlife photographers and animal lovers thistour has now generated over $30,000 towards the support ofcounter poaching of rhinos in Kruger.Borneo TourLast financial year Carla Litchfield (Zoos SA Vice Presidentand Conservation Psychologist) led a tour for Zoos SA andPeregrine Travel to Borneo. The trip included trekkingthrough rainforests and observing wild apes in their foresthomes and orphaned apes in sanctuaries struggling to copewith the sheer numbers of often traumatised infants.It is impossible not to reflect on consumerism ‘gone mad’in Malaysia, with 100+ malls and megamalls in and aroundKuala Lumpur alone. The locals in Sabah pride themselveson ‘1Borneo’- the first and largest Lifestyle Hyper Mallin East Malaysia. Malls in Malaysia are seen as ‘lifestyledestinations’, where people ‘hang out’ communing withdesigner man-made goods rather than nature. The battle tosave the forests and our closest relatives is really a battle toreduce our human unsustainable ‘over-consumption’of everything.What makes these overseas conservation tours differentto others is that it is an educational and life-changingexperience, with a portion of costs donated to a conservationproject within the region visited; in Borneo monies are givento the Kina batangan Orangutan Conservation Project.Overseas Conservation Tours – 1 of 1