Michelle has been working in orangutan conservation for over 15 years. She founded Borneo Orangutan Survival UK in 2002 and Orangutan Land Trust, which seeks permanent solutions for the long term survival of the orangutan in the wild by ensuring safe areas of land for them to live in.
Like Lone, Michelle's passion for great apes began at school. In class she saw films featuring Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall and Birute Galdikas. Though she did not aim to follow in their footsteps, she remained fascinated by the behaviour of these creatures and read widely in the area, learning about them and their habitat. Whilst pursuing a career as a teacher, Michelle always wanted the chance to see the great apes in the wild.
This dream was first realised on a trip to East and Central Africa where she came face to fae with wild gorillas. A trip to Borneo followed in 1994 where she voluteered at the Tanjun Puting National Park. During her time here, one little orangutan caught her attention more than the others and stole her heart. Michelle returned later to look after little Somalia and the other orangtuan orphans that came in to the project.
Three years later in 1997 Michelle and Lone decided to investigate the possibility of creating a new project deep in Central Kalimantan to give refuge and hope to the rising numbers of orphaned orangutans. Advice and help came from Dr Willie Smits and they found financial backing in the Gibbon Foundation and BOS Indonesia and the now famous Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project began.
The firset dozen orangutans arrived at the project in 1999. Now it cares for over 500 orangutans and is viewed as one of, if not the, finest primate rehabilitation projects in the world.
Michelle hasn't stopped here. She has since begun a number of international campaigns to help orangutans. these include campaigns to stop their illegal trade, to repatriate smuggled orangutans and the campaign for sustainable oil.
Four years ago Michelle decided to devote all her time to these campaigns and along with spending much time out in Borneo on the front line, she never stops looking for ways of finding the much needed funding for the project.
Michelle is an amazing woman; dedicated, hard-working and inspiring.
Michelle is a true Orangutan Champion!
ReplyDeleteOrangutans are critically endangered in the wild because of rapid deforestation and the expansion of palm oil plantations.
If nothing is done to protect orangutans, they could be extinct in just a few years!
Visit the Orangutan Outreach website to learn how YOU can make a difference!
redapes.org
Reach out and save the orangutans!
Facebook Cause: http://causes.com/redapes