In the Media 2006

Business leaders in the poo for tiger conservation

News source: The Range News, 4 May 2006

HOW much money would it take to motivate you to jump in a pool of poo? For two business leaders it took just $1000 all in the aid of tiger conservation at Australia Zoo last Friday.

Twenty Sunshine Coast ‘victims' were trapped in a corporate jungle enclosure at Australia Zoo on Friday, surrounded by a menagerie of giant pythons, alligators and birds of prey.

They were given 30 minutes to raise their ransom money or face the penalty – a bath in elephant poo, courtesy of three resident Asian Elephants.

Most victims spared themselves the punishment and together collected an outstanding $25,000.

Fort Knox Locksmiths' Stacey Bemrose and Energy, Health and Living's Paul Fitzgerald reached their ransom, but were still motivated to get dunked to raise further money for tiger conservation.

Ernst and Young's Desley Grundy easily secured her safe release after raising $3675.

The Corporate Jungle is an event run by Wildlife Warriors Worldwide to help support tiger conservation projects in Sumatra , with every dollar being used to fund a tiger protection unit for 12 months.

Wildlife Warriors Executive Manager Michael Hornby said the event was about taking business and community leaders out of their comfort zone and in a fun way demonstrating just how precarious the survival of the tiger has become.

“We were delighted with this first-time fundraiser and we hope it becomes an annual event,” Mr Hornby said.

In just 90 minutes, these Wildlife Warriors raised enough money to fund a tiger conservation unit in Sumatra , which is responsible for protecting half the remaining Sumatran Tiger population in the wild, for a whole year.

Definitely time well spent!