Over the last twenty years, I have worked as a zoologist, marine biologist, and exotic animal rescuer in countries ranging from Australia to the USA, Tanzania, the Galapagos, and the Arctic. I have helped manage and work with a myriad of creatures, from big cats to marine species, wolves, primates, ungulates, and more.
After being hit with COVID seven times, I have had to endure over three years of non-stop illness due to an immune system collapse, coupled with respiratory issues and overall body damage, including losing the ability to taste anything at all for nearly a year.
As I attempt to rebuild for the first time now, repairing immune deficiencies, and repairing metabolism and fitness, I will attempt to swim 100km throughout November in a bid to support one of my favorite, endemic causes, the Javan Rhinos.
The Javan Rhino is the rarest subspecies of Rhino left on our planet at less than 70 as of a 2019 census. In 2023 an estimated 23 were killed by poacher gangs. The final population of this species is protected in the Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia. Using camera traps, security cameras, security forces on both land and sea, and local community support efforts this critical population is on the brink...
I am endeavoring to raise as much as I can if not all or more of the ten thousand dollars they desperately need to expand their protection force, grow their numbers of camera traps to enable updated census data of the living population, and support the community surrounding this effort.
We have already lost the Northern White Rhino. With only two lone females left, they are classified as "functionally extinct". We cannot lose another rhino species from our world.
I will be posting updates on my swim stages along with information on the Javan Rhino throughout the month.
From the NZACT Conzoovation Team