Tara Anglican Girls School Orangutan Talk

Sydney’s Tara Anglican Girls School embraced the plight of the orangutan when Australia’s most effective orangutan crusaders, brothers, Daniel and William Clarke, paid them a visit…

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FrfeyLnOL0[/tube]

130 students watched in awe as the boys recounted their journey through the forests of Borneo to see the critically endangered orangutan in the wild.  They spoke of devastation of the habitat that provides protection to not only their beloved orangutan but also to other animals such as the white rhinos, pygmy elephants, sun bears, Sumatran tigers, clouded leopards and gibbons.  They ‘wow’ed their audience with facts and figures of western society’s use of palm oil and how our demand is fuelling Indonesia’s desire to provide 85% of the worlds palm oil needs.

At the completion of their talk the boys were swamped with questions from enquiring minds.  “We were still answering questions 30 minutes after our presentation with at least 20 hands in the air each time”, Daniel said.

“They (the students) really understood our message about palm oil, habitat destruction and why Daniel and I are so passionate about saving these beautiful animals”, William said.

This presentation also resulted in the first time the boys were asked, ‘Why did you call your book, Tears In The Jungle?”.  Daniel went on to explain how the word ‘tears’ has two meanings;

1. Tears, from the eyes of the animals as they lose their habitat; and,
2. Tears in the jungle (past tense of torn) of the jungle being torn apart.

Daniel and William stayed around after their presentation to sign a copy of their best selling book to the 100+ students who were inspired by the amazing journey and passion of these two effective animal crusaders.

“We have set our sites on writing a complete series of books on the Great Apes of the world as they are all critically endangered.  We are looking to raise funds to travel to Uganda and Rwanda to photograph the Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Bonobo and, with the creation of these new books in the series we hope to help children around the world know that they too can make a difference”, Daniel said.

One of the young girls who attend the presentation approached Daniel and William’s mum, Penny and said, “We love what Daniel and William are doing.  If everyone around the world donated just $1 we could save the orangutan and I am going to start with all my family”.

It is amazing to see how Daniel and William are inspiring so many children around Australia to make a difference to better our world.