Young Kiwis help save the orang-utans

From City Scene, published on 2 September, 2007

Wendy Hay and Sarah Willoughby from ASB Bank present their cheque to Peter Fraser - flanked by elephants Burma and Kashin and primate keepers.

Save the orang-utans! - Wendy Hay and Sarah Willoughby from ASB Bank present their cheque to Peter Fraser - flanked by elephants Burma and Kashin and primate keepers.

An Auckland Zoo and ASB Bank initiative to encourage young New Zealanders to save both money and the critically endangered Sumatran orang-utan recently raised $4,718 for the cause. In July, young Kiwis who opened a new ASB account received an $8 credit - and the bank donated $2 to the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund for the Sumatran Orang-utan Conservation Project (SOCP). Auckland Zoo conservation officer, Peter Fraser says the money will go towards funding an orang-utan protection unit, which in turn will help protect an abundance of other unique wildlife and flora at Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Sumatra's Jambi Province.

Auckland Zoo is working with Frankfurt Zoo in Germany, and Australia and Perth zoos, to fund orang-utan protection units for SOCP. In addition to this project, this year ASB and the zoo also launched Kashin Dollars, which can be purchased and donated to support the Sumatran orang-utan and other Auckland Zoo-supported conservation projects.

For more information about Auckland Zoo and its contribution to conservation, visit www.aucklandzoo.co.nz or phone 360 3800.