21 Sep 2014
Singapore, September 22nd, 2014 - The TreadRight Foundation, a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation's family of brands, celebrates 'World Rhino Day 2014' with the unveiling of The TreadRight Wildlife Initiative.
In launching The TreadRight Wildlife Initiative, The Foundation introduces a compelling new approach to its sustainable efforts, providing comprehensive aid in its support of the fight against wildlife crime.
In its first year, The TreadRight Wildlife Initiative focuses its support on the plight of the rhino and the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking, a critical threat of unprecedented proportions. Never before has the illegal wildlife trade seen such a surge in poaching, smuggling and sales.
The extremely erroneous and harmful belief by some that rhino horns can cure fevers, blood disorders, gout, cancers and a plethora of other ailments has brought all five remaining species of rhino to the edge of extinction.
Wildlife organisations face an uphill battle against a highly sophisticated and pervasive foe. Protecting some of the most at risk animals on the planet requires considerable resources, significant aid and enduring dedication.
It is with this is in mind that The TreadRight Foundation has forged partnerships with leading wildlife organisations to support the defense and conservation of these otherwise helpless animals.
In partnering with WildAid, the foundation backs an organisation with a successful track record in reducing the demand for illegal wildlife products by educating the public through poignant multimedia campaigns, prominent partnerships and an extensive international network of influencers.
With its support of The Wilderness Foundation in South Africa, The Foundation is supporting a project-driven conservation and leadership organisation that looks to protect rhinos on the ground, combatting poachers, and caring for rhinos in South Africa.
The TreadRight Foundation's continued support of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Rhino Conservation Project, in conjunction with Lion World Travel, helps the organisation deliver wildlife crime interventions at several stages in the poaching and wildlife trade chain, including care for orphaned baby rhinos.
“Bringing multiple project partners across multiple brands together under one banner, The TreadRight Wildlife Initiative looks to further the foundation's commitment to the future now, by highlighting an urgent and desperate cause,” says Brett Tollman, CEO of The Travel Corporation. “The staggering and disturbing statistics associated with the illegal wildlife trade, combined with the horrific stories and images from the frontline of this fight in the south of Africa, a place close to the hearts of my family and The Travel Corporation, cannot and will not go ignored.”
This marks the first 'Initiative' launched by The TreadRight Foundation and signals a contemporary and engaging approach to its sustainable efforts, further confirming its complete dedication to help ensure the environments and communities we visit remain vibrant for generations to come.
ENDS
About The TreadRight Foundation
Created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation's family of brands, the TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit working to ensure the environment and communities we visit remain vibrant for generations to come. To date, TreadRight has donated more than USD 2.5 million to sustainable tourism projects worldwide. The Foundation's guiding principle is to encourage sustainable tourism development through conservation, leadership and support for communities. Foundation priorities are set by the Steering Committee, which includes sustainability leaders like Céline Cousteau and Costas Christ.
TreadRight's past project partners include WWF, Conservation International and The National Trust in the UK. Current initiatives include sponsoring the National Geographic Society's inaugural “World Legacy Awards,” and inspiring wildlife advocates like Terri Irwin.
To learn more about our past and current work at TreadRight, please visit us at treadright.org.
About WildAid
WildAid's mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.
WildAid is the only organization focused on reducing the demand for these products, with the strong and simple message: when the buying stops, the killing can too.
With an unrivalled portfolio of celebrity ambassadors and global network of media partners, we are able to deliver high-impact, culturally-sensitive multimedia campaigns, leveraging well over $200 million (USD) in pro-bono media support, and reaching one billion people every week.
About The Wilderness Foundation
The Wilderness Foundation works in many countries from its base in South Africa to protect wildlife and wilderness in partnership with local communities. Whether it is direct action anti-poaching in the field, large landscape wilderness management, or developing rising young leaders from disadvantaged communities for a career in conservation, the Wilderness Foundation has over 40 years of results.
The Foundation was established in 1972 by conservation pioneer Dr Ian Player, who led the team that saved the white rhino from extinction in the 1960's, an action-legacy that the Wilderness Foundation continues today, working against wildlife crime and combating the rhino poaching crisis.
MEDIA CONTACT
Choy Teh
Public Relations Specialist
THE TRAVEL CORPORATION
T: +65 6922 5974
