Please give back to a CRISIS we are all guilty of participating in …

As I celebrate my year of turning 40, I wanted to challenge myself in the mountainous 2018 "TMBT" Ultra trail marathon in Borneo this September in the 30km course. Based on the run's location, I would like to give it additional meaning by raising money in helping with the survival of the critically endangered Orangutan - they are only found on the two islands of Borneo and Northern Sumatra. Sadly if no action is taken, a third of the remaining population will be wiped out by 2020.

More than half of Borneo's orangutans have perished in the last 20 years to make way for palm oil plantations and logging, being forced out of their forest homes and left to die. Many starve to death or are killed when they venture into villages foraging for food to survive. Having flown over and driven through this part of the world, it is a gut wrenching scene to witness with your own eyes the true magnitude of the loss of rainforest habitat replaced by the endless manicured hills of palm oil trees and empty barren land (please see depletion of rainforest habitat over the decades in the gallery).

Orangutans are also illegally hunted and cruelly captured, with babies torn apart from their screaming mothers all for the wildlife pet trade and the wildlife tourism industry - abused and mistreated to perform routines and living the rest of their time imprisoned in appalling conditions (along with other animals held captive in these horrible locations).

These animals have always held a special place with me, and in 2015 I traveled to Borneo to see them in their natural habitat and visited the BOS Foundation as was curious of their work with these intelligent, inquisitive and playful animals. Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation is an Indonesian non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of these orangutans and their habitat - the outcome of the team's hard work is truly AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL.

They have rescued over 2,300 orangutans and currently provide care to 700 individuals with the support of over 400 dedicated staff. Many of the orangutans rescued are in very poor physical condition and emotionally scarred from the trauma they have endured. They are slowly and lovingly rehabilitated with the objective to hopefully one day be released back into the wild.

I donate annually and was really hoping to be able to give much more this year with your help and hopefully reach my U$1,000 target (or even better .... exceed it!) and dedicate my run to these Great Red Apes. I would be so grateful for your support as any amount donated will go a long way.

Here is an indication of BOSF's operational costs :

U$10 - Can provide one day's worth of fruit for 7 orangutans, or plant a tree.

U$25 - Can buy equipment for the orangutan enrichment program.

U$50 - Can provide a general health check-up for routine health screening of orangutans.

U$100 - Can provide one orangutan feed for 30 days.

(Please note that 100% of the donations (after 3rd party fees incurred) will be sent to BOSF - absolutely nothing is going towards any expenses for my participation).

Watch the incredible work of the team at BOS Foundation - they have also won brand of the year 2017-2018 "Animal Welfare - Conservation".

Thank you so much and yes.... the blood, sweat and sore legs has already begun!!!

Much Love,

Lisa ..... along with the thanks from the estimated remaining 70,000 of our 97%-DNA-sharing friends.

(All copyright approvals have been given by BOSF for use of their materials with their support in my fundraiser)