By NICOLE VALICEK
A LOCAL wildlife conservationist and animal rights advocate wants to make a decade-long dream to help in conservation efforts a reality.
Phillippa Wilkinson travelled through South East Asia for six months from October last year and set about volunteering at a number of wildlife animal sanctuaries.
She worked alongside Sangduen Chailert (Lek) from Elephant Nature Park in Thailand and worked on both her sanctuary in Chiang Mai and a new one starting in Cambodia.
“The drive and dream of trying to help with wildlife issues throughout the world has been brewing for 10 years.”
“Both were amazing experiences.”
At the same time, she signed up for three months in China with Animal Asia.
“I want to go over to the South East Asia region and do hands-on help and make a real difference.”
However, the keen animal advocate did not make it to China due to final constraints.
She decided to come back to Melbourne to save some money before embarking on her next venture.
The vet nurse said through a documentary she wanted to make travellers more conscious of their actions while travelling in these countries inhabited by beautiful creatures.
“I have also come back with the goal of doing a documentary on travellers against wildlife tourism exploitation and have set up a campaigning business called Kiwi Bird Found in Asia.”
But Phillippa said she did not just want to help the animal, she wanted to explore and understand their cultures and background.
“The region I am focusing on (South East Asia) is full of such beautiful, generous and kind people, but there is just that difference in ideas on how animals are managed.”
“I’m constantly learning. I’m more about the animals that’s what my fight is all about.”
To make her dreams a reality, Phillippa is also holding a fund-raiser called ’Honey Money Days’.
“If there is way we can sway or influence what is supported and move towards helping more with village initiatives then that would be grand.”
Her passion for animal welfare has seen her work at the New Zealand Zoo in Auckland where she worked as a zoo keeper. She is also trained in bushfire animal rescue.
For more information on Phillippa’s fund-raising, event visit https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/KiwiBirdFoundInAsia
