Robin Shepard ~ February 2013

16 May 2016 |

I did over 80 hours of research on the internet, trying to find a reputable organization with which I could learn, experience, and participate in real conservation. The down-and-dirty kind, protecting vulnerable species, not the fake baby-animal-petting or vacationing-by-a-pool-and-going-for-photo-safari-drives kind. I wanted to support a group of people who were not getting rich off of “volunteers” digging holes, and then the next group filling them back up (this really happens at some “volunteer” camps, where they are creating “work” for volunteers to do.) I also didn’t want to support groups that breed big cats under the guise of releasing them into the wild, but allowing volunteers to feed and pet them as babies, as this renders them unfit for wild release and is unethical. I wanted a group that works hard, down to their last dime, trying to ethically protect and conserve critically endangered species… and I found just that.