Ways You Can Help
There are many ways you can help. Don't think that just because you are living on a budget or are a young school student with no money that you can't help, You can help no matter how small you think your contribution might be, believe it or not a small idea can be a huge help for the wonderful animals of the forest. Here's jut a few ways you can help save the animals.
If you have zillions of dollars to throw about then throwing it in the direction of a genuine animal protection, rescue organisation is an excellent idea.
If you aren't in that situation but would love to help save animals here's some suggestions.
Educate Others
Firstly educate yourself first, educate, educate, educate and make sure to tell others what you have learnt.
Join an Animal Protection Organisation
Some animal protection organisations take on voluntary workers. Many
only survive thanks to voluntary work being done by people who care and wish to
make a difference. If you want to do something after school to help or on
weekends helping out at your local RSPCA or some other animal organisation is
always a good way to help
Make a career out of it
Choose to make animal care your career as you will find in some of the books
listed on my links page, there are many ways to help animals and sometimes you
can earn while you help so you can survive and do what you love both at the same
time.
Just a few animal careers are:
Zoo Keeper
Animal Protection Officer
Veterinarian
Animal Nurse
Animal Behaviorist
Animal Field Researcher
Animal Photographer
Conservation Officer
Conservation Minister
Make Your Own Website
Make a website or webpage about Animals and include a link to a good animal
protection organisation, then others can be educated about animals too.
There are many isps that offer web space and some websites offer free web space
as well.
Show Your Creativity
Make a flyer or brochure about the issues these animals face, such as the
possible extinction of the Orangutan. Or the plight of one of the other
species of endangered species in the world. Photocopy it and ask if you
can put it on display at your local library, Dentist or Doctors waiting room,
hang your flyers up on the
notice boards at supermarkets and Universities etc
Display
Hold an exhibition with a photo display board and hand out leaflets at your
university or somewhere else (get permission from the place you intend to hold
the exhibition).
Get Your School Involved
If you are a school student ask your teacher or headmaster if they can
organise a fun run or some other event where you get people to sponsor the
students to make money for a well known animal protection/rescue organisation
such as www.bornfree.org.uk or one of
the many others mentioned on my links page.
Put Pen To Paper
Write polite letters to companies that use animals in testing labs and
request that if they insist on using animals in testing that they make the
animals stay at the lab more comfortable by providing them with frequently
changed enrichment items,
(toys to play with and items to amuse them) remind them to stick to the code of
conduct for animal testing labs, that has been written as law by the FDA,
(Food and Drug Administration) (USA) Also remind them of the many ways of
testing without using animals,-IF NEW ZEALAND AND OTHERS HAVE BANNED ANIMAL
TESTING THEN SO SHOULD OTHER COUNTRIES.
Keep Your Shirt On!
T-Shirt transfer printer paper is available, this paper is availble for use
on both white and Black T-Shirts. This special paper allows you to print a
picture or text onto it then iron it onto your T-Shirt. Make sure if you
include Text (wording) on your shirt that you use a program, which allows you to
turn the text back to front before you print it. Otherwise when you iron
it onto your shirt the words with be back to front.
Lights Camera Action
Make a movie or documentary!
Use your video camera, digital camera or super 8, or make an animated
movie.
How you ask? Even if you have to ask your local Zoo if you
can take camera footage for a documentary and even ask the Zoo keep if they mind
chatting to you on camera. Make sure to have question written up to ask
them.
Film School Students, Who knows this one might even help you with your
assignments or portfolio, here's your chance to be taken seriously, making a
movie about the plight of these animals is certain to give you the upper hand.
Please don't use animals as actors in your movie, if you need
a primate
purchase one of these ultra realistic primate puppets from Axtell
Expressions Amazing Ape range See my links page. Even
their vinyl versions are amazing. The creators of the new Planet of the
Apes film used the puppets in the opening space ship scene as well as a few
others I believe.
Make a Computer Game With an Animal Theme
How? There are several free game making software programs available for
download over the internet. One is Game Maker (its version number
keeps changing as it becomes updated), another is 3DRad, which is quite
an advanced one capable of producing play station quality games. If you
wish to purchase one similar to
Game Maker, then try The Games Factory. This is now
distributed by Red Ant software. I got mine for $9.95 at The
Gamesman in New Zealand.
Need 3D Modelling Sofware? Try Blender I believe this one is free
and so is Canvas, which is an all in one modelling package. Another
good one for advanced game makers or 3D modelers is Poser 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and
so on. This one is used to make ultra realistic organic (natural life
objects like humans and animals). The price might put you off but
sometimes you can pick some of the older versions on Ebay or trademe (NZ).
Record a CD or Write a Song
You're in a band? or maybe not doesn't matter if you are good with either
music or song writing and if you have a mic and a CD burner you can record your
own CD, or write a song. If you are in a band write a song about the
issue.
Writers Block?
Like to write stories? want to write a book? Why not write a story about the
Orangutans or other animals. You can make it drama, adventure, thriller
and maybe even add some comedy here and there. Who knows you might end up
with a best seller.
Paint 'N Paper
Good at painting or drawing? Put your talent to use. You can
paint or draw pictures of animals and then sell them to raise money for primates
or other endangered animals.
Or if you feel you're not quite ready to sell it just yet, use it to advertise
the plight of these animals.
University Students
If you are at University or Polytechnic and you have to give a speech or
hold a seminar using presentation software like Microsoft's Power point.
If you get to choose the subject use this opportunity to make your fellow
classmates and lecturer aware of the situation.
Any more Ideas? Please email me if you have any more ideas and I will see if I get the time to post them on this site with reference to who sent them in to me included.