Monkey business and martinis for a good cause

Monkey business and martinis for a good cause

Join Auckland Zoo as they go ape for orang-utans at Martinis for Monkeys - a fundraising evening for the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Project (SOCP) in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The exclusive limited-entry evening at Ivy Bar in Kingsland on Saturday, 18 August will be fully embracing the primate theme. Guests will be able to enjoy special “monkey” cocktails, Tiger beer, live music, and the chance to bid for some exciting auction items. Host Mark Ferguson, his body painted primate friends and special guests from the award winning television show bro’ town, will ensure the night is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Great auction items up for grabs include a 10-day adventure through Borneo (excluding flights), a personalised elephant painting, Kelly Tarlton’s shark survival experience, the ultimate zoo behind-the-scenes tour, and more.

Martinis for Monkeys aims to shed light on Sumatran orang-utan and the plight they face in the wild, while raising funds for the SOCP in Bukit Tigapuluh, Sumatra, Indonesia – a project Auckland Zoo has supported through its Conservation Fund since 2002.

Over 90 per cent of the Sumatran orang-utan habitat has been decimated by illegal logging and the growth of palm oil plantations. This, along with the illegal trade of infant orang-utans, poses a massive threat to the survival of this critically endangered species – with the wild population now less than 7,000.

SOCP (established in 1999) consists of 120,000 hectares of protected natural habitat, and a purpose-built medical quarantine facility. Its roles encompass rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing “ex-pet” animals, public education, research and monitoring, and habitat protection.

Because of the large concentration on habitat protection, other threatened and endangered animals in the area are benefiting from the safe environment SOCP provides, such as the Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian elephant and over 660 different plant species.

“Although situation for the Sumatran orang-utan is critical, there is still the chance to save this incredible great ape from extinction. By coming along to Martinis for Monkeys you can help make a difference,” says Auckland Zoo primate team leader Amy Dixon.

Martinis for Monkeys
Saturday 18 August, 7pm – 10.00pm, Ivy, 463 New North Road, Kingsland
Tickets $25 per person, including finger food and arrival drink. To book, phone Auckland Zoo on (09) 360 3805. Event restricted to 18+years.

ENDS

© Scoop Media