Young Orangutan © HUTAN

Pygmy Elephant © HUTAN

Proboscis Monkey © HUTAN

Rainforest Trust and World Land Trust (based in the UK) kicked off a joint Borneo campaign with a pledge drive that raised a total of $ 1,027,870 to protect habitat for the Pacific island’s endangered orangutan and pygmy elephant populations.

With a generous 1:1 match from donors in the UK, Rainforest Trust supporters provided strong support for the appeal. The impressive response placed Rainforest Trust and World Land Trust close to their collective goal of raising $1.5 million for the campaign. Once complete, the project will create a wildlife corridor between two existing wildlife reserves that will significantly improve habitat for pygmy elephants and orangutans by providing them with a safe riverside passage between protected areas.

“The urgency of this mission resonated strongly with many of our supporters and resulted in a fantastic start to the campaign. In fact, this was one of the most successful matching campaigns we’ve ever had. It’s given us good momentum towards reaching our funding goal in a timely manner, which is important considering the speed at which land is being developed in Borneo” said Dr. Paul Salaman, CEO of Rainforest Trust.