Often seen networking at our international events, the beautiful and charismatic Kat Pirelli-Zucchetta is dedicated to saving the Borneo Pygmy Elephants. Our Club Vivanova Intern Deniza Marcinkeviciute from the International University of Monaco spent some time with Kat to find out more about the passion and the drive behind this charitable effort and the Borneo Wildlife Preservation.
Book online for the Enchanted Forest Charity Dinner - Fairmont Monte Carlo
Saturday 18th June 2022 . 7.30pm
When and where was the first time you saw and interacted with a Borneo Pygmy elephant? What effect did it have on you?
I first heard about Bornean Pygmy Elephants about 20 years ago when I was working with elephants in Africa. They came up in a simple conversation and it was at that time that I became intrigued to learn more about them. I began watching David Attenborough documentaries and began my own research on the most biodiverse island in the world in which they live, Borneo.
Over the years I noticed that this species of elephant was continuing to decline in numbers due to habitat loss and human-elephant conflict. Currently, there are less than 1000 surviving in the rainforests. It wasn’t until 2014 that I had the opportunity to travel to the island of Borneo and observe them in their natural habitat.
The first time I saw these small elephants they were feeding on grass along the Kinabatangan River, I felt so fortunate to see so many of them as oftentimes you can look for days and not find any. That first day was also very profound as I witnessed human-elephant conflict and realized what these elephants endure daily. I felt so much compassion for them that I knew this was where my future work would be focused. Hence I started a 501(c)(3) public charity in the United States and shortly after France.
Could you describe in a few sentences what is your daily routine with the Borneo Wildlife preservation and the effort that it requires?
These days there are many non-profit charity organizations and obtaining grants and donations has become increasingly difficult. We focus a lot of effort on social media fundraising but also, I feel it important to maintain a good working relationship with positive daily communication with my team and conservation partners in Borneo. I am also a part of an international elephant network where we share sustainable solutions for conservation, protection, husbandry training, and environmental issues. Currently, there are 22 elephants in human care in Borneo and Borneo Wildlife Preservation works to ensure all these elephants’ basic needs are met.
As we work in Borneo twice a year, I coordinate with other professionals to bring inspiring presentations, demonstrations, education, and elephant care to the locals. We work directly with the local students and elephant handlers.
Do you take care of elephants all around the world or only in the Asian continent?
We only focus our efforts to take care of these elephants which are exclusive to the island of Borneo. They are an Asian elephant subspecies also known as Pygmy elephants as they are the smallest elephants in the world. Their small size suggests that they have adapted to their environment, the rainforests of the Malaysian side of Borneo.
How important is it for the general population to see elephants and be encouraged to care for them?
As an environmental and animal advocate, I feel it is very important that people learn about not only Bornean elephants but elephants worldwide. Seeing them in person can be inspiring and motivating for people who want to get involved and protect them for future generations to appreciate. Witnessing firsthand the beauty of these animals interacting, people will naturally want to protect them.
Our planet is becoming more and more populated and natural resources for the survival of elephant species are becoming more limited. Positive human intervention will create a new future and better outcome for the survival of these majestic ancient animals.
What first inspired you to focus your research on elephants?
With an established professional career working with Exotic and Domestic animals over the last 20 years I knew quite a lot about elephants from school. Their high intelligence and strong family bonds were always intriguing to me. I think that when I founded Borneo Wildlife Preservation, it was the right time to give back and aid this species to the best of my ability.
What surprises you the most about what you are doing now?
The increasing interest BWP is receiving from our events in Monte Carlo is very exciting. Each year after presentations or fundraising events we receive emails and phone calls from interested persons wanting to know more about the island of Borneo and what they can do to help aid the elephants and which I am grateful for.
Do you have any recommendations for people who want to help elephants in need?
I would urge people to donate to wildlife organizations like BWP and to get involved by just talking about these issues to others. I recommend people read product labels and only purchase products that are sustainable to the environments where elephants live. Many rainforests are destroyed by logging and the expansion of oil palm plantations. One example is to only purchase sustainable palm oil products if any at all, where you see an RSPO (Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil) logo.
Are you planning to invest in new immersive technologies like virtual reality to further reach out to your audience?
We believe at BWP that the metaverse immersive experience is a good way to distribute knowledge, education, and experience. So yes, we will somehow sponsor camera initiatives to get more wildlife content.
For more information, contact Kat through the Borneo Wildlife Preservation website.
www.borneowp.org
We thank Deniza Marcinkeviciute (International University of Monaco) for hosting the interview.
