Get Ready to Roar
We are absolutely delighted to partner with Trek for Big Cats and support them on their exciting venture to climb to Everest Base Camp and up Kilimanjaro. They are doing this to raise awareness and educate people around the world on the numerous issues faced by big cats and highlighting what we can all do to help before it is too late to do anything.
Both climbs will take place in November and we will be following and sharing how they are getting on throughout the run up to and during the climbs. We would like to wish the Trek for Big Cats team the best of luck with their highly exciting venture and in their goal of reaching many people around the world in a fun, educational, informative and exciting way.
Updates will be posted on our Facebook page.
For immediate release
Get ready to ROAR!
Trek for Big Cats will see an intrepid team conquer Everest Base Camp AND Kilimanjaro wearing state-of-the-art big cat mascots in aid of international wildlife charity Born Free.
The countdown to a unique Big Cat adventure has begun, as a group of wildlife lovers prepare for the biggest challenge of their lives this November!
Adventurer, conservationist and life-long animal-lover, Gareth James Legg will be joined by environmentalist and safari guide Tracey Bruton, plus one other team member still to be announced, for an exciting challenge which will see them conquer two of the world’s toughest mountains, whilst wearing custom-designed, lifelike big cat costumes/mascots.
With big cats increasingly under threat from factors such as habitat loss, human-animal conflict, the exotic pet trade, trophy hunting, “canned” hunting, commercial breeding farms, entertainment, disease and poaching, the Trek for Big Cats team hope that their unique challenge will not only raise funds for Born Free’s vital big cat conservation work, but raise global awareness of their plight, empowering members of the public to play an active role in protecting big cats for future generations.
The project’s founder, Gareth, who grew up surrounded by Africa’s most iconic species, on family holidays in Kruger National Park, explains: “Trek for Big Cats is both a fundraising campaign and a movement to raise awareness of worldwide big cat conservation. The most unique aspect of our challenge is that we will be trekking in custom-built big cat mascot costumes, so it adds a new dimension to an already extremely challenging trek! We hope that by doing something so extreme, that the public will be inspired to make a stand to protect big cats and their natural environments – whether that’s by making a donation, joining a global rally or march, signing a petition or taking a stand against the exploitation of big cats through the tourism industry.”
Tracey says: “The Trek for Big Cats mantra is ‘Every human being has the responsibility of nurturing and protecting their environment and to hand it over unspoilt for future generations to enjoy.’ – It’s certainly a message we are keen to promote!”
The expedition will take place throughout November, beginning in Nepal with the 17,600ft trek to the base camp of Mount Everest, an area which is home to a variety of big cat species such as the magnificent snow leopard. The team will then head to Tanzania, home to iconic African species such as the lion and the leopard, where they will attempt to reach the 19,340ft summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The team will visit primary schools in the Khumbu valley on route to Everest Base Camp, and also in Tanzania, to run educational activities with the children on the topic of wildlife conservation.
Gareth adds: “We have chosen not to reveal the identity of the third ‘mascot’ as yet, but we have some exciting names in the pipeline! There will also be an opportunity for further team members to sign up for the Kili trek, with up to 20 places available. It won’t be easy, but it’s a fantastic chance for people to challenge themselves and raise money for a great cause. Anyone interested in joining our ‘pride’ should contact me directly, via our website.”
Born Free co-founder, much-loved actress and conservationist Virginia McKenna OBE, said: “I am sure that lions, if they knew, would be sending their encouragement to the team as they tackle this challenge! All of us at Born Free wish them well as they carry their inspirational dedication to protect and save the King of the jungle up to the snowy heights.”
To find out more about the Trek for Big Cats, see how it will help protect big cats in the wild, and get involved please visit: www.trekforbigcats.com
Keep up-to-date with the team’s progress on social media!
Twitter: www.twitter.com/trekforbigcats
Facebook: www.facebook.com/trekforbigcats
Instagram: www.instagram.com/trek_for_big_cats
For more about Born Free’s global conservation work and how to support the charity, please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk
Ends
FOR MORE INFORMATION RELATING TO THIS CHALLENGE PLEASE CONTACT:
Gareth James Legg, Founder and UK/ Global representative
+44 756 826 2297
[email protected]
Tracey Bruton, Co-Founder and South African representative
+27 71 8267031
[email protected]
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES RELATING TO LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS ONLY PLEASE CONTACT:
Victoria Lockwood T: 01403 246903 / [email protected]
FOR ALL OTHER NEWS AND MEDIA ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT OUR PR AGENCY:
Gemma Hook T: 01403 783400 / M: 07920 820 018 / E: gemm[email protected]
Notes to Editors:
About Born Free
Born Free’s mission is to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect and are able to live their lives according to their needs. Born Free opposes the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaigns to keep wildlife in the wild.
Born Free promotes Compassionate Conservation to enhance the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs of and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals. Born Free seeks to have a positive impact on animals in the wild and protect their ecosystems in perpetuity, for their own intrinsic value and for the critical roles they play within the natural world. For more information about Born Free please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk
Gareth James Legg
Founder, expedition manager, “The Lion”
Gareth’s passion and love for wildlife started at the tender age of 5, where he was first immersed into the world of African wildlife. His annual family holidays were spent in the world famous Kruger National Park, where his love for fauna and flora was ignited.
After leaving school he chose to take his passion to the next level and studied to become a safari guide. As a young man this was a dream come true. Once qualified, he embarked on a journey of incredible discovery and adventure. Looking back at his experiences Gareth finds them overwhelmingly humbling- “I have been lucky enough to spend time with the most iconic, beautiful and regal animals, that sadly now have limited time to roam our great African plains due to habitat loss and pressure from poaching!”
Gareth has been involved in numerous conservation campaigns and fundraisers, as well as environmental education projects for the youth. He also had the privilege of working hands on with wild animals through conservation projects. Over the years his passion for the large cats grew, and it saddens him greatly to think that future generations may not be able to enjoy seeing these majestic cats alive in the wild if we don’t do massive conservation work to help to save them.
Trek for Big Cats has been a lifelong dream to be able to create awareness and funding to ensure that these regal cats remain extant for generations to enjoy.
Tracey Bruton
Co-founder, media liaison, camera, “The Leopard”
For all her life, Tracey has loved nature and been enthusiastic about the protection of the environment. For a decade, Tracey worked in the television and film industry in South Africa and on projects abroad, in many varied positions such as cameraperson, editor, researcher, production manager, expedition manager, presenter and media liaison, and in productions from live television shows to travel and nature documentaries.
At present Tracey is a safari guide in the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa, where she has been enthusiastically taking visitors on game drives in the ‘bush’ where she teaches about animals great and small, and the environment they live in. She is a passionate conservationist and eco-warrior, incorporating her dedication to animals and the environment into her daily life. Spending time immersed in nature and hiking is a favourite pastime, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be involved in Trek for Big Cats is one that she has been wanting to take part in for many years- to be able to do something good that is bigger than herself.
Both climbs will take place in November and we will be following and sharing how they are getting on throughout the run up to and during the climbs. We would like to wish the Trek for Big Cats team the best of luck with their highly exciting venture and in their goal of reaching many people around the world in a fun, educational, informative and exciting way.
Updates will be posted on our Facebook page.
For immediate release
Get ready to ROAR!
Trek for Big Cats will see an intrepid team conquer Everest Base Camp AND Kilimanjaro wearing state-of-the-art big cat mascots in aid of international wildlife charity Born Free.
The countdown to a unique Big Cat adventure has begun, as a group of wildlife lovers prepare for the biggest challenge of their lives this November!
Adventurer, conservationist and life-long animal-lover, Gareth James Legg will be joined by environmentalist and safari guide Tracey Bruton, plus one other team member still to be announced, for an exciting challenge which will see them conquer two of the world’s toughest mountains, whilst wearing custom-designed, lifelike big cat costumes/mascots.
With big cats increasingly under threat from factors such as habitat loss, human-animal conflict, the exotic pet trade, trophy hunting, “canned” hunting, commercial breeding farms, entertainment, disease and poaching, the Trek for Big Cats team hope that their unique challenge will not only raise funds for Born Free’s vital big cat conservation work, but raise global awareness of their plight, empowering members of the public to play an active role in protecting big cats for future generations.
The project’s founder, Gareth, who grew up surrounded by Africa’s most iconic species, on family holidays in Kruger National Park, explains: “Trek for Big Cats is both a fundraising campaign and a movement to raise awareness of worldwide big cat conservation. The most unique aspect of our challenge is that we will be trekking in custom-built big cat mascot costumes, so it adds a new dimension to an already extremely challenging trek! We hope that by doing something so extreme, that the public will be inspired to make a stand to protect big cats and their natural environments – whether that’s by making a donation, joining a global rally or march, signing a petition or taking a stand against the exploitation of big cats through the tourism industry.”
Tracey says: “The Trek for Big Cats mantra is ‘Every human being has the responsibility of nurturing and protecting their environment and to hand it over unspoilt for future generations to enjoy.’ – It’s certainly a message we are keen to promote!”
The expedition will take place throughout November, beginning in Nepal with the 17,600ft trek to the base camp of Mount Everest, an area which is home to a variety of big cat species such as the magnificent snow leopard. The team will then head to Tanzania, home to iconic African species such as the lion and the leopard, where they will attempt to reach the 19,340ft summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The team will visit primary schools in the Khumbu valley on route to Everest Base Camp, and also in Tanzania, to run educational activities with the children on the topic of wildlife conservation.
Gareth adds: “We have chosen not to reveal the identity of the third ‘mascot’ as yet, but we have some exciting names in the pipeline! There will also be an opportunity for further team members to sign up for the Kili trek, with up to 20 places available. It won’t be easy, but it’s a fantastic chance for people to challenge themselves and raise money for a great cause. Anyone interested in joining our ‘pride’ should contact me directly, via our website.”
Born Free co-founder, much-loved actress and conservationist Virginia McKenna OBE, said: “I am sure that lions, if they knew, would be sending their encouragement to the team as they tackle this challenge! All of us at Born Free wish them well as they carry their inspirational dedication to protect and save the King of the jungle up to the snowy heights.”
To find out more about the Trek for Big Cats, see how it will help protect big cats in the wild, and get involved please visit: www.trekforbigcats.com
Keep up-to-date with the team’s progress on social media!
Twitter: www.twitter.com/trekforbigcats
Facebook: www.facebook.com/trekforbigcats
Instagram: www.instagram.com/trek_for_big_cats
For more about Born Free’s global conservation work and how to support the charity, please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk
Ends
FOR MORE INFORMATION RELATING TO THIS CHALLENGE PLEASE CONTACT:
Gareth James Legg, Founder and UK/ Global representative
+44 756 826 2297
[email protected]
Tracey Bruton, Co-Founder and South African representative
+27 71 8267031
[email protected]
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES RELATING TO LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS ONLY PLEASE CONTACT:
Victoria Lockwood T: 01403 246903 / [email protected]
FOR ALL OTHER NEWS AND MEDIA ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT OUR PR AGENCY:
Gemma Hook T: 01403 783400 / M: 07920 820 018 / E: gemm[email protected]
Notes to Editors:
About Born Free
Born Free’s mission is to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect and are able to live their lives according to their needs. Born Free opposes the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaigns to keep wildlife in the wild.
Born Free promotes Compassionate Conservation to enhance the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs of and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals. Born Free seeks to have a positive impact on animals in the wild and protect their ecosystems in perpetuity, for their own intrinsic value and for the critical roles they play within the natural world. For more information about Born Free please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk
Gareth James Legg
Founder, expedition manager, “The Lion”
Gareth’s passion and love for wildlife started at the tender age of 5, where he was first immersed into the world of African wildlife. His annual family holidays were spent in the world famous Kruger National Park, where his love for fauna and flora was ignited.
After leaving school he chose to take his passion to the next level and studied to become a safari guide. As a young man this was a dream come true. Once qualified, he embarked on a journey of incredible discovery and adventure. Looking back at his experiences Gareth finds them overwhelmingly humbling- “I have been lucky enough to spend time with the most iconic, beautiful and regal animals, that sadly now have limited time to roam our great African plains due to habitat loss and pressure from poaching!”
Gareth has been involved in numerous conservation campaigns and fundraisers, as well as environmental education projects for the youth. He also had the privilege of working hands on with wild animals through conservation projects. Over the years his passion for the large cats grew, and it saddens him greatly to think that future generations may not be able to enjoy seeing these majestic cats alive in the wild if we don’t do massive conservation work to help to save them.
Trek for Big Cats has been a lifelong dream to be able to create awareness and funding to ensure that these regal cats remain extant for generations to enjoy.
Tracey Bruton
Co-founder, media liaison, camera, “The Leopard”
For all her life, Tracey has loved nature and been enthusiastic about the protection of the environment. For a decade, Tracey worked in the television and film industry in South Africa and on projects abroad, in many varied positions such as cameraperson, editor, researcher, production manager, expedition manager, presenter and media liaison, and in productions from live television shows to travel and nature documentaries.
At present Tracey is a safari guide in the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa, where she has been enthusiastically taking visitors on game drives in the ‘bush’ where she teaches about animals great and small, and the environment they live in. She is a passionate conservationist and eco-warrior, incorporating her dedication to animals and the environment into her daily life. Spending time immersed in nature and hiking is a favourite pastime, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be involved in Trek for Big Cats is one that she has been wanting to take part in for many years- to be able to do something good that is bigger than herself.
CACH members report back on events, activities and will be sharing pictures and videos with you
Click on the flag or country below to catch up with what the CACH team are doing around the world. They share their experiences and photos.
