SCU CREW LENDING A HAND
A team from Southern Cross University will head to Sumatra to work with locals on saving 70 endangered elephants in the region.
TWENTY Southern Cross University students will spend two weeks in a Sumatran village helping rescued elephants, with support from Australian Government New Colombo scholarships.
Students studying a range of degrees at Southern Cross University Gold Coast, Lismore, and Coffs Harbour campuses and online will take part in the once-in-a-lifetime trip, where they will develop a food plantation for the Sumatran elephants, construct small dams and reforestation projects, teach swimming and English to locals, and enjoy a homestay with families in the region.
Each student is required to raise $1500 towards on-theground works with conservation group Save Indonesian Endangered Species Fund (SIES), which supports the Way Kambas Elephant Conservation Centre where about 70 elephants are being cared for. About 200 wild Sumatran elephants, 45 rhinoceros and 50 tigers are living in the greater Way Kambas National Park.
Third-year business student Jordanna Hinton, 20, from Robina, will complete her final exam of her undergraduate degree on Wednesday. She was thrilled to be selected for the trip before she graduates later this year.
“This is my first time volunteering and working with elephants and I’m very excited for the trip to Indonesia, even though it will be a bit out of my comfort zone,” Jordanna said.
“I have adored elephants ever since I was a kid and I’ve always wanted to help them.
“I plan on studying a masters in social development next year so this will give me experience working with a different culture, meeting the locals and understanding how they live and the issues they face.
“After the Sumatra trip I will be flying straight to Vietnam where I will be teaching English during my gap year before I head back for my masters.”
Student Nyomi Bodley said it would be a big change experiencing a new culture.
“I’ve never seen an elephant before and this is my first trip to Asia so I know this is going to be a life-changing experience for me, and hopefully for the elephants and people we get to work with,” Nyomi said. “I’m really excited about the trip and being able to experience a new culture and take part in a conservation project.
“This whole experience will add so much to what I’m studying, by learning how to work with a team of students across disciplines, working in a different culture with different political agendas, and making lots of new connections with new people which might help in my future career.”
Nyomi will head to Bali for a short holiday before meeting with the rest of the team in Jakarta and then flying to Way Kambas National Park to begin the University project.
This is the sixth student team Southern Cross University lecturer Dr David Lloyd has led to the region in as many years, working alongside local vet Claire Oelrichs, who heads up Save Indonesian Endangered Species.
“This year we are focusing primarily on establishing an elephant food farm to produce higher quantities of quality, nutritious food for the 70 elephants in the centre,” Dr Lloyd said. “The extra funds raised will pay for small dams in the park to preserve against climate change, firefighting, anti-poaching patrol, reforestation, elephant protection and rescue.”