Wildlife hospital to benefit
THE New Zealand premiere next week of a Dunedinproduced show on orphaned orangutans is set to raise funds for the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, which may itself soon be the subject of a television series.
Orangutan Jungle School,
produced by Judith Curran, of Dunedin production company NHNZ, will have its local premiere at the Regent Theatre next Tuesday.
Ms Curran, the show’s executive producer, said NHNZ had teamed up with the wildlife hospital early in its development.
‘‘We’ve been supporting them in their fundraising efforts, and we’re also developing a television series about the hospital.’’
NHNZ had already created a trailer and had been pitching it to networks.
There was ‘‘a great synergy’’ between the two organisations, and NHNZ had helped make videos for fundraising efforts.
There was a suggestion the wildlife hospital have a show at the Regent to raise funds, and Orangutan Jungle School
was an obvious choice.
Half the ticket price would go the the hospital, and half to the Orangutan Survival Foundation in Borneo.
Ms Curran said season one of her show had already been on air in the United Kingdom and Asia.
In the United Kingdom it attracted 1.3 million television viewers and three social media clips had more than two million views each.
The show followed the progress of ‘‘numerous [orangutan] orphans as a result of the terrible deforestation issues in Borneo’’.
Dunedin Wildlife Hospital Trust cochairman Steve Walker said funds were needed for operational funding.
‘‘The reason the operational side is under pressure is because we are so much busier than we ever anticipated.
‘‘We’re literally now the busiest wildlife hospital in New Zealand.’’
The trust had a street appeal last week and planned another film night at the Regent next month.
Orangutan Jungle School is expected to be on New Zealand television later this year.