Drinks 6.30pm Lecture 7.30 pm

Members HK$100 Non Members HK$150

Dr Karmele Sánchez, Executive Director of International Animal Rescue Indonesia,  speaks on "Borneo: Primate Rescue".  In this lecture, Dr Sánchez speaks on her work on the rescue, rehabilitation and reintroduction to the wild of primate species such as lorises, macaques and orangutans in Indonesia. She also discusses habitat protection, social awareness education and law enforcement programmes to combat the illegal wildlife pet trade in one of the world's most biodiverse country's

With particular reference to Borneo, Dr Sánchez delivers a thought-provoking and educational commentary on how business practices are driving primates such as orangutans and lorises to the brink of extinction.  She also discusses the plight of Indonesian biodiversity and how rapid deforestation and habitat loss is affecting not only natural habitats and their unique biodiversity but also human habitation.

Dr Sanchez describes some of the environmental impacts that forest conversion into palm monocultures is having on Indonesia's unique biodiversity and on local communities.  Dr Sanchez examines how massive palm oil plantations are changing the entire ecosystem of Indonesia, as more and more rainforest is destroyed for these plantations.  In addition the logging and mining industries also compete for land.

There is also an increase in hunting of animals for the illegal wildlife pet trade, which is driving many unique species near to extinction.  Lorises, small nocturnal primates, are in especially popular as pets, and they are now on the IUCN Red List of the most endangered primates of the world.  For lorises, orangutans and macaques, International Animal Rescue Indonesia is running the largest rescue and rehabilitation facility in the world.  Situated in Java, this facility takes up to 100 primates a day.  Dr Sanchez also runs reintroduction projects for primates, which includes habitat conservation and monitoring, in West Kalimantan.

Dr Karmele Llano Sanchez has been the Executive Director of International Animal Rescue Indonesia since 2006.  In the last 5 years, while working in Indonesia, Dr Sanchez has achieved the implementation of the first rescue and rehabilitation centres for lorises in the world, located in Java.  In addition, in 2009, she launched a new project in West Borneo for the rescue and rehabilitation of orangutans.  Prior to joining International Animal Rescue, she worked as a vet in various conservation projects across Indonesia.  Dr Sanchez read veterinary medicine at Leon University, Spain and obtained a Masters in Conservation Veterinary Medicine from Murdoch University in Australia. Dr Sanchez has been the recipient of numerous awards and appears at seminars and congresses worldwide.