Orangutan Foundation
The Orangutan Foundation is a charity that focuses on the protection of the native great apes of Borneo and is supported by Terry Pratchett.
About
The Orangutan Foundation is a UK registered charity working to conserve the threatened orangutan and its globally important habitat, the tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra. Since its foundation in 1990, the Orangutan Foundation has developed a diverse range of programmes. Key stakeholders who include local communities, grassroot NGO’s, local business and regional government are at the heart of the Foundation’s work. With their inclusion comes conservation success and sustainability. Being the first organisation in the UK to raise awareness about the plight of the species, the Orangutan Foundation continues to actively engage the public, worldwide media, corporate and governmental organisations. It is on the Executive Committee of the UNEP/UNESCO GREAT APE SURVIVAL PROJECT, a member of the APE ALLIANCE (WWW.4APES.COM) and plays an active part in international networks to promote the conservation of orangutans through the protection of their tropical forest habitat.
Terry Pratchett
Likely beginning after the creation of his popular character the Librarian in The Colour of Magic Terry Pratchett has helped to spread the plight of wild orangutans. The author has had a relationship with the Orangutan Foundation for years, he became a trustee of the charity in 1994 whilst filming Terry Pratchett's Jungle Quest. He also worked with the charity whilst filming Terry Pratchett Facing Extinction. Several projects related to Terry Pratchett and his works have helped to donate to the charity including:
- Almost No Budget productions gave the profits of their DVD release of their fan-film of Lords and Ladies to the Foundation.
- Stephen Briggs charges a fee for productions of Discworld playscripts that he has adapted, the money is donated to the Orangutan Foundation.
- Auctions at many Discworld Conventions have raised money for charities including the Foundation.
- In exchange for the rights to adapt Guards! Guards! in to a radio play the Atlanta Theatre Radio Company made a donation to Orangutan Foundation International.
- Tina Hannan has helped to raise money for the Orangutan Foundation at several Discworld conventions through various activities, including once 'threatening' Terry Pratchett out of £100 with a box of sharp tools whilst dressed as a Tooth Fairy. Most notable however is that she does not receive any royalties from the sales of copies of Nanny Ogg's Cookbook with the money instead being donated to the foundation.