24 September 2009

Claire Hooper (Network Ten's Good News Week), Josh Thomas (Network Ten's Talkin' 'bout Your Generation) and Tom Ballard (triple j's Tom & Alex) joined forces with Melbourne Zoo's Tigers Ramalon and Binjai to raise awareness about the impact of palm oil on Sumatran Tiger habitat.

The three young comedians met the Zoo's Sumatran Tigers and even found time to feed Ramalon a milky treat.

Zoos Victoria's General Manager of Community Conservation, Rachel Lowry, said that just like Orang-utans, the Sumatran Tiger is under threat from palm oil. "The Sumatran Tiger's habitat is rapidly disappearing, cut down to make way for oil palm plantations. As Tiger habitat is destroyed these animals venture into community areas looking for food, which fuels human-wildlife conflict."

At the current rate of deforestation Orang-utans and Sumatran Tigers could be extinct in the wild in less than 10 years. The Sumatran Tiger is the most vulnerable of the six tiger species with less than 300 left in the wild.

To show your support sign Melbourne Zoos petition to get palm oil labeled on all food products.

Melbourne Zoo will celebrate International Tiger Day this Sunday 27 September.