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Amboseli Trust for Elephants(Here is the transcript of Stephen Woo's speech on the evening of the lecture and silent auction on behalf of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants.) Introduction Good evening. It’s my great pleasure to attend the 4th
Annual Celebrating Elephants event at the Oakland Zoo. You are probably wondering what does a Chinese American know about African elephants? Taiwan, where I was born and lived for 13 years, is very far from Africa. Oakland, where my wife Theresa and I met 22 years ago at Bishop O’Dowd High School, that is just across the freeway from the Zoo, is very far away from Kenya. Silicon Valley, where I have worked at Intel as a design-engineering manager for the past 16 years, could not be more different than the Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro. Yet, during our first trip to Africa in 1991, we immediately felt right at home at Amboseli. We realized that Amboseli is a very special place as this is a safe haven for elephants to live and roam freely. Theresa and I felt such a sense of happiness and contentment as we observed Amboseli elephants playing, eating, and interacting. However, in the back of our minds we knew that this place could not continue unharmed with so much ivory poaching and human pressures. Cynthia Moss’s research efforts are critical for the understanding of elephant behavior and for creating the best conservation efforts that also meets the needs of the growing human population. Cynthia Moss How many people here knew about Cynthia Moss or were fortunate enough to meet her last year? Raise your hand. In February 1999 after my wife and I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, we were fortunate to meet Cynthia Moss at a symposium. She is one of the warmest and most genuine people that we have ever met. Cynthia Moss, born and educated in the United States, has spent more than 30 years in Africa studying elephants. Her work is critical to the long-term conservation of African elephants. This is the reason that when she asked me to be the volunteer WEB master for the Amboseli Trust for Elephants a few months ago, I jumped at the chance. Amboseli Trust for Elephants In addition to getting continuous support from the African Wildlife Foundation, she also realizes the importance of setting up the Amboseli Trust for Elephants. The goal of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants is the successful conservation of Africa's elephants within the context of human needs and pressures. Recognizing the crucial role of the long-term study of elephants in Africa to the overall conservation process, the Trust will create, maintain and manage an endowment fund to support the Amboseli Elephant Research Project and similar projects undertaken as part of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants program. Our goal is to raise 7 million dollars within the next 4 years. For more information, please visit our website at www.elephanttrust.org and enroll in our electronic-mail mailing list. We will have a drawing for a few prizes—including this framed photo of Amboseli elephants—later on during the evening. Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb I would also like to mention about an exciting opportunity for adventuresome individuals who would like to embark on an extraordinary safari and climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in all of Africa. The purpose of this climb will be to raise money for the Amboseli Trust for Elephants. Each climber will raise sponsorship of one dollar for every foot that he or she will climb: totaling $19,340 for each climber. Thanks to the Oakland Zoo Due to her busy travel schedule, Cynthia Moss regrets that she cannot be here this evening. On behalf of Cynthia, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Oakland Zoo for your generous and dedicated support of Cynthia’s Amboseli Elephant Research Project. Here is a photo collage of Amboseli Elephants. The plaque states Special Thanks to the Oakland Zoo for your exceptionally generous support of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project Cynthia Moss, May 18, 2000 Conclusion In conclusion, I would to thank you for your generous support of Cynthia Moss’s African elephant research and conservation efforts. During tonight’s silent auction, please bid as frequently and as highly as possible. I also encourage everyone to visit our website at www.elephantttrust.org to get frequent news about Cynthia Moss and her work. Your support will help to make a difference in preserving a living legacy: the Amboseli Elephants! Thank you.
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