The International Animal Rescue President Alan Knight OBE, will be in Guernsey next week for a special event sharing tales of his work including saving ‘dancing bears’ and restoring orangutan lives in the wild.

Mr Knight will be speaking at Les Cotils from 14:00 on Tuesday, with tickets still available.

He’s hoping to engage with others who share his passion for wildlife.

“I’m really looking forward to sharing my ‘Stories of Survival’ with the people of Guernsey,” he said.

“Freya, my colleague’s family is from the island, so she’s pleased that we can hold the event there. I’ll share my experiences and insights from my journey in establishing a charity, as well as stories from rescuing dancing bears, orangutans plus some of the stunning images and footage we have collected on the way.”

Ahead of his talk in Guernsey on 15 April, Mr Knight shared some of this insights gained from his journey into animal rescue, his many memorable rescues, and his stories of survival.

Q: What motivated you to begin animal rescue and conservation work?

I developed my passion for animal welfare while studying biology at Sussex University. I actively participated in multiple animal welfare organisations, which revealed many issues that inspired me to set up International Animal Rescue (IAR) in 1988. Our animal rescue operations began with a sanctuary for domestic and farm animals in southwest England. From there, our organisation grew from national operations to international work, including saving dancing bears from India and rehabilitating orangutans in Indonesia.

Q: Which animal rescue experience has touched you the most among the thousands your charity has supported?

The rescue story of Budi, the baby orangutan from Borneo, stands out as one of my most touching experiences. A chicken cage served as Budi’s living space during his first year while he only consumed condensed milk, which resulted in significant malnutrition and swelling. Upon his arrival at our rescue centre, he exhibited extreme weakness that prevented him from moving without experiencing pain. The veterinary team at our centre offered continual care, which led to Budi’s amazing transformation over time. Initially a weak infant, he transformed into a robust and self-assured orangutan until he could return to his natural environment in the wild. Budi’s journey demonstrates how these animals can recover and thrive through committed rehabilitation efforts.

Q: People often feel powerless when seeing such sad stories about animals. What can they do to help?

We have great ways for people to support our charity. Often, people don’t have to give a large donation; they could hold a cake sale or buy a birthday gift for someone from our website. Just spreading the word about our work is just as essential for us, so we have many ways people can support our organisational goals.

  • Donations: Our rescue centres need financial support to function daily and provide medical treatment and rehabilitation programs.
  • Baking:  Get together with friends to bake some cakes and hold a Cakes4Apes bake sale.
  • Awareness: We educate others about wildlife challenges through our project outreach and build wider support, so simply sharing our social posts helps.
  • Sustainable Choices: Choosing products that support sustainability and prevent habitat destruction leads to indirect benefits for wildlife conservation.
  • Events:  We hold events throughout the year. Our next event is on 15th April in Guernsey.