Mammals
Birds
Amphibians
Reptiles
Rewilding our world on two wheels
On Friday 20th September, dedicated volunteer Patryk Kucza sets off on his epic journey to cycle around the world in aid of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, with the aim of shining a spotlight on the pressures faced by the natural world and how Durrell is working to protect wildlife and wild places.
Over the last year, Pat has been carefully planning a route of approximately 25,000 miles that will take him through some of the most biologically diverse places on Earth, including a number of the rewilding sites outlined in Durrell’s ‘Rewild our World’ conservation strategy, such as the Sumatran rainforests and Terai grasslands of Assam, India.
Looking forward to the journey ahead of him, Pat said, “I’m really excited to be setting off on my next adventure in aid of Durrell. Aside from seeing the world, I’m really looking forward to being able to raise funds as well as awareness for the charity. I think many people in Jersey are unaware of the important work Durrell is doing around the world, saving threatened wildlife from extinction, so I’d like to play to my strengths — cycling and creating content — and use these skills to visit their projects and show people the amazing, global conservation work the charity is doing, by sharing footage on my social media channels. After meeting Durrell’s overseas team last year at their annual meeting at the zoo, I’m really excited to see them again and witness first-hand the vital work they are carrying out across the world.”
Pat is no stranger to challenging endeavours, having previously cycled 13,000 miles across the Northern Hemisphere in 2016, and then walking the length of Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2017. This week, on the 500th anniversary of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s first full circumnavigation of the world, Pat embarks on his latest adventure, which will take him from the coasts of Jersey across Europe, through Turkey and Iran, then from Dubai he heads across to India and then down to Sumatra, Indonesia. From there, he will travel across Australia before catching a flight, or maybe even a boat, to South America to see Durrell’s work in Brazil. Pat also hopes to visit Floreana in the Galapagos, Saint Lucia, Madagascar, and Mauritius where the charity also works, before pedaling his way back to Jersey, approximately 18 months later.
Pat continued, “Throughout my journey, I hope to promote sustainable transport, and inspire people to get outside, get active and take on new challenges, whilst connecting with their natural surroundings — a big part of Durrell’s ‘Rewild our World’ strategy to reconnect 1million people to nature.”
Durrell’s Fundraising Manager, Beth Gallichan, said, “We are hugely grateful for Pat’s dedication and commitment to Durrell. He has been very humble about the incredible journey ahead of him to cycle around the world. As well as being an amazing fundraising challenge, this is also a unique opportunity to visit and capture valuable photos and video footage of our rewilding sites and conservation programmes, that Pat will then send back to our team to be used in Durrell’s communications and shared with our supporters. Pat is committed to raising awareness of Durrell’s work to ‘Rewild our World’, inspiring others to connect to nature wherever he travels.”
Although Pat is personally funding his travels, he is currently searching for sponsors to help fund his transport to the remote islands where Durrell works, such as Madagascar and Mauritius. Should you be interested in sponsoring Pat’s journey to ensure he makes it to these important Durrell projects, please email Beth.Gallichan@durrell.org for more information.
Over the last year, Pat has been carefully planning a route of approximately 25,000 miles that will take him through some of the most biologically diverse places on Earth, including a number of the rewilding sites outlined in Durrell’s ‘Rewild our World’ conservation strategy, such as the Sumatran rainforests and Terai grasslands of Assam, India.
Looking forward to the journey ahead of him, Pat said, “I’m really excited to be setting off on my next adventure in aid of Durrell. Aside from seeing the world, I’m really looking forward to being able to raise funds as well as awareness for the charity. I think many people in Jersey are unaware of the important work Durrell is doing around the world, saving threatened wildlife from extinction, so I’d like to play to my strengths — cycling and creating content — and use these skills to visit their projects and show people the amazing, global conservation work the charity is doing, by sharing footage on my social media channels. After meeting Durrell’s overseas team last year at their annual meeting at the zoo, I’m really excited to see them again and witness first-hand the vital work they are carrying out across the world.”
Pat is no stranger to challenging endeavours, having previously cycled 13,000 miles across the Northern Hemisphere in 2016, and then walking the length of Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2017. This week, on the 500th anniversary of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s first full circumnavigation of the world, Pat embarks on his latest adventure, which will take him from the coasts of Jersey across Europe, through Turkey and Iran, then from Dubai he heads across to India and then down to Sumatra, Indonesia. From there, he will travel across Australia before catching a flight, or maybe even a boat, to South America to see Durrell’s work in Brazil. Pat also hopes to visit Floreana in the Galapagos, Saint Lucia, Madagascar, and Mauritius where the charity also works, before pedaling his way back to Jersey, approximately 18 months later.
Pat continued, “Throughout my journey, I hope to promote sustainable transport, and inspire people to get outside, get active and take on new challenges, whilst connecting with their natural surroundings — a big part of Durrell’s ‘Rewild our World’ strategy to reconnect 1million people to nature.”
Durrell’s Fundraising Manager, Beth Gallichan, said, “We are hugely grateful for Pat’s dedication and commitment to Durrell. He has been very humble about the incredible journey ahead of him to cycle around the world. As well as being an amazing fundraising challenge, this is also a unique opportunity to visit and capture valuable photos and video footage of our rewilding sites and conservation programmes, that Pat will then send back to our team to be used in Durrell’s communications and shared with our supporters. Pat is committed to raising awareness of Durrell’s work to ‘Rewild our World’, inspiring others to connect to nature wherever he travels.”
Although Pat is personally funding his travels, he is currently searching for sponsors to help fund his transport to the remote islands where Durrell works, such as Madagascar and Mauritius. Should you be interested in sponsoring Pat’s journey to ensure he makes it to these important Durrell projects, please email Beth.Gallichan@durrell.org for more information.