Action for the Wild had a very successful year in 2013. The charity donated £332,827 to its 20 chosen conservation projects. We would like to thank all of our supporters for their generous donations over the course of the year.

Two of our supported projects include the Elephant Orphanage Project in Zambia and the Orangutan Foundation's work in Borneo. Many of you will have seen the Elephant Orphanage Project feature on Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans. Action for the Wild has supported The Elephant Orphanage Project since 2010, providing annual donations of £5,000. 2013 has been a successful year for the project in their work to rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned elephants back into the wild. Their goal is to provide a refuge for calves abandoned, mostly as a result of poaching and human elephant conflict. They are now caring for 13 orphaned elephants between their Lilayi Elephant Nursery in Lusaka and their Kafue Release Facility. One of their releases, Suni, who was rescued in 2012 was paralysed in the right back leg as a result of an axe attack. In 2013, Suni benefitted from a custom-built brace to support her leg enabling her to walk. If you would like to hear more about Suni, why not attend a talk given by Rachael Murton, Project Manager of the Elephant Orphanage Project. You can find out more information here.

2013 was also an incredible year for the Orangutan Foundation, Action for the Wild's supported project since 2010. Throughout 2013, they have rescued 10 orangutans. All of these individuals came from either oil palm plantations or local villages. They have also continued with their ongoing reintroduction programme, which supports six release camps in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, and six of their female orangutans have given birth to new offspring, joining five youngsters who are seen regularly and are being well looked after by their mothers. The fact that the ex-captive orangutans are giving birth is a sign that the released orangutans not only survive in the wild but are able to reproduce. Action for the Wild is proud to be supporting this project again in 2014, by donating £5,000. Our funds will again go towards the vet's annual salary and help support the costs associated with orangutan translocation,s such as transport fuel, medication and food to ensure the future safety of these great apes.

You can keep updated on all of Action for the Wild's conservation news on our Action for the Wild website here.

Image Credit Brian Matthews.