Our ecosystem

Defend the Wild is an initiative made possible by a huge ecosystem of organisations, experts, ambassadors, researchers, writers and volunteers. The defence of our natural world demands connectivity.
We are in this together.

 

Organisations

Defend the Wild is an initiative supported by a number organisations and groups across the animal, cultural, wildlife, and environmental protection spaces.


 

Dingo Culture campaigns for legislative change to protect dingoes across Queensland. Aboriginal people across Australia hold the dingo as a sacred and culturally important, a perspective that has long been ignored by government in their policy making decisions. This must change. We are the First People of this country and therefore a major stakeholder on the management of environment and native animals.

Kindness Project is an organisation dedicated to the dismantlement of the Animal Industrial Complex through advocating for all those harmed; human animals, non-human animals and the planet alike.

Kindness Project is proud to have played a key role in development of the Defend the Wild initiative, managing the research, writing, consulting and direction of this important project.

Girringun Aboriginal Corporation represents the interests of traditional owners from nine tribal groups: Bandjin, Djiru, Girramay, Gugu Badhun, Gulnay, Jirrbal, Nywaigi, Warrgamay and Warungnu. Girringun’s vision is to provide sustainable outcomes for its members and the community at large while maintaining and caring for the land and preserving their culture and traditions.

World Animal Protection is the global voice for animal welfare, with more than 70 years’ experience campaigning for a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering. We have offices in 12 countries and work across 47 countries. We collaborate with local communities, the private sector, civil society, and governments to change animals’ lives for the better.

Collective Fashion Justice has played a key role in the development of the Defend the Wild initiative, making important contributions to all sections regarding the harms caused to wildlife by the fashion industry.

Collective Fashion Justice is an organisation working for a fashion system that upholds total ethics, by prioritising the life of all animals; human and non-human, and the planet.

Animals Australia, along with our global arm, Animals International, has an unprecedented track record in investigating and exposing animal cruelty and for conducting world-first strategic public awareness campaigns. Our vision is a world where kindness, compassion and respect extend to all living beings. We understand that achieving our vision requires a transformation and elevation of human thinking.

The Victorian Forest Alliance (VFA) brings together more than 30 grass roots community groups from across Victoria who are campaigning for protection of native forests from logging. Collectively, we have decades of experience working within our local communities. Our mission is to protect and restore native forests.

Vets For Compassion is an Australian based not-for-profit organisation with a mission to improve animal welfare. All VFC team members are volunteers. The highly trained team of veterinarians, vet nurses, wildlife darters and rescuers specialise in emergency wildlife and large animal rescue, and disaster response here in Australia and in Asia.

Koala Clancy Foundation plants trees for koalas, creates new habitat, educates the local and wider community, supports scientific research and advocates for protection of wild koalas and their forest habitats. Koala Clancy Foundation is an independent registered charity and not for profit organisation in Victoria, Australia.

WIRES is Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation. WIRES has been rescuing and caring for sick, injured and orphaned native animals for over 35 years, and our mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same.

Known for their groundbreaking documentary film Envoy: Shark Cull, exposing the Queensland Shark Control program and the New South Wales Shark Meshing Bather Protection Program, Envoy Foundation empowers conservations, scientists, filmmakers and entrepreneurs to scale their positive impact on the world.

Animal Justice Party is Australia’s only political party dedicated to the protection of animals. Their mission is to help create a planet on which animals and nature have the right to live, and thrive, free from negative human interference, and a human society that functions with kindness and compassion within its ecological limits as a responsible member of the Earth community.

Victorian Kangaroo Alliance Inc. is a fighting force dedicated to protecting the kangaroos in our state from the world's largest land-based wildlife massacre. We advocate for our unique kangaroos to be treated with respect and inherently valued as a totemic keystone species worthy of full protection. We bring together Traditional Owners, communities, wildlife experts, wildlife-friendly politicians, media, animal welfare organisations and direct-action animal defenders to protect Victoria’s Kangaroos

Balu Blue’s mission is to promote the conservation of both land-based and marine environments, protection of species, rescue and rehabilitation of injured wildlife, and restoration of destroyed habitats to provide sanctuary for our wildlife. 

Balu Blue educates the public on wildlife rescue, and living with a lighter footprint, whilst aiming to educate and inspire sustainable and ethical living.

Animal Liberation has been integral to the development of the Defend the Wild initiative, contributing to research, writing, and consultation with relevant experts.

Animal Liberation is an animal rights organisation working  to permanently improve the lives of all animals through legislation, consumer advocacy, action, and education.

Animal Justice Party is Australia’s only political party dedicated to the protection of animals. Their mission is to help create a planet on which animals and nature have the right to live, and thrive, free from negative human interference, and a human society that functions with kindness and compassion within its ecological limits as a responsible member of the Earth community.

The Coalition Against 1080 Poison is proud to be Australia’s only network dedicated to banning 1080 poison.
Their mission is to support Australians by providing free services, information and tools to educate, raise awareness and lobby for change in their communities.

Animal Liberation Queensland is an independent animal rights organisation, founded in 1979, advocating the rights of non-human animals so that they may live free from abuse, cruelty, and exploitation. Our mission is to protect animals; foster respectful and compassionate community attitudes toward animals, and promote veganism as the most ethical and sustainable lifestyle.

Lewis Burnett is a wildlife photographer who formed 'Hunting for Paradise' in 2017 as a passion project to help connect people to nature via compelling visual story telling. His work is now mostly focussed on helping visually communicate the efforts of NGO's and the scientific community in the hopes that by bridging the gap between art and science he can communicate to a wider audience the issues threatening our last wild places.

On The Fence is a feature length documentary that focuses on the plight of Australia's most misunderstood apex predator; the dingo. It will challenge perceptions around the role of apex predators, reframing them as crucial to maintain healthy ecosystems, and a healthy country, particularly in this age of ecological crisis.

Tolga Bat Hospital has been a registered charity since 2008. They are a community group that works for the conservation of bags and their habitat through rescue and landcare work, advocacy, education and research.

Kangaroos Alive is a global movement for the ethical treatment of kangaroos. It runs programs that educate people about kangaroos and it campaigns nationally and globally for a moratorium on the killing of kangaroos. It is partnering with Back to Country from the Yuin Nation recognising that kangaroos are a sacred Totem for First Nation people.

In 2020 Kangaroos Alive created World Kangaroo Day (October 24) to celebrate kangaroos and to lobby for their protection.

Farm Transparency Project (FTP) is a non-profit animal protection organisation, dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals in farms, slaughterhouses and other commercial settings. Through comprehensive investigations and documentary films, FTP seeks to force industry transparency and educate consumers by shining a light on the brutal reality endured by animals in the name of profit.


Consulting experts, researchers, and ambassadors

We consulted with numerous experts in their respective fields about
the dangers that native Australian animals face.


 

Louise Bonomi

Louise has worked in the international animal protection space for over a decade and is currently the Director of Development with Animals Australia. Most recently, her work in the aftermath of the Black Summer bushfires led her to take up a role within State Government as a wildlife welfare liaison, as well as managing a global disaster relief program for those around the world seeking to protect animals. She has been a licensed wildlife shelter operator in NSW and VIC for 12 years, raising, rehabilitating and releasing kangaroos and countless other native animals to give them a second chance at a wild life.

Consulted with on: Kangaroo shooting, lethal and misguided dingo ‘control’, duck shooting and agricultural fencing and netting.

Emma Hakansson

Emma Hakansson is the founder of Collective Fashion Justice, which works for a fashion system that upholds total ethics, by prioritising the life of all animals; human and non-human, and the planet. She is also a writer, and consults in the fashion industry to help brands transition away from animal materials.

Emma has played an integral role in developing all sections of the website relating to fashion and wildlife.

Alex Vince

Alex is Campaign Director with Animal Liberation and co-founder of the Coalition of Australians Against 1080 Poison. Alex has worked on issues ranging from the state-sanctioned slaughter of unwanted or unwelcome wildlife to the exploitation of farmed animals in animal agribusiness industries.

Alex has played a key role in the research, writing and development of the Defend the Wild website.

Brinkley Davis

Brinkley Davies is a long standing wildlife advocate, surfer, freediver, all-round animal lover and marine biologist by trade.

Founding Balu Blue Foundation in late 2016, the charity has a strong focus on building conservation projects within Balu Blue, that both build awareness and action for habitat loss, and tackle issues such as wildlife suffering/ rescue in Australia, wildlife conservation and marine conservation. Balu Blue Foundation were names Hope Spot Champions in 2020, working with Mission Blue, to bring awareness to the #GreatSouthernReef. Balu Blue has long term goals of protected pockets of habitat that will work to bring sanctuary to animals, while also collaborating with like-minded charities to build a strong community and kinder Australia for all animals, and humans.

Consulted with on: Oceans

Meisha McAvoy

Meisha McAvoy is a Wangan and Jagalingou Cultural Custodian. Alongside her family, she has been fighting against the Adani mine for the past decade. Meisha is First Nations, queer and vegan, she has spent most of her life advocating for land, animal and human rights.

Consulted with on all sections relating to Aboriginal care for country, culture and stories.

Alix Livingstone

Alix Livingstone is the Campaign Director of Kindness Project. Working in the animal protection space for five years, she has spent her time investigating, researching, writing, speaking, and educating on the different ways in which animals are exploited across Australia. Alix has a particular passion for advocating in the space where wildlife and farmed animals intersect and her work focuses closely on this area, driving the direction of the Defend the Wild initiative. Alix holds a Bachelor in Education and worked with children for a number of years whilst volunteering for animal protection groups, before having the privilege of working in animal advocacy full-time.

Alix has managed the development of the Defend the Wild initiative.

Karol Orzechowski

karol orzechowski is an animal advocate with a passion for blending activism and art. In addition to producing numerous short films on various animal issues, karol is the director of Maximum Tolerated Dose, a full-length documentary about the psychological toll of vivisection on both animals and humans. He completed a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and an MA in Communications and Culture at York University, writing theses on nationalism and the Atlantic seal hunt, and Canadian rodeo culture, respectively. When he's not working for Faunalytics, karol is usually planning, hosting, or performing events in his local arts scene, or playing with Raoul the rescue dog.

Content Director / Faunalytics

Consulted with on: Oceans, Habitat Destruction and Climate Change

Shane Cucow

Shane is the Plastics Campaign Manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), leading their work delivering evidence-based approaches to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Working with communities, researchers and policy makers, he assists everyday people to be advocates for our oceans and their wildlife.

Consulted with on: Pollutions section of Ocean Destruction

Dr. Belinda Oppenheimer BVSC (Hons.) MANZCVS

Belinda Oppenheimer is a practicing veterinarian in Melbourne. She graduated in 2013 with honours, and successfully attained Membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in the field of Medicine and Surgery of Unusual Pets in 2019, indicating a high level of proficiency with these species (rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice, ferrets, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates). Belinda has an extensive history in both shelter and welfare medicine (with contributions spanning more than a decade), and as a referral clinician for unusual pet species.

Authored: Duck shooting

Consulted with on: Crocodile farming

Caitie Wilson

Caitie Wilson is the Communications Director at Defend the Wild. She is a Communications & Cultural Studies graduate who has spent the last two years working full-time in animal and environmental protection. Her passions encompass environmental sustainability, human rights advocacy, animal welfare and wildlife preservation. Prior to working in the field of animal and environmental advocacy, she spent her time volunteering for Remote Control Records, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, and Melbourne Food Hub Farm.

Caitie has played a key role in the development of this initiative, assisting in research, writing, editing and content management.

Jenny Mclean

Jenny was a physiotherapist who took her passion for bats and her professional skills into rehabilitating bats. It began in 1990 when the tick paralysis problem in the endangered Spectacled flying fox was discovered, founding the Tolga Bat Hospital in 2002. It is now the largest bat rehabilitation centre in Australia, and its multi-award-winning visitor centre the largest bat ecotourism facility in Australia.

Consulted with on: Agricultural Fencing and Netting.

Chris Delforce

Chris is the writer and director of animal agriculture documentaries Dominion and Lucent, and has been an animal advocate for over 10 years. In 2014, he founded Aussie Farms (now called Farm Transparency Project), an organisation dedicated to exposing the reality of animal agriculture and advocating for the public's right to know about what goes on behind the farm gate.

Chris has assisted in the production of Defend the Wild video production, editing the promotional videos.