Entrepreneurs and shark conservation enthusiasts Swen Lorenz and Marcel Maschmeyer have organized a generous boost for the shark conservation charity Bite-Back.
The pair organized an exclusive eight-day shark diving trip to the Galapagos, where participants got to dive with blacktip sharks, whitetip reef-sharks, Galapagos sharks, and Galapagos bullhead sharks, amongst a host of other animals. Those taking part contributed generously, with a donation scheme attached to each package, and raised a total of US$25,000/~£18,500/~€21,434.
The donation comes as a big boost for the charity, according to Bite-Back founder Graham Buckingham:
“This generous donation will invigorate our campaigns to rid the UK of all shark products by 2022. We can now look forward to launching new initiatives to end the current 20kg personal importation of shark fins to the UK and eliminate the sale of shark meat, fins, teeth, jaws and supplements.”
When asked about their participation in the program Maschmeyer said:
“As an avid diver and vegan since 2015, I have focused my efforts towards those species that cannot help themselves, but are crucial to the survival of our planet’s most vulnerable ecosystems. I try to lead by example, always happy to support those with a passion for their cause and the right ideas to have a lasting impact. Graham at Bite-Back has done exactly that. We hope our contributions help to leverage his existing track-record and allow him to aim for even bigger targets.”
While Lorenz added:
“As a former conservation charity CEO, I know of the importance of backing well-run charities by giving their management unrestricted funds. Bite-Back has an unparalleled track-record in the UK for achieving significant impact in shark conservation on a lean, well-managed budget. We back its founder and want to help him to build on his existing success.”
You can find out more about Bite-Back here.
