Former Award winning BBC wildlife producer launches new travel brand with Tusk Trust and WCS, offering very special access to behind-the-scenes conservation

‘Oryx’ is a new experience, created by Fergus Beeley, which aims to help people to be more aware and better understand wildlife conservation.

Fergus has always been a passionate conservationist and was producer on Sir David Attenborough's, Life of Birds and BBC’s TV series, DVD and book, Planet Earth - the future.

Fergus believes an increasing number of people want a new ‘experience’: the traditional safaris - spotting and snapping - tend to ignore what he thinks is the bigger, more important picture. 

“I think some people feel quite strongly about this now,” said Fergus, “and they want to know that by travelling, they are learning and actually making a difference.”

Oryx has created collaborations with leading wildlife organisations Tusk Trust (patron, HRH The Duke of Cambridge) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), enabling people to get special access to behind-the-scenes locations, top scientists, and great conservation programs. Ten per cent of Oryx travel sales go back to conservation.

Dan Bucknell, Executive Director at Tusk Trust said: “Helping people to understand conservation is vital, and our partnership with Oryx will enable this, by taking people to see conservation in action across our partners' programs in Africa. This will also raise valuable funds that can be re-invested into the programs they visit, helping us do more for Africa’s wildlife and rural communities.”

Oryx will be offering the service to two to four people at a time, partly to respect the wildlife and partly because the resources at destinations can be limited: however, it will take special trips into Tusk funded programmes in Namibia, Southern Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and Kenya, and WCS field programmes into the deepest Amazon and Congo basins, and Patagonia on the coast of Argentina.

WCS Vice President of Global Resources, Sergio Furman said: "This collaboration with Oryx is really exciting for us, since it gives WCS the opportunity to showcase the amazing work that our scientists and conservationists are doing in the field. Oryx have huge experience in travel. If they can get it right for Sir David Attenborough, they clearly know how to effectively handle travel to the most remote parts of the world, which is often where WCS works.”

Dr Amy Dickman, from Oxford University’s WildCRU team, Director of their Ruaha Carnivore Project, and one of world’s leading experts on lions, said: “Our relationship with Oryx means that we can build one-on-one relationships with people that really want to better understand the complex issues of lion conservation. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to get a direct insight into the realities of modern conservation, while knowing that their visit positively contributes to that vital work”.

The objectives that underpin the approach being taken by Oryx are also aligned with those of ‘United for Wildlife’, a collaboration including seven of the worlds leading conservation organisations created by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Dr Naomi Doak, Project Director of ‘United for Wildlife’ said: “Oryx recognizes that there has been a paradigm shift in the way people are thinking about conservation, and are moving with this exciting and positive momentum, recognising the importance of sharing conservation actions with a wider audience.”

The Oryx Head Office is on the Highgrove Estate in the Cotswolds, with supporting offices in Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town in South Africa.

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For more information on the destinations, visit www.oryxwildlifesafaris.com

Fergus Beeley (along with TUSK and WCS representatives) are available for interview.  If interested please contact:

Sam Ross:

e: SamRossPublicity@gmail.com

t: + 44 (0)7968 357795