Chester Zoo member and volunteer, Stephen Hatton, cycled for wildlife to raise funds to research a deadly virus that affects young elephants globally.
What made you sign up to cycle for wildlife?
Hari the Asian elephant calf was my main inspiration. Since Hari was taken from us by the disease EEHV, I have been looking for a way to support the zoo’s Never Forget campaign to fight the virus.
I had always enjoyed cycling in the past and I knew it would be a challenge to get back on my bike again. Training for an event for the zoo gave me the focus and motivation to do it.
How did it feel crossing the finish line?
I was so relieved to have not fallen off my bike! It was pretty windy and by the end I’d cycled even further than planned. People think of Cheshire as flat, but there are definitely hills out there. In fact there was about 1400ft of climbing overall!
What did you enjoy the most about the event?
The sense of achievement was fantastic. And the fact that all the planning was taken care of! I didn’t have to check a map or a GPS; I could just focus on the cycling.
What’s next?
I am looking forward to learning more about the illegal wildlife trade at ‘Trade Off’, the annual conservation symposium. Like the elephant virus EEHV, the illegal wildlife trade is a global issue where we can all do something to make a difference.
