Radio personality and comedian Rove McManus will go undercover this month to help Taronga Zoo raise much needed funds to save endangered species.
Rove will host the wild and glamorous Taronga Masquerade Ball on Thursday, June 16, at Sydney Town Hall. Joining him will be more than 200 guests donning spectacular animal-inspired masks to celebrate and support Taronga’s dedication to preserving the world’s “Vanishing Species”, the theme of the evening.
Rove will be joined by comedian Jean Kittson and TV presenter Amber Sherlock, who are all Taronga Centenary Ambassadors, as well as business and community leaders.
“I’m very excited to be hosting the Taronga Masquerade Ball,” Rove said. “It allows me the opportunity to support the Zoo and the conservation work it does.”
Rove will don one of 60 masks created by students from the TAFE Design Centre at Enmore. A great white shark mask, designed by Ashfield resident Aaron Oblea, will help take the bite out of Taronga Foundation’s fundraising goal with 100% of mask sales going to the Zoo.
Masks are for sale at galabid.com/tarongadinner, alongside priceless silent auction experiences including swimming with seals, an intimate dinner party with Taronga’s Asian elephants, and the ultimate Taronga New Year’s Eve party.
In its centenary year, Taronga is committing 10 years of support to 10 critical species. Five of them, including the platypus and the bilby, are native to Australia; five, including the Asian Elephant and the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger and Sumatran Rhino, face extinction in Sumatra – a hugely important area of biodiversity right on Australia’s doorstep.
About The Taronga Foundation: The organisation raises funds to support Taronga’s priorities, including capital redevelopment, scientific research, breeding, and education programs. The Taronga Foundation also supports conservation efforts for endangered species in Australia and around the world. The Taronga Foundation has contributed more than $73 million to priority projects since 2000.
For gala tickets and masks visit www.taronga.org.au
Media Contacts: Mark Williams, Taronga Zoo Media Relations Manager (02) 9978 4607 Karen Eck for Taronga Zoo Foundation (02) 8570 5555
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