Roar Trip update: Epic drive from Kerala to Cannes hits the ground roaring
Gautom Menon and Paul George set off on their Roar Trip from Kerala to Cannes on July 27 to raise money for tiger conservation.
The duo’s drive halfway across the world seeks to boost awareness of tiger conservation in southern India, raising vital funds along the way.
The Roar Trip is an epic journey from Kerala to Cannes, across 25,000km, through 25 countries, in 65 days.
Flagging off from the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala on July 27, Gautom Menon and Paul George will drive through India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Estonia and other European countries, to complete their trip in Cannes, France.
An initiative by the Wild Tiger Foundation, a non-profit founded by Indian travel retail entrepreneur Gautom Menon, the Roar Trip aims to bring global attention to the endangered tiger.
Striped Indian vehicle
Onboard an Indian vehicle, a striped Tata Hexa SUV, the two wildlife enthusiasts will drive through Asia and Europe, making pit stops at wildlife reserves, Indian embassies and prominent locations.
Over this 25-country Roar Trip, the crew will connect with fellow conservationists, the media and local people to promote awareness through roadshows and instant pop-ups.
“With less than 4,000 of these majestic creatures in the wild and perhaps fewer than 2,200 in India, it is our time to act,” said Menon. “Wild Tiger Foundation aims at raising awareness on the tiger’s rapidly shrinking numbers, its depleting habitat, and the constant threats from poachers, human-tiger conflict and the illegal wildlife trade.”
The drive will help raise funds to support on-ground wildlife conservation efforts in southern India. The funds will equip what Menon calls “our unsung heroes”, the anti-poaching watchers and forest guards, help educate local communities, support cutting-edge wildlife research and activate conservation models in and around two tiger reserves, Parambikulam in Kerala and Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu.
Worldwide support
Wild Tiger Foundation is guided in its conservation and protection efforts by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).
“The Roar Trip is an ambitious initiative to help transform tiger conservation around the world positively. We have garnered support from organizations across the globe: Tata Motors, Pirelli, Amaron, Taj Safaris, Skross, The Moodie Davitt Report, Crocodile, Dubai Duty Free, Concourse display, Buckley London, JBL by Harman, Bravo Fashion, Cosper Distribution, Skyroam and Surgitizer, who will all help us hit the ground roaring.”
Gautom Menon, the founder of India’s first premium artisanal rum, Wild Tiger, is enthused by the support the Roar Trip has received. “The planning for the drive started over a year ago; we are thrilled to have the support of these innovative and yet responsible brands who have embraced our purpose. We aim to raise close to US$100,000 in donations through the Roar Trip campaign’s efforts.”
Along the way, the Roar Crew will be flagged off by Indian Ambassadors and by supporting partners and wildlife organizations.
The trip will end in Cannes in early October, making this 25,000km odyssey the first of its kind for the cause of tiger conservation.
Make a donation
Follow the journey with regular Roar Trip updates on www.roartrip.in, and for those wishing to make a donation: http://www.wildtigerfoundation.com/donation
Follow the trail on social media: Facebook.com/wildtigerfoundation; Instagram – roartripwtf; and Twitter – roartripWTF.
Wild Tiger Foundation (WTF) is a registered non-profit trust headquartered in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It is a CSR initiative powered by Wild Tiger Indian Rum and its founder Gautom Menon.
WTF is dedicated to the conservation and protection of the tiger and its habitat, primarily in the States of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
