8 August 2019: The Financial Times has chosen the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the international conservation charity, as its 2019/20 Seasonal Appeal charity partner. With the illegal global wildlife trade reaching unprecedented levels, the FT Appeal will shine a light on ZSL’s groundbreaking efforts to detect, deter and disrupt wildlife trafficking and to work with local communities, business and governments to reduce poverty and protect species under threat.

The FT Seasonal Appeal increases awareness of a chosen charity each year through dedicated editorial coverage of its work. Charity partners are selected by the FT’s Seasonal Appeal Committee (consisting of senior staff across editorial), and readers and corporate partners are encouraged to donate. FT appeals have raised more than £18 million for charities over the last decade.

Roula Khalaf, FT deputy editor and head of the seasonal appeal committee, said: “The Financial Times is delighted to work with ZSL for this year’s seasonal appeal. With wildlife increasingly under threat around the world, FT journalists will highlight the charity’s work to fight an illegal trade worth over $20 billion a year.”’

Dominic Jermey, ZSL Director General, said: “With support from the FT, we can step up our fight against one of the biggest threats to wildlife today. It’s not just elephants, rhinos and tigers being driven to the brink of extinction, but seahorses and salamanders are under pressure too. In partnership, ZSL and the FT can share stories of communities on the front line, shine a spotlight on species in crisis and push the illegal wildlife trade to the top of the business, social and political agendas. We are delighted to have been chosen and cannot wait for the appeal to begin.” 

Coverage from last year’s Seasonal Appeal can be found on FT.com. For further information about ZSL, visit www.zsl.org.

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For more information, please contact: seasonalappeal@ft.com 

About the Financial Times
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community.

About ZSL
ZSL (Zoological Society of London) is an international conservation charity working to create a world where wildlife thrives. From investigating the health threats facing animals to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, ZSL is committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction. Our work is realised through our ground-breaking science, our field conservation around the world and engaging millions of people through our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. For more information, visit www.zsl.org.