Here is an update on our friend Achi who is biking his legs off for our BC wildlife. Any monies he raises goes directly to the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter in Smithers. He was interviewed by telephone on Tues am by Global's Lynn Collier and Steve Darling. Besides donations, this brings important exposure to wildlife rehabbing in BC. Most provinces do not provide for their injuried and orphaned large mammals like deer, moose, large cats and bears etc.
Achi will be on Global TV News again Thurs morning (Sept 8) between 8am and 8:30am to update everyone on his progress. He is on a mountain bike, has no cell phone and is by himself. He is camping en route and he says it is getting cold late afternoon and evening.
Here's his bio:Joachim Treptow (aka Achi)

Hi!

I’m Joachim Treptow and I’m the „founder“ of BikeforBears.

I’m currently studying forestry at the Technical University of Munich. As part of my curriculum I need to do an internship relating to this field of study, which I’ll be doing at the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter. After completing this internship I’ll have a bachelor’s degree, which I will use to go on and study resource management.

As long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for animals; how to help and protect them and their habitat. At the young age of 7, I was already active in environmental initiatives directed at saving frogs and turtles in our neighborhood, and building nests for bats and birds. I’ve also been able to collect some experience in the biking arena. In June 2000 I biked alone from Lethbridge, Alberta in western Canada through Vancouver and Seattle to San Francisco in sunny California, for a total distance of 3022 Kilometers. During this time I learned all about “roughing it” and taking care of myself in some pretty interesting situations.

My goal is to collect as much money as possible for the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter. The work they do at the shelter is extremely important, but like many crucial organizations, they lack the necessary funding. The shelter’s activities are solely financed through donations and through the private funds of the owners. I would like to contribute to their efforts and make it possible for them to help rehabilitate more injured animals that can later be released into the wild.

I’m highly motivated and believe in the shelter’s mission. I hope that I’m able to convince enough people to donate just 15 dollars to support this project. That’s why I’m calling on all friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbors, animal rights activists, environmental protectionists, nature lovers, and all others to:

Support the bears and me by donating! It’s for a good cause!www.bikeforbears.com