WHO
WE ARE
MEET THE TEAM.
Benfika
Femke den Haas
Warren Ellis
Director
Founder & Co-Director
Founder
Lorinda Jane
Founder
Monique Kauffmann
Resident Sponsorships & Admin
Our Founders.
What Connects us and drives us!
Ellis Park was founded by Warren Ellis, Femke den Haas and Lorinda Jane.
It all happened over a zoom meeting, connecting Warren in France, Lorinda in Australia and Femke in Indonesia.
Together, we have created a beautiful sanctuary in South Sumatra for disabled wildlife, who are victims of the illegal pet and wildlife trafficking trade (which is a multi billion dollar industry).
It just goes to show that amazing things can happen, when passionate people want to make a difference in the world.​
Warren Ellis
I was first introduced to Femke and her work with animal protection in Indonesia by my old mate Lorinda Jane in February 2021. Within the space of 30 seconds I knew I wanted to support Femke and her cause. I was blown away by what she has achieved, she is a force of nature.
It was the story and images of Rina the monkey with both arms amputated and a little dog with a broken jaw that made me want to help.
For a long time I have wanted to get involved with helping animals but was never sure where and what to do. Femke told me there was some land available next to her wildlife centre in South Sumatra, that would be ideal for a forever home for animals who are unable to be released back into the wild due to their injuries sustained from maltreatment by humans.
Eventually my family and I were able to purchase and donate the land to Jakarta Animal Aid Network.
​So it is with great pleasure we are able to announce the construction of Ellis Park wildlife sanctuary. A beautiful work in progress. Rina is the symbol of our sanctuary. Things need to be built and animals need to be healed and fed, you can help with building costs or by adopting a resident. The dream is to eventually extend, so we can house elephants and other large animals needing a forever home.
Please help if you can by donating and follow the growth of Ellis Park .
Femke den Haas
In 2002, Femke founded the Indonesian wildlife rescue center network. 2004 she founded Dutch organization Stichting JAAN (now renamed Wildlife Watchdogs) intercepting smugglers and stopping the illegal trade of wild animals from Sumatra. In 2008 Femke co-founded the Indonesian NGO Jakarta Animal Aid Network (otherwise known as JAAN), who are dedicated to improving the lives of Indonesia's animals.
Femke and her team also run the Sumatra Wildlife Center which is situated in the south of Sumatra. Here they can temporarily take care of all rescued animal species. The center is located along the main smuggling route and close to the port where the animals are illegally transported to Java then other parts of the world.
As the center has many animals rescued from the illegal trade circuit who are not releasable, there has been need to find a long term solution which is the wildlife sanctuary Ellis Park (2021).
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We have always needed a forever home for our wildlife with special needs, so Ellis Park is a dream come true.
Lorinda Jane
My younger years, I worked in the music industry as a venue booker, promoter and publicist. During that time I worked with Warren's bands, specifically the early years of the Dirty Three. We have been friends for around 35 years, but lost touch when he moved to Europe.
In 2013, after learning about the devastating impacts of palm oil production, I founded and organisation called Palm Oil Investigations, educating the public about products containing the oil and focusing on habitat destruction in Indonesia and species conservation efforts. This is how I first met Femke. We had worked together on a rescue mission to free a large Bornean Orangutan named Jono, a Bornean Sun Bear named Buddy and an infant Sumatran Orangutan named Otan.
Warren and I then reconnected after many years and he expressed interest in my conservation work. When he stated he wanted to do something substantial to help, I knew that connecting him with Femke would be the best opportunity for both of them.
I had watched Femke's incredible work for many years in absolute awe. She and her team would have to be one of the hardest working, under funded, charities I have ever known.
A small grassroots charity, that not only desperately needed funding, but also deserved it. So during an introduction via zoom meeting, Ellis Park was born.​​