Awesome Six-Year-Old Raises Over $1000 to Save Critically Endangered Orange-Bellied Parrots

When six-year-old Abigail Court visited Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park in Australia last year, she learned about the plight of the Orange-bellied Parrot. Orange-bellied Parrots are a beautiful species that sadly now has a very small population of fewer than 70 individuals in the wild. Understandably, Abigail was upset to learn the sad news.

So naturally, she did what any animal lover would do, she helped. After talking about it with her Mom, Abigail decided she wanted to raise money for Moonlight Sanctuary’s work to help the Orange-bellied Parrot. She not only ran a fundraiser with her girl guide group, she also spoke with her local Salvation Army team, and gave a speech at her school, Bayswater West Primary School. Wow!

Abigail’s dedication paid off because she amazingly raised over $1,000 ($1002.70 to be exact!) to go towards the Orange-bellied Parrots Conservation, which she generously donated to Moonlit Sanctuary! Here she is admiring one of her feathered friends at the sanctuary. 

Abigail’s Mom was struck by how passionate her daughter became about the birds, saying “She was fascinated by them — she didn’t want them to land on her but she loved looking at them.” With Moonlight Sanctuary breeding the parrots to release them back into the wild, Abigail’s donation will be used to pay for vet expenses and tests that need to be done before the birds are released.

It’s amazing that at only six years old, Abigail is so committed to a cause. With kids like Abigail in the world, the future is looking bright.

Studies find that the earlier a child can begin volunteering, the better. And volunteering with animals can make the impact even stronger. Animal shelters across the world are desperate for help with taking care of the thousands of homeless animals they care for. You can call your local animal shelter and ask about kid-friendly volunteer activities they may offer. If they don’t already have a program set up, don’t fret! There are tons of ways to become an active animal volunteer with children of all ages.

Image source: Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park/Facebook