“Owls Eat Rats” wins Taronga’s conservation award

The Taronga Conservation Society through support from LG have announced the winner of their Hatch: Taronga Accelerator Program for 2025 at an event held at Taronga Zoo Sydney.

Now in its fifth year, Hatch is designed to help environmental entrepreneurs and to support innovators who are tackling significant environmental issues affecting the planet

Taronga Conservation Society Australia CEO, Cameron Kerr AO, and moderator of the 2025 Hatch pitch event said: “We were incredibly impressed by the calibre of this year’s Hatch cohort. Each of the start-up founders offered thoughtful and practical solutions to some of the most urgent environmental challenges—from rescuing surplus food and reducing packaging waste, to restoring degraded land and reforming the floristry industry for a more sustainable future”

Six teams of what they dubbed “ecopreneurs” delivered their pitches and the organisation that was announced as the major winner was “Owls Eat Rats” who are based in the Northern Rivers of NSW

Owls Eat Rats, founded by Alastair Duncan, whose aim is to eliminate the use of pesticides specifically designed to kill rodents like rats, are achieving this objective by supporting Barn Owl populations as a natural, long-term solution for rodent control in agriculture

Since its inception the Hatch Accelerator Program has granted almost half a million dollars in funding and for their efforts and their continual commitment Owls Eat Rats won a $50,000 grant to assist them in their quest.

Cameron Kerr AO, CEO of Taronga Conservation Society Australia, said “Taronga is driven by its vision to secure a shared future for wildlife and people and Hatch continues to bring us closer to making that vision a reality. LG’s partnership is a clear demonstration of their commitment to protecting our precious environment”

Gemma Lemieux, LG Electronics Marketing Director ANZ, said “At LG, we believe Life’s Good when we Do Good, and our partnership with Taronga’s Hatch program is how we’re helping create a better life for all”

Winner of the LG Life’s Good Award earning themselves $5,000 to their cause was ALBON, an organisation addressing water pollution, carbon emissions and soil degradation by converting industrial and agricultural waste into valuable resources

Congratulations go to all the participants for doing their bit to make the world just that little bit more sustainable