As a part of a continued effort towards conservation, Last Wilderness Foundation conducts awareness programs related to wildlife conservation in rural and urban schools.
-On 21 March 2013, Last Wilderness Foundation conducted an awareness session for students of Manav Mandir School in Mumbai. The students were divided into two batches. Students from classes 1&2 were shown a presentation on Animals and their young ones. The students’ curiosity was enlivened by the pictures of the animals in their various habitats and they eagerly asked questions and mimicked animal calls too. They wanted to know the difference between tigers and leopards, why flamingos have long legs and kingfishers, long beaks.
A presentation on the biodiversity of India and the Royal Bengal tiger was conducted for students from classes 4&6. Through this they learned about the importance of the tiger and its role in the ecosystem. This piqued their attention which resulted in a lively discussion about the maneaters, importance of zoos and other relevenat aspects of conservation.
-On 29 August 2012, Last Wilderness Foundation conducted an awareness session for the students ofRustomjee Cambridge International School. Two, separate sessions were conducted for the students who were from different classes.
The younger lot, who comprised 321 children from Grades I and II, were shown a presentation on birds and their importance in the environment. They were excited, to say the least. We also told them about the different birds found in Mumbai as well as the need to conserve them. While they readily offered their own tidbits of information on birds such as, “Miss, the parrot eats chillies!”, they also gave us a patient yet enthusiastic hearing. We were delighted and encouraged at their interest and curiosity.
The students from Grade VI, who were 75 in number, were shown a presentation on tigers which was followed by a screening of ‘The Truth About Tigers’. During the interactive session, the children were eager to actively take part in tiger conservation. Their comprehension of the gravity of the situation as well as the methods to address the conflict was visible in the words of one child who piped up, “We should not kill poachers, for they are trying to earn money as well. Instead we should provide them with alternative job opportunities !” With a response such as this, we were convinced that the tiger’s is certainly not a lost cause!
-On 28 August 2012, Last Wilderness Foundation conducted a presentation on the Royal Bengal tiger for students of Grade VII from Aditya Birla World Academy. We were greeted by a room-full of enthusiastic children, all of whom were eager to learn about the tiger and the need to save it. After the presentation, we screened the movie, Truth About Tigers by Shekhar Dattatri, for them, which was followed by a discussion on how to save the tiger. We were thrilled with the enthusiasm with which the students participated in the session. Their questions and comments, which rallied around how to save the tiger, were curious yet thought-provoking. Much to our delight, they asked for a copy of the presentation and the movie, as they wanted to spread awareness in their own capacity. This session was followed by a quiz, wherein the students were asked questions about the presentation. Needless to say, the response was encouraging!
– On June 11 2012, Last Wilderness Foundation conducted presentations for about 480 students ofWalsingham House School, Mumbai. Children from classes I & II were taken through a presentation on Leopards and its conservation value while another children from classes III & IV were taken through a presentation on the Royal Bengal Tiger and its importance to human beings. During both the sessions, the children were taught about the biological and conservation-related aspects of both animals. They were made to understand the animal in relation to its biology and natural surroundings as well as relevant conservation issues pertaining to it. The interaction sessions saw lively and active participation from all quarters; the sessions ended with the students showing great interest in their roles in the conservation of these animals and of wildlife in general.
– On 3 April, 2012, a presentation on the Royal Bengal Tiger and the issues related to its conservation was conducted by Last Wilderness Foundation for a group of 157 students, between the ages of 5-6 years, of NES International School. The presentation was followed by a an interactive session during which the participants asked questions about the tiger and its conservation. They also deliberated on how they could contribute to conservation, in their capacity as students and concerned citizens.
– On 14 March 2012, Last Wilderness Foundation conducted awareness sessions about the tiger and its conservation at Shree English international School, Borivili, Mumbai. Around 200 students from classes 1-9 attended the session which was conducted in two batches. The first batch comprised students from classes 5-9. The movie, ‘Truth About Tigers’ by Shekhar Dattatri was screened. Students from classes 1-4 were part of the second batch. LWF conducted a presentation on the tiger, its role in nature and its link with man.
Both sessions were followed by interactive discussions with the students, who asked questions and expressed their opinions and ideas about the tiger and conservation.
– In October 2011, presentations were made at DSB International and Aditya Birla World Academy, on ‘The Royal Bengal Tiger’ which included tiger behaviour and its importance in the ecosystem along with emphasis on how can we help save it. The target group included children from KG till class 10. These sessions were followed by a quiz and questions. The children enjoyed learning about different animals and the role we can play in their conservation.
Some of the sessions also included the screening of the movie ‘The Truth about Tigers’ by film-maker Shekar Dattatri.
If you would like to organise these sessions for your school, please contact us at:conservation@thelastwilderness.org