17、Five Steps to Establishing an Engaging Student Wildlife Conservation Program – Learn, Rear and Release Animals

 

Leong　Carl

Ocean Park Hong Kong

 

A Chinese proverb says, “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” Establishing an education program that highly involves students to conduct both in-situ and ex-situ wildlife conservation is not an easy task, but is definitely rewarding to both participants and nature.

With the experience gained over the past four years, Carl will share with you a successful program, “The Juvenile Horseshoe Crab Rearing Program,” which has already involved over a thousand students in rearing and releasing a local endangered horseshoe crab species. The Program has demonstrated how educators and conservationists help interpret scientific knowledge and work together to create a favorable and unique experience for students to engage in animal conservation work. He will also provide practical suggestions on how to establish similar programs - 1) choose the right animals for rearing; 2) select the right schools to join; 3) equip students for taking care of animals; 4) mobilize students for wide spread conservation messages; 5) learn, improve and continue the program.