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ZOO Education
Network ZEN
Zoo Outreach Organisation (www.zooreach.org)
is running its own educator's network named ZOO Education
Network ZENand the member represents from all
South Asian Countries. The total members are 250 at
present.
Zoo Outreach Organisation
is a member of WAZA and are guided by WAZA principles. WAZCS enjoins all
zoos and aquariums to support the protection of wildlife in
the wild in any meaningful way possible for them regardless of
their size or budget. For some zoos, the most immediate and
meaningful way to support protection of wildlife and its
habitat is through education. WZACS also makes a strong
argument for zoos partnering with other organizations to
enhance our effectiveness in protecting wildlife and habitat.
We
use CBSG workshops such as Conservation Assessment and
Management Plan (CAMP) and Population and Habitat Viability
Assessment (PHVA) to gather
and assess information which we use for education.
Z.O.O. and
W.I.L.D. host several important IUCN groups,
taxonomically-themed international NGO’s, focused on the more
neglected, highly speciose taxon groups, such as
Invertebrates, Amphibians, Reptiles, Bats, Rodents and
Insectivores, and Primates.
ZOO Education Network
ZEN
develops much educational material for all target groups,
making use of scientific facts about species and their
habitats from workshops we conduct involving indigenous
scientists. Due to postage and customs costs, we supply the
bulk of these materials to Indian educators, but take every
opportunity to load visitors from the zoos in South Asia
with materials to take back. We also send samples of
everything to all in the region and give permission for them
to use it as they require, in translation, modified more to
their country, culture etc.
To know more about How ZEN works, click on
"How
ZEN works"
To see ZOO Education Network ZEN members directory
"ZEN Directory"
Supply of
Education materials
Zoo Outreach
Organisation develops and distribute education materials to
its education network members and others during Earth Day,
World Environment Day, Wildlife Week and other special
occasions free
To
view the invitation, requirements and list and illustrations
of items we had on hand for this year’s programme click on
"Animal Welfare Fortnightly 2012 and Illustration of materials"
To see our
current education reports click on
"Education Reports"
To see some previous educators training programme reports
Educator Skills Training Programmes on Bears held in
Van Vihar National Park
and
Bannerghatta Biological Park
Report on Getting along with Elephants Educator Workshops
held in
West Bengal,
Nepal,
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
Sumatra,
Tamil Nadu and
Thailand
Report on
Linking Wildlife Conservation and Wildlife Welfare
Report on Intensive Educator Skills Training on Wildlife
Teaching
Education
Training Program for Meghalaya NGO
Teachers for Tigers workshop held in Nepal
Summary of Hoolock Gibbon Educators workshops held in Assam
The following
report is a bit about each country in our region:
Afghanistan
Kabul Zoo has an Education Officer, who conducts tours,
classes, school programmes and outreach visits. Mohammed
Fazil, the former education officer, had attended several
training courses and meetings conducted by Zoo Outreach
Organisation. Very recently the new education officer
Najibullah Nazary came to India for training and he was
trained by ZOO staff and visited few South Indian Zoos to
know much more about the education activities run by the
Indian zoos.
Bangladesh
There are about
nine zoos in Bangladesh of which two have some systematic
education programme or facilities. The Dulahazara Safari Park
has a museum, interpretation center and nicely painted bus to
take visitors around, as well as some handout literature.
The Dhaka Zoo
serves as a training center for all the zoos, very kindly
inviting all of them to any useful training programme
conducted at the zoo. For the past 3-4 years, ZOO has been
conducting informal programmes there for several zoos.
Bhutan
There is one mini-zoo in Bhutan with only one zoo officer.
He gives information to visitors when asked and sees to
signage.
ZEN
provides him with some educational material to use when he
speaks to school groups and other public functions.
Sri Lanka
All Zoological
institutions in Sri Lanka come under the Department of
National Zoological Gardens – Sri Lanka (DNZG). Last year the
Government of Sri Lanka created a Ministry of Zoological and
Botanical Gardens. Under this Ministry there are better
opportunities for progressive ideas and actions. In the same
year the zoo was awarded posts for 30 scientists graduates and
post Graduates from the University, of which 12 are being
utilized as educators. This is a singular event in the world
of which the entire South Asia is proud! ZOO has been invited
to conduct a zoo educator training for them specifically to
train in planning programmes, events and give presentations.
Nepal
Central Zoo is
the only real zoo in Nepal and, as such an excellent platform
for conservation education. The zoo has an audience of over a
million visitors a year, mostly from rural areas. They run 2
kinds of conservation education programes, those for members
of the highly successful (17,000 members) Friends of the Zoo
FOZ and walk-in visitor programmes. The zoo has networked over
150 school of Kathmandu valleys, establishing Eco clubs in 40
of these schools. FOZ programmes include elaborate functions
and even trips to wild areas. Visitor programmes include
guides for school groups booking in advance, hand-outs,
interpretation center, etc. The zoo also conducts teacher
training programmes frequently. In 2000 ZOO conducted an 8
day regional zoo educator training course at Nepal for zoos of
South Asia, and in 2003 assisted in a two-day training for
teachers.
Pakistan
Pakistan has
about 26 wild animal facilities of which two have education
programmes, Karachi Zoo and Lahore Zoo. Karachi Zoo conducts
special visitor programmes with the schools on special days
appropriate to celebrating wildlife. They have a
well-furnished museum and facilities for group functions in
their Mogul Garden.
Lahore Zoo runs
a number of programmes and conducts evaluation for knowing the
impact of their education and training programmes with
comparative assessments, surveys and questionnaires,
observation of visitor’s behavior, donation records and
response to pledges and petitions as well as record of media
coverage and teacher feedback on formal programme. Bushra
Khan, Education Officer of Lahore Zoo, is the
Education Representative for the ZOO Education Network
ZEN.
India
India has 159
zoos all of which come under the auspices of the Central Zoo
Authority. Over half a dozen zoos now have education cells
and close to a dozen posts for education officer. In India
the Central Zoo Authority has formed a Steering Committee to
prepare a protocol for zoo education, with Master Plan
guidelines, Visitor survey protocol and other helpful
material. The renowned Centre for Environmental Education,
the nodal government specialist on environmental education is
the focal point and coordinator for this important activity.
Zoo Outreach Organisation / SAN-IZE assisted over 200 zoos and
other organisations and individuals to conduct education in
zoos and other public venues with our packets, posters, report
summaries, drama kits, t-shirts, etc. In the year 2006 ZOO
distributed 40,065 packets, 17,600 posters, 3200 booklets on
diverse topics such as WZACS, primates, animal welfare, plants
for life, herptiles, bats, rodents, hoolocks, bears, etc. Zoo
Outreach organized 11 teacher training workshops, 5 refresher
courses, and 1 advanced training in 2 countries, educating 345
participants in how to teach wildlife conservation better.
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