Zoo Fair held in observance of World Wildlife Day 2022
In observance of World Wildlife Day this year, the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) conducted a Zoo Fair for selected secondary schools at the Hyde Park Zoo, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.
Secondary school children at the Zoo Fair
Every year on March 3, World Wildlife Day is celebrated. This date marks the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). As the designated CITES Management Authority for Guyana, part of the GWCMC’s functions is to execute activities to observe World Wildlife Day.
The fair this year’s was themed: “Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration”. Four students and one teacher from Soesdyke Secondary, Covent Garden Secondary, Dora Secondary, and Friendship Secondary attended the fair. Students had an opportunity to learn about the importance of wildlife and efforts for their conservation through games and interactive presentations.
Students expressed excitement and appreciation for being able to see and interact with real wild animals. They also indicated they learnt a lot about wildlife, specifically the diet, behaviours, and importance of animals such as the tapir, giant anteater, jaguar, puma, harpy eagle, and various species of monkeys and snakes. One of the major takeaways intimated was that there was no need to fear wildlife but they all need to be preserved. (G2)
