Students showing the pangolin story in their text book

World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in February every year and this year it was on 15 February 2014. The main objective of this day is to raise awareness about pangolins conservation and draw people’s attention towards its plight and halt illegal wildlife trade.

WPD introduced to the students

Watching video on pangolins

Zoo Outreach Organization conducted awareness programme at Vadivelampalayam Government Middle School, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Fifty students studying 7 and 8 class (aged 12-13) attended. They were explained about the kinds of pangolins, taxonomy, distribution & habitat, diet, behaviour, threats and conservation status, and the need to save them from illegal wildlife trade. They were shown photographs of pangolins and ‘Meet the Pangolin’ video. Though they live near its habitat nobody never had seen this animal. But there is a story about Pangolin in their textbook called ‘The Anteater and the Dassie’ in which it is portrayed as a good animal. So, we linked the programme with the curriculum. They did not believe when they heard people eat its meat, the scales used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and skin is used to make leather handbags, belts and wallets. In the end, they were asked to report us if they or their parents see this animal.

ZOO'S PRINT March 2014.