Educational classes on Persian leopard conservation for school children around Bamu National Park

Biodiversity bureau of Plan for the Land Society organized workshops for children ages 10-14 in villages around Bamu National Park as part of activities of Persian leopard Project.

Bamu National Park is one of the oldest known habitats of Persian leopard in Iran which is suffering from poaching and landscape fragmentation these days and the population of leopard is on verge of extinction in that park.

During the workshops children were informed on the values of the Bamu National Park and its biodiversity and discussed the conservation solutions in cooperation with Fars province offices of Department of Environment and Ministry of Education. The programme was organized from 3rd to 13th of May in 24 elementary and guidance schools for young boys and girls in 10 villages and 35 workshops by 8 teachers of Plan for the Land Society. Duration of each class was around 120 minutes and was consisted of 4 phases, making the first contact, information on wildlife, Persian leopard and Bamu National Park, its threats and children duties regarding these issues. During workshops we used powerpoint presentations, nature sounds, educational booklets, bags and call for a future festival as tools for motivating youngsters. Rufford Small Grants Foundation (UK), Dutch Zoo Conservation Fund (The Netherlands) and Alifard company producer of Sunich fruit-juices were the sponsors of this event.