In the last year the Greater Madidi-Tambopata Landscape Conservation Program, implemented by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has undertaken various activities to disseminate scientific knowledge about wildlife in the Municipal Zoo “Vesty Pakos” of the city of La Paz, as well as training zoo staff in areas of biology and veterinary medicine.
This year environmental education activities were carried out by Guido Ayala, Maria Viscarra and Andres Ramirez with students from different schools. These activities consisted of outdoor educational talks about the wild mammals of Bolivia: their biology, ecology and habitat needs, the threats they face and the importance of their conservation. Also, games were organized with maps, information panels, pictures, videos and other materials such as masks representing some wild animals, in order to strengthen children’s interest and knowledge.
So far 11 schools have participated, with an estimated 1,300 students, plus teachers and other visitors that were on the zoo on those days. Basic but novel information was provided to the children; in many cases the animals presented were unknown to the majority. Activities also helped to generate awareness among them about the importance of wildlife conservation as part of the country's natural heritage.
WCS plans to continue these educational activities at the zoo to reach more children and young people, providing information about mammals from La Paz and elsewhere in Bolivia. These activities also strengthen the outreach work carried out by the zoo, introducing scientific content into the information they provide on Bolivian wildlife.