Francesca Bandoli, Eleonora Angelini, Veronica Rastelli

Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia, Italy

Can Brown Bears Link Can Brown Bears Link Education and Education and Conservation?Conservation?

WHY BEARS?WHY BEARS?Bears are part of our history and cultureBears are part of our history and culture

Pistoia province was a “Bear Pistoia province was a “Bear Country”: bears were present in Country”: bears were present in Northern Tuscany until the XVIII Northern Tuscany until the XVIII century and…century and…

……a Brown bear, which is called a Brown bear, which is called “Micco”, is the coat of arms of our “Micco”, is the coat of arms of our town! town!

Abruzzo (Italy): the Marsican brown Abruzzo (Italy): the Marsican brown bear (bear (Ursus arctos Ursus arctos marsicanusmarsicanus), an ), an endemic and critically endemic and critically endangered subspicies endangered subspicies

Abruzzo (Italy): the Marsican brown Abruzzo (Italy): the Marsican brown bear (bear (Ursus arctos Ursus arctos marsicanusmarsicanus), an ), an endemic and critically endemic and critically endangered subspicies endangered subspicies

AIMS OF THE PROJECTAIMS OF THE PROJECT

To let schoolchildren learn about To let schoolchildren learn about the Marsican brown bear and the Marsican brown bear and conservation issuesconservation issues

To support conservation of the To support conservation of the Marsican brown bearMarsican brown bear

To raise funds to compensate farmers To raise funds to compensate farmers for damage caused by wild bears for damage caused by wild bears

TARGET AND ORGANIZATIONTARGET AND ORGANIZATION

Participation ofParticipation of 3838 classes with a total classes with a total of of 950950 children from 4 to 11 years old children from 4 to 11 years old

4 steps:4 steps:

1)Teacher training1)Teacher training

2)Educational activity by teachers2)Educational activity by teachers

3)Educational activity by Zoo 3)Educational activity by Zoo educatorseducators2 lessons at school (duration 1,5h)2 lessons at school (duration 1,5h)

4)Fund raising at Pistoia Zoo4)Fund raising at Pistoia Zoo

TEACHER TRAININGTEACHER TRAINING

Organization of a teacher training courseOrganization of a teacher training course

Creation of team-work to improve Creation of team-work to improve the outcome of the projectthe outcome of the project

CHILDRECHILDRENN

CONSERVATION CONSERVATION EDUCATIONEDUCATION

TEACHERSTEACHERS

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY BY TEACHERS BY TEACHERS

How do children imagine bears?How do children imagine bears?

How bears are presented in tales, How bears are presented in tales, novels and movies?novels and movies?

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY BY ZOO EDUCATORS BY ZOO EDUCATORS

Interactive exhibition at schoolInteractive exhibition at school

Use of animal derivativesUse of animal derivatives

Role-playing game to learn about animals’ ecological role

Conservation issues: hands-on activities to discover how to study and protect bears

Cooperation with the Abruzzo National ParkCooperation with the Abruzzo National Park

Contact between children and Contact between children and researchers Twinning between researchers Twinning between

Pistoia and ANP schoolsPistoia and ANP schools

Link between Education Link between Education and and In-situIn-situ Conservation Conservation

Math

English

BEARS BECAME PART OF EVERY BEARS BECAME PART OF EVERY SUBJECT!SUBJECT!

TAKE ACTION!TAKE ACTION!FUND RAISING AT PISTOIA ZOOFUND RAISING AT PISTOIA ZOO

GadgetsGadgets

GamesGames

SongsSongs

Drama Drama showsshows

Children as educatorsChildren as educators

Researchers from ANPResearchers from ANP

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

The educational programme made it The educational programme made it possible:possible:

– to increase schoolchildren’s and visitors’ to increase schoolchildren’s and visitors’ awareness of the Marsican brown bear awareness of the Marsican brown bear and conservation issues and conservation issues

– to take action for conservation to take action for conservation supporting the ANP and raising funds supporting the ANP and raising funds for damage compensation for damage compensation

– to link Pistoia Zoo, Schools, Research to link Pistoia Zoo, Schools, Research and and In-situIn-situ Conservation Conservation

WHAT’S NEW IN 2009?WHAT’S NEW IN 2009?EAZA European Carnivore EAZA European Carnivore CampaignCampaign

WHAT’S NEW IN 2009?WHAT’S NEW IN 2009?300300

schoolchildren!schoolchildren!

Thank you!Thank you!