by : Kurnia Ahmaddin
camping and introduction about wildlife conservation to students
The swaraowa team has carried out a series of visits to schools and villages around the gibbon habitat, during the period from May to October 2023 :
Senior High School ( SMA 1 Ma’arif Doro)
On May 30 2023, swaraowa visited SMA 1 Ma’arif, in Doro District, together with the supervising teacher and approximately 50 students, we introduced primates and other wildlife, especially wild birds, in the Sokokembang forest, which is only approximately 25 km from this school. This activity is packaged in a classroom atmosphere and field practice for observing bird species around the school.
introducing wildlife watching to kids
Children at Sokokembang village
On August 27 2023, SwaraOwa together with postgraduate Biology students at Gadjah Mada University held an exploration activity entitled “Learning closer to nature”. This activity is aimed at elementary school students in Sokokembang Hamlet, Kayupuring Village, Sokokembang, Petungkriyono. The aim of this activity is to increase children’s awareness of the forest and the surrounding environment. There are three main objects for exploration, namely birds, butterflies and dragonflies.
The complete report on this activity can be read here: https://swaraowa.blogspot.com/2023/09/school-eksplorasi-ke-1.html
group photo with students participants SMA 1 Batang
Senior High School ( SMA 1 Batang)
On September 30 and October 1, the swaraOwa team carried out conservation education activities for the nature lover group Gasmapala senior high school SMA 1 Batang. Located in Welo Asri, Kayupuring village there are 33 students accompanied by 4 teachers. The aim of this activity is to introduce wild animals and provide the basics of techniques for observing wild animals, especially primates and birds.
The event on the first day included class presentations and discussions, then students became increasingly curious about the wildlife in the Petungkriyono forest. Responding to students’ curiosity, on the second day from 7.30 to 11.00, we and the students observed wildlife around Welo Asri. We divided the team into 4, with the help of Welo Asri’s friends, we accompanied them while conducting observations in the field. At the end of the session, as usual, students are given assignments to present to each group. The results of the students’ presentations were quite good in explaining the physical characteristics of the animals they encountered, starting from the Javan Langur (Trachypithecus auratus) and several types of birds, namely Pelangi Pentis (Prionochilus percussus), Fire-flowered Chili (Dicaeum trigonostigma) and Kutilang Cucak (Pycnonotus aurigaster). Finally, suggestions from SMA 1 Batang teachers are that they hope that every semester there will be joint activities with Swaraowa.
This school visit activity is not only intended to disseminate conservation messages to school-age children, but also serves as a means of increasing the team’s capacity and increasing experience in communicating conservation activities to school children. Our team also involves local residents who usually take part in research or monitoring activities, they become direct companions for the children, most of whom are also their neighbors. reducing the feelings of shy among kidswho are usually not to brave to interact directly with people they don’t know, for the team of local residents at least this motivates them to do something for the village and the people closest to them in the school environment.