The rural area between San Pedro and Santa Rosa, in Misiones,
was designated an Important Bird Area (IBA). In Argentina, it is
the only IBA outside of a park with so many globally threatened
and near-threatened birds. To conserve these birds and other
endangered species, we visit 15 rural schools in this Important
Bird Area, with a total of over 800 students.
During each visit, we lead different activities with the
students, sometimes separated according to age. During, or at
the end of each activity, there is a time for reflection and
discussion.
First round of visits (2007). Aim: differentiate wild
animals, that must live in the forest, from domestic animals,
that can be pets.
Puppet show. A hunter attempts to capture a
Vinaceous Amazon. A park ranger
catches him in the act. The animals explain that the parrot
needs to be in its natural habitat or its species will
become extinct. After a long search, the parrot finds a
tree cavity to nest in. But the
Red-breasted Toucan can’t find a cavity for his nest, so he
steals the
parrot’s cavity. Their fight is
interrupted by an Araucaria, who
offers the toucan a cavity to nest
in.
Pasa Pasa and Memotest. The children classify cut-outs
of native animals into wild and domestic. With the children
acting as Vinaceous Amazons, we act
out a scenario where each of us captures one or two parrots
to take home and to give to relatives. As the flock of
parrots gets smaller and smaller, the children discuss what
happens to the parrots if everyone takes one as a pet.
Photo presentation. For teenagers, we give a brief talk
about our field work and results
Second Round of Visits (2007-2008). Aim: promote a
harmonious coexistence between children and wild animals, with
the idea that wild animals are their neighbours.
Puppet show. A boy is out hunting birds when he finds a baby
Brown Howling Monkey, which he takes home and puts in a
cage. The mother monkey desperately looks for her baby with
the help of the Vinaceous Amazon and the Red-breasted
Toucan. The animals speak whistfully of the jaguar, tapir,
and Black-fronted Piping-Guan, species that no longer occur
in the area. The boy listens to the animals and consults
with the audience, then eventually gives the monkey back to
its mother.
Putting together the forest. The children colour pictures of
wild and domestic animals and plants, and assemble a farm with
forest. Meanwhile, they discuss the resources that the forest
provides on a farm.
Jig-saw puzzle. The children put together a puzzle with the
image of a farm with forest and many native and domestic
animals. We reflect on how different pieces of the puzzle are
needed to make the farm work. § Photo presentation. We show
images of different animals and ask children what they know
about these species and their relatives, to promote a discussion
about native animals.
Third round of visits (2008-2009). Aim: to deepen
children’s knowledge and interest in the biology and
conservation of threatened species, many of which depend on
specific habitats.
Puppet show. An ornithologist is looking for birds in
the forest, and finds a Vinaceous Amazon with its chick
nearly ready to fledge. They hear a noise they’ve never
heard before, and see a strange animal. It is crying. The
strange animal says he is a White-bearded Antshrike, and he
is crying because his home – a bamboo stand – burnt down and
he has nowhere to go and nothing to eat. The parrot offers
him an Araucaria seed but it is too hard for his bill. The
Red-breasted Toucan arrives, and offers him a parrot
nestling, but it is too big for the White-bearded Antshrike
and it escapes. The White-bearded Antshrike explains he can
only eat insects, and only in yatevo bamboo (Guadua
trinii). The toucan takes him to some bamboo, but it is
the wrong species and the White-bearded Antshrike can’t live
there. Finally, with help from the audience, the toucan and
White-bearded Antshrike find out about nearby stands of
yatevo and the White-bearded Antshrike settles there.
Plasticine. The smallest children make local forest
animals from plasticine and put together a diorama of the
forest and its animals, in the habitats they need (monkeys
and parrots in the trees, frogs in the creek).
Animal Bingo. Each bingo card has drawings of
interactions between an animal or person and some other
element in the ecosystem (e.g., Araucaria Tit-Spinetail
catching insects in Paraná Pine; girl getting water from
spring). When each interaction is selected, children with
that interaction mark it on their card, and everyone
discusses aspects of the interaction and how we can conserve
both parts.
