Youths keep an eye on animals in danger

Young people involved in the Environmental Education Centre’s “Fighting Extinction” project recently shared their experiences from the past year spent working to help save five animal species from the brink.

Actors Alex Rendell and Jarinporn Junkiet founded the EEC a year ago and were pleased to offer the public some viable results at the EmQuartier’s Toyota Imax Theatre.

The project teaches youngsters about the environment through camping excursions, with the focus on conservation. Five groups were organised to study different animals on the edge of extinction – the goatlike goral, Kitti’s hognosed bat, the dugong, the leatherback sea turtle and the whale shark.

The participants had some expert guidance from specialists in the fields of endangered species and conservation, including veterinarian Boripat Siriaroonrat and Irish Ambassador Brendan Rogers.

“It’s not just young people – I hope to see everyone become more involved in the conservation of animals and nature,” Rendell said.

“Animals can’t speak for themselves, so we have these young people seriously studying them with guidance from specialists and experienced staff. And what the children present here today will show others what makes the animals endangered and the extent to which man is destroying nature.”

Anyone interested in participating can visit http://EECThailand.com.