BioEd – Environmental Science Program Encourages Conservation of Native Fauna

Session 2 of Landcare NT's Environmental Science program brought Zac the Northern Brushtail Possum and Bapi the Northern Carpet Python into classrooms to inspire students with a strong message about the importance of active stewardship for our native fauna.

The BioEd program, facilitating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) collaborations between local environmental scientists and Primary Schools, added interactive native flora and fauna education to the curriculum for 11 schools in the Palmerston/Litchfield area during Semester 2, 2024.

By providing expert guest speakers to interact with students and teachers, the program aims to foster a culture of environmental responsibility and develop an inter-generational commitment to active stewardship for a sustainable future.

Through interactive learning experiences, students gained an understanding of the importance of native flora, fauna, and biodiversity, as well as the importance of restoring and preserving the diversity and health of their local environmental systems.

Incorporating exploration of native fauna in their own school grounds and getting up close and personal with Zac and Bapi, students were highly engaged in inquiry-based learning experiences that inspire appreciation for conservation, sustainability, and environmental justice.

The native fauna sessions included:

• Understanding the importance of wildlife and the roles they play in the local environment
• Exploring the school grounds to discover, recognise and describe wildlife in their own habitat
• Meeting, observing and interacting with local native wildlife species.

Under expert the guidance of Ally Szyc and Nalani Sawyer from Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary, students embarked in a hands-on exploration of their school grounds, identifying, classifying and describing the roles of unique Top End native fauna ranging from birds and butterflies to insects and amphibians.

When asked what they enjoyed the most, students responded:

“I was a bit scared at first, but Bapi is so gentle and soft even though she’s a bit cheeky! I didn’t know snakes were soft and smooth.”

“Meeting Zac and having my photo taken with him, because my name is Zac too!!”

“Exploring our schoolyard and finding all the different species of animals that live there.”

“I didn’t know how important the balance of native animals is, that even the apex predators like dingoes and crocodiles are needed to keep that balance.”

Teachers also loved the program:

“Having hands-on experiences with the animals was a really effective way of reinforcing how important our native fauna is to maintain a healthy ecosystem. I think the students really loved being able to handle Bapi.”

“It was terrific to have the Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary come in with live animals to show the students. This helped them develop a real empathy for the wildlife; most of us didn’t know the Northern Brushtail Possum is a vulnerable species because of its loss of habitat.”

“Exploring and discovering the native fauna in our own school grounds was really exciting. It is important for the students to help them understand how to look after their own animals.”

The BioEd team will be hitting the road again in 2025, so if you are interested in finding out more, contact: Donella Walker, Landcare NT Biodiversity Education Coordinator – email [email protected]

If you would like to read more about the Native Flora sessions go to Biodiversity Education for the Next Generation: Empowering Active Stewardship.