Animals charm schoolchildren

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post/Bogor

Elementary school children around Greater Jakarta may get a surprise visit from an orangutan or two over the next several months.

As part of an effort to instill an early understanding in children about the need to conserve nature, one-and-a-half year old Adam (the orangutan in the photo with second graders from Ummul Quro Islamic Elementary School in Bogor, West Java), and members from the Taman Safari Animal Park's Conservation Education Team, is making regular visits to neighboring schools.

According to the team's coordinator, Yulius Suprihardo, Adam plans to visit different schools each week to educate and entertain youngsters.

Although most of the schools Adam has visited so far are located near the park in Cisarua, West Java, Yulius added that Adam had, after being invited by eager school children, traveled as far as Jakarta and Tangerang.

He said that the team specifically focused on first and second graders so they would learn to appreciate the importance of environmental issues as they grew up.

Aside from bringing different animals to school, the conservation team also uses games to introduce ecology, such as the importance of conserving water and the crucial role trees play in nature.

A second grade teacher at the Ummul Quro school, Aan Sri Handayani, expressed her delight that Adam and the Taman Safari team had visited and taught the 160 second graders at the school.

"It's great because it actively makes students aware of the importance of animals and nature from a young age," said Sri.