Four unusual guests paid a visit to McKay Elementary School Thursday afternoon.
The guests were a Harris's hawk, a (de-scented) striped skunk, a laughing kookaburra and a caiman lizard.
More than 200 students from kindergarten to Grade 7 attended a special class with the critters in the school’s gym.
The classes are delivered by Earth Rangers, a national kids’ conservation organization which aims to help children learn about and engage with the environment and animal behaviour.
“We have a team of over 52 different animal ambassadors from all over the world for this program,” said Chris Gill, presenter and animal handler of the Earth Rangers.
“We found that kids really connect with the live animal aspect of the show and that it really helps them connect with the wildlife we have here in Canada.”
During the class, animals displayed some of their features, which included the kookaburra’s laugh-like squawk and a skunk's search for food in a bin. Presenters explained why the animals behaved this way during the demonstrations.
Presenters also let the Harris's hawk fly above students’ heads in the room, provoking a lot of laughter.
Gill told the students that while some animals may not be likable, they still make important contributions to the environment. The skunk, for example, helps the ecosystem by eating things that other animals don’t like.
Students were also shown a video about how climate change is threatening certain animals, such as the snowshoe hare, a rabbit that disguises itself by changing its hair colour according to different climates.
“I learned that we play a huge part in protecting wildlife, and that there is so much we can do,” said a student Hannah, adding that the class was very interactive and fun compared to regular nature classes.
Student Ziad said he learned about climate change and how some animals are in danger. He is eager to do more to help the environment.
Marilyn Turnbull, principal of McKay School, told the Richmond News that over the past five years the school has been working with the Earth Rangers, who come to do presentations annually.
“You have to learn these things when you are young. If you don’t learn them when you are young, it’s harder when you are older,” said Turnbull.
“So we start to heighten the children's awareness from the time when they’re little, in the hope that when they are adults, what they have learnt will just be part of how they react to the environment."
The Earth Rangers now have more than 150,000 child members across the country, including 37,281 in Western Canada. This year Earth Rangers will give more than 900 presentations across the country.
