Young ones join hands to protect animals

By Sudharman Radaliyagoda

It is certainly a pleasant experience to spend an hour among chirping birds and a lot of animals although it is only an artificial environment lacking the authentic atmosphere of a jungle replete with trees and such like. This realization comes to everybody who visits the Dehiwala Zoo in the suburb of Colombo.

The Zoo which is a haven for both local and alien animals has become an educational centre today. Lyn de Alwis, who was an advisor to Zoo authorities in 1996 laid the foundation for this educational centre on November 17, 1972. The centre was called the Young Zoologists' Association (YZA).

The YZA is a non-governmental organization (NGO) operating within a state sector organization. From its inception, the primary objective of the YZA has been to create an awareness particularly among school children about wild animals. In addition thousands of visitors to the Zoo receive various forms of assistance from young officials of the YZA. They perform an invaluable service as voluntary guides. Hence visitors have been able to observe animals on the basis of accurate data provided by them.

In association with the Zoo authorities the YZA has, in the recent past, built an arboureum mainly for the benefit of children. This children's arbour located under the shade of trees is equally beneficial to adults as an educational facility. Animal pets like giant pythons, lion cubs and other species such as deer, who enjoy freedom within this arbour under the supervision of these zoologists, have won the hearts of children. The members of the YZA have dedicated themselves to looking after these animals.

Activities carried out by these young zoologists have become a source of help to the Zoo administrators. They feel that particularly the problem of a large workforce has been eased for them by these voluntary youth.Without merely confining their activities to the Zoo, the YZA has enlisted the support of school societies on a large scale. Naturally their contribution particularly to environmental protection, in co-operation with other organizations, is considerable. This contribution becomes greater in value because activists of several environmental organizations have received their grounding at the YZA. It wouldn't be incorrect to look on the YZA as the "Chipco School" in Sri Lanka, one which has produced several environmentalists. This is the reason that prompted the Sri Lanka Environmental Journalists Forum (SLEJF) to present an award in 1997 to the YZA in a contest held to select one of the best environmental projects in the island. Sponsorship for this contest was extended by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Sri Lanka.

The YZA with its headquarters at the Zoo performs a great service from the point of view of the environment and particularly in the protection of animals. It also carries out special awareness activities through various national programmes planned for the protection of biodiversity. Under this activity the YZA issues a quarterly newsletter titled "Message" as well an annual journal called "Thithmuwa."

The Secretary of the Research Projects Committee of the YZA describing the aims of the organisation said: "At present the YZA has over 500 members. Our primary target is to enlighten the public correctly about animals as well as on the importance of environmental protection. Our environment is as important as the animals to be found within it. The key message of our association is that everybody should join hands to protect the environment. In future we hope to produce posters in order to educate the public, especially on animals as well as on poisonous snakes which face extinction. These posters will be distributed among schools, NGOs and as well as state sector organizations.

The YZA has brought out a research publication based on the Bolgoda Lake south of Colombo in the vicinity of Moratuwa. They have conducted lectures in a large number of schools in the island under its programme aimed at educating school children. While creating an awareness about the environment among school children, steps have been taken to enhance their organizational capacity. They have demonstrated that as youth they can do a great deal more indeed in the future too, if only organizations like the YZA are extended greater patronage and given a free hand to enlarge the scope of their work.

- (SLEJF/Environmental News Service)

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