Nearly 1,000 students from secondary schools in the southern province
of Kien Giang ’s Phu Quoc island district on November 30 joined a
festival of protecting dugong, a species facing extinction in Vietnam.
The event, which was jointly organised by the
Wildlife at Risk (WAR) organisation and the Phu Quoc Maritime
Conservation Area, also called for the engagement of locals, local
officials, students and tourists in the work.
According to Do Thi Huyen, WAR’s Wildlife Education Manager, the
festival is a chance for people to pay more attention to the protection
of dugong and rare sea animals in general.
The
preservation of Dugong as well as sea resources can only be successful
with the support and positive involvement of all people and different
agencies, she said.
Participants at the event also
marched many streets to spread the message of joining hands in
conserving rare maritime animals in Phu Quoc.
On the
occasion, a contest for short plays staged by local schoolchildren was
held, also on the theme of protection of dugong and other sea animals.
During this academic year, wildlife education has
been integrated into the curriculum of seventh grade at schools across
the island district.-VNA