Kids for the Dolphins

Dolphins attract to us, this is particularly true for children. However, thousands of the so called ambassadors of the seas die every year due to human activities. In order to protect the last remaining freshwater dolphins on Borneo, Indonesia. Global Nature Fund and its Indonesian partner organisation Yayasan Konservasi RASI (Conservation Foundation for Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia) has started an education programme for schools in Indonesia and Germany. The project is supported by the Ursula Merz Stiftung and by Sika AG.

Kids for the dolphins is an environmental education project in-between Indonesia and Germany. In Indonesia the project aims to establish the first protected area for the critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin in the Mahakam River. The area directly connects with Jempang Lake. The project aims to establish a community-supported dolphin and natural reserve area and attempts to educate local community the importance of protection and sustainable use of natural resources. Environmental educational awareness campaigns are being held at 23 schools in 13 villages in the Middle Mahakam Area. An internet exchange will be held with German scholars within the ‘Kids for Dolphins’ project. By the end of 2008 an elementary school campaign will be organised and a booklet on the pesut Mahakam published. The pupils in Germany will be educated in several issues concerning the protection of the Irrawaddy dolphin. At the Kick-Off meeting the scientific programme advisor of the Indonesian partner YK-RASI will hold an introduction speech at the German school ‘Constantin Vanotti’ in Überlingen. Afterwards, the pupils have to join within their subject ‘Global Studies’ different working groups in which they create several products concerning to the Irrawaddy Dolphin related issues. 

Further information about the Mahakam Wetlands you find on a separate page on our website.