Gibbon Day: Wellington Pupils Explore Enrichment at Shanghai Zoo

This past Saturday, 19th October, our Year Five pupils from Wellington International had an extraordinary opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of endangered gibbons at the Shanghai Zoo during the Gibbon Enrichment Day. The event was organised by the esteemed Roots & Shoots charity, founded by the world-renowned primatologist and chimpanzee expert, Dr Jane Goodall.  

In 1991, Dr Jane Goodall's vision led to the creation of Roots & Shoots, a program designed to educate youths about environmental issues and humanitarian values with a special focus on group interaction. What began with a humble gathering of 16 students in Tanzania has blossomed into a global initiative, now reaching 130 countries with a robust network of 9,000 groups. This transformative program brings together individuals who share a love for animals, care for their communities, and a devotion to protecting the environment. Roots & Shoots has established offices in key Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu, reflecting its significant impact in the region.  

Our dedicated pupils from Wellington International worked tirelessly to design innovative enrichment toys for the gibbons, an effort that highlights the values advocated by Roots & Shoots. Among many schools in Shanghai, Wellington International was distinctively honoured as the only school from Hangzhou to be selected for this prestigious and consequential event!  

The efforts of two of our remarkable groups - the Wellington Wildlife Warriors from 5B and Wellington's Gibbon Guardians from 5A - truly shone on this special day. These young wildlife advocates were invited to present their thoughtfully crafted toys and insightful knowledge about gibbons to the public as well as a gibbon expert attending the event. 

Our pupils enthusiastically engaged with the public, collecting stickers and sharing their enriched understanding of gibbon conservation. Their hard work and passion reached a pinnacle when one of our groups received full marks from the gibbon expert for their exceptional presentation! Their ingenuity and dedication underscore the mission of Roots & Shoots: to foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding across cultures and beliefs, and to inspire each individual to take actionable steps towards making the world a better place for animals, the environment and the human community.  

This monumental success would not have been possible without the immense support from dedicated parents and teachers. The hard work, enthusiasm and teamwork displayed by our children were truly inspiring and pivotal to the day's successes.  

Let us continue to support our young wildlife champions as they endeavour to protect and enhance the lives of endangered species. Together, we can nurture a future generation equipped with the knowledge and compassion necessary to effect positive change in our world.