WSPA's wildlife education initiative at the heart of the Amazon jungle has instigated an understanding of conservation among children from remote forest communities.

In August 2000, a vessel christened the Amazon Ark made its maiden voyage along several tributaries of the Amazon River, where many of nature's dwindling species face the threat of extinction due to relentless poaching. The aim of this project is to help protect the Amazon's unique level of biodiversity, with a particular focus on the endangered Amazon manatee and pink river dolphin.

When the Ark set sail on the Brazilian side of the Amazon Basin in August 2000, local wildlife officers and veterinarians from the government federal wildlife agency, IBAMA, were on board. Veterinarian Angela Begrow, WSPA's regular contact for welfare and conservation work in Brazil, showed a series of films to groups of at least 100 local children at each community about the wildlife indigenous to the Amazon. Many of these children had never seen endangered manatees or pink river dolphins in their natural habitat before, but knew only of them as meat on a plate. By watching films of manatees, dolphins, reptiles, monkeys, sloths, and parrots, and drawing pictures of them in the wild, the children who boarded the boat for lessons went away with a basic understanding of just how vulnerable these amazing and gentle animals are to human predators.

The first first trip turned up a baby manatee, orphaned by a hunter who was trying to sell it. The situation was critical, as the manatee, still suckling when its mother was slain, could not have survived the ten-day boat journey back to Manaus for rehabilitation at IBAMA's rehabilitation centre. A hydroplane offered the only possible help, and so at considerable cost, the manatee was flown back for re-hydration and proper feeding. Without intervention, it would certainly have died, but now stands a good chance of survival and return to the freedom of the wild. The crew also confiscated illegal jacaré meat, poisoned hunting arrows from hunters in protected forest, and treated countless dogs for various ailments at settlements along the river.

On the Ark's second visit in October 2000, follow-up visits were made to areas where both education and veterinary treatment had taken place two months earlier, and staff were accompanied by a BBC television crew filming for a Newsround Extra programme. Several new schools were also visited, and further confiscations made. WSPA's crew member and Director for Latin America, Gerardo Huertas, commented on how it was apparent from this second trip that something of the first lesson had sunk in. "More and more, the kids were depicting free wild animals in their colourful drawings, rather than those being slaughtered by hunters. These visits have shown we are on the right track, with increased interest from many people wanting to get involved in the project. Many teachers have been in touch by mail, inquiring when we will make the next trip up the Amazon so that they can be ready and present. A third tip is planned for December."

IBAMA was elated with the outcome of its first series of voyages along the Amazon in 2000, and over the past two years the Amazon Ark has re-visited several communities.

This humane education programme intends to educate local communities as to the plight of manatees and pink river dolphins, and also to show people how to look after their dogs, cats, and any other animals they may come into contact with.