Schools Takeover at Chester Zoo
Since 2019, Schools Takeover day has been a really exciting and important day in the yearly calendar for Chester Zoo
Our mission is Preventing Extinction, and we also have a Conservation Masterplan target that by 2031, we will have empowered 10 million people to live more sustainably.
As part of that, we introduced Schools Takeover day in 2019, and ever since, it has been a really exciting and important day in the yearly calendar for Chester Zoo.
Youth voice around important topics such as conservation and sustainability can be incredibly powerful. When children start talking to our visitors, adults do listen, and ultimately, the students involved in the event may one day go on to become the decision makers of the future.
Activities
Young people have engaged with our visitors in a variety of ways during Schools Takeovers
Educated our visitors on the importance of pollinators with lots of fun games and activities to demonstrate how bees and other wildlife pollinate plants...
Talked to visitors near sun bears about the illegal wildlife trade, and its impact on sun bears and tigers
Shared their creative skills to help visitors make a seed-bomb, which is a fun way to grow wildflowers in the garden and help pollinators and other wildlife
Used the Realm of the Red Ape habitat to discuss threats to the rainforest with our visitors and to show what every day choices visitors can make to protect them...
Used the backdrop of our Humboldt penguin habitat to discuss an important plastic recycling project...
Transformed the sun bear tunnel into a showcase of sustainable school initiatives from sustainable fashion shows to recycling plastic bottles and turning them into useful household items...
Educated our visitors around the subject of fast fashion, encouraging them to carefully consider their buying choices for a more sustainable future...
Talked to people about recycling and encouraged visitors to sign a pledge to cement their commitment to sustainability
Used the backdrop of Monsoon Forest to talk to visitors about their eco club, dedicated to making their school grounds better for wildlife and people...
Some of the schools taking part in the day have undertaken repeat-engagement projects with us around protecting native species, sustainable palm oil, the illegal wildlife trade or climate and sustainability.
Other schools had taken it upon themselves to become champions for conservation and sustainability, and so this day offers an opportunity to celebrate and share their work with visitors to the zoo.