We’ve been working with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) to prevent the extinction of endemic species on Mauritius and Rodrigues for many years. An important part of this work is supporting the development of education programmes that encourage people to value and protect the species we’re working together to save.

We’ve been working with HUTAN Education Awareness Programme (HEAP) for over a decade, helping to develop a strategic plan for their learning programmes alongside HEAP coordinator, Bam Abulani. 

HEAP work with schools across the Sabah region of Malaysian Borneo, educating young people about the importance of the rainforest and the wildlife within it. Although these young people live very close to the forests, education is vital to helping them learn more about its value and ensuring positive attitudes to its conservation. Our work with HEAP is therefore a crucial part of our work preventing the extinction of species like orangutans.

Two of our Conservation Education and Engagement staff, Jo and Bella, got the opportunity to visit the HEAP team in Borneo to learn more about their educational outreach programme and to identify ways that Chester Zoo could help them develop it further.