WDCS celebrates Dolphin Day in Scotland
On 7th April 2007 WDCS held a Dolphin Day at its Wildlife Centre in Spey Bay, Scotland, to help launch the Dolphin Diploma in the UK and promote Year of the Dolphin. It was a great success with everyone enjoying the glorious Easter weekend sunshine.
Forty-six children came along to become dolphin experts and get their dolphin diploma. They took part in fun, hands on activities which included looking at the differences between different species of dolphin and being introduced to our wonderful bottlenose and Risso’s dolphin inflatables. They listened to a recording of dolphins communicating, experimented with a blubber glove to find out how dolphins keep themselves warm, learnt about the threats that face dolphins around the world and took part in a shore-watch to help us provide valuable information about the resident population of bottlenose dolphins here in the Moray Firth.
After completing the dolphin quiz they drew their own dolphins and wrote a pledge to help conserve these amazing animals. The children came up with some great ideas and will be taking part in beach cleans, fundraising events and raising awareness in their schools and local area.
Charlie Philips, WDCS’s Adopt a Dolphin Field Officer was also there giving talks and showing his amazing photos of the Moray Firth bottlenose dolphins.
“The day was a fantastic start to WDCS’s Dolphin Diploma in the UK and everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It is great to see children’s enthusiasm in wanting to help protect these special animals. We are very lucky here at Spey Bay as we are regularly visited by the residential population of bottlenose dolphins during the summer months and it would be devastating if they ever disappeared. It is great to be part of the Dolphin Diploma as it brings children together from all around the world. You can also join in with our upcoming dolphin days and outside events, please click here for further details”.
Emma Squire, WDCS Scottish Education Officer
