The Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes, together with ABConservation, organized early this year a contest open to primary and secondary schools. It consisted of creating projects to raise awareness on a declining species, the binturong (Arctictis binturong).
On April the 1st, a jury elected the most compelling project. Given the work quality, two projects were selected to be exposed at the Ménagerie during the week-end of May the 9th, on the occasion of the World binturong day.
At the opening of the exhibit, the President of ABConservation met the students from Camille Claudel middle school (Paris XIII) and Louis Legrand high school (Paris V). The association also presented the European Endangered species Program (EEP) of binturongs, set up with zoological parks. Then, taking into account the work of each class, discussions around species conservation and the missions of ABConservation took place.
The first class worked on various media and techniques to raise awareness; their propositions included drawings, classification panels, booklets and videos of interviews.
The production of high school students, original and innovative, consisted in writing the illustrated adventures of a female binturong facing on her journey numerous impediments such as deforestation, poaching…
These were made accessible to both French and English speakers.
We would like to thank all the schools which took part in this contest and congratulate them for their outstanding work.
Our special compliments go to the classes selected for the maturity and quality of their reflection.