1. Francesca Bandoli, Eleonora Angelini, Veronica Rastelli Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia, Italy Can Brown Bears Link Education and Conservation?

2. WHY BEARS? Bears are part of our history and culture

3. Pistoia province was a “Bear Country”: bears were present in Northern Tuscany until the XVIII century and…

4. …a Brown bear, which is called “Micco”, is the coat of arms of our town!

5. Abruzzo (Italy): the Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus), an endemic and critically endangered subspicies

7. AIMS OF THE PROJECT To let schoolchildren learn about the Marsican brown bear and conservation issues To support conservation of the Marsican brown bear To raise funds to compensate farmers for damage caused by wild bears

8. TARGET AND ORGANIZATION Participation of38 classes with a total of 950 children from 4 to 11 years old Participation of 38 classes with a total of 950 children from 4 to 11 years old 4 steps: 1)Teacher training 2)Educational activity by teachers 3)Educational activity by Zoo educators 2 lessons at school (duration 1,5h) 2 lessons at school (duration 1,5h) 4)Fund raising at Pistoia Zoo

9. TEACHER TRAINING Organization of a teacher training course Creation of team-work to improve the outcome of the project CHILDREN CONSERVATION EDUCATION TEACHERS

10. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY BY TEACHERS How do children imagine bears? How bears are presented in tales, novels and movies?

11. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY BY ZOO EDUCATORS Interactive exhibition at school

12. Use of animal derivatives

13. Role-playing game to learn about animals’ ecological role

14. Conservation issues: hands-on activities to discover how to study and protect bears

17. Cooperation with the Abruzzo National Park Contact between children and researchers Twinning between Pistoia and ANP schools Link between Education and In-situ Conservation

18. Math English BEARS BECAME PART OF EVERY SUBJECT!

19. TAKE ACTION! FUND RAISING AT PISTOIA ZOO

20. Gadgets

22. Games

23. Songs

24. Drama shows

25. Children as educators

26. Researchers from ANP

27. CONCLUSIONS The educational programme made it possible: –to increase schoolchildren’s and visitors’ awareness of the Marsican brown bear and conservation issues –to take action for conservation supporting the ANP and raising funds for damage compensation –to link Pistoia Zoo, Schools, Research and In-situ Conservation

28. WHAT’S NEW IN 2009? EAZA European Carnivore Campaign

29. WHAT’S NEW IN 2009? 300 schoolchildren!

30. Thank you!