Last year when St. Francis’ Junior School learnt about and celebrated Earth day we decided to raise money to support some endangered animals. We did this by collecting money and completing a coin trail on the yard. We have not only donated money to six different endangered animal charities, but we adopted six animals that we can track on the journey in their habitat. We also received a beautiful bracelet with our animals on, to remind us of our new adopted family members. We now have six new St. Francis’ school family members!
Our gorilla Macibiri is a lively female from the close-knit Titus family. She possesses a remarkable talent for forming heart-warming connections with gorillas of all ages, bringing joy to her family. Prudhoe, a female polar bear from the Western Hudson Bay Subpopulation in Canada, one of the southernmost groups of polar bears in the world. John, a male butter-nose dolphin that was tagged by FIU Marine Conversation Ecology Lab in collaboration with the Sarcasoto Dolphin Research Program. Esmerelda the sloth! Spanish for emerald, Esmerelda is named for the waters of Costa Rica’s Caribbean Sun. She lives near a popular surf spot at Cocles Beach, in a small area with many Sloths who climb to the ground once weekly for a bathroom break, which is exactly where conservationists found her. Dobby is an adult female loggerhead sea turtle released with a satellite transmitter from the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, Florida. Naisula the elephant, who is a member of the Samburu Ladies. The family group was identified in 1997 by Save the Elephants, but wasn’t sighted for several years from 2008-2012. They later reappeared in the park, and the STE researchers almost didn’t recognise them, as the calves have now become young females with beautiful tusks.
The children and staff are very excited to see what these amazing animals get up to and learn more about their habitat, why they are endangered and how we can help more animals like them.