At 11am on the 27th of April 2014, eight Seychellois children landed
on D’Arros Island on the Amirantes Bank. They will be on the island
for 7 days, learning about its delicate marine and terrestrial
ecosystems. During their visit they will meet some of the most
fascinating creatures on the planet, from ancient Aldabra tortoises to
curious manta rays. The programme aims to increase students’
knowledge about the marine environment through project-based,
location-based and experiential learning.
The D’Arros Experience is an annual collaboration between the Save Our
Seas Foundation (SOSF) and the Ministries of Environment and Education
of the Seychelles. The programme is funded by SOSF and facilitated by
the newly established SOSF Lekol Zil Sesel (Island School Seychelles).
The Island School seeks to promote understanding and respect for the
marine environment in the Seychelles through community education
programmes. By putting together a team of enthusiastic educators and
scientists who will share their passion for the ocean together with
in-water field experiences and opportunities to look deeply into the
intricacies of the marine environment, it sets its sights on turning
the tide in favour of improved environmental stewardship and a renewed
sense of ownership.
The children aged between 12 and 17 years were selected on merit,
based on their enthusiasm for the natural world, confidence in the
ocean and ability to think critically and work in a team. Applications
were judged by representatives of the Ministries of Environment and
Education, as well as key members of the SOSF team.
D’Arros Island and nearby St Joseph Attol are flagship research and
conservation areas for SOSF. They are found in the remote Western
Indian Ocean, 250km south-west of Victoria, the capital of the
Seychelles. The D’Arros/St Joseph system represents a rare glimpse
into what an optimally functioning ecological network in the island
nation could look like. The children will spend time in each unique
part of the D’Arros/St Joseph system, including the attol lagoon,
mangrove channels, tropical broad-leaf forests, nesting turtle
habitats and abundant coral reefs.
The SOSF welcomes the “D’Arros Eksploraters” and hopes that they will
become active ambassadors for the marine environment that they are so
intricately connected to and dependent upon. The foundation would
like to thank Dr Rolph Payet, Minister for Environment and Energy and
Mrs. Macsuzy Mondon, Minister for Education, for their advocacy of the
programme, as well as Air Seychelles for their sponsorship of a
portion of the flights to D’Arros.
About the Save Our Seas Foundation
In the effort to protect our oceans, the Save Our Seas Foundation
funds and supports research, education and conservation projects
worldwide focusing primarily on charismatic threatened wildlife and
their habitats. From a small, non-profit organisation funding just
five projects, in less than 10 years, the SOSF has grown to become a
major player in the fight to save the world’s oceans and the wealth of
marine life they contain. While SOSF itself is not a research
institute, its generous contributions of financial, practical and
scientific support have, to date, facilitated more than 160 marine
research and conservation projects around the world.
For more information, please visit Save Our Seas Foundation website:
staging.saveourseas.com
For media related enquiries contact Jade Schultz at Save Our Seas
Foundation on email at jade@staging.saveourseas.com or telephone +27 21 788
6694.