Yesterday Gordon and I were invited to have a stall at Girvan Primary to celebrate World Wildlife Day along with many other conservation and natural history groups. It was a busy day with around 450 pupils from Girvan Primary and some of the outlying schools attending the event.

Gordon talking pupils through the different types of invertebrates found in the Mill Burn that runs through Victoria Park. We had the microscope on hand to for the pupils to have a closer look at the sample.

The day was a great opportunity for the pupils to see and speak to a whole host of different groups and get a feel for the type of work each organisation carries out. Many of the children are well versed on the problems that our natural history faces and its great for the Trust to see the enthusiasm the pupils have for fish, invertebrates and rivers.

Baetis nymphs from the Mill Burn.

We took brown trout alevins, invertebrates (from the burn that runs behind the school) a microscope, picture boards and river health sheets for the pupils to engage with. Pupils love examining invertebrates under the microscope and using health score sheets to identify the health of their local river.

It was great to catch up with some of the pupils we worked with last year and even better to hear that many of the things we talked about had been remembered. We heard a heartening story from one of the pupils we worked with last year….after we had completed an invertebrate workshop with a school one of the pupils had asked their parents for a microscope for Christmas as he had enjoyed the experience so much. He is now armed with a microscope and some knowledge so there’s no stopping him!

Our stall was busy all day with lots of interested pupils, parents and teachers stopping for a chat and a look at the alevins and invertebrates. 

Animal Time, Animal Parties brought a selection of more exotic animals including this ‘Pacman Frog’ so named as when it opens it’s mouth it looks like Pacman!

Slightly less exotic…a 6 month hedgehog.

Source: Ayshire River Trust – World Wildlife Day – Girvan Primary School