Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Sint-Niklaas, WWF-Belgium’s Wildlife Expo at Waasland Shopping Centre features life-sized animals, a 3.9 m giraffe, a 2 m tiger, a 6.3 m crocodile, and Hans Moyson leads kids’ conservation workshops.
As VRT News reported, in Sint-Niklaas, the Waasland Shopping Centre is hosting a new exhibition to raise awareness about endangered animals. WWF-Belgium has developed the Wildlife Expo, which features life-size statues of a number of species. Visitors will see elephants that are 2.80 meters, giraffes that are 3.90-m, Nile crocodiles that are 6.30-m long, and Sumatran tigers that are 2-m long.
How is WWF-Belgium’s Sint-Niklaas Wildlife Expo raising awareness of endangered species?
Hans Moyson of WWF-Belgium claimed the exhibition is designed to inform the public.
“We want people to learn about endangered species and the challenges they face,”
he said. Habitat loss is the main threat to these animals. The Wildlife Expo combines striking visuals with clear messages to encourage visitors to protect wildlife.
“The panda, elephant, polar bear, or tiger. We explain why we need these species, what their role is in the ecosystem, and the importance of healthy ecosystems for nature in general,”
says Moyson.
Each Wednesday afternoon, kids aged between 3 and 12 are welcome to attend free workshops at the Waasland Shopping Centre during the Wildlife Expo. In these interactive workshops, kids are taught about threatened animals and why certain creatures are facing extinction. The activities are held playfully and practically. Kids can colour and cut out their own animal masks, and paint wild animals on acrylic sheets using raised relief shapes.
They can also become WWF Rangers via the workshops. Through being WWF Ranger Club members, they are able to participate in hands-on conservation activities like tree planting campaigns and beach cleaning.
They also get a magazine with details of wildlife and how it can be protected. WWF-Belgium’s Hans Moyson described how the workshops were meant to educate children about vulnerable species and make them active.
WWF-Belgium was established in 1969 as part of the international network of the World Wide Fund for Nature. Since its founding, the organisation has worked to safeguard endangered animals, conserve natural habitats, and encourage sustainable development in Belgium and worldwide. Throughout the years, WWF-Belgium has organised various awareness campaigns, educational workshops, and interactive exhibitions to involve the public in conservation practices.
