The National steps in to help ‘wildlife superheroes’ campaign

By LULU MARK
CHILDREN can help in the fight against the extinction of animals in Papua New Guinea by taking part in the “Wildlife Superheroes” competition at the Port Moresby Nature Park.
The park’s general manager for commercial operation Sree Vythalingam said the competition sponsored by The National, was launched on Saturday and would end on March 22.
He said the purpose of the programme was to give families the opportunity to explore the park and learn about different animals and protected areas. Vythalingam said there was signage in the park that would help answer the riddle “Who am I?” which the children would use to identify 11 wildlife superheroes (animals).
He said a free wildlife superhero card would be issued if all the questions were answered correctly.
Vythalingam said in the superhero card were information about the animals, their skills, a little game and so the card was educational and collectable.
“This is a family activity where the parents come with their children and try to find answers to the questions,” he said.
“We want to encourage more families to come out and experience the park.”
He said the idea behind this superhero themed activity was to promote the particular abilities of the animals.
“We have animals in Papua New Guinea’s wildlife and they have special superhero powers which they use to protect themselves, their fellow species and their habitat as well.”
Vythalingam said the activity was focusing on the protected areas in the country because these species were conserved in those protected areas.
He said they were educating park’s guests that it was not good to buy wildlife to keep as pets or buy carcasses of animals such as wallabies or own cuscus’ and birds as pets as these practices encouraged hunting which would lead to the extinction of the species.
Vythalingam said the event was sponsored by The National and the instructions and answer form were in a pull-out of the newspaper.
He said the newspaper was also sold at the park which visitors could buy.