Educational department

Nowadays zoological gardens are places where people can not only see animals from all over the world, but also learn more about them. Zoos have also become centres for environmental education. The Educational Department of Parco Natura Viva has become more and more focused on being a real centre for environmental education on a local level, with the purpose of offering educational programs and meetings to schools in order to promote environmental knowledge and make students aware of issues related to nature preservation.
Parco Natura Viva is a member of IZE (International Association of Zoo Educators), an association that publishes newsletters to promote the various initiatives of member parks, and organizes a yearly conference and meetings. At these meetings, member institutions have the chance to present all the most innovative initiatives in education and cultural entertainment for the visitors of zoological gardens.

ACTIVITIES OPEN TO ALL VISITORS
Visitors to our Park can find general information on the animal species hosted by our facilities on illustrated panels. To meet the need to learn more on specific subjects, our educational operators and keepers (staff responsible for animal care) organize special activities where visitors may see animals in particular situations. Here's a chance to see the feeding operations and health management of several species, get close to them and even touch some species, learning to know them better with the help of our specialized staff.

Every year a new calendar of activities is offered to the public to enrich their visit. The educational staff of the Park are always at the complete disposal of our visitors, to assist them during their visit and answer all of their questions.

ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZED GROUPS
The educational possibilities offered by the Educational Department are rich and varied:
1. Guided tours: organized groups and schools may choose from a wide range of guided tours through the Park depending on the students' age. Our educational staff can help students get closer to some animals and suggest practical activities to encourage them to actively participate, such as educational workshops, using games and educational cards for different school levels.
2. Class lessons: It is also possible to have a series of class lessons, on various subjects, according to the teacher's request.
3. Middle or long-term educational projects: in-classroom activities, more projects involve practical activities and direct animal observation in the Park.
4. Summer internship: for several years, the Park has been hosting high school students, to complete environmental and zoological education projects agreed with teachers during the school year. Students are guided in the realization of scientific and educational research projects and encouraged by internal tutors to improve their skills related to planning and organizing group work and their autonomy in seeking information and carrying out their task.

The message we wish to communicate to the public is the need for a global effort in the conservation and protection of the natural world that surrounds us. Parco Natura Viva is at the forefront of several conservation projects for endangered animal species and habitats of our planet. Through the presentation of such projects and the dramatic condition of many animal species, we wish to teach people, and especially the younger generations, how to respect nature.