Edinburgh Zoo wild bus tours north coast
Caithness pupils will have the chance to discover the wild when an Edinburgh Zoo bus tours the north coast this week.
The Edinburgh Zoo Wild Bus will be visiting Thurso High School on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th September and then North Primary School, Wick on Thursday 10th September.
When the bus is at Thurso High School pupils from Crossroads, Castletown,
Mount Pleasant, Miller Academy, Reay and Halkirk Primaries and the High school will visit it. Pupils from Hillhead, North Wick, South Wick, Pulteneytown Academy, Watten, Lybster, Dunbeath, Keiss, Thrumster and Canisbay Primaries will be visiting the bus when it is in Wick.
Staff from The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) will offer primary six, seven and S1 pupils a ‘hands on’ experience of working with and learning about animals. The bus is offering four one hour slots for up to 30 pupils each day and is provided free to the Highland pupils.
The RZSS Wild Bus is travelling to schools and community groups throughout Scotland, between April 2009 and March 2010. The restored, re-branded 1975 Leyland double-decker brings enthralling activities and exhibits to local communities. Caithness pupils will hear the RZSS team explain more about their key conservation, research and education work.
Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for pupils in Caithness to get access to staff and facilities of The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Normally we would have to travel to the nearest facility in Kingussie to the Highland Wildlife Park or to Edinburgh Zoo. To have this opportunity on our own doorsteps is a great boost. I hope that the pupils who are attending not only learn lots of new things but have fun in doing so.”
The Wild Bus project has been made possible thanks to support from The Scottish Government Science Engagement grant; Baillie Gifford; Arnold Clark; Integra Telematics; and the staff of the Society.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a registered charity (No. SC004064). The Society runs Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park as well as conservation, research and education projects in Scotland and internationally.