This project was funded thanks to a donation from LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.

The idea of the project was to give the Galapagos school children a basic knowledge of and respect for sharks in Galapagos waters.  Fact knowledge as well as lowering the fear for sharks and explaining the need for the shark’s survival in the oceans will ultimately lead to more shark ambassadors. The project is aimed to educate the youth but will be quite suitable for people of all ages. It will also be one of the first publications ever written about sharks in Galapagos that will be available to the general public.

Part of the project was an advertising campaign in the local newspaper Colono supported by daily radio announcements. The ads were combined, with additional information, into a book that was handed out, for free, to all school children on Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela Island.

The project’s advertising campaign was started in June 2010 and was followed in 2011 by a teacher’s guide and the schoolbook “Sharks of Galapagos”. The schoolbook is a high quality, full-color 48-page hardcover. The books were not simply handed out to the schools; we organized workshops in every single classroom explaining the idea behind the book and the need for environmental education.

We believe that kids are the Ocean Defenders of the future. The survival of sharks and other species depend on these young people’s understanding and respect for the animals’ vital role in the world’s ecosystem.

The original Spanish version of the shark book was translated into English to reach a wider audience.  Currently Sea Shepherd Australia volunteers are working on an adapted version specific for Australian children.  The PDF of the shark book is available in both Spanish and English through the website.