Above: The school children of Vanga receive their first dolphin education

Hot on the heels of Majoreni, the UNEP / CMS Year of the Dolphin, supported by tour operators TUI and Pollmans, was taken even further afield by the Kenya Wildlife Service education team, right down to Vanga, a small fishing community that sits on the border with neighbouring Tanzania. Credit for much of the recent work reported for Year of the Dolphin goes to many hard working and creative individuals on Kenya’s Year of the Dolphin committee, who have asked me to acknowledge that the main commercial partner in Year of the Dolphin , TUI, organised the events under the leadership of TUI-Pollmans Special Executive Abdulaziz Abdalla, who has a long track record of work for conservation of Kenya’s natural heritage.

Above: A group of Vanga Primary School’s girls get involved in dolphin education activities 

Rachel and Emanuel travelled down to Vanga, a community that has been idenetified as a crucial target for this year’s initiative. The fishing activities here at Vanga put the dolphins at risk of accidental by-catch - if they become entangled in the fishing nets, the dolphins can drown, being unable to surface to breathe. Vanga is also suspected to be one of the few remaining locations in Kenya where the endangered dugong, or manatee, is thought to still exist, although reported sightings are now rare. 

Above: Rachel and Emanuel explain the threats that exist to Kenya’s dolphin populations 

The KWS education team taught the children about the different species of marine mammals they have, their importance, the threats they face from fishing practices and pollution and of course how their communtiy can make a difference and help protect them. Once again, for this isolated community, it was both an educational and exciting day. A unique opportunity for them to learn to both appreciate and protect their natural resources for future generations. 

Above: By bringing some basic technology with them the KWS team give the children an insight into the marine world they would otherwise never have

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