CHESTER Zoo is offering free tickets to animal-loving youngsters.
The popular attraction will be handing out entry to 42,000 schoolchildren as part of an organised educational trip.
Staff are particularly keen for the tickets to reach children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The initiative is part of the conservation and education charity’s ongoing efforts to prevent extinction – by inspiring a new wave of conservationists and harnessing the passion of young people to protect the future of the planet and its wildlife.
The zoo has, for some time, been calling for educational reform and pushing for conservation action to be embedded into the curriculum of all schools in the UK, having already seen it work successfully in the north west of England.
Meanwhile, scientific studies, carried out by leading academics, have shown that people have a significantly better understanding of biodiversity and conservation after a visit to the zoo.
Nicola Buckley, Chester Zoo’s Discovery and Learning Manager, said: “Over a million species are faced with extinction and we must galvanise the power of our young people to help protect our environment.
"Bringing school children to the zoo for free is about inspiring the next generation to connect with nature and to find their own ways to be conservationists in their day-to-day lives.
"It’s to help equip youngsters with the skills, attitudes and motivation they need to play an active role in tackling the environmental challenges we face today.”
For more information about how your child's school can get involved, visit: www.chesterzoo.org.
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