Native fauna group starts at Umina campus

Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina campus has formed a native fauna group called Kids Who Are Carers, aimed at providing students with information about animals.

"Being an animal lover myself and after having some cases of animal cruelty in my school, I thought it would be a great idea to promote animal care and respect," group coordinator Ms Nerrida Lewis said.

"Our aim for the group is to provide useful information to the students of the school and hope that this information makes students more aware of our native wildlife and more appreciative of it too.

"We have already provided the school with some interesting animal facts which get publicised every day in our daily notices.

"We have also extended some of this information into our newsletter."

Ms Lewis said the students in the group meet for one hour per week during normal class hours.

"The school has also obtained a diamond python named Frog, so that the group can have some experience in handling and caring for a non-releasable animal and educate others at the same time.

"Frog has never been in the wild and was rescued as a hatchling who was in a bad care situation."

Ms Lewis said the group was planning on caring for some injured and non-releasable animals at school and attending excursions to animal parks and centres.

"Most of these students have a desire to work with animals whether it be vet nursing or zoo keeping or voluntary work," Ms Lewis said.

"So far we have written to the RSPCA and some local vets in hope that we can get some work experience with them."

Press release, 16 Aug 2008 Nerrida Lewis, Brisbane Water Secondary College