SAMBALPUR: The Hirakud wildlife division is using stories to connect young minds with nature and wildlife. Under its nature education program, the wildlife division has launched storytelling sessions every weekend in Sambalpur zoo and Zero Point inside Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary.
The storytellers are mostly wildlife enthusiasts, birders, environmentalists and scientists who share their own experiences and try to convey a message through their stories. DFO of Hirakud wildlife division Anshu Pragyan Das said the primary objective of the storytelling sessions is to sensitise the audience on environment and wildlife.
“Currently, we are inviting guests from different fields as storytellers and in days to come, we will involve our eco-guides who have been working in Debrigarh since long. These sessions will serve as open platforms for nature lovers to share their stories and contribute towards conservation,” she said.
And the stories are not about kings and queens but real life situations with nature as a central theme. Environmental activist from Rourkela Sasmita Mohapatra, who attended one of the sessions as a storyteller, said her stories revolved around ‘water and its scarcity’.
“There were several students from the audience who actively participated in the discussion and shared some of their stories too. The session ended with an assignment which I gave to them. The assignment was directed towards bringing behavioural changes in them towards water conservation,” she said.
Stories also revolve around wildlife habitats, house sparrows, hydrophytes, hiking, trekking, star gazing, bird watching and much more. Entry to these sessions are free to draw more people. Though the school and college students are the major focus groups for these sessions, they have managed to draw people from all walks of life and across age groups within a very short time.