COMMUNITY & EDUCATION
Travelling TUATARA
Bringing conservation to the CLASSROOM.
The Travelling TUATARA Project brings the wild world of Willowbank Wildlife Reserve into schools, giving students the opportunity to meet a tuatara and learn about the conservation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique native wildlife.
Through The Willowbank Foundation, we want to help take this experience beyond the gate — reaching more schools, more classrooms and more young people across our communities.
THE STORY
Bringing conservation to LIFE for young minds.
Building a connection with nature often starts with an experience — seeing something, discovering something or coming face-to-face with wildlife for the first time.
But not every young person has the same opportunity to experience native wildlife or conservation learning first-hand.
That’s why The Willowbank Foundation supports The Travelling TUATARA — helping take Willowbank’s conservation knowledge and wildlife experiences beyond the gate and directly into schools and classrooms.
By creating opportunities for more young people to experience, understand and connect with our native wildlife, we can help spark the curiosity and care that inspires the next generation of conservation guardians.
THE PROJECT
Bringing conservation into the CLASSROOM.
The Travelling TUATARA Project takes Willowbank’s conservation education directly into schools.
Each school visit is a one-hour interactive conservation experience designed to bring one of Aotearoa’s most remarkable native species directly to tamariki.
Students explore the fascinating world of TUATARA, learn about their unique characteristics, the challenges they face and why protecting this ancient taonga species matters — culminating in the opportunity to see a live tuatara up close.
Led by experienced wildlife and conservation educators, the programme gives students the opportunity to ask questions, build their understanding of native wildlife and make a meaningful connection with conservation.
Every visit is carefully managed to ensure the health and wellbeing of the tuatara, with clear animal-welfare and safety protocols in place.
WHY IT MATTERS
Connection creates CURIOSITY.
Young people are the future guardians of our natural world — but first they need opportunities to experience it, understand it and care about it.
By bringing native wildlife and conservation learning directly into the classroom, The Travelling TUATARA Project can reach students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience this kind of hands-on conservation education.
One encounter can spark a question.
One question can grow into curiosity.
Curiosity can become a lifelong connection with nature.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
Taking conservation into the CLASSROOM.
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve provides the wildlife expertise, conservation knowledge and experienced team behind The Travelling TUATARA Project, delivering engaging school visits and carefully supervised encounters with live tuatara.
The Willowbank Foundation helps extend the reach of this experience, connecting people, partnerships and funding to create opportunities for the programme to reach more schools and more young people — particularly where cost or access might otherwise be a barrier.
Together, we can take Willowbank’s conservation knowledge beyond the gate and into our classrooms and communities.
OUR GOAL
Inspiring the next generation of GUARDIANS.
Our goal is to give more young people the opportunity to experience native wildlife, discover conservation and build their own connection with nature.
By supporting The Travelling TUATARAS Project, we can help take Willowbank’s conservation knowledge into more classrooms and inspire curiosity, understanding and action in the next generation.
Building conservation CONNECTION in the classroom.
Your support can help The Travelling TUATARA Project reach more schools, more classrooms and more young people — bringing native wildlife and conservation learning directly to them. Together, we can spark curiosity, build connections with nature and inspire the next generation of conservation guardians.
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