Students in many Indiana schools are scoring well above average in the area of endangered wildlife management. Over the past few years Indiana students from 62 schools sponsored 50 of the 303 otters released into Indiana waters. Education is one of our greatest tools for conserving and protecting wildlife. The DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife provides peregrine falcon and river otter education packets to teachers free of charge. Activities in these packets guide students in their discovery of local endangered species and discuss how human actions harm or help them.
Many schools decide to go beyond classroom education and put their new knowledge to the test.
Each student gathered pledges and then read up to ten books. The students really took the ball and ran with it. That was enough money for almost five otter sponsorships. Fleets of yellow buses have been a familiar site at otter releases. Their knowledge grew because of their participation.