The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Oscar the Otter goes online

03/06/2004

Scotland's first wildlife crime and conservation website for schools is now online.

It features Oscar the Otter, a cartoon character whosemission is to encourage young people to adopt responsibility for protecting wildlife and the environment and educate them about wildlife crime.

Oscar's official debut was held today atBraidbarPrimary SchoolinEast Renfrewshirewhere Mr Willie Rae QPM, Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, launched the new website.

Designed to enhance the teaching of Environmental Studies to five to 14 year olds the website and accompanying education pack have been created by the Scottish Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) - a collaboration involving the Executive, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), various wildlife organisations, other public bodies and the police.

The site, jointly funded by the Executive and SNH, teaches children about conservation issues and the prevention of wildlife crime. Accompanying the website is the colourful pack complete with games, facts, postcards and seeds to plant at home.

The packs also include a poster competition with a range of prizes sponsored by PAW members, including book tokens, back packs and a bike for the over-all winner up to the value of £200.

Mr Rae said:

"It is extremely encouraging to see children so passionate about an issue which is a serious threat to our environment. Wildlife crime is something that Strathclyde Police is committed to detecting and preventing and the website assists in heightening the awareness of the problem.

"Youngsters will have great fun in logging onto the site which is colourful, interactive and educational in highlighting the importance of tackling wildlife crime."

Deputy Environment Minister Allan Wilson said:

"The site fits neatly into curricular activities and provides a bright, fun resource to learn about some really important issues affecting Scottish wildlife.

"The protection and enhancement ofScotland's natural environment, and all the creatures living within it, is hugely important to the Scottish Executive. We have launched the Nature Conservation Bill and Biodiversity Strategy which will give Scotlanda new and integrated system of nature conservation, focusing on the relationship between people and their environment."

"SNH has been proud to take a leading role in putting this website and pack together. We have had an enthusiastic and informed response from the thirty primary schools involved in the pilot project and we hope that in the future all schools in Scotlandwill be incorporating Oscar the Otter into their curriculums, to help raise awareness about wildlife crime and protecting the natural heritage."

The website and packs have been developed, with advice from Learning Teaching Scotland, over an 18 month period. Some 15,000 packs have been produced and are being circulated by Police Wildlife Crime Officers, Community Police Officers, Special Constables and Forest Rangers. Copies are available from SNH, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill will modernise and upgrade current arrangements for safeguardingScotland's most special wildlife sites through a network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).