IWDG ‘Blubber Book’ for junior aspiring marine biologists

The Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) has launched ‘Blubber Book’ – an educational resource for young and aspiring marine biologists on cetaceans found in Irish waters.

The IWDG was founded in 1990 to establish an all-Ireland sighting and stranding scheme and to campaign for the declaration of Irish territorial waters as a whale and dolphin sanctuary.

Its mission is to promote better understanding of cetaceans and their habitats through education and research through collection and distribution of information and collaboration with universities, government and research groups. On June 7, 1991, the Irish government declared Ireland an whale and dolphin sanctuary.

Classroom & virtual workshops

Ireland’s Blubber Book; Junior Vol 1 is a comprehensive workbook for primary school children aged 9-12 that sets out  ‘the relevant knowledge (the what), the key dispositions and skills (the how) and the values (the why)’.

The book will also ‘motivate and empower them throughout their lives to become informed active citizens, who take action for a more sustainable blue future’, says IWDG.

Created to support the aims of the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development, teachers can use the resource in a classroom setting, and the IWDG will provide virtual workshops for interactive and engaging experiences.

Schools can contact the IWDG education and outreach officer Sibéal at [email protected]. The book, available on the IWDG shop, is sponsored by Inis, Energy of the Sea and illustrated by John Joyce.