Knowledge and awareness are the most powerful tools to fight the illegal wildlife trade. Stopping demand for wild animals and fostering stewardship are two of the most important ways to transform and protect wild Laos for generations to come.
Local people may not always know how their actions affect native wildlife, or even how endangered local wildlife may be. It’s critical to share the issues affecting our environment, dispel myths, and try to provide alternative solutions wherever possible. We believe we should work with our local communities as they can be the key to help the fight against the illegal wildlife trade.
Our education center is growing as an important learning hub for Laos including hosting events for the National University of Laos and educational groups such as the Asian Turtle Program. Keep an eye on our social media pages to see if any of these educational events are coming up soon. We are also able to create bespoke educational and team building experiences for all ages, from school groups to team building workshops, all with an underlying message of ethical care for wildlife. We regularly receive visits from international schools who come to learn about Lao wildlife and prepare enrichment for our residents to keep them entertained – get in touch if you’d like to book a school trip! We have also recently launched monthly lessons for our neighboring secondary school in the village on the importance of protecting the environment around them.
We share the story of the remarkable wildlife of LCTW through informative tours, exciting educational signs and various animal habitats throughout our Ban Keun site. By sharing the sometimes heartbreaking rescue stories of the animals in our care, and showing how to ethically interact with animals, we hope to create an educational wave. Our local and international volunteers and visitors include people from all walks of life, many of whom become advocates for this important cause after they leave LCTW. These advocates are a key part of our work to stop the illegal wildlife trade.
