Children at the local Metet school in Cameroon got the surprise of their lives recently when a gorilla arrived in their classroom!
The visitor – a gorilla sculpture – was given to the children to decorate and keep by Bristol Zoo Gardens as part of its ‘Wow! Gorillas’ public art event. The zoo, a key supporter of Ape Action Africa, has launched the event as part of the celebrations in its 175th anniversary year.
Ape Action Africa education officer Elvis Chefor brought the statue into the classroom and asked each of the students to create a design for the gorilla. All 63 children approached the task with excitement, using paper and pencils to express their ideas.
The children voted for their favourite design then brought it to life, each child joining in the fun to paint part of the statue. The day was aimed at celebrating the importance of gorillas says Elvis Chefor. “We had some very impressive artwork and the children left for home with smiles on their faces”.
Many thanks to Bristol Zoo for helping to make this a fun event for the children in Cameroon!
You can read the full story on the Ape Action Africa website. Find out why we support Ape Action Africa on our website.