A one-day training session on the steps to handle chicks has been organised by the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS) for pupils drawn from Wildlife Clubs in some selected basic schools in Accra.

The pupils have also been asked to develop interest in the conservation of nature and migratory birds.

The project dubbed: “Spring Alive Project” is an initiative of Spring Alive, Poland, with support from the Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe and Africa and organised by the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS).

It is aimed at educating the public on the need to keep birds that migrate from Europe to Africa during the winter seasons.

The 2017 Spring Alive day was observed on the theme: “Don’t Take Chicks with You”.

Mr Eric Lartey, the Executive Director of the Ghana Wildlife Society affirmed the commitment of outfit towards conserving the lives of wildlife.

He said society was committed to researching into threatened species, interactions between people and biodiversity, impacts of development on biodiversity, and how land use affected patterns of migration of birds along their migratory routes.

Mr Lartey indicated that society was working with government, the private sector and civil society organisations to find solutions to local, regional and national conservation challenges.

He said the GWS activities focused on research, policy work and site interventions on conservation of species which span different ecosystem realms, (terrestrial, marine, wetlands, freshwater, mangroves and the tropical forest).”

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the training, Ms Louisa Kabobah, a Conservation Educationist with the GWS said there was the need to conserve the species to avoid their extinction.

She urged the pupil to love and save the lives of birds to help conserve the bird species that migrate during winter and return in spring for conducive condition.

Ms Kabobah said the Spring Alive project sought to train children, teachers and parents to conserve the five types of Spring Alive Birds which, include; Barn Swallow, White Stork, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, and European Bee-eater.

She encouraged the children to look out for the aforementioned birds and help them to survive in order for them to return safely to Europe after the spring.

A poetry recitation competition was also organised among the participating schools as part of the training programme on the theme.

Christine Kludje, a pupil from Sakumono Complex School emerged as the ultimate winner of The competition.

Maame Yaa and Princess Allanu from Mother Nest Montessori and Ohene Dickson of Transform Child School emerged as the first and second runners up respectively.