Imaginations run wild for animal antics

Dec 5 2008 by Jenny Wood, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PRIMARY school pupils across Perth and Kinross are going wild as they take part in Tayside Police’s popular wildlife crime project.

The project is now in its 12th year and lets pupils gain a special insight into the range of wildlife crimes dealt with by the police.

Youngsters taking part in this year’s project have just finished their first assignment: to create an animal, bird, plant or insect from leaves, twigs, wool, berries or any other natural product found in the countryside, in parks or even in some school playgrounds.

Alan Stewart, Tayside Police’s wildlife and environmental crime officer, has just finished marking the 1500 entries and admitted: “This turned out to be a challenge as some of the leaves were easier to work with than others.

“Nevertheless there were some terrific creations, from owls and hedgehogs to foxes and sunflowers. There was even a lizard, a snail and a tortoise.

“As always it was hard to pick the winners,” confessed the officer.

But a tough decision was reached and it was Daniel Black from Cleish Primary School who scooped first prize in the Perth and Kinross section.

Youngster Sam Flood from Alyth made it into second place, Lauren Miller from Kinross in third and, unable to single out just one piece worthy of fourth position, the final accolade was shared between Rattray Primary School’s P5 pupils Chloe Hunter and Samuel Baker.

Winning entries can be seen on the wildlife crime page of the Tayside Police website at www.tayside.police.uk