Close encounters at Sharks Board
The Sharks Board recently hosted an annual awareness campaign in celebration of National Marine Month.
LAST week the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence (KZNSB) again hosted its annual awareness campaign in celebration of National Marine Month. According to Mpho Lephaila, the Sharks Board communication officer, the KZNSB dedicated three days of this special month to celebrate the beauty and the value of the oceans with pupils across the country.
“The oceans cover over 70 per cent of the planet; they generate most of the oxygen that people and other animals breathe, they regulate the climate, they clean the water that we drink and global trade is dominated by sea transport. There is so much that the oceans give to human life. They are worth celebrating and they deserve to be taken care of,” she said.
The aim of the event was to raise awareness about the oceans, their importance in human life, and how humans can contribute to taking care of them.
This event was also be used as a platform to give advice to pupils on different careers in the marine field, added Lephaila. Durban Natural Science Museum, uShaka Marine World, South African Weather Service, Umgeni Water, Durban Solid waste and the SA Navy were some of the organisations present at the event.
Over the course of the day, the Sharks Board presenters also used their sharp humour to entertain and educate children about sharks and the purpose of the Sharks Board.
The eager pupils were ‘treated’ to shark dissections, after which they were given important swimming safety tips. During the dissections, the presenters also took some time to share some fun shark facts with the pupils, giving them a glimpse into the mysterious life of the misunderstood creatures.
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