As a society we are disconnected from nature. The advent of technology has changed the way we live, it has changed the way we interact and it has jammed a wedge between us and nature. Children, from the time they are born, are now inundated with technology. It has gone well beyond the 30 minutes of watching Playschool that was the norm a generation ago. At the same time we have been disconnected from our world and nature, the state of the planet has declined at quite a rapid rate.
The threat of climate change is at our door. We are on the precipice of a mass extinction. Now if as a society we are disconnected from nature, we are not going to have the impetus to want to protect the planet. I started Reptile Encounters because I want to give students the chance to connect with nature. I believe that people need to have that ‘inspire’ moment to be able to make the connection for themselves. By meeting animals in the flesh we engender a respect for our environment and equip students to make a difference!