Living Things of Oman

This week our Living Things guest speaker was Ms. Tania Al-Said, the president of Environment Society of Oman, also a TAISM parent. Ms. Tania presented to first-graders about the diverse living things of Oman. She focused on how humans can impact these living things both positively and negatively. We learned how the Arabian oryx is now protected in a reserve in Oman because they have been hunted for many years and started to become endangered. We learned that the Arabian leopard has sometimes been killed by people who are trying to protect their own animals such as goats. We learned that there is a rescue team to help dolphins and whales when they get stuck in fishing nets. We learned that baby turtles often get confused by electric lights at night as they try to follow the moonlight to the sea. Adult turtles often mistake plastic bags in the ocean for jellyfish and can choke and die as a result. Finally we learned that there is a five-year study happening to figure out how many times a frankincense tree can be cut to collect its sap before it dies. Students are buzzing with new knowledge and probing questions, such as "How many frankincense trees are there in Oman?" and "Is it okay to help baby turtles make it to the sea?", so be sure and seize this opportunity to chat with your child about the very special living things of Oman!