In Senegal, recordings of whales are being utilized to educate children about environmental conservation. This innovative initiative is spearheaded by the association Germes d’Écocitoyens à travers les sciences et les traditions dans les univers d’apprentissage (Gestu). Recently, the organization facilitated three interactive sessions in Dakar primary schools, featuring Professor Olivier Adam, a renowned cetacean specialist. One such engaging event, focused on introducing children to the intricate language of whales, took place at the Alieu Samb primary school in Dakar’s Ngor district.
In a classroom filled with around thirty CM2 students, rapt attention fell upon the recorded sounds of a humpback whale. These captivating recordings were captured off the coast of Ouakam, Dakar, in both 2018 and 2022.
Professor Olivier Adam from the Sorbonne, a leading expert on cetacean sounds, highlighted the significance of these marine visitors. “The sounds you’ve just heard belong to humpback whales,” he explained to the children. “These magnificent creatures journey to Dakar to give birth. Their calves are, in essence, Dakarois.”
For Professor Adam, democratizing the understanding that whales possess a complex language is paramount. “I was genuinely astonished when I first recorded whales and realized they emitted intentional, structured sounds, akin to a language,” shared the professor, who traveled from Paris specifically for these educational sessions. “Every time I engage with students, with children, I feel it’s absolutely vital for them to grasp this. To truly comprehend our oceans, we must first understand the living species that inhabit them.”
The curious young learners eagerly posed a myriad of questions, covering topics such as: “How many stomachs does a whale have? How many types of whales exist? How do whales give birth? What do they eat?”
Twelve-year-old Fanta expressed her profound impression, stating that “their song and their way of speaking” captivated her the most.
Thierry, the CM2 teacher at Alieu Samb school in Ngor, a vibrant district of Dakar, emphasized the critical importance of this education about the living world. He recounted his own learning experience: “Without this knowledge, you wouldn’t know, for instance, what I just learned – that a whale typically gives birth to only one calf at a time. This means it’s a species that, if not protected, could face extinction.”
Babacar Sy, an experienced underwater hunter for over 30 years and the individual responsible for recording these whale sounds in Dakar, co-led the workshop. He underscored the urgent need to combat environmental ignorance, especially as he observes a daily decline in his fish catches. “I was fortunate enough to experience nature as it once was, and to witness its radical transformation,” the fisherman lamented. “Last year, I caught only five ‘thiofs’ throughout the entire year. If we continue on this path, one day we’ll speak of ‘thiofs’ to our children, and they’ll ask what they were, as they will no longer exist. We are heading into a deep crisis. For me, it’s time for people to awaken!”
Beyond the Alieu Samb school, two other Dakar institutions also hosted Professor Olivier Adam and his compelling whale recordings. Alongside these sessions, the Gestu association organizes dedicated days for waste collection awareness, aiming to profoundly shift societal attitudes towards environmental responsibility.
