Overview:
Young students at Ngeremlengui Elementary School celebrated Whale Day with interactive lessons and hands-on activities that highlighted the vital role whales and dolphins play in maintaining healthy oceans. The outreach, led by the Palau National Marine Sanctuary and partner sanctuaries, inspired students to learn about marine conservation through presentations, puzzles and creative activities.
By: Laurel Marewibuel
Ngeremlengui, Palau — Students at Ngeremlengui Elementary School got a close-up look at the importance of whales and dolphins during Whale Day outreach activities supported by the Palau International Coral Reef Center and partner sanctuaries this month.
Representatives from the Palau National Marine Sanctuary joined colleagues from the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and the Hawaiian national marine sanctuaries of Papahānaumokuākea and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale to deliver presentations and classroom activities designed to teach young Palauans about marine mammals found in Palau’s waters.
Children participated in an interactive presentation and quiz, assembled educational puzzles depicting species found in the Palau National Marine Sanctuary, and modeled sperm whales from clay, organisers said.
“Whales and dolphins are magnificent creatures that play vital roles in ocean health,” a PNMS representative said. “They store large amounts of carbon in their bodies, their nutrient-rich waste supports phytoplankton growth, and their carcasses help sustain deep-sea communities for decades.”
The outreach emphasized several ways whales and dolphins benefit the ocean and the planet. Organizers highlighted that these animals sequester carbon while alive, their waste nourishes phytoplankton—organisms that contribute roughly half of the world’s atmospheric oxygen and capture carbon—and their remains support long-lived deep-sea ecosystems. The events also showcased how studying cetaceans can reveal changes in the marine environment.
Parents who attended with their children welcomed the program. “It was great to see my child so excited about the ocean and learning how whales help our environment,” one parent said. Another added, “Hands-on activities like clay modeling make these lessons memorable for Palauan kids and help them understand why marine protection matters.”