One such group asks: “What do you get when you put a room full of curious tamariki, a stranded lifesize whale and a rescue team together? A whole lot of learning and some very enthusiastic future kaitiaki!”
Project Jonah’s Marine Education Programme brings the world of whales, dolphins, and marine conservation into schools and early childhood centres across Aotearoa. With support from WWF-New Zealand’s Community Conservation Fund, tamariki get hands-on with marine conservation through simulated whale rescues, problem-solving challenges and activities that explore the threats facing our marine life.
It’s science, teamwork and conservation rolled into one, with tamariki right at the heart of the action.
The learning doesn’t stop when the whale is “rescued”. In 2026, the programme has already reached thousands of tamariki and kaiako, with teachers telling us that children continued talking about marine conservation at home, sharing what they had learnt with their whānau and thinking about what they could do differently. One school shared that their tamariki were inspired to fundraise for the ocean after taking part.
“The recent visit from Project Jonah was a great success, engaging students across year groups and bringing learning to life in a way that regular classroom instruction cannot. The session meaningfully enriched our curriculum - from creative and informative writing and visual art to measuring whale sizes and dive times in maths, alongside environmental, biological, and marine science - sparking genuine curiosity and enthusiasm in my students.” — Kaiako, Paraparaumu Beach School
For Project Jonah Community Lead Louisa Hawkes, that ripple effect is what the programme is all about:
“We want tamariki to leave feeling that the ocean and its wildlife aren’t something they can only care about from a distance. They can be part of protecting it too. When that learning goes home and starts conversations with whānau, that’s when it gets really exciting.”
Alongside learning about some of Aotearoa’s most iconic marine animals, another programme is helping tamariki discover the importance of some of the moana’s smaller and often underappreciated habitats.
Love Rimurimu / Love Rimurēhia is helping tamariki in Te Tau Ihu build a deeper connection with the moana by combining marine science, mātauranga Māori, and hands-on conservation.
The programme explores both rimurimu (seaweed) and rimurēhia (seagrass), two important but often overlooked marine habitats. Through classroom learning, snorkelling, citizen science and restoration activities, students learn why these ecosystems matter, develop practical science skills, and discover how their own actions can contribute to healthier marine environments.
This year, students have begun their learning journey, building their knowledge and confidence before moving into field-based monitoring, snorkelling and restoration. As one of our educators reflected, “This is the part of the journey where their curiosity really comes alive. They get to do something exciting like snorkelling, experience the moana for themselves, and start forming that personal connection. We believe people protect what they know, care for what they love, and sustain what they feel they belong to.”
For Tasman Bay Guardians, that journey from experience to understanding, connection, care and action is at the heart of Love Rimurimu / Love Rimurēhia. By giving tamariki opportunities to experience these ecosystems first-hand and contribute to real conservation mahi, we hope to nurture a lasting sense of kaitiakitanga for the moana.
WWF-New Zealand’s Community Conservation Fund, in partnership with the Tindall Foundation, is proud to support projects that connect tamariki and communities with Aotearoa’s natural environment and build the next generation of kaitiaki.