Whale Visits School
On Tuesday 25 March 2025, in the School Hall, Michael Kinahan, Walk Through Whale Educator for Project Jonah, was excited to run an educational session for each of the six Paikea (Year 4/5 ) classes by introducing them to a life sized inflatable Humpback Whale. Each Paikea student was lucky enough to learn lots and lots about Paikea/Humpback Whales before heading inside to check out the Humpback Whales' incredibly large and powerful internal organs.
Students learnt how much a Paikea/Humpback Whale weighs and how far it swims each year in search of krill. They learnt about the Paikea/Humpback Whale’s incredible acrobatic behaviour - where 30 tonnes can be propelled out of the water by a couple of flicks of their tail fluke. A surprising fact that was shared was how empathetic and protective Paikea/Humpback Whales are of not only their own but any seals, other whale species and even human beings that they have helped save from Orca or sharks.Another suprising fact was the incredible whale songs they create year upon year and sing for up to 20 hours per day on repeat as they travel those long distances between the Arctic and Antarctic to feed and breed. Paikea students now have a new and deeper appreciation of Paikea/Humpback Whales and renewed purpose for helping save these glorious aquatic mammals by reducing plastic in the ocean and in their lunchboxes.
Paikea Kaiako 2025
