New Delhi: Come October, when nearly five lakh school children will participate in the week-long Animal Action Week (October 1 to 7) to be held across the country.

This is the largest animal-focused educational event organized every year by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). 15 countries and more than a million children will participate in this year’s event.

In India, it is being organized for the fourth consecutive year by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in partnership with IFAW to sensitize children on wildlife.

The theme this year is “Making Waves for Seals” – to seek a basic understanding among children about issues – social, moral and political – surrounding the killing of seals.

Besides other activities, a 15-minutes film on the theme and a painting competition (Paint a seal) are also being organized, covering more than 250 schools.

Two national level winners from the painting competitions will be awarded the IFAW Young Achiever’s Award at the prestigious Venu Menon Animal Awards in New Delhi on February 19, 2007. Their paintings will feature on the New Year greeting cards produced by WTI that are sent to eminent wildlife conservationists and organizational heads all over the world.

In recent years, seal population in range countries are in steep decline due to the widespread hunting of the animal for their body parts. Commercial hunting of seals in Nambia, Russia, Greenland and Norway has threatened their existence. Developmental activities and degradation of coastal habitats are other important threats.

IFAW and WTI formed a partnership in the year 2000 to strengthen the cause of wildlife conservation and animal welfare in India. The two organizations share concerns for a number of endangered animals, including the Tibetan antelope.