On August 18-20, 2023, nine students from several academic programs of Mahidol University International College (MUIC) were selected to participate in a field trip in Petchaburi province organized by the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) with the aim of creating content for the Biophilia 360° animation project.
The outcome from the field trip will serve as the content for a taster experience set to music performed by the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and to be showcased at the upcoming Beyond Animation Festival hosted by the French Embassy. Collected data in the form of drawings, video and photographs will be used in creating the hand-drawn 360° animation that reflects real places with flowers, plants, trees, and animals to deliver immersive experiences encouraging observation and curiosity-driven questioning skills. For these reasons, it is related to SDG 15 as the project focuses on wildlife conservation which raise awareness of the threats facing wildlife and encourage people to take action to protect it.
Dr. Young explained that the main objective of this project was to make the students understand not only drawing and animating animals but also to experience the true meaning of biophilia and thus foster a deeper appreciation of nature, habitats and the vital role that empathy plays in conservation efforts. The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) was specifically selected for the project due to the compassionate efforts of Mr. Edwin Wiek, the founder of WFFT and his team in wildlife rescue.
During the three-day field trip, the life stories of the blind cassowary, handicapped gibbons, three-legged deer and fractured spine elephant in the WFFT camp all emotionally touched the students.
