On June 28, 2026, in a classroom in the Ngor district of Dakar, about thirty fifth‑grade students leaned toward a speaker. The sound that filled the room was not music but the deep melody of a humpback whale, recorded off Ouakam. This surprising and moving moment is part of an innovative educational project run by the Germes d’Écocitoyens association.
The initiative, called Sciences and Traditions in Learning Universes (Gestu), blends scientific rigor with ancestral knowledge. It aims to make biodiversity tangible for children by introducing marine ecosystems through sensory experiences. By mobilising local stories and modern pedagogical methods, the programme builds a bridge between the classroom and the oceans that border West Africa.
The recordings being played come from two separate expeditions carried out in 2018 and 2022 off the coast of Ouakam. These sequences capture the complex songs of humpback whales, a species rare in Senegalese waters. Their presence, confirmed by researchers, testifies to a marine biodiversity that is still little known but fragile, threatened by industrial fishing and climate change.
During the session at Alieu Samb school, the teacher and cetacean specialist Olivier Adam shared his expertise, while fisherman‑diver Babacar Sy offered a field perspective. Together they decoded the sound patterns, explained the role of songs in cetacean communication and invited the pupils to imagine the daily life of these sea giants. This interactive approach turned a simple listening exercise into a genuine scientific exploration.
For Cameroonians and Africans in general, the project resonates as a call for vigilance. The Cameroonian coastline, like Senegal’s, is under pressure from human activities that weaken marine habitats. Understanding whale language means grasping the importance of an ecological balance that supports sustainable fishing, protection of breeding grounds and resilience to climatic variations.
The impact on the young participants is already measurable. The children, initially intrigued, are developing scientific curiosity and a new empathy toward marine creatures. This early awareness could translate, in the medium term, into a generation more committed to defending aquatic environments, ready to launch local initiatives or back conservation policies.
The programme plans three meetings in primary schools across Dakar, each centred on recordings, discussion workshops and artistic creation projects. By building on these experiences, other West African countries could replicate the model, creating a cross‑border educational network dedicated to underwater life. Such a dynamic naturally aligns with global biodiversity protection goals and quality education objectives.
As the whale’s song fades in the classroom, it leaves a lasting imprint on the students’ minds. If these sounds can cross oceans, they also carry hope for a future where informed and sensitised African youth become guardians of marine ecosystems. Policymakers, educators and communities are therefore invited to listen and act before silence replaces the deep‑sea melody.
