Australian Mother Of Three Launches Free, Educational Online Adventure Site For Young Environmentalists

Habitat Heroes™ provides a safe and fun resource for children, with an educational and environmental focus

An exciting new online adventure game specifically designed for children will make learning about social and environmental issues fun. The site’s founder, Australian mother and entrepreneur, Sharon Lowe, was inspired to develop the site while watching her own young children enjoy online games.

Launched in BETA testing mode in time for Earth Day on April 22nd, www.habitatheroes.com is the first of its kind - an imaginative online adventure world that combines the fun of online games, quizzes, activities and social networking to educate young eco-warriors in a safe environment.

Having developed the site with the assistance of a panel of environmental experts, Lowe said she wanted to create a fun, yet worthwhile destination for children seeking to learn more about the earth and conservation.

“Habitat Heroes reflects the values my husband and I wish to instil in our children. Since young children are now actively online, I wanted to create an online destination where children could learn about these fundamentally important issues through platforms they enjoy, such as games and activities,” Lowe said.

The website is free to register and once a member, children take on an endangered species as their online character and create a life for it, while playing games, reading fun facts about the planet and communicating with other young environmentalists. Children earn ‘Creature Cash’, which can be banked and spent on outfits, healthy food or on decorating the habitats where their characters live.

The number of characters for a specific species corresponds to the number of members of that species existing in the real world. For instance, only 3,600 members who sign-up can choose the black rhinoceros as their character, corresponding to the 3,600 black rhinoceros in existence. The site will introduce a new endangered species once the old one is retired.

Australian Conservation Foundation's Community Outreach Coordinator, Annie Wearne, said she was excited to watch the progression of Habitat Heroes.

 “We’re very pleased to partner with Habitat Heroes. This site is a great way for children to learn about the complexities of the marine environment, especially here in Australia where we have such diversity, and so many environmental challenges. There are not many resources out there for kids that are fun, free and educational,” Wearne said.

The site also aims to bring young environmentalists from around the globe together so that they can share their ideas for saving the planet. Characters can socialise via chat, or share their thoughts on the environment and make friends at the local Watering Hole in a safe environment.

“Safety features have also been built into the site, online chats are closely monitored, and parents have the option to limit use of these functions. We are also going a step further to introduce a section of the site that contains all the games, activities and quiz questions in the same fun format that does not contain any social networking for added security,” Lowe said.

“Most importantly, access to the site is free for everyone. The game raises important global issues that all children need to understand, regardless of socio-economic levels.

“While the feedback so far has been phenomenal, we’ll be constantly updating the site to maintain children’s excitement. Competitions, treasure hunts and online events will tie in with real-world environmental events like Earth Day to keep the site fresh and evolving.

“We’ve also taken great care to ensure the site is relevant as a resource for children and educators. As such, we’ve developed lesson plans and activities to provide the best learning outcome for children. We’re also in the initial stages of developing partnerships with international bodies such as Green School Alliance, National Association of Independent Schools and the Earth Day Network.”

Habitat Heroes has partnered with charities and environmental groups including PlayPumps International, Greening Australia and the Australian Conservation Foundation. The games tell the stories of the site’s partners, as children explore different continents and learn about environmental issues by touring a virtual map.

Water Wheel is a game based on the real-life work of PlayPumps International, an international charity that provides merry-go-round water pumps for communities in sub-Saharan Africa. . Women and girls no longer have to spend their days fetching water, enabling them to attend school and earn incomes. In this game, players virtually construct an irrigation system in an African village. These stories help children relate to the issues in a truly engaging way.

The site will eventually have functionality that will allow children to donate ‘Creature Cash’ to their choice of our affiliated charities.

“Contributing to a charity gives children a sense of empowerment - they understand that they can make a difference. We want to give children a sense of their place in the world,” Sharon said. ”I feel privileged to have an opportunity to empower young ‘heroes’ with the confidence to improve the future and the wellbeing of the other species that inhabit our planet.

“Unlike some other sites, which are profit-driven and owned by multinational corporations, we are independent and Australian-owned, and aim to raise money to support charities and environmental organisations. That’s the sort of site I want my children spending their time on,” Sharon concluded.

The website was officially launched on 1st May, 2009, and new members can sign up at www.habitatheroes.com. Habitat Heroes will continue to roll out new innovations, such as new playgrounds, including the Amazon, a blog function, treasure hunts, a photobooth and competitions for both schools and individuals during April and May to celebrate Earth Day.

Release Date: 21st May 2009

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