When is National Wildlife Day?
National Wildlife Day occurs on February 22nd and September 4th.
What is National Wildlife Day?
From baby seals to Bengal tigers, many of our planet’s animals live under natural and human threats. National Wildlife Day raises awareness about the pressures on the world’s endangered animals.
Municipal development is eating the last strongholds of the pandas. The hunting grounds of polar bears are in jeopardy as the polar ice caps shrink. Some threats to wildlife are out of our hands, but not all. It will take tremendous creativity and commitment to preserve our biodiversity.
Animal advocate Colleen Paige created National Wildlife Day in 2005 to spread the word about animal extinction threats. The day originally fell on September 4th. After the death of Steve Irwin, Paige added February 22nd to remember his contributions to conservation efforts around the world.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. Animal advocates are promoting sustainable systems, governments are passing laws, and folks are getting their hands dirty to preserve the earth’s biodiversity. National Wildlife Day is a banner for the cause.
Facts about National Wildlife Day!
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature has catalogued over 26,500 species threatened with extinction.
- One quarter of all mammal species and 40% of amphibian species face serious extinction threats.
- In 2018, the status of the Fin Whale moved from Endangered to Vulnerable, and the Mountain Gorilla’s status improved from Critically Endangered to Endangered.
How to celebrate National Wildlife Day:
- Attend an official event at a zoo or aquarium. Many wildlife sanctuaries also host presentations about global conservation and preservation efforts.
- Support animal preservation organizations with your time and donations.
- Check out World Wildlife Day, National Polar Bear Day, and National Panda Day for other observations related to wildlife.
What’s the hashtag for National Wildlife Day?
Use #NationalWildlifeDay on social media to share your support for endangered creatures.