3 March is World Wildlife Day. Image: Pixabay
World Wildlife Day: A reminder to protect life on our planet
Today, we celebrate World Wildlife Day – reflecting on our responsibility to protect and preserve our planet’s biodiversity
3 March is World Wildlife Day. Image: Pixabay
World Wildlife Day is a celebration of the rich biodiversity that surrounds us.
It is a day to recognise the amazing creatures that inhabit every corner of our planet, from the soaring birds of the sky to the majestic whales of the sea.
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History of World Wildlife Day
On March 3rd, 1973, the United Nations General Assembly stood up to protect Endangered Species throughout the world.
Endangered species, whether plant or animal, were important in every area of human life, from culinary to medical, and could not be understated.
At that time, hundreds of endangered species were threatened every year, and extinction rates were staggeringly high.
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They put CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) into place to ensure that the world did not continue to hemorrhage species that would never be seen from again.
On December 20th, 2013, the UN took another step to help spread awareness of the fragility of endangered species in the world.
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At its 68th session, they declared that they would dedicate each year of World Wildlife Day to a new purpose and idea to help keep people abreast of the changing nature of our world and the treasures we stand to lose from the animal and plant kingdom if we don’t take care.
Each day focuses on something specific
Sometimes, the day highlights an endangered animal or group of animals.
In other years, it has focused on a specific issue affecting the world of wildlife.
Previous themes have included getting serious about wildlife crime and listening to young voices.
The CITES Secretariat, working together with relevant UN organizations, implements World Wildlife Day.
The day might not have been around for long compared to some others, but it has already made a big impact.
If you are passionate about the Earth and everything on it, celebrating it is a must.
