World Wildlife Day 2021
What is World Wildlife Day?
We are excited to be welcoming in spring and World Wildlife Day this March at Wildlife World. The 3rd March is World Wildlife Day, a designated day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild animals and plants. The day was proclaimed at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 20th December 2013 and has become one of the most important global annual events dedicated to wildlife!
What is the theme for World Wildlife Day 2021?
The UN has defined that this year's World Wildlife Day is themed "Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet".
The UN has outlined the reason for this on their official website "As a way to highlight the central role of forests, forest species and ecosystems services in sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people globally, and particularly of Indigenous and local communities with historical ties to forested and forest-adjacent areas. This aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals and their wide-ranging commitments to alleviating poverty, ensuring sustainable use of resources, and conserving life land."
"Between 200 and 350 million people live within or adjacent to forested areas worldwide. They rely on the various ecosystem services provided by forest and forest species for their livelihoods and to cover their most basic needs, including food, shelter, energy and medicines."
"Roughly 28% of the world's land surface is currently managed by indigenous peoples, including some of the most ecologically intact forests on the planet. These spaces are not only central to their economic and personal well-being but also their cultural identities.2
"Forests, forests species and the livelihoods that depend on them currently find themselves at the crossroads of the multiple planetary crises we now face, from climate change to biodiversity loss and the health, social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic."
"This day will celebrate forest-based livelihoods and seek to promote forest and forest wildlife management practices that accommodate both human well-being and the long-term conservation of forests. Promoting the value of traditional methods that contribute to establishing a more sustainable relationship with these crucial natural systems."
Why is World Wildlife Day celebrated?
The simplest explanation for this is the priceless value of wildlife. You can't overlook the intrinsic value that animals and plants living in the wild have to the ecological, educational, cultural, scientific and aesthetic aspects of sustainable development and human well being. World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to celebrate this!
World Wildlife Day is also an important event to raise awareness of the extraordinary diversity and fragility of wildlife and marine life that we have today. With increasing numbers of endangered and extinct species, it's imperative to educate people on how we can help conserve the planet to continue to provide for future generations!
How can you help this World Wildlife Day?
The best way to get involved and help this year's World Wildlife Day initiatives is to share your wildlife knowledge with your friends and family. Including any wildlife-friendly gardening tips. Spreading awareness is often the first step in making an affirmative action towards a more sustainable future.
The UN has summed it up perfectly by saying, "Spread the word. especially to children and youth. They are the future leaders of wildlife conservation, and they deserve a future where we humans live in harmony with the wildlife that shares the planet with us."
If you are keen to get involved on social media, remember to use the hashtags #WorldWildlifeDay #WWD2021 #ForestPeoplePlanet
Alternatively, another more tangible way to help is by increasing the number of wildlife-friendly habitats in your area. Whether you build these yourself - like a garden pond, or log pile - or you purchase a ready made Solitary Bee House or Hedgehog House from our website, it all goes towards creating creating better ecosystems and welcoming our wildlife.
If you would like to stay on theme for this year's World Wildlife Day and help the wildlife living in your local area, why not take a peek at our Bird Boxes. As always, creating a happy, healthy garden habitat will be of benefit to all wildlife!