World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day History

World Wildlife Day seeks to celebrate the world's plants and animals while raising awareness of issues that impact wildlife. Wildlife refers to all undomesticated native plants and animals of a region. The day also serves to highlight issues such as urbanization, poaching, pollution, and the destruction of wildlife habitats. It encourages everyone to contribute to conservation efforts.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed World Wildlife Day in December of 2013 as a celebration that would take place annually on March 3rd. The date chosen coincides with the day the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed. The CITES is a document that regulates the trade of wild animals and plants around the world.

Facts about World Wildlife Day

• The theme for World Wildlife Day in 2024 was Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation. In 2023 the theme was Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration.
• Elephants, pangolins, rhinoceros, sharks and tigers are among the most critically poached and trafficked species in the world.
• According to the UN, the biggest threat to wildlife is habitat loss. Other threats include overgrazing, farming, and development. Habitat loss accounts for 80% of the loss in biological diversity.
• Based on previous mass extinctions, scientist have predicted that close to half of Earth’s species could go extinct by 2050.
• The actions taken by each of us will determine the fate of the world’s wildlife — UN Secretary, General Ban Ki-moon

In the News and Trending in the US for World Wildlife Day

Top things to do in the US for World Wildlife Day

• Enjoy the planet’s biodiversity by visiting the zoo or by going on a safari. You could also visit a nature museum, a botanical garden, or a national park to see the wide variety of flora and fauna.
• Volunteer to help clean up trash and other debris along a beach, park or stretch of road. Garbage and debris pollute the water and land habitats of our planet's plants and animals. In addition to polluting, garbage and debris can be ingested by animals or can act as a net and trap them.
• Watch documentaries about conservation efforts and global loss of biodiversity. Some of our favorites are: Call of Life (2010), End of the Line (2009), Home (2009) and Garbage Island (2008).
• Make a donation to one of the many organizations that conserve and protect the planet's biodiversity. Organizations include the World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Alliance and Animal Welfare Institute.
• Host a wildlife party. Prepare different trivia questions and facts about animals and plants and divide your friends into teams to see who is the most knowledgeable about the world's biodiversity.