World Animal Day – Supporting Wildlife Conservation

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World Animal Day – Supporting Wildlife Conservation

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World Animal Day was created by a group of Italian ecologists on October 4, 1931, as a celebration that “unites the animal welfare movement, mobilizing it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals.  It’s celebrated in different ways in every country, irrespective of nationality, religion, faith, or political ideology”. 

While it is true that the diversity of life on Planet Earth is so rich that we can find animal and plant species in the most inhospitable areas of this planet where people cannot live, it is also true that every single one of these species plays an important role in the stability of the different ecosystems and the survival of life as we know it.

Think about this…. A single rainforest tree can host 2,000 species of animals and plants.  Just one!!!  What will happen if we continue to destroy the rainforest? At the moment, more than 9,600 tree species are in danger of extinction, along with almost 8,000 species of reptile, mammal, bird, fish, and amphibian, and that is without counting the ones that are “of concern” and the ones that are already gone.  Forever!!!

What is Causing This Destruction?

Unfortunately, the cause for this loss is us humans and our direct responsibility to:

• Habitat loss:  caused by the rapidly expanding cities and planting lands, without thinking that we humans are completely dependent on nature for a stable climate, clean air and water, and food.  In other words, our survival.
• Pollution:  our expanding cities and their industries are causing such devastating effects on the atmosphere, land, rivers, and oceans, that it has caused holes in the planet’s Ozone layer that protects us against the direct effects of the sun and poison entire habitats, killing hundreds of plants and animal species.
• Illegal wildlife trade: the abuse of hunting of certain species for small parts of their bodies such as whales, rhinos, and elephants is well known.
• Ocean plastic pollution:  the amount of plastic that goes into our oceans is overwhelming, estimated to be eight million tons a year!  This causes hundreds of species to die because they eat this plastic, get tangled up in parts of it, or are covered by it.

Why Does It Matter?

It matters because when a species goes extinct it is impossible to bring it back, and that loss that looks insignificant, is a powerful ingredient that united with other losses will cause an imbalance, causing the collapse of the different ecosystems that sustain the biodiversity of Planet Earth and the services they provide, and that includes us, humans.

If we want to be a little selfish, and we want to think about the many reasons why we need to protect biodiversity, some of these reasons are our need for:

• clean water.
• Breathable air.
• Food.
• Climate regulation
• Pharmaceutical ingredients
• Construction lands
• Recreational spaces

10 Most Endangered Animals in 2021

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), listed 41,415 species, and 16,306 animals and plants are currently endangered and threatened with extinction.

When a species is classified as endangered is because its population has declined between 50 and 70 percent, and when there are less than 250 mature individuals in existence.

Now, think about how it is possible that just 250 mature individuals reproduced fast enough to avoid their extinction.  It is practically impossible.  That is why is so important that every single one of us does something about it. As I mentioned before, there are thousands of species endangered, but these are the 10 species that are most critically endangered, and you can find more information about them HERE.

#1 Javan Rhinoceros

This is one of the most threatened mammal species on our planet.  It is currently estimated that only 67 Javan rhinos remain in the world, and its worse is that all three subspecies of Rhinoceros, black, Javan, and Sumatran, are all endangered. Another subspecies of the Javan rhino was already declared extinct in Vietnam in 2011.

#2 Vaquita Dolphin

The Vaquita, with only 4-5 feet long and reaching only 100 pounds, is the smallest member of the dolphin, whale, and porpoise family.   It only lives in a very small area in the extreme northern part of the Gulf of California, and it’s critically endangered mainly because of entanglements with fishing nets.

#3 Mountain Gorilla

Mountain gorillas were considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because they were seriously hunted, habitat loss, and diseases.  Since they are being protected their numbers have increased a little, and now they are considered endangered.

#4 Tigers

It is estimated that only 3.500 tigers remain in the wild, and that is including all five sub-species, the Bengal, the Indochinese, the Sumatran, the Siberian, and the Malayan. They are globally listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but the Malayan and sub-species are critically endangered.

#5 Asian Elephants

The Asian elephant has been seriously hunted for its parts and products, making its population decline by 50% in the past 75 years.  It is estimated that only 20,000 to 40,000 Asian elephants are left in the wild.  That is why these species were classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

#6 Orangutans

There are two species of orangutans, the Bornean and the Sumatran, and both populations have drastically declined and are threatened with extinction, mainly because their tropical rainforest is being destroyed to be used as oil palm plantations.  It is estimated that only 104,700 Bornean orangutans exist in the wild, and have been listed as endangered. The Sumatran orangutan, however, is considered critically endangered, because they’re only about 7,500 left in the wild.

#7 Leatherback Sea Turtles

Leatherback turtles are the largest sea turtle species, and the name comes from their shell is more like leather instead of hard, like other turtles.  Their range of migration is also the largest, as they travel through the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.  This species has declined tremendously mainly due to the extensive egg collection and entanglement in fishing gear, which makes them be on the list of endangered species.

#8 Snow Leopards

This elusive cat is considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because scientists think there are only about 4,080-6,590 snow leopards in the wild.  They live in the mountainous regions of central and southern Asia.

#9 Irrawaddy Dolphins

The Irrawaddy dolphin is a very special species of dolphin because they transition between saltwater and freshwater.  It is estimated that only 92 Irrawaddy dolphins are left in the Mekong River, which could mean a potentially devastating decline in the health of the river’s ecosystem and extinction. of this species.

#10 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

The critically endangered population of the Bluefin tuna, including the three sub-species, Atlantic bluefin tuna, but also Pacific bluefin tuna, and Southern bluefin tuna, has declined severely, because of the overfishing and illegal fishing, due to the high demand for this fish in sushi markets.

What Can We Do About It?

There are many people around the world working day and night to protect species that are at high risk of extinction, but their efforts alone are not enough.

As parents and teachers, we are responsible for raising awareness of our children, encouraging them to become advocates and defenders of wildlife, and creating the base for our future generations’ growth and enjoyment of their company.

We, humans, have the power to make a difference, and we can choose to be destroyers or protectors.  The only way we can save this planet where we live is to work together to turn around the future of species that are fighting for survival and to avoid their loss.

Celebrating World Animal Day

This is a special day to pay tribute to all the animals that share this planet with us, and I think is the perfect opportunity to use it for education and to start raising awareness for all the animal issues I mentioned above.

Some ways that you can celebrate this special day with your preschoolers are:

• Start a cleaning campaign by going on a field trip to a park or a beach for a trash collection day.
• Educate yourself and how to help, so you can pass the information to your children.
• Do fundraising for a nonprofit organization of your choosing.
• Create a recycling station in your classroom, and home.

Another way you can help is by making changes in your own life:

• Volunteering your time at an animal sanctuary or a local shelter.
• Educate yourself about where your food and the materials used in your clothes come from and avoid products that hurt animals.
• Be frugal with the use of water and electricity.
• Avoid the use of plastic as much as you can.
• Recycle.
• Cut off the elastics on your used masks before you throw them away.
• Use regional products as much as possible.

Pin It for Later

If you are in a rush and don’t have time to read the post and download the printable but want to save it for later, pin it to one of your Pinterest boards, so you can have it available when you need it.

Last Thoughts

Use this day as the beginning of your journey in this fight to start raising awareness about this issue, if you haven’t started it yet.  Remind your children of the importance of protecting our environment and everything in it, every day!  This is not a matter of just mentioning this problem and forgetting about it.  The only way that we can make a difference is by imprinting this knowledge in our future generations to become wildlife defenders and advocates for life.

Since it is impossible to create printables for all the species that are endangered right now, I’ve chosen the 10 more endangered species that exist right now, in 2021, and created two FREE printables to help you introduce them to your preschoolers and start creating awareness of the danger. You can get them by clicking on the link below.

Be happy, safe, and creative. I wish you well.

Love,

.

P.D. Please let me know if you like any of these ideas worked for you, or if you think I need to add or replace something.  My goal is to help you in any way I can and I don’t like anything better than to post something that you might find helpful. Also, if you came up with different ideas and want to share them, I would love to post them as well.

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