Celebrating World Wildlife Day
This week, we’re celebrating World Wildlife Day, a day to commemorate our globe’s magnificent fauna and flora, and to raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. In this blog, we will unpack the meaning and significance of the day, and how we at EDU Africa are celebrating the globe’s wildlife.
What is World Wildlife Day?
The United Nations declared 3 March World Wildlife Day to celebrate our planet’s wild animals and plants and the contribution they make to our lives and the world as a whole.
The background of World Wildlife Day
The third of March is the birthday of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which was signed 50 years ago. Although CITES was signed way back in 1973, the United Nations General Assembly only declared 3 March World Wildlife Day on 20 December 2013. World Wildlife Day is organized by the Secretariat of CITES, in collaboration with other relevant United Nations organizations. Through the regulation of trade in wild fauna and flora, CITES remains one of the most powerful tools for biodiversity conservation. This is why its birthday was used as the date for World Wildlife Day.
Why does it matter?
World Wildlife Day has become the most crucial global event dedicated to wildlife. People across the globe rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources for their everyday needs – food, fuel, medicines, housing, clothing, etc. This year, the theme for World Wildlife Day is “Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation,” allowing us to celebrate all the conservation efforts on various scales.
In line with partnerships for wildlife conservation, we at EDU Africa are extremely excited about the launch of The Wildlife Tourism College of The Maasai Mara (WTC). The WTC is an educational facility located in the heart of the Pardamat Conservation Area in the greater Maasai Mara ecosystem. EDU Africa was appointed the Key International Education Partner for the College, presenting many unique opportunities for international academic institutions, faculty, and students to get involved in phenomenal research and educational initiatives in the area.
At EDU Africa, we are deeply committed to treating the earth, its diverse resources, and its people with integrity and respect.
Happy World Wildlife Day!
Bibliography
Higuero, I. What is World Wildlife Day? [Online]. Available: https://www.wildlifeday.org/en [2023, February 10].
World Wildlife Day Background [Online]. Available: https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-wildlife-day/background [2023, February 10].
What is Wildlife Day? [Online]. Available: https://wildlifeday.org/en/about-us [2023, February 10].
Educational Learning Center in The Greater Maasai Mara. [Online]. Available: https://edu-africa.com/students-abroad/educational-learning-centre-in-the-greater-maasai-mara-kenya/ [2023, February 10].