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Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation

World Wildlife Day

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World Wildlife Day

On 20th December 2013, the Sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly decided to proclaim 3rd March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. The date is the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973, which plays an important role in ensuring that international trade does not threaten the species’ survival.

World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people. At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. Given these various negative effects, Sustainable Development Goal 15 focuses on halting biodiversity loss.

50,000 Wild species meet needs of billions worldwide. 1 in 5 people around the world rely on wild species for income and food, while 2.4 billion people depend on wood fuel of cooking.

Over 8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while close to 30,000 more are understood to be endangered or vulnerable. Based on these estimates, it is suggested that over a million species are threatened with extinction.

World Wildlife Day will be celebrated in 2023 under the theme “Partnerships for wildlife conservation”, honoring the people who are making a difference.This upcoming year, the UN celebrates a special partnership: the 50th anniversary of CITES.

– Source: Internet –