World Wildlife Day

Latest Context

• World Wildlife Day is celebrated annually by the UNGA (United nation general assembly) to increase public awareness of the world's animals and plants. It was announced in December 2013 during the 68th meeting of the UN General Assembly.
• Partnerships for wildlife conservation will be the focus(Theme) of World Wildlife Day 2023, which aims to recognise people who are making a difference in preserving the world's flora and animals.

Historical Perspective

• The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which was ratified on March 3, 1973, is crucial in making sure that trade between nations does not put the existence of the species in jeopardy. The Convention is an international pact between states to guarantee that the sale of specimens of wild animals and plants does not jeopardise the existence of the species.
• CITES, which regulates trade in wild animals and plants, has 183 member nations and is one of the most effective weapons for biodiversity conservation in the world.
• Previously, a decision to declare March 3 as "World Wildlife Day" was taken at the 16th Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP16), which was held in Bangkok in March 2013.
• According to this agreement, UN organisations, businesses, nonprofits, and nongovernmental organisations must continue to work for the preservation of wildlife, its sustainable use, and the struggle against the illegal trafficking and extinction of wildlife.

Significance of Worldwide Day

• The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory organisation within the Ministry in India that is specifically designed to tackle organised wildlife crime in the country, in addition to the Union Ministery of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• The forest and the wildlife species that live there, the ecological services it provides, and people—especially indigenous people—all coexist in a symbiotic relationship.
• Around 28% of the forest acreage is currently under the management of the native forest dwellers.
• Loss of the planet's biological diversity poses an existential risk to all living things.
• The continuing extinction of wildlife species threatens to destroy entire ecosystems and jeopardises the health of everyone who depends on them.
• But, we can alter the direction and restore imperilled species and their habitats, so this is not inescapable.
• It can spur group conservation efforts, changing the course of events for important animal and plant species.
• It can guide people towards living sustainably and in harmony with nature.
• It recognises the necessity for global leadership and unifying political will to develop a strong post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and safeguard our shared future.

How World Wildlife Day is Celebrated

• using numerous platforms to carry out awareness campaigns and activities.
• The main emphasis of the initiatives is on getting the message out, particularly to kids and young people.
• encouraging people and organisations to host events and celebrations on their terms using a variety of mediums such as online forums, film festivals, exhibitions of art, and talk programmes.
• Presenting to friends, coworkers, and community members; or live performance, if circumstances permit.
• encouraging people to speak up and spread the news on social media by urging people and organisations to intensify their conservation efforts for threatened species locally and globally.

Conclusion

The goal of World Wildlife Day is to highlight ongoing activities that continue throughout the year, rather than just one strange event that happens once a year. It is common knowledge that wildlife conservation is a problem that requires daily consideration and effort. Life has been shaped and nourished by close interactions between many species of flora and wildlife over the course of billions of years.

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