World Wildlife Day 2021

World Wildlife Day

On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in its resolution UN 68/205, decided to proclaim 3 March, the international day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on the planet raise awareness and benefits fauna and flora in 1973, as World Wildlife Day.

The Theme of World Wildlife Day 2021, “Sustaining all life on Earth”, encompasses all wild animal and plant species as a component of biodiversity, as well as the livelihoods of people, especially those who live closest to the nature.

This aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 12, 14 and 15, and their wide-ranging commitments on alleviating poverty, ensuring sustainable use of resources, and on conserving life both on land and below water to halt biodiversity loss.

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme saw the day an opportunity to raise “urgent awareness about the plight of nature, the plight of wildlife, and what this means for human wellbeing and the planet”.

Nearly one million out of the nearly eight million species on our planet face the threat of extinction. Species are being lost at an average of 1000 times the natural extinction rate.

In Trinidad and Tobago indiscriminate hunting, wildlife trafficking, poaching, illegal forest cover removal for various economic activities have contributed to the decimation of our wildlife population and their habitat. Some of our threatened species include:

The Ocelot, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, White-tailed Golden-throat Hummingbird, Red-bellied Macaw, the Red Howler Monkey, Piping Guan bird, Hawksbill Turtle and many fish and coral species.

Red Howler monkey Piping Guan

Humans around the world benefit every single day from wildlife.

We have used wild plants and animals for our most basic needs: from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, to the materials we use for shelter and comfort.

On March 3 2021, World Wildlife Day will celebrate forest-based livelihoods and seek to promote forest and forest wildlife management models and practices that accommodate both human well-being and the long-term conservation of forests, forest-dwelling species of wild fauna and flora and the ecosystems they sustain, and promote the value of traditional practices and knowledge that contribute to establishing a more sustainable relationship with these crucial natural systems.

References

Bureau, Z. M. (2021, March 03). World Wildlife Day 2021: Sudarsan Pattnaik shares breathtaking sand art creation! Retrieved from https://zeenews.india.com/culture/world-wildlife-day-2021-sudarsan-pattnaik-shares-breathtaking-sand-art-creation-2345393.html

Explore-Share. (n.d.). [Red Howler Monkey]. Retrieved from https://explore-share.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/howlermonkey.jpg?q=60&auto=format,enhance&crop=entropy&fit=crop&h=190&w=230

Johnson, T. (2015, February 01). Trinidad Piping- Guan - Trinidad & Tobago [Digital image]. Retrieved from flickr.com/photos/bonxie88/16422575152/in/photolist-r2cZrs-21jmWUD

Loop News Created : 3 March 2020 Environment. (2021, March 03). UN chief: We need wildlife to survive. Retrieved from http://www.looptt.com/content/un-chief-we-need-wildlife-survive

Morey, P. C. (2021, January 19). World Wildlife Day 2021 Theme: Quotes, Poster, Slogan, Logo, Messages, Symbol and Awareness Program. Retrieved from https://www.policeresults.com/world-wildlife-day-theme-quotes-poster-slogan-logo-messages-symbol-and-awareness-program/