Get Active: volunteer, experience, connect with the natural world

World Wildlife Day on 3rd March

Posted on 8:30pm Thursday 2nd Mar 2017

The 3^rd March is World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day is a United Nations initiative. The idea is to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants

The theme this year is “Listen to the Young Voices!” Nearly a quarter of the world’s population is between 10 and 24, so it is essential that efforts are made to encourage young people to protect endangered wildlife and there already are some amazing young people doing some fantastic things to help wildlife, from raising money to raising awareness. But every single one of us needs to do what we can to protect wildlife. We all need to make a sustained, persistent effort to do what we can. All these actions will add up and make a difference.

Don't forget: Every action makes a difference.

One action is better than none.

Wildlife needs all the actions we can muster to help them.

#DoOneThingToday and make a difference to wildlife. Below are some ideas from the UN's World Wildlife Day website and also a few extras...

Challenge yourself
Life your life with as little impact as you can on the environment, on wildlife and their habitats. Check out your environmental footprint with the WWF. See what you can do to reduce it.

Create space for wildlife in your garden and home
Make your garden wildlife friendly - give hedgehogs a hole to travel through, put up bird feeders (window ones if you have no garden), provide water for drinking and bathing; leave a log pile; grow flowers which encourage bees and butterflies to visit.

Encourage others to act as well
Schools, clubs, governments, businesses - how about doing a team building day for your local wildlife charity or adopt a nearby beach to keep clean and tidy? Point out the dangers of things such as balloon releases and Chinese lanterns, plastic and wet wipes. Get involved with any local tree planting campaigns.

Appreciate the natural world
Visit national parks, nature reserves, beaches and the natural world and enjoy them with all your senses. Remind yourself why they are worth protecting. Give yourself the chance to enjoy them.

Think before you buy!
Don’t buy products made from wildlife! Check your cupboards at home and look at Ethical Consumer or the Rainforest Foundation UK’s websites. How much palm oil is in the products you buy? What can you do to stop using products with palm oil?

Volunteer
Look for opportunities to volunteer in your local area, or on holiday. This weekend in the UK sees the Great British Spring Clean when it is hoped 500,000 people will take action and clean up Britain of litter. Litter damages wildlife. Or if you live near the coast, join the Adopt a Beach initiative and clean that up.

Join the Plastic Challenge in June.
Organised by the Marine Conservation Society, this challenges you to get rid of as much plastic in your life as you can. In fact, can you live without plastic for a month? Try it and see how you get on!

Boost your knowledge
Find out what charities are doing to help wildlife; what the main issues are and the threats facing wildlife. What help do they need? How can you help wildlife on the other side of the world?

Watch out for...
Wildlife trafficking - visit Traffic to see what can be done about wildlife crimes.

More ways to help will be added to this website and Animals Charities... watch this space!

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