Global Days of commemoration are important in that they help us commit or recommit to various causes. The World Wildlife Day, observed annually on March 03, is a very important day in this list for all of us, regardless of our direct and indirect connections to wildlife and biodiversity. For me, for instance, the connections arose originally from my subject matter for photography, wildlife has grown very close to my heart. Whether through food, health, plain comfort (even just watching pictures of nature can be calming!) and other means, we are all connected to wildlife in various manners. Therefore, the loss of biodiversity and wildlife is harmful to ALL of us. Political headwinds only make these losses graver and the need for action more urgent.
The UN is wont to come up with a theme for each year for such days of importance. For 2025, (see reference below), the UN is observing the day with the theme, “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet” .
Undeniably, there is great wisdom in this theme. At least *some* nations are foolishly, if I may, reducing their commitment to appropriately funding efforts to shore up life around and among us, at a time when it is of most needed, while others with the desire simply don’t have the funds to engage in this.
Rather than making this a piecemeal territorial effort across the world, one would hope that this would be a global effort. However, politics gets in the way of that too. Rather than despair about this at the moment, we should stay committed, while still doing what is within our power and wait for the right moment to exercise political influence as voters an citizens to ensure that the appropriate funding is provided for wildlife protection. In effect, the issue of funding is an ongoing one in the long game of protecting the wildlife around us! With this, I leave you in the hope that may the future be bright for you and yours!
References:
- Title Image: https://wildlifeday.org/en/materials
- About the origin and purpose of World Wildlife Day: https://wildlifeday.org/en/about
- World Wildlife Day Theme for 2025: https://wildlifeday.org/en/press-release/wildlife-conservation-finance-investing-people-and-planet-world-wildlife-day-2025