Tag: wildlife

April 8th Zoo Lover’s Day

April Holidays

April 8th marks a special day for all the zoo lovers out there! While some may argue that zoos are not the ideal place for wild animals, it’s important to acknowledge the efforts of modern-day zoos to provide a safe and healthy environment for the animals that live within them.

Gone are the days of small, cramped cages and inadequate care. Nowadays, zoos prioritize animal welfare and provide an opportunity for animals that cannot survive in the wild to receive proper care and attention. Many zoos also play a critical role in conservation efforts and education, helping to protect and preserve endangered species.

So, if you’re a zoo enthusiast or simply love animals, consider celebrating Zoo Lover’s Day by supporting your local zoo. Whether it’s through a donation, volunteering, or simply spreading awareness about the important work that zoos do, there are plenty of ways to show your appreciation.

And remember, while we may never truly know what goes on in the minds of wild animals, we can take comfort in knowing that many modern-day zoos are doing their best to provide a safe and nurturing environment for these magnificent creatures.

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February 22nd National Wildlife Day

February holidays

National Wildlife Day was originally founded by Colleen Paige in 2005 in order to bring attention to the plight of all wildlife across the world. While that is still the main purpose of the day it has been moved from September 4th to February 22nd to commemorate the life and efforts of Wildlife Warrior, Steve Irwin after he passed, February 22nd is Irwin’s birthday. It would be hard to think of Steve Irwin without thinking of Wildlife, and equally as hard to think of Wildlife without Steve Irwin. This was a good call to put the day on his birthday so that the two are forever linked to each other.

How to celebrate – Remember Steve Irwin. Remember the needs of Wildlife all across the world. Help save wildlife where you can, no matter where you are.

January 31st International Zebra Day

January holidays

Zebras are native to Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Namibia and Angola on the African continent. They are also slowly being swept off the face of the earth as those countries expand their population and eat up the land the Zebra thrives on. In fact, 54% of the zebra population has already been destroyed, Today we recognize the plight of the Zebra as we try and save what is left of them before it is too late and zoos are the only place left to view any animals, in this case, the Zebra..

How to celebrate – Care about the animals we are leaving no place to live. Give to foundations that help the animals in the wild. Visit one of those countries to see Zebras in the wild.

September 17th National Fox Day

September Holidays

The Fox gets a kinda bad rap. They are generally gentle animals but since they do eat meat, they will go after animal smaller than them, one of which is the chicken, making farmers very angry. They are also targets for any larger meat eater like coyotes, or wild boars, or even bears. The average fox is under ten pounds, and they are shy, running away from people if they are able to. In Canada there are four basic types of fox, the red, grey, swift, and Arctic. Properly listed, a fox is in the Procyon Wildlife family. They have a 2-month gestation with babies and generally have 5 pups at a time.

How to celebrate – See if you can find a fox in the wild. A fox does not make a good pet unless you raise it from birth. Research what types of foxes are found throughout the world.

May 20th National Endangered Species Day

May Holidays

There is no doubt that animals worst enemy is man. We kill them for food, sport and because we want their homeland to build new homes and businesses for ourselves. So it’s only natural that we should be responsible to keep the endanger species alive in the world since we are the ones destroying them. Today is celebrate on the third Friday of May and proclaimed by the US Congress in 2006. It is supported by the National Wildlife Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Organizations. It would be a shame to see so many creatures of the earth disappear because we just didn’t care.

How to celebrate – Support wildlife organizations in anyway you can. Learn which creatures are endangered in your area. Zoos are not endangered species enemy, support them in their efforts to keep species alive.

December 4th World Wildlife Conservation Day

December holidays

Word Wildlife Conservation Day was started by the US State Department in 2012. It is a day for focusing on endangered species and the effects that humans cause to our biosphere not only through our day-to-day actions but also through wildlife trafficking. This is a day that we all can get together and raise awareness about endangered, threatened, and heck, all species on the planet.

How to celebrate – Take a picture safari. Learn about threatened and endangered species. Plant a tree.

November 15th Steve Irwin Day

November holidays

Most of us remember Steve Irwin as that happy go lucky Australian that loved animals. He was also known as the Crocodile Hunter and a Wildlife Warrior. He went places few of us would go and dealt with creatures even fewer of us would try to be friendly with but thing is, you could tell he loved what he did and the people and animals that surrounded him. He also made wearing khaki a popular and cool thing to do! Celebrate Steve Irwin’s life today by remembering what he did accomplish and by helping protect the environment he loved.

How to celebrate – Visit a wildlife refuge. Buy some Khaki clothing. Watch reruns of the Crocodile Hunter.

February 3rd Feed The Birds Day

February holidays

Over the winter months, birds tend to fly south because they are unable to find food under the thick blankets of snow found in the north. If you want the birds to stick around, no matter where you are, if you feed them they will visit you. Today was created by Bob Matthews in 2016 in order to promote helping our wildlife live. He operates Holiday Insights as well as The Gardner’s Network which work well together, at least in this case. Feed a bird today and maybe they’ll sing for you.

How to celebrate – Put out a feeder for birds in your backyard. Learn the different foods for different types of birds. Care about your environment.

July 29th International Tiger Day

July Holidays, Unboxing the Bizarre

There are probably less than 3,000 tigers left in the wild today. We have encroached on their homeland, killed them for sport and trophies and polluted their water and hunting territories all in the name of what? To prove we are the higher species? Well, let’s see a hunter without a gun stand up against a tiger for even five minutes!

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I’m not against hunters or hunting but do so with reason and purpose (Just like most animals do) not just because you can. Beautiful creatures like tigers deserve to live just as much as man does, maybe even more, and we are the invaders not them. When was the last time you saw a tiger shopping at a Walmart or racing to get a parking spot before we can? international-tiger-day

The tiger is the largest cat in the world and it’s life in the wild has been decimated by 97%. 97%, can you really imagine that!?! Do you really understand what that means!?! Out of every 100 that walked the earth a few years ago only 3 are still alive!  Now you might say, “well there are plenty in zoos!” And yes, there are, but that’s like saying that humans in prison represent mankind.

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They are loving, caring animals who really want nothing to do with humans other than to be left alone. They do not go to the local malls and hunt for us, why do we go where they live to hunt them? I have to honestly say that I do not understand the sport in that. In sports, someone is going to win and someone lose, who do you think is going to win here?

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International Tiger Day was established in 2010 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Maybe Donald was there!) I’d love to say they have made a big difference but in all honesty, they really haven’t. Hunters do not go to save the tiger rallies. I think maybe we should turn things around a little and let a pride of tigers into the local gun shows we have. Let them hunt us for a while instead. (And again, I have nothing against guns or hunters at all, just be responsible!)

How to celebrate – Take a tiger to lunch today. (Or be a tiger’s lunch today) Learn what you can do to help stop the slaughter of our precious resources. Start an International Tiger Day chapter in your town.

 

September 26th Johnny Appleseed Day

September Holidays, Unboxing the Bizarre

John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was born in Leominster, Mass. in 1774. He is famed for spreading the apple industry across America and showing the importance of the fruit.

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His practice started in Warren, Pa. on the Brokenstraw Creek where he planted a small orchard and fenced it off.  He left the field to neighbors allowing them to sell off shares of the fruit harvested from the trees. He would return every year or two to tend to the fields and reap whatever profits he could get. He traveled across Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and what would become West Virginia.

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In fact, he made a great deal of money using others to do his work while he continued to travel and own numerous apple orchards, all fenced in and operated by neighbors. He looked the part of a beggar, often going shoeless, though he could well afford them.

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In many ways he is a true American hero.  He did create an industry and helped many people around him, though he really did not care for people all that much. He was also an Evangelists, though his people skills left few transformed by his vision.

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He did, however, have one true love in life, animals.  He would often go without in order to make sure the animals around him were taken care of.  Few wild animals ever threatened him while most befriended him.  He was, more-or-less the Doctor Doolittle of his time.

How to celebrate – Have an apple in honor of Johnny Appleseed. Plant your own apple tree and see if you can get it to grow. Go to an orchard and pick your own apples.