- The mission of WAD is to raise the status of animals to improve welfare standards around the globe.
The theme of World Animal Day 2022 is ‘Shared Planet’.
Background:
i. World Animal Day was 1st organised by the German writer and publicist, cynologist Heinrich Zimmermann on 24th March 1925 at the Sport Palace in Berlin, Germany.
- It was the 1st observed World Animal Day and the event was attended by more than 5,000 people.
ii. In 1931, International Animal Protection Congress (IARC) approved World Animal Day in Florence, Italy.
Why October 4?
The day moved from 24th March to 4th October including as a memorial day of the Catholic Saint Francis of Assisi, who is considered the patron saint of animals.
Key Points:
i. Russia celebrated the day in 2000 to draw public attention to the problem of preserving animals, including those on the verge of extinction.
ii. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) report, the Global Living Planet Index 2020 says that between 1970 and 2016, the number of populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish decreased by an average of 68%.
iii. The most significant losses (94%) are caused by populations of wild species living in Latin America. In Africa, populations decreased by 65%, in the Asia-Pacific region by 45%, in North America by 33%, and in Europe and Central Asia by 24%.
World’s Most Endangered Animals in 2022:
| Animals | Number of Species left | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Amur Leopard | 84 individuals left in the Wild. | Critically Endangered |
| Rhino | 27,000 rhinos remain in the Wild.
|
Critically Endangered |
| Orangutan | i. 104,700 (Bornean orangutan)
ii. 7,500 (Sumatran orangutan) |
i. Endangered
ii. Critically Endangered |
| Gorilla | 200-300 adult Cross River Gorillas left in the Wild | Critically Endangered |
| Saola | Less than 750 left. | Critically Endangered |
| Vaquita | 10 individuals remain in the wild | Critically Endangered |
| Sunda Tiger | Less than 400 left | Critically Endangered |
| Yangtze Finless Porpoise | Between 1,000 and 1,800 finless porpoises left | Critically Endangered |
| Turtle | i. 57,000 individuals left worldwide (Hawksbill turtle)
ii. less than 10 000 individuals left (Kemp’s Ridley and Flatback turtles) |
i. Endangered
ii. Critically Endangered |
| Elephant | 40,000-50,000 left in wild | Endangered |
India’s Most Endangered Animals in 2022:
| Animals | Number of Species left | Status |
|---|---|---|
| The Greater Adjutant Stork | 800-1200 remaining worldwide | Endangered |
| Western Hoolock Gibbon | 10,000 gibbons are now left in India | Endangered |
| Lion-tailed Macaque | 2400-2500 are left | Endangered |
| Asiatic Lion | 674 lions currently living in Gir National Park | Critically Endangered |
| Kashmiri Red Stag | 237 Hangul left | Critically Endangered |
Ways to Prevent Animal Extinction:
According to World Animal Foundation (WAF), animal extinction can be controlled by not buying Plastic Products, Protect Wildlife Habitats, limiting the Consumption of factories and more.
Note: In Russia, the largest number of rare and endangered species of animals, plants and fungi is concentrated in the region of the Caucasus, southern Siberia and the Far East (Amur-Heilong basin).
About World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF):
World Wide Fund for Nature was formerly named the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Carter Roberts
Headquarters- Gland, Switzerland
Establishment- 1961
