Photo courtesy of Steve Tracy
On December 20, 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 3 as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.
Theme for World Wildlife Day 2018
“Big cats are among the most powerful creatures to grace this planet, but they are also the most fragile. They are facing many threats to their survival in the wild, be it loss of habitat and prey, poaching and smuggling, human-wildlife conflict or climate change.”
Click here to read more on the official website!
Meet the Big Cats
Tiger – Lion – Jaguar – Leopard
Cheetah – Puma
Snow Leopard
- Poaching & illegal wildlife trade
- Retaliatory killing as a result of human-predator conflict
- Loss of prey from both illegal and legal hunting by humans
- Loss of habitat
- Climate change – impacting the entire ecosystem, including vegetation, water supplies, & animals – threatening to make up to a third of the snow leopard’s habitat unusable.
Current Conservation Efforts Focused on the Snow Leopard:
- Commercial international trade is prohibited by CITES
- Establishment of new protected areas
- Anti-poaching measures – removing snares & the use of remote trail cameras
- Initiatives to reduce conflict with herders – strengthening livestock corrals, electronic light deterrents, livestock insurance programs
- Alternative livelihoods – ecotourism, handicrafts
- Community awareness & conservation education – school-based programs, festivals
- The Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program
Photo courtesy of Steve Tracy
There are many ways to get involved and “Make A Difference” for Snow Leopards in Honor of World Wildlife Day!
- Learn more about Snow Leopards, the challenges they’re facing, and the ongoing conservation programs on our Website
- Post on Social Media to “spread the word” & create awareness
- Give a Monetary Gift to purchase items such as trail cameras, electronic light deterrents, fencing, and flashlights, or support conservation education in snow leopard range countries –
- $10 provides art supplies for a Snow Leopard Day festival
- $20 trains a teacher in environmental education
- $60 provides binoculars for a student wildlife monitor
- $100 rents two yaks to carry supplies for a summer environmental camp
- Symbolically Adopt a Snow Leopard
- Click on Make A Difference to discover other ways you can help!
- Visit your local zoo or wildlife park
- Volunteer your time
