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WedSep 4

​National Wildlife Day – September 4, 2024

America marks National Wildlife Day on September 4. It’s an opportunity for everyone to step back, take a deep breath and think about all that surrounds us. It inspiring to consider preservation and conservation efforts that work to improve the natural world. There remains so much to learn. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “In wildness is the preservation of the world.” We couldn’t agree more. So let’s take a closer look at this special day.

When is ​National Wildlife Day 2024?

National Wildlife Day is on September 4, 2020.

​National Wildlife Day timeline

​March 1, 1872
Grant makes ​Yellowstone official

​President Ulysses S. Grant signed the law establishing Yellowstone as America's first national park — and the first national park in the world.

September 27, 1962
A boost for the environmentalist movement

American biologist and conservationist Rachel Carson published "Silent Spring," documenting the adverse effects of pesticides on the environment.

​​December 28, 1973
The Endangered Species Act passed

​President Nixon signed a law protecting threatened species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation."

​2006
​National Wildlife Day was born

Colleen Paige created National Wildlife Day in honor of the late wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin — the famed "Crocodile Hunter."

How to Observe ​National Wildlife Day

  1. Take a hike!

    Those of us fortunate enough to live close to the "wildness" that Thoreau wrote about with such startling clarity should use National Wildlife Day as a motivator to get out and about — and to explore the great outdoors.

  2. Donate to conservation groups

    Without the hard work of conservation groups, much of what we love about wildlife and natural habitats would likely be lost forever.

  3. Clean this place up!

    Many communities have organizations dedicated to picking up all the trash left behind. Find out when and where they'll be at work, and join them in cleaning up your town.

5 Pretty Wild Wildlife Facts

  1. Our water supply never changes

    ​The amount of water on Earth remains constant and is continually recycled over time.

  2. ​There are more trees on the Earth than there are stars in the Milky Way

    ​Scientists estimate that there are 3 trillion trees on Earth — way more trees, in fact, than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

  3. 'Blind as a bat' isn't blind at all

    ​Contrary to popular myth and opinion, bats are not blind and sometimes use their eyesight to hunt, rather than using echolocation.

  4. ​Mass extinctions happen more often than you'd think

    Experts estimate that about 200 species of plants and animals become extinct every 24 hours — more than 1,000 times the natural rate of extinction.

Why ​National Wildlife Day is Important

  1. We need a breather

    Many of us are occasionally encouraged to "think outside the box." But how often do we acknowledge that "the box" is more than just a mental construct? It's physical too. Nature and wildlife remind us that it's time to get outside.

  2. Wildlife is life-affirming

    We admire wild creatures and the environments in which they live for a very simple reason: They remind us that each of us is tasked with finding the right balance between ourselves and the world we inhabit.

  3. It inspires us to do good

    National Wildlife Day reminds us of the alarming numbers of endangered animals and habitats, and it encourages us to advocate for preservation and conservation efforts.

​National Wildlife Day dates

YearDateDay
2024September 4Wednesday
2025September 4Thursday
2026September 4Friday
2027September 4Saturday
2028September 4Monday

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