Hundreds of Events Planned Across the U.S. to Celebrate Our Most Endangered Wildlife
Washington, D.C. – On Friday, May 16, thousands of Americans will participate in Endangered Species Day events and activities nationwide, recognizing the public’s commitment to protecting and restoring our disappearing wildlife. This is the 20th annual Endangered Species Day, which is held on the third Friday of May.
Immensely, popular and successful, the Endangered Species Act has been at the core of our country’s commitment to protecting wildlife and the natural world for our children and grandchildren since 1973. Ninety-nine percent of species protected under the Endangered Species Act have been saved from extinction, including the humpback whale and bald eagle. The Endangered Species Act protects over 2,000 species of plants and animals that are threatened or endangered.
This year, Endangered Species Day occurs as thousands of people across the United States speak out against billionaire-backed proposals to weaken environmental protections, including the Endangered Species Act, and call on their elected officials to uphold safeguards for biodiversity.
“Endangered Species Day honors our national responsibility to future generations to be good stewards of nature,” stated Susan Holmes, Executive Director of the Endangered Species Coalition–the primary sponsor of Endangered Species Day. “The Endangered Species Act is our safety net for fish, plants, and wildlife on the brink of extinction. Because of the Endangered Species Act, gray whales still swim our oceans, peregrine falcons still soar our skies, and polar bears roam the arctic tundra.”
Endangered Species Day was first created by the U.S. Senate in 2006, when it unanimously designated May 11, 2006, as the first ever “Endangered Species Day” to encourage “the people of the United States to become educated about, and aware of, threats to species, success stories in species recovery, and the opportunity to promote species conservation worldwide.”
The Endangered Species Act was passed because Americans believed then, as they do now, that protecting our wildlife is a moral imperative and a responsibility to future generations. It protects more than our fellow creatures; it also safeguards our nation’s environmental health and the heart of the American way of life.
Congress, states, and towns across the country also recognize Endangered Species Day. In Boone and Chapel Hill, NC, the towns will vote on proclamations tomorrow designating May 16th, 2025, as Endangered Species Day to show their support for the Endangered Species Act and its protections of our most vulnerable wildlife, like the Hellbender.
On May 16th, and throughout the month, wildlife refuges, zoos, aquariums, parks, botanic gardens, schools, libraries, museums, and community groups will hold Endangered Species Day events. Some highlights include:
- A nationwide chalk art contest, hosted by the Endangered Species Coalition;
- Colorado Endangered Species Week, a week of free educational events and fun advocacy opportunities to protect the plant and animal species at risk in Colorado, including a discussion about Colorados Wolverine reintroduction an evening bat walk, a celebration of CO public lands, and an auction, hosted by Rocky Mountain Wild and Bat Conservation International;
- Special exhibits and activities at zoos nationwide are part of AZA’s Party for the Planet celebrations. Party for the Planet offers families unique opportunities to visit their local AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium, celebrate the Earth’s biodiversity, and learn how they can take action to make a difference. This year, they focus on three action areas: Conserve, Create, and Connect to nature.
- Pollinator garden plantings in states across the U.S. to create habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other pollinator species.
- Community Science projects involve volunteers using a phone app to find and record as many species as possible in a specific location.
- Film screenings and postcard parties- ESC put together a list of films on endangered species and their habitats for individuals to organize events for their friends and families, and take action to protect them afterward.
These and other events are listed in an event directory on the Endangered Species Day website.
In addition to the Endangered Species Coalition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), numerous conservation, education, community and youth organizations have also supported and participated in Endangered Species Day, including the Girl Scouts USA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Smithsonian, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and many more.
Visit www.EndangeredSpeciesDay.org for more information on Endangered Species Day, including event locations and a variety of educational resource materials.
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