National Wildlife Day 2014, a Lifesaving celebration

Celebrating wildlife! National Wildlife Day reminds us of our role in conservation and as animal caretakers!

Since the beginning of time the journey of wildlife has been enfolding. Today is set aside to honor where wildlife has been and where it’s going. But most importantly, it serves to remind us of our responsibility to the animals we share this planet with.

Animal life in its many forms fills us with awe and inspiration. We, as the human species of animal, often think that we are the epiphany of creation. Yet the beauty and sheer diversity of animal species and their many natural attributes like strength, speed, flight, and even living underwater, is incredibly humbling.

Our human role in the animal world is that of wildlife stewards and the overseers of nature. Due to our unique ability to mold and dominate the natural world, it falls to us to be the caretakers of all other life.

Our role as animal caretakers

National Wildlife Day brings awareness of the plight of many endangered animals across our nation as well as globally, and the ongoing need to preserve and rescue them from decline.

This day also serves as a salute to the many outstanding zoos, aquariums, animal sanctuaries and reserves that are helping to preserve so many animals as well as to educate people about conservation, especially our children, as they will be the future caretakers.

National Wildlife Day was created in 2006 by Colleen Paige, an animal advocate, conservationist, and animal behaviorist. She created this day in memory of Steve Irwin, affectionately known as the “Crocodile Hunter.”

Steve Irwin was an Australian wildlife expert, conservationist, and television personality. He had an incredible love of all animal species and he devoted his life to educating us about many of these amazing creatures. He became best known for the internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series, The Crocodile Hunter, which he co-hosted with his wife Terri.

National Wildlife Week

The National Wildlife Week is another animal species celebration! But it is an even more extensive look at our role as animal stewards. It is the longest-running education program designed around teaching and connecting kids with the awesome wonders of wild animals. It will be held on March 16-22, 2015, which will be its 77 anniversary.

About the founder of National Wildlife Day

Colleen Paige’s love for animals started at a young age. Her first rescue was a cat when she was 5 years old. This and other personal experiences, good and bad, led her to dedicate her life to helping and saving both people and animals.

Colleen volunteered in animal shelters and cared for horses at summer camps. Later as an ambulance driver she helped to rescue people, both adults and children, as well as multiple pets and strays, rushing each in turn to emergency centers. She followed this up with animal behavior training, animal rescue, and working with wildlife.

It was the lack of recognition for the 300+ rescue dogs on Ground Zero after 9/11 that led Colleen to create her first national day, the National Dog Day. Her focus was a day set aside as a lifesaving celebration for dogs, and it met with great success.

Since then she had created another 15 additional livesaving celebration day for other animals. National Wildlife Day is one of these, just a few other are the National Horse Protection Day, National Farm Animals Day, Pet Day USA, National Pet Travel Safety Day, and National Cat Day.

Clarice Brough is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.