National Wildlife Day, founded by philanthropist Colleen Paige, is celebrated every year on February 22. It provides a great opportunity to recognize and celebrate the animals that make our world a brighter and more interesting place to be. More importantly, the day serves to bring awareness to the plight of endangered animals worldwide and encourages people to join in conservation and education efforts aimed at saving these animals and their habitats. If you want to get involved and celebrate the day with other nature enthusiasts, consider one of the following activities.

Visit Your Local Zoo

A zoo visit is a great way to celebrate the day and support the park. Zoos can both entertain and educate visitors as well as providing other benefits:

•       Conducting valuable research

•       Studying animal behavior

•       Offering a safe environment to threatened and endangered wildlife

•       Protecting entire species through captive breeding programs

•       Donating money and personnel to support global conservation programs

•       Participating in local conservation efforts

•       Raising awareness about the importance of conservation and sustainable practices

When you bring your family to the zoo, you help fund these activities and improve the outlook for wildlife and their habitats.

Spend the Day Enjoying Nature

Why not spend the day exploring and enjoying the great outdoors? In most communities, you can find hiking trails at the local park or nature conservancy. Hiking provides the perfect way to experience nature directly and observe the trees, flowers, and animals that often go unnoticed. Additionally, connecting with nature and breathing fresh air allows you to forget your troubles and escape the stress and frenetic pace of life.

Make a Difference in Your Community

Another option is to spend the day picking up trash in your neighborhood or local park. Many communities have cleanup programs looking for volunteers. Alternatively, you can organize your own project by adopting an area to beautify. The site can be a park, the banks of a river or stream, a neighborhood, a vacant lot, a hiking trail, or any place that needs some attention. You simply need to show up with gloves and trash bags, and let the beautification begin!

Donate to Conservation Efforts

Consider celebrating National Wildlife Day by providing financial support to a reputable conservation effort. Many species of the world's wildlife increasingly face endangerment due to factors such as wildlife poaching, climate change, and the ongoing destruction of natural habitats. Thankfully, there are conservation programs at the local, national, and international levels that aim to ensure the continued survival of threatened and endangered species. These organizations need your support to make a difference.

Host an Event

To help raise awareness in your community, consider partnering with a local zoo, animal sanctuary, school, library, or nonprofit organization to host a National Wildlife Day event. The event could be aimed at educating community members about conservation efforts, or it could be run as a fundraiser for a conservation group such as the World Wildlife Fund, the Sierra Club, the Wildlife Conservation Society, or the Nature Conservancy.

All of us at Pet Hospitals of Hawaii wish you a happy National Wildlife Day! We hope you enjoy the day and take the time to appreciate nature, learn about endangered species, and gain an appreciation for conservation efforts.