World Wildlife Day
World Wildlife Day happens on March 3 every year...
...and gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate the diversity of life on this planet, from the enormous blue whale to the delicate monarch butterfly. For over 60 years, WWF has sought solutions to protect wildlife by applying the best science available and working closely with local communities and Indigenous peoples.
Unfortunately, we're losing biodiversity—the rich variety of life on Earth—at an alarming rate. We've seen a 73% average decline in the number of birds, amphibians, mammals, fish, and reptiles since 1970, according to the 2024 Living Planet Report. This loss affects our health and well-being—and the future of the planet.
Many of wildlife’s contributions often go unseen but support a range of services that support our very survival—from seed dispersal, pollination, and pest control to soil maintenance, nutrient cycling, and flood mitigation. We may not realize how much we depend on wildlife for our own well-being.
But there is good news. WWF has been part of successful wildlife recovery stories ranging from southern Africa's black rhino to black-footed ferrets in the Great Plains. And this, in turn, is helping to protect rich and varied ecosystems while ensuring people continue to benefit from nature.
World Wildlife Day gives us an opportunity to focus on solutions and see the importance of saving our planet’s incredible wildlife, including the irreplaceable, yet often overlooked, contributions they provide to our natural world.
Wildlife contributes to the food we enjoy
Without wildlife, we wouldn't have access to many of the foods we regularly consume. For example, whales and walrus help promote the growth of the essential plankton that feeds invertebrates we enjoy as seafood, like salmon, sardines, and oysters. Along with many other marine species, they keep our oceans healthy which support productive fisheries, food security, and coastal economies.
Pollinators support the diverse produce we get at our supermarkets like apples, kiwis, carrots, onions, and peppers, and crops common in our diet like wheat, coffee, and tea. A world without pollinators would mean 50% fewer fruits and vegetables available to us. Other wildlife including burrowers like prairie dogs, migratory grazers like bison, and insects like termites and beetles increase soil productivity to promote the growth of these crops and other vegetation.
Wildlife helps support our livelihoods
Wildlife helps sustain food systems while bringing other benefits to people and whole ecosystems. Charismatic herbivores like elephants and monkeys play vital roles in maintaining habitats and plant diversity, while also supporting tourism-based livelihoods. Parrot fish and other coral-eating animals keep reefs healthy which also sustain local tourism industries while providing nurseries for our commercial fish. And various bird and bat species, particularly in tropical areas, are important pollinators and help reduce pest species that damage crops and farmers' livelihoods.
Wildlife bolsters our health and safety
In a world where people and wildlife are increasingly overlapping, so too are the risks of disease and zoonotic spillover from one species to another. Many species of wildlife play important roles in reducing diseases that can spread to people. Apex carnivores like lions and wolves help reduce diseases in prey populations, and therefore the chances of potential spillover into people and our livestock. Amphibians like frogs and salamanders control mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria and dengue fever. And scavengers like vultures and hyenas can help prevent outbreaks of anthrax and other bacterial infections that can spread to humans from rotting carcasses.
Wildlife also helps protect us from the risks and impacts of disasters. Wildebeest and zebra keep grasses low which minimizes the frequency and severity of wildfires in the dry African savanna. Beaver dams help prevent flooding during periods of high rainfall by regulating water storage and release. They also provide important water access to wildlife and people during periods of drought by enabling water flow. And oyster reefs protect coastal areas from erosion and storm surges, which in turn protect the large amount of carbon stored in coastal ecosystems like mangroves and marshes.
Let's appreciate all the benefits wildlife provides us
As we celebrate our world’s wonderful and unique wildlife, we should also recognize their invaluable contributions to wildlife, people, and nature. From the iconic megafauna like tigers, elephants, and gorillas, to the bottom feeders in our oceans and rivers, all wild animals play important roles in their individual ecosystems. Their loss or decline can disrupt the ecosystem benefits that support us. Nature is both fragile and complex, and another reason to appreciate our interconnectedness with the natural world. The more we can recognize its value, the more we can generate global support from governments, policymakers, and other decision-makers for biodiversity conservation, including resources and financial support. This will ensure a future for wildlife and the countless benefits they provide.
