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Endangered Species Day

Animal · Nature · The third Friday in May

Endangered Species Day draws attention to plants and animals at risk of disappearing, and to the habitats and people working to protect them.

Endangered Species Day falls on Friday, May 21, 2027. That is 206 days away.

A species is called endangered when so few of its members remain that it could vanish entirely. The list covers far more than famous animals. It includes freshwater mussels, wildflowers, beetles, frogs and fish that most people never see.

Endangered Species Day falls on the third Friday in May, and it asks people to look a little closer at the living things around them. Many threatened species are local. A rare plant might grow along a nearby river, and a struggling bird might nest in a wetland a short drive away.

The usual causes are familiar ones. Habitat gets cleared or broken into pieces, rivers change, and new species arrive and crowd out the old. Because of that, a lot of protection work is quiet and practical: restoring a meadow, keeping a stream clean, counting animals year after year so changes show up early.

People mark the day in modest ways. Zoos, aquariums, nature centers and parks often host talks or walks. Families plant native flowers, visit a wildlife refuge, or read up on one animal from their own state. Some people simply learn to recognize a species they had walked past for years without a name for it.

The bald eagle is a hopeful example. It was once listed as endangered in much of the country and later recovered enough to be removed from the list.

Ways to celebrate

• Look up one endangered plant or animal that lives in your state.
• Plant a native flower that feeds local bees and butterflies.
• Visit a nature center, refuge or park and join a ranger walk.
• Share a photo of local wildlife from a respectful distance.
• Pick up litter along a stream, beach or trail.

Dates

All national days on May 21

Also on May 21

• National Strawberries and Cream Day
• National Pizza Party Day
• National Bike to Work Day
• American Red Cross Founder's Day
• National Waitstaff Day

Categories: Animal daysNature days