03/03/2026
Today is World Wildlife Day. Proposed by Thailand in 2013, the United Nations designated this day to raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. March 3rd of 2014 was the first celebrated World Wildlife Day. This year, March 3rd also marks the 53rd anniversary of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora which was signed in 1973!
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources officially recognizes 566 species and subspecies of plants and animals as endangered, threatened, in need of conservation, or endangered extirpated. Along with other states across the nation, Maryland has a State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) in place to outline strategic conservation approaches for wildlife and wildlife habitats. This year our SWAP will be updated with more information as Maryland continues to be at the forefront of wildlife conservation!
The theme for World Wildlife Day this year is "Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation." Here are some of Maryland’s partners for conservation of our native wildlife species.
The Maryland Zoo: marylandzoo.org/conservation/
Conservation at home: marylandzoo.org/conservation/take-action/
Conservation efforts by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, as well as its most recent State Wildlife Action Plan (2015).
mddnr.info/rte-espaa
mddnr.info/swap
Wildlife conservation programs of the US Fish and Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/office/chesapeake-bay-ecological-services
Photo of Federally Threatened Bog Turtle by Edwin Guevara
