World Endangered Species Day

Every year, the third Friday of May is celebrated as World Endangered Species Day, which this year fell on May 15. Established in 1964 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Red List is the most well-known, oldest, and most comprehensive global inventory of the conservation status of living species. According to the Red List, over 31,000 species are currently threatened with extinction.

When a species is classified as endangered, its numbers are unusually low—meaning that there are only a few thousand, hundreds, or even just tens of individuals left on Earth. And when the last individual of a species dies, that species disappears forever.

This day was created to raise awareness about the fragile existence of certain animals, plants, and insects—and most importantly, to serve as a reminder to take the time to understand why it is so crucial to protect endangered species from further harm.

Photo: Imperial Eagle: Endangered and strictly protected (Value: 1 million HUF)