World Animal Day is celebrated annually to
• Highlight the plight of endangered species, farm animals, and pets facing abuse or neglect.
- Acknowledge that animals are living beings capable of feeling pain and emotion.
- Encourage schools and communities to teach kindness and respect toward animals.
- Inspire people to adopt rescue pets, support shelters, and choose cruelty-free products.
October 4th was chosen because it is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology.The theme chosen this year by Zoe, from submissions in the UK, 'See the World Through Their Eyes' invites us to step beyond the human-centred view we often see from and consider how animals experience our changing world. To bring it to life, illustrator Emma Jayne Allsup has created a breathtaking design, inspired by the incredible Coral Triangle surrounding Papua New Guinea. It's one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, and the artwork reminds us what is at stake.Emma says "There is a huge amount of sea life to be found there. The coral reefs are some of the planet’s richest and most important ecosystems, supporting around 25% of all marine life, in an area covering just 1% of the ocean floor.”
The region is home to:
- Around 3,000 species of fish – the greatest reef fish diversity in the world
- Approximately 600 types of reef-building coral
- 131 documented species of sharks and rays
- 6 of the 7 species of sea turtles
Yet these extraordinary ecosystems are under increasing threat. Rising global temperatures and human impact are causing coral bleaching, a process in which coral lose their symbiotic algae partners. When this happens, the ripple effects are devastating, impacting not just reefs but the countless species and communities that rely on them.
This is a day to celebrate all animals, but it might be fun to look at books that focus on animal eyes:
