October 4 marks World Animal Day which was first celebrated in 1931 at a convention of ecologists in Florence, Italy. The date was not chosen by chance — it is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
October 4 marks World Animal Day which was first celebrated in 1931 at a convention of ecologists in Florence, Italy. The date was not chosen by chance - it is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
Above: A fox is looking into the camera.
Above: A fox is looking into the camera.
In Russia, the day, which is intended to raise public concern over the plight of endangered species, including those on the verge of extinction, has been observed since 2000.
Above: Horses not far from the Galbai Village in the Tunkin District of Buryatia.
Above: Horses not far from the Galbai Village in the Tunkin District of Buryatia.
The World Animal Day is also dedicated to domestic animals' protection.
Above: A longhorn steer in Texas.
Above: A longhorn steer in Texas.
In Russia the Red Book of Endangered Species is the most important mechanism of protecting animals that are on the brink of extinction.
Above: A baby bear in the Moscow Zoo.
Above: A baby bear in the Moscow Zoo.
Currently more than 70 Russian regions have published their own red books.
Above: An elephant in the Chobe National Park in Botswana.
Above: An elephant in the Chobe National Park in Botswana.
The Russian Red Book lists 413 animal species, including 155 species of invertebrates (0.1 percent of the total number of invertebrates described on Russian territory) and 258 species of vertebrates, including 41 species of cyclostomes and fish (seven percent of the total number of cyclostomes and fish in Russia), eight species of amphibians (30 percent), 21 species of reptiles (28 percent), 123 species of birds (17 percent) and 65 species of mammals (20 percent). Currently, more than 70 Russian regions have published their own red books.
Above: A rabbit eating a leaf.
Above: A rabbit eating a leaf.
Above: An Etruscan pygmy shrew sitting on a finger. It is the smallest mammal (by mass) in the world. It weights only about 1.8 grams on average.
The biggest number of rare and endangered animal, plant and fungus species is concentrated in the Caucasus, south Siberia and the Russian Far East.
Above: Vladimir Putin with a tiger cub which he recieved as a birthday present on October 7, 2008.
Above: Vladimir Putin with a tiger cub which he recieved as a birthday present on October 7, 2008.
Preservation strategies for the following rare and endangered animal species are being implemented: for the Amur tiger, the Far Eastern leopard, the snow leopard, the polar bear, the bison and the Sakhalin musk deer.
Above: A family of polar bears in the Arctic.
Above: A family of polar bears in the Arctic.
Russian Federal laws that are meant to fundamentally change people's attitude towards the environment (including the ones On Wildlife, On Hunting, On Specially Protected Natural Territories etc) are being adopted and improved.
Above: A penguin in Antarctica.
Above: A penguin in Antarctica.
World Animal Day traditionally features a variety of activities and charity events.
Above: A lion with a lion cub.
Above: A lion with a lion cub.
