Love our little brothers: the history and features of the celebration of World Animal Day

Date in 2021: October 4, Monday.

The animal world occupies a special place in human life. For many, representatives of the fauna are not just objects of admiration, but best friends and faithful companions, salvation from loneliness and lovely healers. But we love and cherish pets who have become our family, and we absolutely do not think about the problems of the animal world on a global scale. It is these issues that focus on the holiday dedicated to all animals.

For humanity, the animal world has always been, first of all, a source of food, materials for making clothing, household utensils, and even medicines and weapons. Man has always felt like the king of nature and ruthlessly used its resources for his own good. This attitude left an indelible mark. Many species of fauna have simply disappeared or are on the verge of extinction. Environmental organizations have always sought to draw attention to problems of this kind. They are trying to convey thoughts about the importance of each animal to the public on Animal Protection Day.

Who's celebrating?

Man appeared on earth as one of the species of the animal world. Thanks to the presence of intelligence, he was able to rise to a higher level. And this step allowed the person to feel his superiority. Establishing relations with the “smaller brothers” was ambiguous.

To survive, people had to kill animals. This was justified not only by the need for food, but by the need for protection from predators.

Then a more reasonable approach appeared, when humanity tamed wild animals and learned to breed them and use them as domestic helpers. But the traditions associated with hunting have been preserved for a long time.

Man, as the most dangerous predator, continues to hunt animals and birds today. And if for ancient man this was a justified necessity, then modern hunters act only for their own pleasure.

There are simply barbaric customs. Believe it or not, in Denmark, on the Faroe Islands, all the residents of the surrounding villages gather once a year to kill dolphins. The entire bay turns red with the blood of innocently killed mammals.

Despite the protests of environmental organizations, the madness continues and, in addition, is justified by local customs.

Folk beliefs also played an important role in the extermination of fauna. The purpose of the hunt was to destroy representatives of the “devilish spirit” or sacrifice. Thus, the Bali tigers were completely exterminated by local residents, since they were considered not just dangerous, but a threat to peace of mind.

And, of course, personal gain. Hunters pursued selfish goals for unique skins and tusks, fat, meat and entrails. Exotic lovers pay exorbitant amounts of money to stroke their vanity.

Poaching is the main cause of death of many species of fauna in the modern world. Methods to combat poaching in many countries are prescribed at the legislative level. But for the sake of his own benefit, man finds more and more sophisticated loopholes on how to obtain the coveted animal raw materials.

The rapid development of industry, the expansion of agricultural land, and the growth of cities did not have the best effect on the situation of animals. Pollution of water and air, disappearance of natural habitats, increase in temperature conditions, disruption of biological chains lead to natural extinction.

Only a person can stop this whole process. Of course, it is impossible to talk about human complete indifference to the problems of the animal world. Issues of protection, revival, and humane treatment are raised quite acutely in society.

In addition to the contribution of public environmental organizations, a lot has been done at the state level. Specific police squads have been created whose purpose is to combat poaching. In the open waters, this function is performed by fisheries inspectors.

Scientific laboratories and nurseries have been organized, the purpose of which is to breed rare species of animals. Gamekeepers and foresters work in forest lands, who not only monitor the number of fauna, but also feed the animals and fight poaching. Employees of these organizations can rightfully consider a holiday dedicated to the protection of animals as their own.

No less pressing is the issue of cruelty to pets. A person, having played enough with a living toy, often simply throws it out into the street.

The problem of stray cats and dogs, of course, can be solved through joint efforts. But now, in most cases, this is done by volunteer organizations that find a new home for homeless pets.

Undoubtedly, the activities of public, state, and volunteer organizations make a significant contribution to solving issues of protecting the animal world. But solving them at this level without the participation of every person is unrealistic. Therefore, we can safely say that a holiday dedicated to the protection of the animal world is a day when every caring person should think about what he personally can do for our “younger brothers.”

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Today in our episode we will tell you more about the most important things:

• holidays in Russia and other countries, dates of church calendars of different denominations, major festivals and other events of the day;
• Let's see which famous person was born today, and also which of us has a name day today;
• Let's look at the lunar calendar and consult the stars in the astrological forecast;
• We’ll make an excursion into the topic of the day and share a proven recipe from our piggy bank;
• Let's find a charge of inspiration in a heartwarming story.

Let's get started!

Photo: pixabay.com

history of the holiday

The history of the animal holiday is quite symbolic. It owes its appearance to the active actions of supporters of caring for the living world.

Having gathered at the next International Congress in Florence, they sharply raised the issue of the need to establish a special day dedicated to the problems of the animal world. In this way they tried to attract the attention of the world community to solving these problems. The event dates back to 1931, and the date of World Animal Day was dedicated to October 4. This symbolic date has not only an important, but also a religious meaning for all lovers of animals.

On October 4, on the eve of the Congress in 1926, the world remembered the Christian saint Francis of Assisi, who died 700 years ago. The whole life of Saint Francis was devoted to helping the suffering. For this purpose, he created a charitable monastic order, which became a haven not only for people in trouble, but also for animals and birds.

His boundless love for nature allowed him to find a common language with any living creature. According to beliefs, the saint could not only understand animals and birds, but also talk to them. They, in turn, responded to him with boundless devotion and could defend their patron if necessary.

In his sermons, he told his students about the importance of natural processes in nature. He tried to encourage people to have compassion and love for the wild world. Awakening the shoots of humanity, the saint tried to convey to Christians thoughts about the equality of all God's creatures. Pope Paul II noted the importance of St. Francis' environmental activities. In 1979 he was awarded the honorary title of “first ecologist”.

Therefore, modern ecologists consider the saint the patron saint of wildlife, and the day of his veneration has become the date for celebrating the day of animals - animals in need of help, protection and protection.

Thanks to this holiday, ecologists from different countries were able to unite and direct their efforts towards environmental goals. During the existence of Animal Day, a lot has been done. The legislation of many countries has been supplemented with articles that provide for severe punishment for people who cruelly and barbarously treat living creatures.

The Council of Europe has signed many important documents aimed at protecting various animals.

Thus, in 1986, the world became acquainted with the Regulations, which stipulate the rights of experimental and laboratory animals. And literally a year later the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Pets was signed.

In addition, issues of extinction of certain animal species are being considered at the international level. Therefore, more narrowly focused holidays appeared, such as Tiger Day, Whale and Dolphin Day, Polar Bear Day, Elephant Day, and Night of the Bats. All these holidays pursue one goal - to reveal to the public the real state of affairs and call for solutions to global issues.

The holiday came to Russia in 2000. The initiative belongs to the Nature Protection Fund. Since then, every year in our country on November 4, charity and volunteer events are organized, forums and conferences dedicated to the animal world are held. Participants in environmental movements and simply concerned people take part in parades and demonstrations, concerts and fairs designed to emphasize the right of animals to a free and comfortable life.

#WorldAnimalDay on social networks

In recent years, Animal Day has migrated to social networks. Using the hashtag #WorldAnimalDay , you can find more than 200 thousand publications on Instagram; the tag is also active on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. The most active participants in the movement on social networks - the authors of the most interesting and massive campaigns for the protection of animals - receive the official status of Animal Day ambassadors (today there are already 93 ambassadors in 73 countries).

View this post on Instagram

Happy #worldanimalday!!!! Dendrocopos maior & Erithacus rubecula #greatspottedwoodpecker & European Robin / #picopicapinos & petirrojo / #grotebontespecht & roodborst . This is a juvenile #dendrocoposmaior. I already published adult birds on September 2d (female) and July 23rd (male). The crown of the juvenile's head is red and the lower belly is pink rather than red. #jabugo #sierradearacena (Huelva). #birdphotography #bestbirds #eye_spy_birds #birds_captures #bestbirdshots #bb_of_ig #best_birds_of_ig #feather_perfection #your_best_birds #king_birds #elite_birds #elite_raptors #elite_owls #only_raptors #birds_brilliance #birds_private #photoshot4all #europeanwildlife #raw_birds #nuts_ about_birds #birds_adored #birdsofinstagram #seo_birdlife © all photos are mine Canon EOS 7D mark II / 100-400mm. Natural environment. Photographed from a self made hide near a natural source of water in an oak forest in the mountains.

A post shared by Giel (Guillermo) Rutten (@g.rutten_sevilla) on Oct 4, 2021 at 12:37am PDT

Disappointing facts: on the verge of extinction

Representatives of the animal world sometimes amaze people not only with their beauty, but also with amazing facts.

It turns out that the best herd guards were not dogs, but quaggas - distant relatives of zebras. Their keen eyes allowed them to notice the approach of predators before anyone else. Passenger pigeons were considered the most numerous birds on the planet. Marsupial wolf cubs spent their first three months of life confined to their mother's pouch. True, interesting facts about unusual animals. Only extinct ones. And this is only a tiny fraction of the information about those copies that are irretrievably lost.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the animal world has halved in 40 years. Both livestock and entire species disappear. The statistics about freshwater inhabitants are especially alarming. Thanks to human activity, their numbers have decreased by 75%. The situation with “terrestrial” species is not much better. Up to 40% of animal species have been irretrievably lost.

The figures announced by the fund are simply depressing:

• up to 70 species of flora and fauna disappear from the planet every day;
• every 20 minutes the world loses one species of living creature;
• Every second, up to 1.5 hectares of forest plantations are irretrievably lost.

Of course, work is underway to prevent such processes. Protected areas are being created, hunting is prohibited, and lists of rare species are being compiled that, according to the Convention, are subject to protection. But the global nature of the problem allows us to emphasize the importance of the contribution of each person.

Who is the birthday boy today?

On November 30, Gennady, Grigory, Zakhar, Ivan, and Mikhail celebrate their name days. Dear birthday people, please accept our congratulations on behalf of Calend.ru!

Let's talk a little about the name Gregory, which comes from the ancient Greek word "grigoreo". In England, the Gregory form is common, in France - Gregoire. The boy Gregory tries to be a good child. But his restless character constantly prevents him from being calm. Having gone for a walk, Grigory will definitely return with knocked-out knees and soiled clothes. He especially likes to launch boats in puddles. He doesn’t fight with girls, but if they start teasing him, he might beat them up.

Grigory Rasputin. Photo: ru.wikipedia.org

This name appears in the calendar more than 50 times during the year, in November 6 times - November 4, November 18, November 20, November 27, November 28, November 30. Why a name can appear many times in the name day calendar and how to determine the exact date of your name day, read in the introduction to the “Name Day” section on Calend.ru.

You will find a detailed calendar of name days for November 2021 on the Calend.ru page “Name days in November.” A total of 299 names are mentioned in it, some of the names may appear several times during the month. You can find out who celebrates their name day in November here.

What lunar day is today?

On November 30, 2021, until 02:27, the twenty-fifth lunar day falls, after which the twenty-sixth lunar day begins. Moon phase - fourth quarter, waning.

On Calend.ru you will find a detailed forecast of the day on the page “Lunar calendar for 11/30/2021”. It includes the general characteristics of the lunar day, their impact on personality, business and money, health, marriage and relationships with other people. Those born on this day will receive additional recommendations. You will also receive warnings about difficult moments of the day, as well as dream tips.

In addition, for everyone who wants to look fashionable and beautiful, we have prepared a special lunar calendar for this month. See “Rules and recommendations of the lunar calendar for hair cutting in November 2021”, choose the best day for a new hairstyle and be irresistible!

If you want to find out information about the lunar calendar for other days of the month, look at the main page of the “Lunar Calendar” section and select the date you are interested in.

Black stork

Image source – Wikipedia. Author: Holger Uwe Schmitt - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46968406

The bird's population continues to decline, and all because we will not stop destroying swampy areas and cutting down forests - the black stork's usual habitats. In the Red Book of Russia, the black stork is listed as a rare species - maybe there is still hope that these birds will survive?

Most of these birds live in Primorye. They are found in several regions of our country: the Baltic Sea, the Urals, Southern Siberia, Dagestan and Chechnya.

The stunningly beautiful bird has a truly classic appearance: its strict black and white suit is slightly shimmering with iridescent green silk, and its legs and beak are reddish-red. During the mating season, according to an old bird tradition, male black storks attract females by fluffing their snow-white plumage in front of them and whistling a romantic song.

Interesting fact:

A black stork's nest is real real estate, which can be inherited by subsequent generations of birds.

Red Wolf

Image source – Wikipedia. Posted by Rigelus - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31571359

The amazingly beautiful copper wool and black tip of the fluffy tail make the red wolf similar to the fox. The species is practically not found on the territory of Russia - its disappearance was mentioned in records of the 19th century. But there are still cases when animals were seen in the Far East. However, it seems that the wolves simply come to “stay” straight from Mongolia or even China. But, like many rare animals, the red wolf can still be seen in captivity - for example, in city zoos. And in other countries, by the way, the predator is not even considered an endangered species. For example, in India, Thailand, Indonesia.

Interesting fact:

There are 10 subspecies of the red wolf in the world, which differ in the shade of their coat (it is always reddish, but with different undertones) and body size.

Himalayan bear

Image source – Wikipedia. Author: Korzun Andrey (Kor!An) - own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8400191

The white-breasted or Himalayan bear lives in the Primorsky Territory and the southern regions of the Khabarovsk Territory of Russia, as well as in some areas of Yakutia.

This predator, which, by the way, is slightly smaller than its relative the brown bear, also has enemies. One of them is just a brown relative, and the other two are the Ussuri tiger and the wolf. The white-breasted beauty hides from them and from midges, mainly in the trees, and looks for food there. The bear spends the long winter not in a den, but also in a tree - in the hollow of a linden or poplar tree.

The population of Himalayan bears began to decline significantly for two banal reasons: deforestation and poaching.

Interesting fact:

The Himalayan bear, although a predator by nature, is 85 percent vegan - its diet consists mainly of nuts, berries, plants and rhizomes; sometimes the animal feeds on frogs, ants and various mollusks.