Gibraltar National Museum will be celebrating World Wildlife Day next Saturday with a series of activities for the whole family. To be held at the newly opened Natural History Museum at Parson’s Lodge, the event will include hands-on workshops, invertebrate and plant walks, birds of prey displays, face painting with a wildlife theme and a treasure hunt.
Announcing details of the event, which is open to visitors, the Gibraltar government noted that, on 20 December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly designated 3 March as U.N. World Wildlife Day, “aiming to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. It has now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife.”
Jointly hosted by the museum and the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society, the event will also be supported by Monkey Talk, the department of the environment, sustainability, climate change and heritage, and the University of Gibraltar
The global theme for World Wildlife Day 2024 is “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation”.
According to the government, “Technological innovation has made research, communication, tracking, DNA analysis and many other aspects of wildlife conservation easier, more efficient and accurate. Yet, uneven access to these new tools, environmental pollution and unsustainable applications of certain technologies remain critical issues for achieving universal digital inclusion by 2030.”
This global theme, as well as a wider perspective on wildlife, will be highlighted during the 2 March event (which runs from 10am to 6pm). In addition to the many family-friendly activities planned for the day, visitors will also have the opportunity of talking with some of Gibraltar’s leading scientists and naturalists, who will be raising awareness and explaining the important work they carry out.
