National Endangered Species Day 2025: History, Celebration, Quotes, Quiz

Every year the third Friday in May is observed as National Endangered Species Day to protect threatened and endangered species in the nature. This year it falls on 16th May. It is an opportunity for everyone to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species. The observance of Endangered Species Day also encourages learning about wildlife habitats and the actions necessary to protect them.

The National Wildlife Federation spearheaded the establishment of Endangered Species Day by Congress, and take this opportunity each year to share the importance of wildlife conservation and restoration efforts for all imperiled species.

National Endangered Species Day 2025 Date –  May 16

In this article readers can get a glimpse on

• History and Significance of National Endangered Species Day
• National Endangered Species Day Theme 2025
• National Endangered Species Day Quiz

History of Endangered Species Day

Endangered Species Day was officially established in 2006 by the United States Congress. The initiative was led by the U.S. Senate, in cooperation with conservation organizations and educational institutions, to increase awareness about the growing number of species facing extinction. The day was created to recognize the importance of wildlife conservation and to celebrate the progress made under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. The ESA, signed into law by President Richard Nixon, became a landmark legal framework for identifying, protecting, and recovering imperiled species and their habitats in the United States.

The first observance of Endangered Species Day took place on May 11, 2006, and quickly gained traction among schools, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and environmental organizations. The day was marked by public events, classroom discussions, nature walks, and community-based conservation projects. Since then, it has been celebrated annually on the third Friday of May, with a growing number of participants each year.

Over the years, Endangered Species Day has expanded from a national awareness event to a global environmental movement. Countries around the world now use the day to highlight their own native endangered species and promote international conservation efforts. The day provides an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about biodiversity, the threats facing wildlife, and the steps needed to prevent extinction. It also encourages community involvement in habitat protection, policy advocacy, and sustainable practices.

Thanks to continued public engagement and education, Endangered Species Day has helped drive support for the protection of countless species—from iconic animals like the Bald Eagle and Sea Turtle, to lesser-known plants and insects. It reminds us of the critical role each species plays in maintaining the balance of ecosystems, and the shared responsibility we have in preserving Earth’s natural heritage.

Significance of National Endangered Species Day

A species is defined as endangered when its numbers are unusually low. It is one which is still in the world today, but may not be much longer if the right steps aren’t taken. They become extinct from mother earth because of the devastating activities of human beings. According to the IUCN Red List Of Threatened Species, there are now more than 16,000 species of fungi, algae, plants, and animals at the verge of extinction. The bald eagle, the alligator, and the gray wolf etc. are some examples.

Endangered Species Day is an opportunity for each one of us to show our support to conserve the threatened species across the globe. The National Endangered Species Act accentuates the efforts made to preserve the natural habitat of the animals. In India, according to the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, hunting of wild animals has been banned to eradicate the risk of endangered species extinction.

National Endangered Species Day Theme 2025

The theme for National Endangered Species Day 2025 is “Celebrating the Conservation of Species.” This year’s focus is on recognizing the progress made in saving endangered animals and plants through dedicated conservation efforts. It highlights success stories where species have recovered thanks to protective laws, habitat restoration, and community involvement. The theme encourages people to appreciate these victories while continuing to support the protection of vulnerable species.

In 2025, the day is observed on Friday, May 16, and it also marks the 20th anniversary of Endangered Species Day. This milestone offers a special opportunity to reflect on how far global conservation efforts have come in two decades. The theme invites schools, organizations, and the public to engage in awareness campaigns, educational events, and creative activities that promote the value of wildlife protection. By focusing on positive change, the 2025 theme aims to inspire future generations to take action for endangered species.

National Endangered Species Day Previous Themes 

National Endangered Species Day, observed every year on the third Friday of May, raises awareness about the importance of protecting endangered animals and plants. It encourages people of all ages to learn about threatened species, take part in conservation efforts, and promote biodiversity. Each year, a special theme is chosen to focus attention on specific aspects of wildlife preservation and recovery. Here are the themes from recent years:

• 2020: Celebrate Saving Species

• 2021: Wildlife Without Borders

• 2022: Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration

• 2023: Celebrating 50 Years of the Endangered Species Act

• 2024: Celebrate Saving Species

• 2025: Celebrating the Conservation of Species

These themes aim to engage schools, communities, and organizations in activities that support conservation education, habitat protection, and citizen science. They also help bring attention to the challenges faced by endangered species and the actions needed to ensure their survival.

How to Observe Endangered Species Day

• People around the world participate in Endangered Species Day by celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened and endangered species.
• Wildlife refuges, zoos, aquariums, gardens, schools, libraries, museums, community groups, nonprofits, and individuals hold special programs or events for people of all ages.
• They also host seminars and exhibits aimed at raising awareness across the nation.
• Become a Member of the National Wildlife Federation
• Gather resources to enlighten students about biodiversity and conservation. Conduct story reading sessions from popular children’s books about the importance of looking after endangered species.
• Use the hashtag #endangeredspeciesday on social media and share pictures of some of the  endangered creatures!

Endangered Species in India

India has been blessed with exotic animals and birds. She has provided home to a large group of wildlife through 400 wildlife sanctuaries and 80 National parks. Destructive human activities like deforestation, poaching, and hunting have left thousands of species around the globe homeless. Extinction in their natural ecosystem costs them their lives. The International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN), prepares a list of 55000 mammals and among them, 22.2% are extinct or globally threatened.

As of September 2019, the Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reports that India has 132 critically endangered plant and animal species. Below is the list of some of the most endangered species from India.

• The Red Panda
• The Bengal Tiger
• The Asian Elephant
• The Ganges River Dolphin
• The Greater One-Horned Rhino
• The Snow Leopard
• Malabar Large Spotted Civet
•  Hump-backed Mahseer
• Gharial
• Indian Bustard
• Wild Water Buffalo

IUCN- International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN is a global authority which has observer and consultative status at the United Nations. It was established on October 05, 1948, with headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. IUCN is one of its kind for the protection of the global environment.  Based on the rate of decline, population size, geographic distribution, and degree of population and distribution fragmentation IUCN classified the species into 09 different groups, they are:

• Extinct (EX) – No known individuals of these species remaining.
• Extinct within the wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic range
• Critically endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction within the wild
• Endangered (EN) – The risk of extinction in the wild is high
• Vulnerable (VU) – The risk of endangerment in the wild is high
• Near threatened (NT) – This group is likely to become endangered in the near future
• Least concern (LC) – Lowest risk (Does not qualify for a more at-risk category)
• Data deficient (DD) – Unavailability of enough data to make an assessment of its extinction rate.
• Not evaluated (NE) – This group of species has not yet been evaluated against the criteria

National Endangered Species Day Quotes

• “Animals are, like us, endangered species on an endangered planet, and we are the ones who are endangering them, it, and ourselves. They are innocent sufferers in a hell of our making.”—Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
• “Endangered species are our friends.”—Yao Ming
• “The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”—Theodore Roosevelt
• “Conserving habitats is a wellspring for the next industrial revolution.”—Janine Benyus
• “The most important thing is to preserve the world we live in. Unless people understand and learn about our world, habitats, and animals, they won’t understand that if we don’t protect those habitats, we’ll eventually destroy ourselves.”—Jack Hanna

National Endangered Species Day Quiz 2025

1. When is National Endangered Species Day observed each year?

A) Second Friday of April
B) Third Friday of May
C) First Monday of June