The theme for World Wildlife Day 2021 is “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.”
Very aptly titled, our forests are incredibly important to sustaining all life on Earth. From providing food, shelter, energy, and medicines for us humans (especially the many indigenous communities) to being home to many animals and plants that help maintain it, we need our forests.
But we’ll talk more about that another time, today the Earth School team wants to share with you our way of celebrating the animals we love and care about the most!
Name: Dennis (The big brains Professor X of Earth School)
Favourite Animal: Sunda Slow Loris (The Deadly Cute Ones)
2 Facts about it:
- Slow lorises are the only venomous primate
- Sunda slow loris is the only nocturnal primate in Singapore
Why it’s your favourite animal: Rare and cool. Could possibly kill you. Saw it once hehe.
Status: Critically endangered
Name: Sheryl (The intelligent Wonder Woman of Earth School)
Favourite Animal: Baleen Whales (‘The Gentle Giants of the Ocean’)
2 Facts about it:
- They consist of 4 families – rorqual, right, grey and pygmy right whale
- They do not echolocate (but still vocalize in their own way!)
Why it’s your favourite animal: They are gentle giants, feeding on the teeniest animals in the ocean despite being one of the largest creatures on Earth. I long to see them one day!
Is it endangered: Depending on species! 6/13 of great whale species are categorised under endangered or vulnerable
Name: Qian Hwee (The creative Harley Quinn of Earth School)
Favourite Animal: Corals (The Mega Builders)
2 Facts about it:
- They are animals HAHA they derive more of their energy from symbiotic photosynthesis compared to feeding.
- Some corals have green fluorescence which actually protects them from excessive sun and acts as their “sunblock”.
Why it’s your favourite animal: Corals actually do a lot more for reef systems than we give them credit for and they are equally interesting and fascinating as other mobile organisms.
Is it endangered: Depends on species! 3 are listed as endangered and 22 are threatened under the Endangered Species Act
Ringed Plate Coral (Source: Qian Hwee)
Bracket mushroom coral (Source: Qian Hwee)
Not-so-blue Blue Corals (Source: Qian Hwee)
Name: Cass (I guess I’m the Stan Lee of Earth School)
Favourite Animal: Ocean Sunfish (The Most Odd Looking Fish ever)
2 Facts about it:
- They are HUGE – they’re bigger than a 2-metre tall human being
- They kinda just swim (it’s not really swimming though) up and down and just flop at the surface to suntan
Why it’s your favourite animal: When I was 15, I visited the Fukuoka Aquarium and there was this huge, oddly magnificent creature, its one eye bigger than my whole head just kind of bumping into walls and wiggling up and about. It was so weird and clumsy, very unlike most of Nature’s beautiful creatures and I just fell in love with them right away.
Is it endangered: The IUCN says it’s Vulnerable, mostly endangered by fishermen bycatch
We’d love to have you join us in celebrating each and every one of our favourite wildlife , no matter how big or small, plant or animal! Let us know on your social media platforms or down in the comment section – What is your favourite wildlife and why?