The United Nations does a great job declaring days in the year for commemoration or celebration. There is International Women's Day, World Water Day, World AIDS Day and more than 100 other special days. So why does it matter that the UN General Assembly last December declared March 3rd as World Wildlife Day -- a day, according to the UN, to "celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people?"

To understand why this date is special, a little history is helpful. On March 3, 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted. CITES is a critical international treaty that works to ensure that global trade does not threaten the survival of species in the wild. Starting out small, the treaty today boasts 180 governments as Parties (members of the treaty that agree to comply with its requirements), and it is recognized as one of the most important and effective mechanisms regulating the practice of conservation. More than 35,000 species are now listed on the Convention's Appendices.

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Learn more about World Wildlife Day at wildlifeday.org >>