Every year 3rd March is being observed as World Wildlife Day (WWD) to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora.
Significance of Day: It calls for taking up urgent steps to fight wildlife crime which has wide-ranging environmental, economic and social impacts.
2016 theme: “The future of wildlife is in our hands”. While the main focus of this year’s global campaigns are African and Asian elephants.
This theme showcases inextricable relationship between people, wildlife and sustainable development. It seeks to spread awareness for taking national action to ensure the survival of both lesser known and charismatic species in the wild.
Background

• On 20 December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at its 68th session had designated 3rd March as World Wildlife Day.
• On this day in 1973, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted.
• Since then CITES plays an important role in ensuring that international trade does not threaten the species’ survival.