Penguin Awareness Day 2024

Every year on 20th January, we celebrate Penguin Awareness Day to bring attention to the decrease in the number of penguins worldwide. Penguins are flightless, aquatic birds that live in the Southern hemisphere of the earth such as the Antarctic (South Pole), Australia and the Falkland Islands. There are a total of eighteen species of penguins, of which five are globally endangered. Due to climate change and the increase in pollution, the lives of this flightless bird are in danger. As the snow in the Antarctic is melting due to the temperature rise, they are losing their habitat. The commercial fishing done in the areas is reducing their food availability. 

Although the exact origin of Penguin Awareness Day is unknown, since 2010, it has become a day of interest for many scientific organisations. This day aims to make people recognize the growing issue of the declining population of penguins. The rapidly shrinking population of penguins every year goes mostly unnoticed because their natural habitat is usually where humans don’t live. 

We can celebrate this important day by learning more about these friendly birds and helping others learn about them. In the United States of America, people visit local zoos that house penguins and attend events organised to educate the public. Documentaries and books offer valuable insights into their lives, habitats, and the initiatives undertaken to protect them.