The 15th Annual International Endangered Species Day is May 15 – How Are You Planning to Celebrate?

Endangered Species Day is a day to learn about and take action for the threatened and endangered species in your community, state, and around the world. 

This year, you may not be able to get outdoors and plan a campus or community habitat restoration project or organize a tree planting, however, there are several ways you can take action and support the protection and conservation of wildlife species.  

Check out the U.S. Fish and Wildlife “Find Endangered Species” website to learn about species in your area. Another great way to learn about wildlife is through National Wildlife Federation’s “Wildlife Guide,” it’s a great resource to learn more about birds, mammals, amphibians, and more.

One way college students across the country are celebrating Endangered Species Day this year is through art. This winter, the Endangered Species Coalition, and National Wildlife Federation hosted the Saving Endangered Species College Student Art Contest. The art contest is an integral part of Endangered Species Day each year and highlights the tremendous impact art can have in helping to educate and bring awareness to endangered and threatened species in the U.S. and around the world that are struggling to survive.

The winners of this year’s Saving Endangered Species college student art contest are:

• First place – “Coho Upstream” by Nicole Davis
• Second place – “Rusty Bumblebees” by Micah Mariah
• Third place – “OR-54” by Brenna Litynski
• Voted Most Popular by online vote – The Majesty of Nature” by Kara Vaughan

The first, second, and third place winners are judged by a panel of judges. And the “most popular” is chosen through online voting via the Saving Endangered Species website. The first-place winner will be featured in a future issue of National Wildlife magazine, and also receives an award plaque and a $100.00 gift card for Blick Art Materials. The second-place winner receives a $75.00 gift card to Blick Art Materials, the third-place winner receives a $50.00 gift card for Blick Art Materials, and the winner of the “most popular” public online voting receives a $25.00 card for Blick Art Materials. Additionally, the winning art will be featured in National Wildlife Federation promotions for Endangered Species Day 2020. 

Check out our winners:

Thank you to Blick Art Materials for their donation of gift cards to award the winners of the Endangered Species Day College Student Art Contest. And a thank you to our contest judges, Jeanne Dodds, Creative Engagement Director at the Endangered Species Coalition, and Susan McElhinney, Photo Editor, Ranger Rick magazine, National Wildlife Federation. To view all Saving Endangered Species art entries please go to: https://www.endangered.org/college-art-contest/

Need ideas to celebrate Endangered Species Day?

• Take the “What’s Your Wildlife Personality” Quiz
• Test your knowledge to see if you can identify all 10 of these mystery birds
• Enjoy storytime with your kids – Every morning Monday, May 11th through Friday, May 15th, the Endangered Species Coalition (ESC) will read aloud a children’s book featuring endangered species. Tune in at the ESC Facebook page at 9am Pacific Time / 12pm Eastern Time each day. 
• Watch Racing Extinction Screening on Endangered Species Day (Friday, May 15^th). The Endangered Species Coalition is offering people the opportunity to watch the intense, informative documentary Racing Extinction online, and participate in a live Q&A about the film afterward. 
• Take a Virtual Field Trip through Nature’s Witness – National Wildlife Federation Photography Exhibition, and experience 50 images from around the world, each with a story to tell. 
• Learn how others are appreciating wildlife during quarantine
• Be an advocate for wildlife, and support the following NWF efforts: 
  • Support Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
  • Support wildlife crossings
  • Protect bee habitat from harmful pesticides
  • Help restore salmon habitat
  • Support safeguarding sea turtles through economy-wide carbon cuts

Take Action!