What is Endangered Species Day, and why is it important?
 Celebrated every third Friday of May, Endangered Species Day emphasises the urgent need to protect threatened wildlife and their habitats globally. In 2025, this day serves as a powerful call to action: Habitat Destruction, Climate Change, and Human Activities are Accelerating Species Loss. Preserving endangered species isn’t only an act of compassion—it’s essential for ecological balance, sustainable ecosystems, and global biodiversity aligned with SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

🇮🇳 India: A Megadiverse Country Under Pressure

India stands among the 17 megadiverse countries, possessing unique ecosystems and species. But it also faces severe threats:

  • Habitat destruction from urban expansion, agriculture, and infrastructure

  • Climate change is disrupting seasonal patterns and habitats

  • Poaching and illegal wildlife trade are compromising vulnerable populations

These pressures are accelerating species loss. Conservation is not optional—it’s a necessity for sustainable ecosystems and long-term survival.

India’s Critically Endangered Stars

Here are four emblematic species that highlight India’s biodiversity crisis:

  • Great Indian Bustard – Critically endangered, with fewer than 150 in the wild.
  • Ganges River Dolphin – Endangered due to river pollution and human interference.

  • Red Panda – Vulnerable due to rapid deforestation in the Eastern Himalayas

  • Snow Leopard – Declining due to poaching and shrinking Himalayan habitats

Protecting these species requires protecting their habitats and ensuring sustainable human behaviour.

GoSharpener Species Conservation Sessions in Schools: Students Speak Up

To observe Endangered Species Day 25, GoSharpener held powerful species conservation sessions in schools, where students became advocates for those without a voice. Their challenge: design awareness posters following a four-step process:

  1. Choose Your Animal – They researched and selected an endangered species that inspired them.

  2. Highlight Why It’s Special – Each student articulated how their animal benefits ecosystems, whether it's cleaning oceans, balancing forests, or controlling pests.

  3. Add Solutions to Help – Posters recommended actionable steps:

  • Stop habitat destruction

  • Say NO to illegal wildlife trade

  • Choose sustainable products

  • Spread awareness

Design Your Poster – Students focused on bold visuals, clear messaging, and catchy slogans like:

 “Protect the Roar Before It’s No More!”
 “Home for Them, Future for Us.”

Eco‑club Activity on Species Protection: Creativity Meets Conservation

This campaign inspired vibrant eco-club activity on species protection:

  • A real and drawing competition around wildlife showcased artistic talent and environmental passion.

  • A school workshop on endangered wildlife educated students on habitat needs, threats, and solutions.

  • Knowledge and speaker sessions on biodiversity loss brought conservation experts to campus for interactive dialogues.

These efforts amplify the impact of biodiversity education in classrooms, fostering lifelong conservation values.

Award Ceremony for Wildlife Conservation Efforts

To celebrate commitment and creativity, GoSharpener hosted an award ceremony for wildlife conservation efforts. Notable contributors included:

Each student’s advocacy poster and reel displayed determination: their voices now echo for endangered species across India.

Impact: How Awareness Saves Species

Education and engagement create real-world impact. When students design conservation posters, attend workshops, and enter drawing contests:

  • Species gain visibility through classmates, parents, and communities

  • Action becomes possible as students advocate for eco-choices and habitat protection

  • Leadership is nurtured—graduates emerge ready for green careers and environmental roles

These activities are part of the GoSharpener environmental activities for students' journey—connecting awareness with action.

Beyond the Day: Sustaining Momentum

To ensure long-term impact, GoSharpener programs follow Endangered Species Day with:

  • Monthly eco-club activity on species protection and themed conservation weeks

  • Research projects focusing on species like the Great Indian Bustard, Red Panda, Ganges River Dolphin, and Snow Leopard

  • Online platforms sharing Biodiversity Day videos, reels, and posters

  • Upcoming plans to expand sessions:
    • National-level reel and drawing competitions

    • Annual Knowledge and speaker session on biodiversity loss, featuring conservation leaders

    • More Award ceremonies for wildlife conservation efforts across age groups

This ensures conservation is more than one day—it becomes a habit.

What You Can Do: Student & School Actions

Here’s how students, educators, and eco-clubs can take meaningful steps:

  1. Host a reel and drawing competition around wildlife

  2. Run a species-specific school workshop on endangered wildlife

  3. Launch conservation knowledge sessions and speaker events

  4. Encourage sustainable daily habits: eco-stickers, refusal of disposable goods, and eco-friendly stationery

  5. Display winning posters in school or share digitally with #EndangeredSpeciesDay

Conservation Spotlight: Great Indian Bustard Recovery

India’s most iconic conservation puzzle is the Great Indian Bustard (GIB). Fewer than 150 individuals survive, threatened by habitat destruction, poaching, and infrastructure. Conservation strategies include:

  • Breeding centres like Kutch and Rollapadu sanctuaries are small but vital reserves.

  • Captive-breeding and artificial insemination programs are supported by Indian scientists and conservationists.

  • Habitat protection and community involvement, such as working with local herders to monitor nest sites

  • Disconnecting power lines and regulating renewable energy expansion to prevent bird collisions

Such initiatives show how coordinated efforts—from education to policy—can drive progress.

Why Schools Should Join the Movement

Integrating endangered species themes into teaching offers multiple benefits:

  • Strengthens sustainability education and climate literacy

  • Makes real-world connections to SDG 14 and SDG 15

  • Develops student leadership through eco-clubs and public advocacy

  • Demonstrates school responsibility to parents, communities, and global partners

GoSharpener supports schools with frameworks, content, and recognition, empowering species conservation sessions in schools to become standouts.

National Endangered Species Day 2026

Mark your calendars: Friday, May 16, 202,6 is National Endangered Species Day. However, every day presents an opportunity to learn, share, and take action.

Final Thought: Be the Generation That Saves Species

We stand at a critical crossroads of conservation. India’s species—like the Great Indian Bustard, Red Panda, Ganges River Dolphin, Snow Leopard—need bold, informed futures. And our students are rising to the challenge:

  • Poster leading to awareness

  • Eco-clubs igniting passion

  • Reels amplifying messages

  • Awards inspiring excellence

By turning voice into action today, we ensure that future generations not only remember endangered species but actively protect them. Each poster, reel, workshop, and citizen-led action matters—because when we save their world, we secure ours.

Together with GoSharpener, students, educators, and communities, we can build a future where endangered species thrive, ecosystems flourish, and sustainable development becomes everyone’s mission.