THE FUSE

Forget Valentine’s Day! Did you know that February also carries World Hippo Day and World Pangolin Day!? Here’s your updated calendar for animal awareness in 2026.

South Africa (10 February 2026) – Back by popular demand! Two years ago, we shared a list of animal awareness days – some official, some fun – all worth celebrating throughout the year.

It’s a chance to mark the calendar for your favourite animal and other magnificent – and in some cases critically endangered – species around the world. It’s also an opportunity to highlight the biomes that these animals depend on for survival and how vital protecting these spaces is.

In South Africa, many of these days are used by conservation groups, shelters and wildlife organisations to share stories, raise awareness, and get people to care a little bit more.

This is an updated list of animal-focused days worth knowing about in 2026. Some are international UN-recognised days and others are fun days, which, in our eyes, totally deserve the recognition!

January

20 Jan – Penguin Awareness Day
21 Jan – Squirrel Appreciation Day
26 Jan – World Environmental Education Day
31 Jan – World Zebra Day

February

02 Feb – World Wetlands Day & World Ostrich Day
15 Feb – World Hippo Day & World Whale Day
19 Feb – International Marine Mammal Protection Day
21 Feb – World Pangolin Day
27 Feb – International Polar Bear Day

March

03 Mar – World Wildlife Day
21 Mar – International Day of Forests

April

04 Apr – World Stray Animals Day
22 Apr – Earth Day
25 Apr – World Penguin Day
25 April – World Veterinary Day

May

03 May – World Leopards Day
22 May – International Day for Biological Diversity
23 May – World Turtle Day
27 May – World Otter Day

June

01 Jun – World Reef Day
05 Jun – World Environment Day
08 Jun – World Oceans Day
11 Jun – International Lynx Day
15 Jun – International Working Animals Day
16 Jun – World Sea Turtle Day
20 Jun – World Horseshoe Crab Day
21 Jun – World Giraffe Day
22 Jun – World Camel Day

July

14 Jul – World Chimpanzee Day
14 Jul – World Shark Awareness Day
16 Jul – World Snake Day
29 Jul – International Tiger Day

August

08 Aug – International Cat Day
10 Aug – World Lion Day
12 Aug – World Elephant Day
13 Aug – International Wolf Day
14 Aug – World Lizard Day
16 Aug – World Honeybee Day
19 Aug – World Orangutan Day
26 Aug – World African Wild Dog Day
29 Aug – International Whale Shark Day

September

01 Sep – World Manta Ray Day & World Cow Day
05 Sep – International Vulture Awareness Day
07 Sep – International Primate Day
12 Sep – World Dolphin Day
17 Sep – World Manta Day
20 Sep – International Red Panda Day
22 Sep – World Rhino Day
24 September – World Gorilla Day
28 Sep – World Rabies Day

October

04 Oct – World Animal Day
08 Oct – World Octopus Day
10 Oct – World Migratory Bird Day
16 Oct – World Food Day
20 Oct – International Sloth Day
22 Oct – International Wombat Day

November

19 Nov – World Anteater Day
21 Nov – World Fisheries Day
29 Nov – International Jaguar Day

December

03 Dec – International Baboon Day
04 Dec – World Wildlife Conservation Day & World Cheetah Day
05 Dec – World Soil Day
10 Dec – International Animal Rights Day
14 Dec – Monkey Day

Sources: GTG / United Nations.

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