The annual celebration of World Wildlife Day, established in 2013, serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of our natural world and the catastrophic consequences of its destruction. In 2025, the theme of this day is formulated as “Financing wildlife conservation: investing in people and the planet.” The organizers draw attention to the critical need to increase the volume and effectiveness of financing aimed at protecting the environment, emphasizing that the sustainable development of environmental initiatives is the key to the survival of many species.
The modern reality is that more than a million species of animals are on the verge of total extinction. Anthropogenic impact, expressed in the reduction of natural habitat, expansion of industrial zones, climate change, poaching and environmental pollution, creates unbearable conditions for the existence of many representatives of fauna. This situation is like a tightening noose, condemning vulnerable populations to extinction.
The updated list of the Russian Red Book in 2021 is seriously alarming, as it includes 443 endangered species of animals and birds, including the Amur tiger, polar bear, snow leopard, bison, black-bellied capercaillie and red-legged ibis. This list is not just a list of names, but an urgent call for immediate action, for a fundamental revision of our attitude to nature and for urgent action at the global level.
Kamchatka, which has one of the most extensive and significant networks of specially protected natural areas in Russia, plays a key role in preserving biodiversity. There are 91 objects on its territory, including four specially protected natural territories of federal significance: the Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve, the Commander Islands National Park named after S.V. Marakov, the Koryaksky State Nature Reserve and the South Kamchatka State Nature Reserve. In addition, there are 87 protected areas of regional importance in Kamchatka, including five natural parks (Nalychevo, Bystrinsky, Klyuchevskoy, Yuzhno-Kamchatsky, Vilyuchinsky), 14 state nature reserves (including the unique salmon reserve Kol River) and 68 natural monuments.
To all conservation workers involved in the protection of the Kamchatka Territory’s wildlife, send our words of support, wishing them perseverance, further achievements in preserving unique ecosystems and increasing the number of supporters. The future of wildlife and humanity are inextricably linked, and investments in nature conservation are investments in the prosperous future of all mankind.