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
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