World Animal Day
World Animal Day
In complex systems, such as nature, apparently insignificant change ('flapping of the wings of a butterfly') can cause unpredictable consequences. It’s a 'butterfly effect'. Humans with their interventions into the nature often endanger animal species, which can have a long-term impact on our life.
The purpose of the World Animal Day is to draw people’s attention to the alarming situation of endangered animal species and thus remind us of the important role animals play in our everyday lives and in preserving the diversity of habitats. There are around two million animal species in the world; around 15,000-20,000 in Slovenia, of which 850 endemic, i.e. living predominantly only in Slovenia. Slovenia is considered to be a hotspot of biodiversity since in terms of diversity of the living world it is among the top five countries in Europe. Subterranean fauna of Slovenia with the famous proteus (human fish), congeria kusceri and different bugs is one of the more diverse in the world. The Postojna cave system with about a hundred species of animals is the richest cave system in the world, and black proteus is our endemic species known only from two sites in the karst of Bela Krajina.
In Slovenia more than 2,000 animal species on the endangered animals list
However, in Slovenia, too, despite the large diversity of animal species many of them are endangered. The diversity of the living world is endangered the most by human interventions into the habitats, by abandoning of mowing dry grassland, grazing, and high-stem orchards, by intensive agricultural activity using fertilisers and chemicals, by the introduction of non-native species, etc. And the species in greatest danger are amphibians. In addition, 35% of species of day-time butterflies are endangered. As regards the area of the country, the butterfly fauna in Slovenia is among the richest in Europe with around 3,200 species, but in the past 25 years the population has declined by 60%. The main reasons are intensive use of grassland (baling of grass before the meadows bloom), overgrowing and drainage.
Did you know that in Slovenia in the last 25 years the butterfly population has decreased by 60%?
Infographic 1: The butterfly population in Slovenia
Source: Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation
The importance of preserving the diversity of the living world
Insects, particularly bees, are among the most important pollinators of flowers and thus have a direct impact on the quantity of agricultural products. Water plants and animals preserve the self-cleaning ability of rivers and lakes. For us perhaps unimportant bugs are food for birds and bats, which take care of unpleasant or harmful insects not multiplying too much and the circle is closed. There are thousands of such circles and they are linked into chains and networks of interdependence. The outcomes of the declining biodiversity are the ever more evident climate change, natural disasters, depletion of food resources and the instability of our living environment.
Animal symbols often used in coats-of-arms, on flags, money, stamps and elsewhere
From prehistoric times animals have been important for humans both as a source of livelihood as well as helpers at work or companions. They have also always been a source of symbolism. Animal symbols have been used for many purposes: in coats-of-arms, on money, flags, stamps, as religious, artistic and other symbols. Today many animals can be found among smileys and other symbols: 🐞🐯🐘🐢🐶🐑🐤🐔🐺🐧🐳
As many as 155 animal surnames in Slovenia
Around 40,000 residents of Slovenia have surnames derived from animal names. The most common of them are Kos (blackbird) (3,900) and Golob (pigeon) (3,850). There are just over 2,000 people whose surname is Medved (bear) and 1,500 each whose surnames are Maček (cat) and Jelen (deer). Other common animal surnames in Slovenia are Jereb (partridge), Čuk (screech owl), Jazbec (badger), Volk (wolf) and Strnad (yellowhammer).
Infographic 2: It is possible to make entire “animal families” out of Slovene surnames.
Source:SURS
Did you know that a museum in Split, Croatia, shows an exhibition of stuffed frogs, which is unique in the world? 🐸🐸
Amphibians are notoriously difficult to preserve or stuff, so the exhibition, which was set up a hundred years ago, is a real masterpiece. Today amphibians are among the endangered species. For more information see http://www.froggyland.net/ .
The World Animal Day also calls for humane treatment of all animals. Animals must not be killed, harmed, taken from nature or upset on purpose without a just cause.
Sources:
(1) World Animal Day. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk
(2) Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Narava. Živali. Retrieved on 19. 7. 2016 from the website: http://www.arso.gov.si/narava/%C5%BEivali/
(3) Zavod RS za varstvo narave. Retrieved on 19. 7. 2016 from the website: http://www.zrsvn.si/sl/
(4) Froggyland. Retrieved on 19. 7. 2016 from the website: http://www.froggyland.net/
(5) Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, 2001. Pregled stanja biotske raznovrstnosti in krajinske pestrosti v Sloveniji. Ljubljana.
(6) BF, University of Ljubljana. Gradiva in predavanja. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: http://www.bf.uni-lj.si/fileadmin/groups/2711/Gradiva_Eler_Predavanja_Bolonja/Eler_P_Ekologija-10_Biodiverziteta.pdf
(7) Slovenian Environment Agency. Biotska pestrost je naše življenje. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: https://www.yumpu.com/sl/document/view/13053672/biotska-pestrost-je-nase-zivljenje-zavod-rs-za-varstvo-narave
(8) Wikipedija. Seznam zavarovanih živalskih vrst v Sloveniji. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seznam_zavarovanih_%C5%BEivalskih_vrst_v_Sloveniji
(9) Wikipedija. Teorija kaosa. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teorija_kaosa
In Slovenia more than 2,000 animal species on the endangered animals list
However, in Slovenia, too, despite the large diversity of animal species many of them are endangered. The diversity of the living world is endangered the most by human interventions into the habitats, by abandoning of mowing dry grassland, grazing, and high-stem orchards, by intensive agricultural activity using fertilisers and chemicals, by the introduction of non-native species, etc. And the species in greatest danger are amphibians. In addition, 35% of species of day-time butterflies are endangered. As regards the area of the country, the butterfly fauna in Slovenia is among the richest in Europe with around 3,200 species, but in the past 25 years the population has declined by 60%. The main reasons are intensive use of grassland (baling of grass before the meadows bloom), overgrowing and drainage.
Did you know that in Slovenia in the last 25 years the butterfly population has decreased by 60%?
Infographic 1: The butterfly population in Slovenia
Source: Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation
The importance of preserving the diversity of the living world
Insects, particularly bees, are among the most important pollinators of flowers and thus have a direct impact on the quantity of agricultural products. Water plants and animals preserve the self-cleaning ability of rivers and lakes. For us perhaps unimportant bugs are food for birds and bats, which take care of unpleasant or harmful insects not multiplying too much and the circle is closed. There are thousands of such circles and they are linked into chains and networks of interdependence. The outcomes of the declining biodiversity are the ever more evident climate change, natural disasters, depletion of food resources and the instability of our living environment.
Animal symbols often used in coats-of-arms, on flags, money, stamps and elsewhere
From prehistoric times animals have been important for humans both as a source of livelihood as well as helpers at work or companions. They have also always been a source of symbolism. Animal symbols have been used for many purposes: in coats-of-arms, on money, flags, stamps, as religious, artistic and other symbols. Today many animals can be found among smileys and other symbols: 🐞🐯🐘🐢🐶🐑🐤🐔🐺🐧🐳
As many as 155 animal surnames in Slovenia
Around 40,000 residents of Slovenia have surnames derived from animal names. The most common of them are Kos (blackbird) (3,900) and Golob (pigeon) (3,850). There are just over 2,000 people whose surname is Medved (bear) and 1,500 each whose surnames are Maček (cat) and Jelen (deer). Other common animal surnames in Slovenia are Jereb (partridge), Čuk (screech owl), Jazbec (badger), Volk (wolf) and Strnad (yellowhammer).
Infographic 2: It is possible to make entire “animal families” out of Slovene surnames.
Source:SURS
Did you know that a museum in Split, Croatia, shows an exhibition of stuffed frogs, which is unique in the world? 🐸🐸
Amphibians are notoriously difficult to preserve or stuff, so the exhibition, which was set up a hundred years ago, is a real masterpiece. Today amphibians are among the endangered species. For more information see http://www.froggyland.net/ .
The World Animal Day also calls for humane treatment of all animals. Animals must not be killed, harmed, taken from nature or upset on purpose without a just cause.
Sources:
(1) World Animal Day. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk
(2) Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Narava. Živali. Retrieved on 19. 7. 2016 from the website: http://www.arso.gov.si/narava/%C5%BEivali/
(3) Zavod RS za varstvo narave. Retrieved on 19. 7. 2016 from the website: http://www.zrsvn.si/sl/
(4) Froggyland. Retrieved on 19. 7. 2016 from the website: http://www.froggyland.net/
(5) Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, 2001. Pregled stanja biotske raznovrstnosti in krajinske pestrosti v Sloveniji. Ljubljana.
(6) BF, University of Ljubljana. Gradiva in predavanja. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: http://www.bf.uni-lj.si/fileadmin/groups/2711/Gradiva_Eler_Predavanja_Bolonja/Eler_P_Ekologija-10_Biodiverziteta.pdf
(7) Slovenian Environment Agency. Biotska pestrost je naše življenje. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: https://www.yumpu.com/sl/document/view/13053672/biotska-pestrost-je-nase-zivljenje-zavod-rs-za-varstvo-narave
(8) Wikipedija. Seznam zavarovanih živalskih vrst v Sloveniji. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seznam_zavarovanih_%C5%BEivalskih_vrst_v_Sloveniji
(9) Wikipedija. Teorija kaosa. Retrieved on 8. 8. 2016 from the website: https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teorija_kaosa
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
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