World Tapir Day
World Tapir Day raises awareness of tapirs and the places they live. A tapir’s flexible snout is an extension of its nose and upper lip, and it can use it to grab leaves or reach for fruit. Young tapirs wear pale stripes and spots that blend into dappled light on the forest floor. The pattern […]
World Tuna Day
The United Nations established World Tuna Day to highlight the importance of tuna and the need to manage fisheries sustainably. These fish are also worth celebrating for the way they’re built. A bluefin tuna has a streamlined body and a crescent-shaped tail that drives it through the water. It can retain heat produced by swimming […]
International Day of Plant Health
The United Nations established the International Day of Plant Health to draw attention to the pests and diseases that affect plants. The American chestnut is a good tree to get to know on this day. Chestnut blight killed much of the tree’s aboveground growth across its native range. Some surviving roots still send up shoots, […]
World Bee Day
The United Nations chose May 20 for World Bee Day in honor of the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern beekeeping. The day celebrates bees and the work pollinators do for flowering plants. A bumblebee visiting a tomato flower can grip it and vibrate its flight muscles to shake loose pollen. It’s called […]