Welcome fellow wildlife enthusiasts!

Today marks the United Nations World Wildlife Day where we celebrate all things wild and wonderful. This day is dedicated to the amazing flora and fauna of our planet and all that nature provides for us; as well as discovering new ways we can protect the ecosystems that do so! 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of World Wildlife Day with the theme: Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation. This year, the UN are inviting us all to think about conservation and the way that technology can be used to benefit the planet and all the nature and wildlife that call it home. You can read more about this important day and how technology is being used to help wildlife here on the WWD website!

Meanwhile at eatsleepdoodle HQ, we're celebrating #WWD24 by launching our brand new world map pencil case! Our bestselling world map; animals & sea life design is now available as a fun colour your own pencil case featuring a world map with the 7 Wonders of the Modern World on one side, and lots of your favourite animals & sea creatures on the other!

And since we're launching our new map of the world pencil case, we thought it would be fun to shine the spotlight on some of our favourite animals and sea-life that feature on it, finding out facts about each and discovering more about the things we can do to help our planet and its brilliant wildlife! Whether you're a fan of furry critters, the king of the jungle or creatures of the deep blue sea, there's something for everyone to love and admire. Each of the eatsleepdoodle team have picked one an animal to share some facts about, so, grab those binoculars, put on some scuba gear, and join us as we explore the natural world and some of its amazing creatures!

Niki's pick: sea turtles!

Some facts about sea turtles:

• There are seven different species of marine turtle! These are hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, olive ridley, green, flatback, and kemp's ridley. Unfortunately, 6 out of these 7 are listed as endangered.

• They live all over the world! You can find sea turtles in most oceans, other than the cold polar seas!

• They travel far and wide! When migrating, marine turtles sometimes swim very far - the longest recorded swim was over 13,000 miles in 647 days!

• They can be huge! Whilst some species of sea turtle are quite small, the leatherback turtle has the record for the largest ever marine turtle found. The record holder appeared in Wales in 1988 and was 2.5m long and 2.5 metres wide - that’s bigger than a king-sized bed! The turtle also weighed more than 11 average sized men, at 900kg!

• Their bones help them float! A turtles shell is actually made of their bones and they are similar to a humans ribs. Whilst turtles can be heavy, their bones are actually quite light and spongy, helping them to float!

 
Alan’s pick: penguins!

Some facts about penguins:

• There are 18 different species of penguin (and they don't all live in the snow!). Out of the 18 species of penguin, only two species live in Antarctica: Adélie penguins and emperor penguins. Some penguins live in quite warm climates, for example, the Galapagos penguin that lives near the equator. 

• Some are experts in the cold! Emperor penguins live in Antarctica, where temperatures can be as low as -60°C!  To keep warm, emperor penguins have lots of body fat and many layers of scale-like feathers to protect them from the harsh winds. They also huddle together in groups, sometimes with over 5000 individuals, to keep warm and even have a system where they take it in turns to be in the middle!

• They're faster than you'd think! Whilst they waddle around on land, it's no surprise that most penguins are very good swimmers, and many species of penguin are faster than you would think. Adélie penguins can reach up to 9.3mph when swimming, and emperor penguins are slightly ahead with a top speed of 9.5mph. However, the gold medal goes to the Gentoo penguin which can reach stunning speeds of up to 22mph!

• They can dive really deep! Emperor penguins can dive to depths of up to 500m, for up to 22 minutes at a time!

 
Ildiko’s pick: rhinos

Some facts about rhinos:

• There are 5 remaining species of Rhino in the world! Two of these live in Africa - the white and black rhino - meanwhile the remaining three rhinos reside in Asia and are the greater one–horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos. 

• A group of Rhinos is called a 'crash'! Male rhinos are also known as bulls, and females as cows.

• Their horns are like fingernails! A rhino’s horn is made up of keratin which is the same protein that makes up human hair and nails. Their horns also never stop growing, with the record for longest horn being 1.5 metres long!

• They rely mainly on their sense of smell! It may come as a surprise for a creature so large, but rhinos have quite poor vision. In fact, they wouldn't be able to see if you stood still at as little as 30m away! Instead, they rely on their strong sense of smell.

• They communicate in funny ways! From honks, sneezes, and sounding like an alarm, rhinos make some funny noises when they are angry, scared, or relaxed. They can also tell who has been where, by sniffing out for each other's poo!

 
Jess’ pick: leopards

Some facts about leopards:

• They are the fast! Whilst not the fastest big cat, leopards would certainly still win some races, with recorded speeds of over 36mph! They have also been seen to jump over 6m forwards in the air.

• They are nocturnal! Like many big cats, leopards are nocturnal creatures that are most active at night. During the day, they sleep in trees or hide away in caves.

• They are found all over the world! Species of leopard can be found in various places around the world including Sub-Saharan Africa, Northeast Africa, Central Asia, India and China, but are they all leopards…

• Is it a leopard? Despite its name as a ‘leopard’, the snow leopard is more similar, and more closely related, to tigers!

• Their spots are named after roses! The famous spots that make up the markings of a leopard are known as ‘rosettes’ due to their similarity to the shape of a rose.

 
Katie’s pick: manta rays

Some facts about manta rays:

• They can fly! We don’t fully understand why they do it, but manta rays are known to jump out of the water as they are swimming! This phenomenon is known as ‘breaching’, and can see rays jump up to 2m above the water’s surface.

• They are usually bigger than cars! Manta rays are, on average, between 3-5m wide – bigger than many cars! What’s more, the largest manta ray ever recorded was over 7m wide!

• They are ovoviviparous. Manta rays give birth to live pups, however they are NOT mammals. Manta rays are in fact fish, but they are ovoviviparous, meaning they lay eggs that hatch inside their body!

• They have very big brains! In fact, manta rays have the largest brain-to-body ratio of all fish, with brains the same size as a human fist. It comes as no surprise that they are thought to be the most intelligent marine animals!

 
Let's Talk Conservation

It's important that we take a moment today to appreciate the importance of conservation. Conservation efforts play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity, protecting habitats, and ensuring the survival of countless species, and this is something we all need to think about on the other 364 days that aren't World Wildlife Day. From reducing plastic waste to supporting wildlife sanctuaries, there are lots of things we can do to contribute to the conservation cause. Here are some ways we can all try to help protect our beloved planet and wildlife for years to come!
 

1. Volunteering!

If you're able to, one great way you could support conservation efforts is by getting involved directly as a volunteer! There are lots of different environmental organisations across the world that accept volunteers to help support their efforts in protecting endangered species and habitats. For example, you could get involved in beach clean-ups or support initiatives working to reduce plastic pollution. By keeping our beaches and oceans clean, we create a safer environment for the sea life that call it home!

We can also have a big impact through small actions in our everyday lives! Making sure to always dispose of our rubbish correctly helps to prevent waste from polluting our habitats.
 

2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

One of the most effective ways to protect wildlife and their habitats is by reducing our consumption and waste. By embracing a lifestyle of reducing, reusing, and recycling, we can minimize our impact on the environment and help conserve precious natural resources.

Simply switching to reusables from single use items is a great way to reduce our consumption and reuse at the same time! When you need something new, why not invest in items you can use over and over again - we aim to provide this with our colour-in and wash out gifts!
And if you can't reduce or reuse, it is important to recycle where we can. Take a look at our sustainability blog where we talk about the importance of recycling correctly and discuss 'wish-cycling' (you might be doing it!).
 

3. Educate and Advocate

Knowledge is power, and spreading awareness about the importance of conservation is really important to encourage positive change. Whether it's through social media, community events, or educational programs, we can all play a role in advocating for policies and practices that protect our planet and its wildlife! Tell your friends and family about World Wildlife Day, and read about this year's theme together. Why not share our blog with them too!
 

4. Support Conservation Organisations

There are countless charities and organisations dedicated to wildlife conservation, from well known, global figures, to local grassroots initiatives. Do some research of the different organisations and look at donating to one that you like the most! Or, if you or someone you know is animal obsessed, consider adopting an animal with a charity like WWF.

 

Thank you for joining us on our around-the-world safari this World Wildlife Day! We hope you enjoyed reading our favourite facts about some of the animals that feature on our NEW world map pencil case and have been inspired to do your part in conservation this year.

You can always read more about World Wildlife Day 2024, and the way technology is being used for conservation, on the United Nations website. And, if you’d like to head on a safari adventure yourself, why not explore with our world map pencil case and the rest of our bestselling world map range!

And don’t forget you can get in touch with us on social media by using #eatsleepdoodle – we always love to see what you’re up to! You can also tag us on Instagram (@eatsleepdoodle_), Facebook (@eatsleepdoodlehq) and Twitter (@eatsleepdoodle_).