We live in a wonderfully diverse world, filled with tons of different plants, animals, fungi, and even bacteria that provide our planet with a wide variety and color. Diversity is one of the pleasures to be found in everyday life, from the colors on a macaw’s wing to the organisms that subsist on geothermal vents under the ocean – it is the diversity of life that gives our life meaning. This wonderful mosaic of life is what we call biodiversity and on, May 22 we CELEBRATE IT!
Each year since its creation in 2002, The UN has dedicated international biodiversity to a specific topic. This year’s topic is, “Our solutions are in nature.” While we humans may sometimes think of ourselves as advanced and even beyond the need for nature, this year’s theme makes us rethink our relationship with the biodiversity that surrounds us.
We are of nature, and we depend on the health and diversity of our ecosystems for water, food, medicines, clothing, shelter, and even fuel. Just look at your dinner table and you can quickly realize how important biodiversity is, every single product, all the species that make up your fruit salad, the milk you may be drinking, and even the wood of the table you might be eating from are all products of our vibrant ecosystem.
On this year’s International Biodiversity Day, let’s take some time to reflect on the benefits of diversity and change our practices, make ourselves more sustainable, so we can continue living happily on this emerald in the edge of space.
It is no secret that the tropics are some of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The constant sunlight and humid weather make for excellent material for the diversification of life. It is for this reason that we must protect these tropical havens because keeping them healthy keeps us healthy.
As a hotspot for biodiversity, Mesoamerica, and especially Costa Rica, comprising of nearly 5% of the world’s biodiversity, it is our responsibility to teach and preserve what we have. As one of the world’s last hidden treasures. It is for this reason that the Toucan Rescue Ranch has partnered up for this year’s World Biodiversity Day with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants (EBTSOYP). This incredible organization dedicates itself to promoting the exploration of the world right from the comfort of a classroom. EBTSOYP gives us a unique opportunity to share what Toucan Rescue Ranch has learned about biodiversity and ways of preserving it!
The Global Biodiversity Festival is a virtual weekend with a simple goal of bringing the amazing diversity of life on our planet, live in everyone’s home during these challenging times. From May 22 – 24, we’ll share the amazing variety of life on our planet and the scientists, explorers, conservationists, and filmmakers documenting and protecting it. EBTSOYP highlight the weird and the wonderful, but also the conservation challenges, along with the good news success stories.
The Global Biodiversity Festival is 100% free to join in. EBTSOYP’s goal is to raise some money for some great conservation organizations around the world (Toucan Rescue Ranch is one of them!) that do incredible work.
Join us on Saturday, May 23 starting at 3:00 pm EST and learn more about the wonderful species of Costa Rica and what we can do to protect them!
Education is where it all begins, by knowing the world around us we can better appreciate it and learn to take care of it. This is why I urge you to join us in this special lesson for Global Biodiversity Day!
This blog was written by Andrés Sáenz Bräutigam. He is a veterinary medicine and geology student. He’s worked for the Toucan Rescue Ranch since 2014 as an animal caretaker and tour guide, he now works as a vet intern and Tour guide.
