THE World Wildlife Day is celebrated every year on March 3 all over the world. This year`s theme is `The future of Wildlife is in our hands`.

On March 3, 1973, this convention on internationaltradeinendangered species of wild fauna and flora was signed. This isone of the most effective and powerful intergovernmental treaty.

As a living partner of humans on the Earth, wildlife plays a significant role in ecological, socioeconomic development, education, research, environment, health, and eco-tourism. Wildlife has a right to survive and flourish for the benefit of the ecological processes that ultimately benefit human beings.

However, in the wake of the increased pressure on wildlife and associated habitats wildlife is suffering a great loss due to human beings and unsustainable development. Around the globe, elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, pangolins and precious birds and trees are among the red list of threatened species.

Contributions of wildlife in ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aestheticaspects ofsustainable development and human well-being are still poorly known and rarely acknowledged.

There is a need for individual, as well as for collective, action to safeguard the intrinsic values of wildlife.

Muhammad Niaz Khyber Pakhtunkhwa