By: Natalia Trita Agnika

We often hear the phrase "don't know so don't love". Indeed, to cultivate affection and concern for something, we must first get to know it. Such is the case with the care and affection for animals. There are so many pet owners who love their pets and take care of them wholeheartedly because they have gotten to know them and consider them as friends.

But what about animals that live in the wild? Their habitat, which is far from urban communities, makes it difficult for us to get to know them. The lack of information makes us less aware of their condition and even ignorant of their existence. In fact, some animals are in poor condition, endangered, and even critically endangered. For example, Sumatran orangutans and Bornean orangutans, Javan rhinos, Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers, and sea turtles.

WWF-Indonesia through its conservation messaging media, Panda Mobile and Bumi Panda tries to introduce these animals to the public of all ages and walks of life. Various ways are done to make the public more familiar and eventually care about the preservation of these animals. Some of the ways are through fairy tales, movies, games, and discussions.

In a game developed by Panda Mobile, children can get to know orangutans whose natural habitat is in the jungles of Sumatra and Kalimantan. They learn about what orangutans eat, the differences between Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, and the role of orangutans in the ecosystem. Not only that, through the game, they learned that orangutans also help the growth of new trees. Through their frequent behavior of breaking tree branches and picking up leaves when eating or making nests, the top of the tree becomes open. This allows sunlight to reach the ground. Small trees will also get sunlight and grow quickly.

During a discussion at Bumi Panda, the students learned that rhinos are important for maintaining forest quality. Through their diet as "browsers" (eaters of shrubs and leafy tops), rhinos help reduce global warming. Yes, that's because new leaf shoots that grow will absorb more carbon dioxide than old leaf shoots.

Today (04/10), the world celebrates World Animal Day. We are reminded that various animals have the right to live, need to be cared for, and preserved. The public is also invited to help protect the habitats of these animals. The global celebration of World Animal Day reminds us that every animal has an ecological role and has an impact on human life.

Have we gotten to know them? Compassion and care for animals will grow if we know them. Let's become ANIMAL FRIENDS as a way to recognize and prove our affection.

HAPPY WORLD ANIMAL DAY