IAS Gyan

Daily News Analysis

WORLD SPARROW DAY

21st March, 2023 Environment

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Context

  • Every year on March 20, people celebrate World Sparrow Day.

World Sparrow Day

  • It is designated to raise awareness about sparrow conservation and protection, as their numbers are declining globally. The first commemoration of the day occurred in 2010.
  • The goal of the day is to educate people about the value of sparrows in the ecosystem, their role in pollination, and their importance in pest control.
  • Sparrows are known to be an indicator of a region’s environmental health, and their decreasing numbers are cause for concern.
  • World Sparrow Day is observed in a variety of ways around the world, including bird-watching, building birdhouses, and educational programmes.

Theme for World Sparrow Day 2023

  • The theme of World Sparrow Day 2023 is “I Love Sparrows”, with the goal of encouraging more people to appreciate the relationship between humans and sparrows.

History of World Sparrow Day

  • World Sparrow Day is an initiative started by the Nature Forever Society of India along with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation of France.
  • Dedicated conservationist Mohammed Dilawar started the environment society. He was named by the Time as one of the “Heroes of the Environment” in 2008.
  • The basic idea behind sparrow day was to dedicated a day of the year for these little sparrows who are slowly disappearing.
  • The day is also celebrated as a day to create awareness about these beautiful birds.
  • The goal of the day was to dedicate a day to the House Sparrow in order to promote conservation efforts for the species and other common birds, as well as to commemorate the beauty of common biodiversity that we often take for granted.

Significance of World Sparrow Day

  • World Sparrow Day is a celebration of the human-sparrow relationship as well as a call to action to protect these beloved birds and their habitats.
  • Sparrows, particularly the common house sparrow, have been human companions for thousands of years, but their populations have been rapidly declining in recent years.
  • The goal of World Sparrow Day is to raise awareness of the plight of sparrows and other common birds and to inspire people and organisations all over the world to take action to protect them.
  • Individuals, groups, and agencies working on this issue can use the day to network, collaborate, and exchange conservation ideas.

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Choose the correct answer with reference to the following statements.

A.    World Sparrow Day is an initiative started by the Nature Forever Society of India.

B.    Sparrows are known to be an indicator of a region’s environmental health.

1.    A only

2.    B only

3.    Both A and B

4.    Neither A nor B

Answer: 3