Leopard in a tree, Kruger National Park, South Africa (© Tonino De Marco/Minden Pictures)
It's time to step into the wild! This year's World Wildlife Day focuses on how advances in digital technology can help to preserve wildlife, for example through research, communication, and DNA analysis. Digital platforms can also be a way to get younger people involved in protecting our planet's animals and plants.
Today's image shows a leopard perched in the branches of Kruger National Park, South Africa. Leopards are one of the five living species of the genus Panthera, which also includes lions, tigers, jaguars, and snow leopards. Leopards are known for their solitary lifestyle, especially males, who roam their territories almost entirely in seclusion. They are considered vulnerable due to habitat loss, and their numbers are in decline globally. Through conservation efforts and events like World Wildlife Day, hopefully we can turn these trends around.