Conservation Education: It’s time for kids to have a say in what happens to wild animals!
Animals make our world more fun and beautiful! But some kinds of animals (groups of animals are also called “species”) are “endangered” or “threatened,” meaning they are at risk of going extinct—when there are no more of that kind of animal left. We have to work together to save them.
The good news is that just one U.S. law, the Endangered Species Act, has saved 99%—almost all—of the species it protects. Not every kind of animal that needs help gets it under the Endangered Species Act, and some species that have protections under the Endangered Species Act right now could lose them in the next year. Kids should have a big voice in what happens to the Endangered Species Act and the animals it protects—after all, the future is theirs!
Can you help us speak up for wild animals? Since the Endangered Species Act has a 99% success rate, we want to send 99 letters or drawings supporting endangered and threatened animals to the government by World Wildlife Day: March 3, 2026.
If you care about protecting wild animals, follow four easy steps below to speak up for them! The best part? Kids of any age can make a difference for animals. Here’s how:
Step One: Learn about the wild animals that need our help.
All wild animals need our respect, but some endangered and threatened species need our help to ensure they don’t go extinct.
For example, outside of Alaska, all grizzly bears and some wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Some people want to take those protections away, but if we continue to protect wolves and grizzlies under the Endangered Species Act, we can make sure they survive for years to come! Want to learn more? Check here to learn more about wolves, grizzly bears and the Endangered Species Act.
Step Two: Say what you think.
What you think and feel about protecting wild animals matters!
Write a letter (handwritten is best) or use one of our downloadable coloring sheets below to say what you think. Writing your own letter and not sure how to get started? Below are some ideas to get you going.
- Do you think it’s important to protect wild animals?
- Have you ever watched animals in nature? What did you think or feel?
- Pick one species to write about. Explain why you care about them.
- Would you like wild animals like bears and wolves to survive for the next 100 years?
- What should people do to help wild animals?
You can check out our sample letter or download a coloring sheet for wolves and grizzly bears. You can also create your own art showing why wildlife protection is important to you!
Step Three: Share your message!
The U.S. government makes many decisions about whether and how to protect wild animals.
Take a photo of your letter/drawing and then send the original to the following address:
Attn: Secretary Doug Burgum
Department of Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Step Four: Let us know you stood up for animals.
Here are a few ways you can share your story.
- Complete this short form letting us know where you’re from and how many letters/drawings were sent.
- You can also post the photo of your letter on Instagram and tag @humaneworldforanimals or Twitter and tag @humaneactfund with hashtag #conservationeducation.
Please email us with any questions about this project!
