Lost Species Day

aka Remembrance Day for Lost Species, November 30th

About Lost Species Day

Initiated in 2011, Remembrance Day for Lost Species, November 30th, explores stories of extinct and critically endangered species, cultures, lifeways, and communities. As a day of ritual and remembrance, participation in Lost Species Day is about giving back, honoring everyone’s contribution, grieving losses, and community service—an opportunity to make or renew commitments to the extant, the living.

Remembrance Day for Lost Species logo drawn by N. Puttapipat www.lostspeciesday.org

Activities may be as simple as enjoying solitude, lighting a candle with extra thanks giving for efforts to ensure everyone's wellbeing and/or for everyone’s contribution to a meal. Whatever the practice, integrating hands-on ecological care (ex. planting a tree and/or cleaning up litter) can bring some peace through reciprocity and respect.

Extinction Witness participation has included 108 Bell Rings for Joy Giving (2015, 2016, 2024), Generative Memorial designation and Pollinator Procession (2017).

Aligned with International Year of Indigenous Languages, Lost Species Day 2019 celebrated how humans have named, appreciated, and co-existed with human and other-than-human kin.

Lost Species Day 2019: Original Names

Lost Species Day 2019 highlighted indigenous knowledge and the role of traditional practices in ecological stewardship. Many of today’s popular and/or scientific names of now-extinct and endangered species were known and named prior to colonization. What are their original names?

Crane—Corr (Irish)

“The crane only went extinct in late medieval times…

Cranes were once so prevalent [in Ireland] that their Irish name

‘corr’ is recorded in hundreds of place names, such as ‘Curragh’

or ‘crane meadow’ in Co Kildare.”

By Séamus Sweeney (9.30.2024)Extinct in Ireland: A month-long exploration of species extinct in Ireland

Learn More

For a sample of 2019 Lost Species Day productions, please see this short film from children at Bruntsfield Primary School and Parsons Green Primary School, Edinburgh, in collaboration with Humanist Society Scotland: Lost Species. A list of 2019 Lost Species Day events is available on the website.

www.lostspeciesday.org Twitter @LostSpeciesDay #LostSpeciesDay #LostSpeciesDay2019