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World Sea Turtle Day

World  Sea Turtle Day is celebrated every year on June 16 to raise awareness  about the plight of sea turtles. Did you know that every year, about  eight tonnes of plastic are dumped in our oceans? That is extremely  hazardous to sea turtles, so much so that six out of eight marine turtle  species are on the verge of extinction. There are many other threats to  sea turtles, such as encroachment of coastal development on nesting  beaches, marine pollutants, accidental drowning on fishing gear, and the  international turtle meat trade. Join hands with us to raise awareness  about this important issue and save lives.

History of World Sea Turtle Day

World  Sea Turtle Day is observed on July 16, the birthday of Dr. Archie Carr,  known as the “father of sea turtle biology.” Dr. Carr is well-known for  devoting his entire career to the research and conservation of sea  turtles. Sea turtles are among the oldest creatures on Earth, having  remained ‌unchanged for 110 million years. Most information on these  creatures has focused on their nesting females and hatchlings, but new  research techniques, such as satellite tracking technology, have allowed  scientists to gain insights into their lives.

During summers,  turtles follow an ancient reproductive ritual, in which the female  leaves the sea and crawls to shore to dig a nest in the sand. The female  turtle uses her rear flippers to dig the nest hole and then lays about  100 eggs. After laying the eggs, the turtle covers them and camouflages  the nest site before returning to the ocean. Nesting turtles may return  to the nesting site for laying eggs several times and usually nest every  two to three years.

Temperature has a significant impact on the  sea turtle sex ratio. Warmer temperatures produce more females, while  cooler temperatures are found to produce more males. Eggs hatch after an  incubation of two months. The hatching moves towards the sea in the  night by using the bright view of the night sky. Artificial lights can  distract the hatchlings from finding their way to the ocean.

World Sea Turtle Day timeline

17th Century A Decline In Green Turtle Population

Green turtle populations decline from 91 million to 30,000.

17th Century A Decline In Hawksbill Turtles

The population of Hawksbill turtles decreases from 11 million to less than 30,000.

2001 — 2011 Loggerheads Declined

The population of loggerheads in the North Pacific declines by about 80%.

2014 Increase In Population With Conservative Efforts

Leatherback turtle nests increase from 27 in 1989 to 641 in 2014.

World Sea Turtle Day Activities

Clean the beaches

Join a coastal conservation group

Research and read up

Turtles  can get confused and consider trash as food. They can get caught in  plastic loops, and after consuming plastic, they suffocate. So, to  celebrate this day, we should help keep our beaches clean.

Work  together with like-minded people to protect these endangered species.  Find out different ways to protect turtle nests and share the  information with family and friends.

Many  things in our daily routine that can disrupt the life cycle of turtles.  Read up and spread the message to people about the ways to save sea  turtles and offer healthy alternative practices.

5 Facts About Sea Turtles

Turtles don’t have teeth

Turtle shells are made of bones

The biggest threat is plastic

Only one in 1,000 turtle's eggs

They can swim long distances

Turtles have exceptionally strong upper and lower jaws, which are made of keratin.

Shells have over 50 bones fused, so turtles' shells are just their bones.

One out of every two turtles consumes plastic after mistaking it for jellyfish.

Littering on the beach is drastically stopping hatchlings from reaching the sea.

The female leatherback is recorded to swim nearly 13,000 miles over 647 days.

Why We Love World Sea Turtle Day

This is a day to spread awareness

World Sea Turtle Day promotes protection for our sea creatures

It encourages us to save lives

World  Sea Turtle Day is observed to raise awareness of sea turtles. On this  day, we join forces to save these magnificent creatures.

It  is a day of protection and education about sea turtles. This day  explains why their protection is critical for all living things.

By  celebrating World Sea Turtle Day and by practicing in the community's  efforts to make life better for sea turtles, we save lives. It is  honorable work and can be accomplished only by a collective effort.

Portugal Day

Portugal Day is the official national holiday of Portugal, and it is observed on June 10 each year. In Portugal, this day is usually called ‘Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas,’ which translates to ‘Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities.’ The day is intended to remember the death of Luís de Camões, who is recognized as the country’s greatest national icon. He is most known for his poem, which narrates the story of Portuguese explorations in the 15th century and has since been accepted as a national poem in Portugal. However, because his birth date is uncertain, his death date, June 10, 1580, is commemorated as Portugal’s National Day.

History of Portugal Day

As much as he came to represent Portuguese nationalism, Camões died during the succession crisis that led to Philip II of Spain taking Portugal’s throne in 1580. However, the kingdom recovered its independence on December 1, 1640, when the Spanish were expelled during the Portuguese Restoration War and John of Bragança was crowned King John IV of Portugal.

Camões’ poem became such a powerful symbol of Portuguese heritage that it was made a national anthem and was honored by every elected government. Camões was even used as a symbol for the Portuguese people during the authoritarian regime of the 20th century.

Portugal Day has been observed every year save 1974 since its inauguration in 1944 by Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar. The Carnation Revolution, a military coup that deposed the autocratic Estado Novo dictatorship, halted the celebrations that year.

After 1974, the celebrations were expanded to include the Comunidades Portuguesas, Portuguese emigrants, and their descendants residing in communities all over the world.

The official celebrations were held in the town of Elvas for the second time since 1997, this time on July 4, 2013. As a reminder that it is also a day for the Portuguese community around the world, in 2016 the formal festivities were split between Lisbon and Paris for the first time.

Although Portugal Day is primarily honored in Portugal as a national holiday, it is also recognized as such in some other nations. They include Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Portugal Day timeline

15th Century The National Poem

Luís de Camões composes an epic poem titled “Os Lusíadas,” translated as “The Lusiads” that becomes a symbol of Portuguese pride.

1580 A Double Tragedy

Luís de Camões dies and the Portuguese throne is claimed by Philip II of Spain.

1640 The Restoration War

The Spanish are expelled and John of Bragança is crowned King John IV of Portugal.

1974 The Carnation Revolution

Portugal Day celebrations are suspended for one year due to countrywide protests.

Portugal Day FAQs

What is Freedom Day Portugal?

Freedom Day, known in Portuguese as Dia da Liberdade, is a national holiday in Portugal observed every April 25. It marks the “Carnation Revolution” that took place in 1974, celebrating the end of the war and dictatorship in the colonies.

What do Portugal people celebrate?

Every community has its church processions, dance, music, fireworks, and wine to celebrate her Patron Saint and Saint’s Day.

What is Santa called in Portugal?

Santa Claus is called ‘Pai Natal’ by children in Portugal. They believe he brings presents on Christmas Eve and places them under the Christmas tree.

Portugal Day Activities

Visit Portugal

Explore Portuguese content

Try a Portuguese cuisine

Travel to one of the world's oldest civilizations and join the people in celebrating Portugal Day. The region is home to some of the most remarkable antiquities on the earth, including the world's oldest bookstore and the longest bridge in Europe.

Learn more about the legend, Luís de Camões, and other explorers who brought fame and prosperity to the country. According to legend, Camões lost one eye in combat, authored the famous 'Os Lusiadas' while traveling, and survived a shipwreck. His feats are part of a long line of famous Portuguese men.

Portuguese cuisines are an amazing treat, as the country is known for being one of the world's largest consumers of seafood. On Portugal Day, you can add some heat to your diet by eating a hot bowl of Portuguese fish soup.

5 Mind-blowing Facts About Portugal

The abolishment of slavery

The Portuguese language is very popular

The country had over 50 colonies

It is home to Europe’s longest bridge

It is the oldest European country

Portugal was the first colonial country to abolish slavery in 1761.

Portuguese is the world's sixth most spoken language and the official language of nine countries.

Portugal's colonial empire encompassed what are now 53 independent countries.

With its six lanes and a cable-stayed structure across the Tagus River north of Lisbon, Portugal's Vasco da Gama Bridge is Europe's longest.

Portugal was a kingdom for approximately 800 years, from 1139 until 1910, making it Europe's oldest nation.

Why We Love Portugal Day

It’s a national Portuguese symbol

It is a perfect way to preserve Portuguese heritage

It is always a big party

Every Portuguese takes pride in celebrating Portugal Day by paying tribute to Camões because his poem chronicles the country's rich cultural history. The poem, which has inspired countless great deeds throughout Portuguese history, concentrates mostly on the 15th-century Portuguese discoveries, which brought fame and prosperity to the country. It is regarded as one of the best and most important works in Portuguese literature.

Every year on Portugal Day, children are told stories about Camões and how his achievements inspired numerous changes in the country. This contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage and assures that the tradition will be passed down through generations.

On Portugal Day, several festivities and parties are held in Portuguese cities. Portugal Day events are also held in Portuguese communities around the world to commemorate the unique day.

Dinosaurs Day  

Discover a lost world of colossal creatures, where gigantic predators and gentle giants once roamed the earth.

Dinosaurs have been the subject of scrutiny, fascination and even mysticism for more than 300 years, since the first dinosaur bone was discovered by scientists. Now, Dinosaur Day provides an opportunity for students, teachers and just general fans of dinosaurs to learn more about them and celebrate them just as they deserve!

History of Dinosaur Day

While no one knows exactly the dates, some scientists have researched and estimated that non-bird dinosaurs probably were roaming the planet in the time range from 245 to 66 million years ago, which was still millions of years prior to human history.

The era in which dinosaurs lived, the Mesozoic Era, which is a geological age that can be divided into three parts: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. This may have been the time when the land on earth was originally in one piece, but eventually split into the several pieces which are now referred to as the modern continents.

It is estimated that dinosaurs became extinct from the earth around 65 million years ago, perhaps due to the impact of an asteroid, volcanic eruptions and possible climate change. Sadly, humans now can only make educated guesses about what happened to them.

The first evidence of the existence of dinosaurs on the planet that was discovered by humans happened in 1677 when naturalist and Oxford professor, Robert Plot, found a lone bone from a dinosaur. Since he didn’t really know what it was, Plot’s best guess was that it had come from a giant human.

More than 100 years later, when William Buckland became the first geology professor at Oxford University in the early 1800s, a fossil was identified as being from a dinosaur. It was in 1815 when he discovered teeth, jaw and limb bones that he found more bones in his travels. In 1824, he determined that these bones must have been from some extinct creature.

Buckland originally though this species to be some sort of ancient lizard, which he called “Megalosaurus”. The second fossil to be named was suspected to be like an iguana, so it was called “Iguanodon” in the early 1820s.

Eventually, by 1842, this family of fossils was grouped together by scientist Sir Richard Owen, who called it “Dinosauria”, which translated to “terrible lizard”. Owen would eventually go on to found London’s Natural History Museum in 1881 and that museum is still famous for its dinosaur bone collections today.

It’s no surprise that creatures with such a mysterious history would fascinate and confound even the most intelligent and educated scientists. Today, children and adults of all ages love learning more about the types of dinosaurs, how they lived, what they ate, and so much more.

Dinosaur Day is the perfect way to celebrate and pay heed to this unique and enigmatic species of creatures that preceded humans on this planet.

Dinosaur Day Timeline

245 Million Years Ago

Dinosaurs live on earth 

Scientists estimate that dinosaurs may have walked the earth somewhere beginning around this time.

65 Million Years Ago

Dinosaurs go extinct

Sadly, at least 65 million years before humankind, dinosaurs are eradicated through some type of major natural disaster, perhaps an asteroid, volcanic eruptions or climate change.

1677

First dinosaur bone is discovered 

Though he doesn’t know it at the time, Robert Plot of Oxford, England, unearths the first dinosaur bone, which he thinks is a bone from a giant human.

1842

Dinosaurs are first given their category name 

Oxford geology professor, William Buckland, realizes that many of these ancient bones belong together in one category, so he names them “Dinosauria”.

1993

Jurassic Park is released in theaters 

This film by Steven Spielberg  combines the genres of science fiction and action to become a hit with audiences.

How to Celebrate Dinosaur Day

Kids and adults alike can enjoy the fun and adventure of Dinosaur Day with tons of different educational and creative activities to choose from:

Visit a Museum with Dinosaurs

What could be better than hanging out with actual dinosaurs and visiting a bunch of ancient dinosaur bones in celebration of Dinosaur Day? This is the day to head over to a museum, whether local or far away, to get up close and personal with these unique and interesting characters.

Here are some of the most interesting dinosaur museums in the world:

The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH) in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Featuring dinosaurs from all over the globe, including Antarctica and Madagascar, the Evolving Planet exhibit houses Sue, the world’s largest Tyrannosaurus Rex, weighing 600 pounds and revealing 58 teeth.

Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, Germany. This natural history museum hosts a giant collection of bones of many species, particularly those excavated from Tanzania, Africa in the 20th century. This museum is most famous for its 41-foot, 5-inch Brachiosaurus, which is the tallest dinosaur in the world that is on display today.

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science in Brussels, Belgium. The impressive collection of fossils at this museum is home to the largest dinosaur hall in the world. Particularly of note is its collection of 30 Iguanodons, which were the second dinosaur to be classified in the 1800s.

National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra, Australia. In addition to bones, fossils and footprints, this museum boasts an outdoor garden that features large dinosaur sculptures and even animatronics.

Subscribe to the National Geographic for Kids Magazine

Want the kids to keep up with all that’s going on in the world, including the dinosaur world? The National Geographic Magazine for Kids (sometimes called NatGeo for Kids) is a superb way to keep them interested in learning about all sorts of scientific and natural subjects, including their favorite dinosaurs, of course.

Watch a Movie with Dinosaurs

Those who just want to stay home in celebration of Dinosaur Day can still join in on the fun by taking a look at some of these delightful flicks featuring dinosaurs:

Jurassic Park (1993). Steven Spielberg directs this classic sci-fi dinosaur movie that has gained a bit of a cult following. This movie is based on a 1990 novel by Michael Crichton and becomes the first in a franchise of several films.

Night at the Museum (2006). Ben Stiller stars in this fantasy comedy that is about tons of creatures coming alive in the museum at night, including Rexy, the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton that is a major exhibit at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, USA.

The Land Before Time (1988). This heartfelt animated film features an orphaned dinosaur who faces challenges and learns how to survive after meeting up a few friends.

Land of the Lost (2009). Based on a 1970s television show of the same name, this sci-fi adventure comedy movie stars Will Ferrell as a pompous paleontologist who goes on the adventure of a lifetime and, of course, encounters dinosaurs along the way.

Dinosaur Day FAQs

Are dinosaurs real? 

Yes! Scientific evidence shows that dinosaurs are a group of reptiles that lived on planet earth for many millions of years until they became extinct.

When did dinosaurs go extinct?

Scientists estimate from ancient fossil and bone evidence that dinosaurs went extinct around 65 million years ago.

Did dinosaurs have feathers?

Yes. Preserved specimens of dinosaur feathers were found in China in the 1990s.

Have dinosaurs been found on every continent? 

Scientists have found evidence that dinosaurs lived on every continent, but it is suspected this is because all of the land masses were joined together in one during that time.

What killed the dinosaurs?

A theory presented in 1980 caused most scientists to embrace the idea that a giant asteroid killed the dinosaurs, though climate change and volcanic eruptions may also be to blame.