Russian Holidays - Nerpenka Day

On May 25, one of the most environmentally friendly holiday dates is celebrated on the Baikal coast - Nerpenka Day. Seals, also called seals, squirrels, are the young of the nerpa (Baikal seal). This holiday was first held in 2003 on the territory of Irkutsk. Initially, it was celebrated only in the regions, but later it gained wide popularity, and as a result it was included in the list of environmentally important dates in many Russian corners. Nerpenka Day is a children's and youth project, and therefore most of the participants in the event are minor residents of the country. The main goal of the holiday is to protect the seal and its calf. Indeed, recently the hunt for these animals has increased rapidly. This feature is due to the huge demand for fur products. The initiators of organizing the holiday were Irkutsk volunteers from a local teenage club. The founders of the project are pursuing an important goal. First of all, this is to attract public interest to the issue of reducing the Baikal seal population. This phenomenon is due to many factors: the consumption of whites by predatory animals, an early, too warm spring that deforms their burrows, poaching activities and pollution of the animals’ habitat - Lake Baikal. Also, the list of main tasks includes instilling in young people a caring attitude towards natural beauty, empathy and love for our smaller brothers. On this festive date, thematic events are organized in many cities of Russia, various competitions are held, and exhibitions of crafts and drawings are held. Mostly, all events dedicated to the date take place in Buryatia, Irkutsk and the region, as well as other Siberian regions. Despite this, this event plays a significant role for all environmentalists in Russia, since seals are not the only living creatures that suffer from poaching activities.