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China's Hainan celebrates World Animal Day

World Animal Day is celebrated annually on October 4

HAIKOU, October 6. /TASS/. Festivities marking World Animal Day were held in Hainan's Haikou. According to the Hainan Daily newspaper, the holiday attracted a lot of guests, as it coincided with the national holidays on the occasion of the Foundation of the People's Republic of China (October 1-8).

The events were held at the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park. Contests, a concert program, thematic lectures and many other events were aimed at drawing the attention of the general public to the issue of animal welfare and protection, reports the Hainan Daily.

The article emphasizes that most of the guests were families with small children. Many of them — residents of other provinces of China —came to Hainan specifically to spend their October holidays there.

Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden is the first such park in China. It is home to several thousand rare birds and animals of 200 different species. The park, which is 90% rainforest, is located in Haikou's Xiuying District. It has pedestrian areas as well as a safari park one can only access by car.

World Animal Day is celebrated annually on October 4. The decision to celebrate this day was taken at the international congress on October 4, 1931 in Florence, where questions of animal welfare were discussed. The date is currently being celebrated in over 60 countries. In Russia, Animal Day has been celebrated since 2000.

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