Unleash your wild side during WWF South Africa’s #Wear It Wild fun campaign and take on the special persona of your favourite animal, be it the long-legged giraffe, the hefty elephant or the stealthy lion with you to work, school or university.

WWF South Africa is calling on nature lovers across the world to get creative with animal-inspired fancy dress and face painting on any day from 15 July until 15 October 2022. The #WearItWild campaign is one of the organisation’s most popular and well-supported annual fundraising campaigns and global celebrations of our wildlife.

South Africa is blessed with exceptional diversity of wildlife which makes us one of the top destinations in the world for nature lovers keen to see animals like white and black rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs and more. We would like to keep it that way for the benefit of people and nature.

All species are crucial for nature’s delicate web of life and yet their biggest threats are due to human impacts on the environment. These include habitat loss and overexploitation through illegal trade, both local and international.

WWF South Africa’s Head of Business Development, Justin Smith, says one of the saddest realities facing the world is that since 1970, populations of wild species have fallen by more than half. “Wildlife around the world is threatened by human action and climate change and is in need of protection and conservation efforts, which is where WWF comes into the picture.”

“South Africa is home to iconic wildlife including the largest land mammals. Wildlife is essential for tourism in our country, and it creates opportunities and benefits for local communities living around protected areas, as well as the broader economy. Our main aim with this campaign is to ensure that wildlife is celebrated, valued and that we take action in ensuring that wild populations of iconic species are protected.”

How to get involved

What better way to help raise funds for WWF’s conservation work than to get dressed up, represent your favourite animal and have a bit of fun?

All you need to do is organise a school or workplace fancy dress event and collect a R10 donation for WWF from each participant who paints their faces or dress up as their favourite wild animal - and perhaps issue fines for those who decide to arrive as mere humans.        

Participants are encouraged to post their favourite fancy dress photographs online on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and can even run a competition to raise more awareness and speak out on behalf of our wildlife.