Today, on October 20, animal rights activists and wildlife lovers can join the events on the occasion of the International Sloth Day, UNN reports.
Scientists believe that about 11,000 years ago, giant sloths weighing up to four tons lived on Earth. Today, the sloths' habitat is the tropical forests of Central and South America. Modern sloths weigh from four to nine kilograms, with a body length of about 60 centimeters. Sloths are considered to be herbivores, but can sometimes eat an insect or small lizard.
Sloths sleep almost 15 hours a day and move very slowly. At the same time, they swim well, reaching speeds of up to four kilometers per hour.
Sloths have poor eyesight, but unlike many mammals, they can distinguish colors.
The great value of sloths for the planet's ecosystem is that their hair is actually the only habitat for some insect species.
According to some animal rights activists, the population of sloths has declined by 80% in recent decades. At the same time, conservation organizations do not yet classify them as endangered. Estimates of sloth population density vary from 1.7 individuals per square kilometer in French Guiana to 221 individuals in the Brazilian state of Manaus.
On October 20, 1961, the World Air Traffic Controllers Association (IFATCA) was established in Amsterdam. Therefore, this day was chosen to celebrate the professional holiday of air traffic controllers. Today, IFATCA unites more than 50 thousand air traffic controllers from 133 countries.
The profession of an air traffic controller requires perfect knowledge and skills, special psychological training, which is essential for people with extraordinary responsibility for the safe and orderly movement of civilian aircraft in the airspace.
Today, professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts can join the International Day of the Chef and Cook.
Cooking is considered one of the oldest professions. People started cooking as soon as they learned how to make fire. In medieval Europe, chefs were highly valued. In Germany, since the late 13th century, the chef was considered one of the closest people to the king. The first school of cooking appeared in England in the 19th century.
In Ukrainian chronicles, the mention of professional chefs dates back to the tenth century. At first, they prepared dishes for the court nobility, and later - in the refectories of monasteries.
In Ukraine, food industry workers celebrate their professional holiday on the third Sunday of October.
The food industry includes about 40 industries. Thousands of enterprises of various forms of ownership produce almost 20% of Ukraine's industrial output.
October 20 is also World Statistics Day. But this year's event is unofficial.
In 1946, the United Nations Statistical Commission was established. On October 20, 2010, it organized the celebration of the first World Statistics Day. More than 130 countries and 40 international organizations joined the event. Subsequently, it was decided to hold various thematic events on the occasion of Statistics Day every five years. Thus, the next official Statistics Day will be celebrated in 2025.
Also today, at the initiative of the World Health Organization, various events are being held in many countries to mark World Osteoporosis Prevention Day, an incurable progressive disease that affects the musculoskeletal system, deforming and reducing bone density, causing bones to lose strength and increasing the likelihood of fractures.
Osteoporosis ranks fourth among diseases that cause disability and death. In most cases, the disease affects people (especially women) over the age of 50, when the body undergoes age-related changes that are exacerbated by bad habits and unfavorable environmental conditions. In half of the cases, the asymptomatic course of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose it at an early stage.
According to the church calendar, today is the day of remembrance of the Holy Martyr Artemy of Antioch.
Artemius was a military commander under the Roman Emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity. When Julian the Apostate ascended to the throne and resumed persecution of Christians, Artemius did not support him. For this he was arrested, and after prolonged torture, his head was beheaded.
They managed to take Artemii's body to Constantinople. There he was buried in the Church of St. John the Baptist.
Artem, Leontiy, Mark, and Pelageya celebrate their name days on October 20.