International African Penguin Day, World Economist Day, Columbus Day. What else can be celebrated on October 12

Today, on the second Saturday of October, animal rights activists and wildlife lovers in many countries of the world can join the events on the occasion of the International Day of African Penguins, UNN writes.

The habitat of these birds is located on the southern sandy coast of Africa, where they feel very well. They like to make nests on numerous islands near the mainland.

Scientists estimate that at the beginning of the twentieth century, the population of African penguins exceeded two million individuals, and since then it has begun to decline significantly. This was due to uncontrolled hunting, the struggle for living space with fur seals, and the eating of African penguin eggs by other birds and predatory animals on the mainland.

At present, the population of African penguins fluctuates around 200 thousand. This species is still on the verge of extinction.

Another ornithological holiday today is the World Migratory Bird Day. 

It was only in 1822 that scientists finally came to the conclusion that there are species of birds that change their habitat at certain times of the year.

The gray petrel has the longest migration among animals - the entire journey lasts more than 6 months and covers an average of 64 thousand kilometers. Gray petrels fly continuously for 35 hours from Alaska to Hawaii. To complete this incredible flight, they reach an average speed of 100 km/h.

Many birds migrate at high altitudes. Mountain geese fly over the Himalayas at an altitude of about 9 thousand meters! The pilots observed mute swans at an altitude of 8230 meters, and even such common species as mallards were also spotted above 6400 meters.

Economists celebrate their professional, albeit unofficial, holiday on October 12 in many countries, including Ukraine  .

The term" economy " IV appeared in the  century BC in ancient Greece. Back then, it meant the art of housekeeping.

Gradually, economics became more important to both people and states. In the sixteenth century, the first schools of economics began to appear in Europe.

Adam Smith is considered the founder of modern economic theory.

In some countries of North and South America, Columbus Day is celebrated today.

It was on October 12, 1492, according to the Gregorian calendar, that the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus arrived on the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas. Although at the time, Columbus believed that he had landed on the shores of India.

Since 1996, on October 12, events dedicated to World Arthritis Day have been held to mark the inflammatory disease of the joints.  

According to statistics, about one in 100 people on the planet suffers from arthritis. About six years after the disease is diagnosed, 50% of patients become unable to work.

Most often, arthritis is diagnosed in able-bodied women and men aged 30-50 years.

On the second Saturday of October, you can also join the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.

The field of palliative care covers a wide range of services for patients with terminal illnesses, most often at the last stage. Its principles are based on pain relief, improvement of quality of life, psychological and social assistance. Specialists try to support patients' lives as fully as possible in the last weeks or days of their lives. At the same time, hospices do not treat the disease itself.

Palliative care as a field of medicine was launched in the 80s of the twentieth century. In Ukraine, the first hospices were opened only in 1996.

According to the church calendar, today is the day of remembrance of the martyrs Prov, Tarakh, and Andronikos.

The three men preached the Lord's teachings in the Roman Empire. As the persecution of Christians intensified, all three were captured by pagans.

Prova was tied to a post on the bank of the Tiber River and eaten by wild animals. Tarakh and Andronik were also executed after brutal torture.

Name days on October 12 are celebrated by Taras, Bogdan, Alexander, Ivan, Denis, Nikolai.