Darwin Day 2025. Extinctions and Rewilding

“Extinctions and Rewilding. Restoring Nature to Halt the Sixth Extinction and the Biodiversity Crisis” is the theme of the 2025 Darwin Day, a series of free events held in Bologna to celebrate Charles Darwin’s birthday. From Wednesday, 12 February to Monday, 4 March, the city will host meetings, conferences, and educational activities for people of all ages, thanks to a programme organised by the Unione Bolognese Naturalisti (UBN), the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), the University of Bologna’s Museum Network (SMA), and the Golinelli Foundation.

The history of life on Earth has been shaped by at least five mass extinctions, each drastically altering the course of evolution in ancient times. These events disrupted ecosystems, wiped out entire plant and animal communities, and paved the way for new species to emerge. Fossil records provide clear evidence of these transformations. Before Darwin’s theory of evolution, it was believed that life had been created in a single act, and that extinctions were either impossible and inconceivable or the result of a series of catastrophes that led to new creations. It was not until the publication of On the Origin of Species that the natural extinction and speciation cycles were recognised as natural processes within evolution.

Past extinctions were caused by natural events and followed by millions of years of biodiversity recovery, free from human interference. Today, however, we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, driven entirely by human impact on the natural world. The destruction of non-human nature is happening at an alarming rate, with potentially irreversible consequences for the biosphere. Biological evolution, the fate of the biosphere, and humanity itself now face an uncertain future. We do not know who or what will survive the Anthropocene. In light of Darwinian evolution and guided by conservation science, we can still counter the wave of extinctions by protecting species and remaining natural areas, rewilding damaged ecosystems, and restoring their functions to ensure biodiversity — and ultimately, our own survival.

In this context, researchers, lecturers, and experts will explore these pressing topics through a range of engaging events during the Bologna Darwin Day 2025.

The event series will openon Wednesday, 12 February, at Aula Ghigi (Via San Giacomo, 9 - Bologna), from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., with the conference “Extinctions and Evolution”, organised by the BiGeA Department of the University of Bologna and the Unione Bolognese Naturalisti. Speakers include Professor Giuliano Pancaldi, who will discuss “Environment and Anthropisation: From Darwin to Genetics and Back”, and Professor Federico Fanti, presenting “Empty Places: Mass Extinctions and Mass Opportunities”. Additionally, Walter Leoni and Jacopo Peretti Cucchi will introduce the Comics & Science issue titled “The Evolution Issue”, illustrating in comic form the history of life on Earth. The event will be presented and moderated by Ettore Randi (UBN) and Federico Plazzi (UniBo).

On Wednesday, 19 February, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., an afternoon dedicated to Conservation Strategies will take place in the same venue and curated by the same organisers. The programme will feature two conferences presented by Professor Alessandro Chiarucci with “Challenges for Biodiversity Conservation in the Anthropocene” and Professor Marco Musiani, with “Extinctions (or almost) Within Protected Areas: The Case of Wolverines and North American Caribou”. The session will be presented and moderated by Giancarlo Marconi (President of UBN).

On Friday, 21 and Saturday, 22 February, the focus will shift entirely to the conference “From Evolution to Ecology: Wild Orchids as a Heritage to be Preserved”, taking place in Aula Ghigi from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will be opened by Professor Giovanni Molari, Rector of the University of Bologna, alongside botanists Professor Chiarucci and Professor Nascimbene. Speakers will include Fabrizio Bartolucci, Salvatore Cozzolino, Michele Lussu, Mauro Biagioli, Umberto Mossetti, Fabrizio Buldrini, and Daniel Klein. The conference is organised by the BiGeA Department of the University of Bologna.

On Saturday, 1 March, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., the event “Know and Protect: Species Reintroduction” will offer a thematic guided tour for adults and children aged 12 and above. The tour will explore species at risk of extinction due to human activities and examine reintroduction efforts in areas where these animals have disappeared. On Sunday, 2 March, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., the “Rewild” educational workshop will be held for children aged 5 to 8 years old. Young participants will explore how human activities impact nature and learn the best practices for coexisting with animals. Both events will be hosted at the UniBo Zoological Collection (Via Selmi, 3 - Bologna) and are organised by the University Museum Network (SMA).

Finally, the celebrations will conclude on Monday, 4 March, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with “Darwin Day: Rewilding in Italy”, organised by the Golinelli Foundation. The event will feature Laura Scillitani with “The Return of Wildlife in Italy” and Anna Loy with “The Otter: The Return of the Queen of the Waters. A Happy Ending to a Story That Started Very Badly”. Following the talks, attendees will have the opportunity to join a session of the Endless Evolution board game, in collaboration with Federico Plazzi (UniBo).

For further information.