International Sawfish Day (October 17, 2025)
Saws, not Jaws!
ℹ️ What? The World Sawfish Day, which aims to raise awareness about this animal and protect the oceans where it lives.
👤 Who? The sawfish, a large marine fish recognizable by its long, flat, toothed snout, which looks like a saw!
🌍 Where? Sawfish are found in tropical and subtropical waters: in South America, Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia.
🕰️ When? On October 17 each year.
❓ Why is it important? Because this fish is now threatened with extinction due to overfishing and the destruction of mangroves, its natural habitat.
🎯 For this activity, your goal will be to learn more about the sawfish.
Your goal today!
Have you ever seen a fish with a saw on its nose? 😮
The sawfish is one of the most amazing animals in the ocean! With its long, flat, toothed snout, it looks like an underwater DIY tool. 🪚
But this incredible fish is now endangered… On the occasion of World Sawfish Day, discover where it lives, why it is threatened, and how we can protect it. 🌊🐠
🎯 For this activity, your goal will be to learn more about the sawfish.
The activity includes three steps:
STEP 1 — A Strange Fish. You will learn more about this very peculiar fish! 🌊
STEP 2 — Discovering the five sawfish. You will explore the five species of sawfish, from the common sawfish to the dwarf sawfish!
STEP 3 — Sawfish in danger. You will conduct a short research to understand why it is endangered, and how we can protect it.
Here is what the final result of your activity will look like. →
Let's go! →
STEP 1 — A Strange Fish
Every year, on October 17th, International Sawfish Day is celebrated. This day was created to raise awareness about this amazing animal and to remind us that it is now threatened with extinction.
The sawfish gets its name from its long, saw-shaped snout, which it uses to defend itself and hunt. There are five different species in the world, mostly living in tropical and coastal waters.
Watch the following National Geographic video to learn more about the sawfish and answer the questions that follow.
You can stop watching at 9 minutes 30 seconds.
Finished? Head to step 2! →
STEP 2 — Discovering the Five Sawfish
Let's discover the five species of sawfish: the common sawfish, the green sawfish, the smalltooth sawfish, the largetooth sawfish, and the dwarf sawfish!
Each of these species has its own characteristics: some are very large, others live longer, or have a different number of teeth on their nose.
For this part of the activity, your mission will be to explore each of the five species and fill out their profile by noting their size, lifespan, and number of teeth.
Ready to dive into their secrets?To find your answers, consult the website of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The Five Species of Sawfish
Dwarf Sawfish
Green Sawfish
Largetooth Sawfish
Narrow Sawfish
Smalltooth Sawfish
Done? Let's swim to STEP 3 ! →
STEP 3 — Sawfish in Danger!
Today, sawfish are among the most endangered marine animals in the world.
🕵️♀️ Your mission: do some research to find out why sawfish are in danger, and find some solutions that could help them survive in our oceans.
To do this, go to the Government of Canada website, read the text, and answer the questions that follow.
