Highlights:

• Minister of Climate and Environment Paulina Hennig-Kloska announced the launch of the Animal of the Year 2026 Poll, an initiative of the Ministry of Climate and Environment promoting biodiversity conservation. 
• Twelve animal species are participating in the vote: European pond turtle, crane, Eurasian lynx, grey wolf, European beaver, European hamster, Eurasian moose, kingfisher, brown bear, Alpine longhorn beetle, European eel and the aquatic warbler – the rarest songbird in Europe. 
• Voting will continue until 31 January 2026 on the website klimat.gov.pl. The results will be announced in February. 
• During the conference, the white stork census was summarised – Poland has one of the largest populations of this bird in the world. 
• The highest concentrations of storks can be found in Warmia, Masuria and Podlasie. The census covered 90% of municipalities, with over 1,500 volunteers taking part. 

12 candidates in the final of the Animal of the Year 2026 Poll! 

Europe today is the fastest warming continent. Extreme weather events, changes in water levels and disturbances in water relations are making it increasingly difficult for us to maintain the right conditions for many native species. That is why it is so important for nature monitoring to go hand in hand with education and building social awareness. The Animal of the Year 2026 Poll is now underway! For the first time, we are involving everyone in the selection process – citizens, students and the entire scientific community. This is a unique moment, because together we can decide which species require special attention. Every vote represents real support for the protection of biodiversity. That is why we are inviting everyone to participate in the Animal of the Year 2026 Poll – together we can raise awareness and protect our nature

– said Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska. 
 
Twelve species selected from among the proposals submitted by national parks, the General Directorate for Environmental Protection and the Department of Education and Communication at the Ministry of Climate and Environment have qualified for the final. Voting will continue until 31 January 2026 on the Ministry of Climate and Environment website. Each person can cast one vote from one device. The results will be announced in February. 
 
The hero of 2026 could be:

• European pond turtle, 
• Aquatic Warbler, 
• Crane,  
• Eurasian lynx, 
• Grey wolf, 
• European beaver, 
• European hamster, 
• Eurasian moose, 
• Kingfisher, 
• Brown bear, 
• Alpine longhorn beetle, 
• European eel. 

Summary of the white stork census
During the conference, the results of the 8th International White Stork Census were also summarised. The Polish population is one of the three largest in the world – every fifth stork in the world is Polish! Three times more storks nest in our country than in Germany and eight times more than in France. The highest concentrations can be found in Warmia, Masuria and Podlasie. The census covered over 90% of municipalities, and over 1,500 volunteers participated in the fieldwork. 

Vote and help us choose the Animal of the Year 2026! 

Go to the voting page: https://www.webankieta.pl/ankieta/1571997/zaglosuj-w-plebiscycie-zwierze-roku-2026.html