The white stork will be deposed. These are the candidates for the Animal of the Year 2026. How to vote?

After a year of break, a plebiscite was organized again, which can change how we look at Polish nature. Who will become the Animal of the Year? It all depends on netizens who can support their favourite species this time. It is worth hurrying up, due to the fact that these are the last days of the vote.
In 2025, the Ministry of Climate and Environment organised a competition in which the Animal of the Year was selected as part of the Polish awareness of the local ecosystem. The winner of last year's plebiscite, the decision of the organizers, was a white stork. This year's edition, however, is to look somewhat different. This time, net users will be involved.

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Animal of the Year - Plebiscite organized by MKiŚ. net users will choose the winner
Following the success of last year's Animal of the Year, the Ministry of Climate and Environment proudly announced another edition of the competition. It is worth noting, however, that this time the netizens will be able to choose a typical of the local fauna that deserves an all-year campaign.
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Experts from national parks, the General Directorate for Environmental Protection and the Department of Nature Protection of the Ministry of Climate and Environment have already submitted their candidates. The first votes could be cast as early as 8 January 2026 via a government website. Anyone who wants to participate in this peculiar venture has until January 31, 2026. We will meet the winner in February. As many as 12 candidates from different species groups fight for the name of the animal of the year.


Plebiscite on Animal of the Year 2026. Here is simply a list of candidates
Birds, fish, mammals and reptiles - each species has a chance to be the winner of the Animal of the Year competition. However, in 2026 this honor will be awarded to only 1 of the following 12 candidates:


Mud turtle (Emys orbicularis),
Aquatic (Acrocephalus paladicola),
Crane (Grus grus),
European Figure (Lynx lunx),
Grey wolf (Canis lupus),
European beaver (Castor fiber),
European hamster (Cricetus cricetus),
Eurasian salmon (Alces alces),
Zimrodek (Alcedo atthis),
Brown bear (Ursus arctos),
Alpine albacore (Rosalia alpina),
European eel (Anguilla anguilla).

If you want to rise people’s awareness of 1 of these species, do not wait and vote for it. There's only 10 days left. Each individual can support their favourite only erstwhile on the selected device.


Source: gov.pl


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