12th August honors one of the Earth’s most magnificent creatures in World; Elephants. Over the last decade, the number of elephants has significantly dropped by 62% and they could be mostly extinct by the end of the next decade. It is estimated that, every day, 100 African elephants are killed by poachers. The desire for ivory in Asian markets has led to the slaughter of thousands of elephants. World Elephant Day was created to raise awareness and create change to save these majestic creatures. Since its founding in 2012 by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand along with over 100 elephant conservation organizations worldwide, World Elephant Day has reached millions of individuals who love elephants and want to do whatever they can to help. World Elephant Day is also a day where organizations and individuals can rally together to give a voice to the issues threatening elephants.
This powerful, collective global movement offers a way to establish and endorse conservation solutions to make the world a safer place for elephants and their habitats so future generations can appreciate them.
HISTORY OF WORLD ELEPHANT DAY
Humans and elephants have come a long way together throughout the history of civilization.
There is a lot we don’t know about elephants. They have the biggest brain of any land animal, which makes them clever, conscious, social, and empathetic — qualities we humans strive for in ourselves. Humans and elephants share many characteristics and they are possibly more like us than any other animal. But we are putting their future in jeopardy and threatening their essential biodiverse habitats throughout Africa and Asia.
Elephants are a keystone species for their environments since they promote healthy ecosystems and encourage biodiversity. To lose the elephant is to lose an environmental caretaker and an animal from which we have much to learn.
We can save elephants by enforcing stronger local- and international protection policies and legislation for wild elephants against poaching and the illegal trade of ivory, promoting better management of their natural habitats, educating people on the vital role of the elephant in ecosystems, improving the way elephants in captivity are treated, and, if necessary, reintroducing captive elephants into wildlife reserves to allow a natural replenishing of endangered populations.
Elephants are running out of space and time. We have to work together to prevent senseless poaching and the trafficking of ivory, and establish protected natural sanctuaries in which elephants and other wildlife can thrive — before it’s too late and they’re all gone.
#SavetheElephants
#LetsProtectBiodiversity
