World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on 12 August. Its purpose is to spread global awareness for the conservation, protection of elephants and to protect their residential areas.
The theme of World Elephant Day-2025 is “Bringing the world together to help elephants”.
History
Year of establishment:2012
Started by: Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sim and Thailand's Elephant Reintroduction Foundation.
In 2012, Patricia Sim made a documentary film "Return to the Forest", which told the story of the rehabilitation of elephants in Thailand.
First celebrated: 12 August 2012
Objective
To preserve the habitat of elephants.
To stop ivory smuggling and hunting.
Ensuring better care of domesticated elephants.
Increasing awareness and sensitivity among people.
Strengthening policies and laws for elephant conservation.
Types of elephants
African elephant – World’s largest terrestrial animal, large ears and curved tusks.
Asian elephant –Relatively smaller in size, small ears, found in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal etc.
Status of elephants in India
Scientific name:Elephas maximus indicus
Conservation status:Endangered in IUCN Red List
Listed in Schedule-I under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
Elephant Project (1992) and Elephant Reserves were created for elephants in India.
Elephants have been declared as the National Heritage Animal of India.
Major threats faced by elephants
Poaching for ivory
Habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion, mining, and settlements
Human-elephant conflict
Illegal wildlife trade
Climate change and drought
Conservation efforts
Project Elephant (1992) – Protecting elephants and their habitat
Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Program – Monitoring under CITES
Gaj Yatra –Campaign for elephant conservation in India
Corridor Development –Securing natural routes of elephants
Q. World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on which date ?
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