On August 12, 2012, the inaugural World Elephant Day was launched to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants. The elephant is loved, revered, and respected by people and cultures around the world, yet we balance on the brink of seeing the last of this magnificent creature.
World Elephant Day asks you to experience elephants in non-exploitive and sustainable environments where elephants can thrive under care and protection. On World Elephant Day, August 12, express your concern, share your knowledge, and support solutions for the better care of captive and wild elephants alike.
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Asian Elephants Are Currently Listed As Endangered
Elephas maximus
HABITATS
Grassland
Forest
Scrubland
KEY THREATS
Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation
Human-elephant conflict
Poaching
Trafficking of live animals
Elephants are in demand, particularly for work within the forestry and tourism industries. In Myanmar, for instance, elephants are often seized from the wild and smuggled across the border into Thailand and other countries.
African Elephants Are Currently Listed As Vulnerable
Loxodonta africana
There are two sub-species: savanna— or bush—elephants (shown here) and forest elephants, which are half the size of their savanna relatives and suffer even greater population loss.
HABITATS
Dense forest
Open and closed savanna grassland
Arid desert
KEY THREATS
Poaching for ivory
Habitat loss and fragmentation due to human population expansion and land conversion
Human-elephant conflict