World Elephant Day

o stop commercializing the ivory that comes from the tusk and teeth of elephants so as to save the nature’s great wonder, Wish you a great World Elephant Day!”

World Elephant Day is observed on 12 August every year. The day focuses on the conservation and protection of elephants from the various threats they face. The first international Elephant Day was celebrated on 12 August, 2012. The purpose of celebrating World Elephant Day is to spread awareness to save these helpless animals.

"Nature's great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing."

Elephants help maintain forest and savanna ecosystems for other species and are integrally tied to rich biodiversity. Elephants are important ecosystem engineers. They make pathways in dense forested habitat that allow passage for other animals.

Let’s understand about these mighty beings who too matter to the environment.

Elephant tusks are actually enlarged incisor teeth which first appear when elephants are around 2 years old. Tusks continue growing throughout their lives. Tusks are used to help with feeding - prising bark off trees or digging up roots - or as a defense when fighting. But these beautiful tusks often cause elephants danger. They're made from ivory; a much desired object. A large number of African elephants have been wiped out in the past century - largely due to the ivory trade - leaving about their numbers in maybe 3-4 lakhs only alive today. Asian elephants are also under threat, having declined by at least 50% in the last three generations. There are not even 50,000 left in the wild. As their habitat changes, fragments and is lost to human settlements and agriculture, populations of Asian elephants are finding it harder to follow their traditional migration routes to reach water, feeding and breeding grounds, and they’re coming into often dangerous contact with people.

To bring an awareness about their difficult times, the environmentalists and animal lovers have come forth with this event and are trying to bring a difference in mindset among the people of the world. Really, "If anyone wants to know what elephants are like, they are like people only more so."