World Elephant Day was founded by Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims, and first celebrated on August 12th 2012. The aim was to draw attention to the plight of these majestic creatures in populations all over the world. They are the largest land animals on earth, with incredible capacities for memory, emotional intelligence, and family orientation. However, they face multiple threats to their survival: elephant poaching being one of them.
Unfortunately, this is amongst the most lucrative activities on the planet. Extreme levels of poverty in African countries mean that people can often make a month’s wages from the ivory of a single animal, selling it on the international market to reliable consumers such as China. Furthermore, the parts of the world that demand ivory are becoming increasingly wealthy, meaning that they can pay more for tusks, targeting these animals further. Elephant habitats are also under threat right now due to population pressures in sub-Saharan African countries as well as India, where cities are quickly sprawling. A century ago, elephants numbered more than 12 million in the wild. Today, that figure may be as low as 400,000. In 1976, African Elephants were placed on the Endangered Species list. Nearly 40 years later, World Elephant Society was created as a charitable organisation to help support the World Elephant Day campaign.
The best way to make use of today is to educate yourself. Whether that’s spreading the word via social media, watching an informative documentary, or signing the World Elephant Day pledge (at https://worldelephantday.org/) to pressure governments into changing their policies. And for future reference: when buying pianos and antiques, always check that the manufacturer has not used elephant tusks in the production process. Something more subtle to take note of is to not buy coffee that is not fair-trade or shade-grown, or products containing palm oil. These commercial crops are grown in plantations that have decimated elephant habitats. Be sure to only buy wood products that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes responsible management of the world’s forests - the natural habitat for elephants and other wildlife integral to our ecosystems.
The solution to resolving the ongoing conflict between humans and elephants probably lies in a combination of strategies, from sustainable land development to changes in local attitudes, and will take time. However, every little helps - and you can start right now, by sharing this important article with a family member or friend.
References:
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-elephant-day/
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