World Elephant Day

When is World Elephant Day?

World Elephant Day is an annual event held on the 12th August. Launched in 2012, World Elephant Day aims to bring more public awareness to the plight of both Asian and African elephants.

3 facts about elephants

1. Elephants live in close family groups

Elephants form strong emotional bonds with other members of their herd. They’re strongly social animals and will rest for longer if another elephant is also resting nearby.

2. Elephants are individuals

Each elephant has their own individual personality. Their personality traits influence their social role within the herd and even how they try to solve problems.

3. Elephants are playful

Elephants love to play, and not just as youngsters. Fully-grown elephants throw water into the air, roll on the ground, and even chase other animals simply for fun.

Why elephants need protection

Due to their size and power, elephants rarely have to worry about being hunted by other animals. Their biggest threats all come from humans.

Elephants are exploited for tourism

One of the biggest threats to elephants comes from the tourism and entertainment industries. Well-meaning tourists are encouraged to take part in various activities with the elephants, such as rides, washing, bathing, and feeding.

Although these seem harmless, being ridden is not natural elephant behaviour. These tourist attractions often inflict significant suffering on the elephants involved.

Circuses and elephant ‘shows’ raise similar concerns. Elephants in these shows are trained to perform a series of unnatural (and sometimes painful) activities, such as standing on their hind legs. They are then forced to perform in a noisy, intimidating environment focused on human entertainment at the expense of animal welfare.

Even supposedly ethical tourist experiences, such as assisting at ‘sanctuaries’ and washing elephants, are traumatic for elephants. These are commercial ventures where animals are subjected to pain and fear from an early age to force them to be compliant.

Elephants are hunted for ivory

Despite growing awareness of the true cost of ivory, it’s estimated that poachers still kill approximately 20,000 elephants every year for their tusks. 

This level of killing may even be changing elephant genetics. Elephants in the wild are increasingly born with smaller tusks, or even tuskless. This is at least partly because individuals with larger tusks are removed from the gene pool by poachers.'

Join our fight against the exploitation and commodification of wild animals. Can you lend your voice? 

Elephants FAQS

What do elephants eat?

As herbivores, elephants eat many different plants. They eat all parts of the plants, including leaves, grasses, roots, fruits, and even bark.

How do elephants communicate?

Elephants communicate through very low-pitched sounds. These are too low for human hearing but can be heard by elephants over a mile away. They also use touch to communicate with nearby members of their herd.

Where do elephants live?

Elephants mainly live in savannahs, grasslands, and forests, but their habitat can extend into marshes and even deserts. They’re found across Africa and Asia in tropical and subtropical regions.