World Elephant Day is a day for raising awareness to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants.
The increase in poaching, habitat loss, droughts due to climate change, human-elephant conflict and neglect, mistreatment and abuse in captivity are some of the threats to both African and Asian elephants.
African Elephant populations have been classified as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN red list of threatened species since 1986. Their status was downgraded to ‘Endangered’ in 1996, but their numbers have been slowly increasing since 2004. Despite the slow increase in African elephant populations, their threats still haunt them making them vulnerable to extinction. Without protection and the conservation efforts to preserve the species, we could lose these magnificent land giants.
The protection of wild elephants, the improvement of enforcement policies to prevent and stop the illegal poaching and illegal ivory trade, conserving of their natural habitats, welfare improvement for captive elephants and the reintroduction of captive elephants into natural, protected sanctuaries or reserves have been the goals for elephant conservation organisations around the world.
We should experience elephants in non-exploitive and in sustainable environments where they can thrive. The protection from rangers and Anti-Poaching units across Africa is of paramount importance to wild African elephants.
We must protect the protectors. Without the combined efforts of all in the fight to save elephants from extinction, their future is doomed.
Let’s celebrate the beauty and wonder of these incredible creatures and show our gratitude by supporting the men, women and dogs who work tirelessly, at times, risking their lives to save elephants.
UBUNTU WILDLIFE TRUST is committed to the war against poaching. If you would like to learn about how we are helping the Kruger National Parks K9 Anti-poaching centre and would like to consider donating to our causes please visit our ‘projects’ on our site.
Thank you and …
HAPPY WORLD ELEPHANT DAY! 🐘 💚
Resources
- IUCN Red list of Threatened species – Loxodonta africana https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12392/3339343
