Sunil Vaid
August 12, is celebrated as World Elephant Day created by Canadian film maker Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Caneywest pictures and Sivaporan Dardavananda, Secretary General of the Elephant Reintroduction foundation in Thailand. The day is meant to highlight plight of elephants and threats to their survival. World Elephant Day has been created to bring the World together to help Elephants. It is a day to honor elephants, to spread awareness about the critical threats they are facing and to support positive solutions that will help ensure their survival. The best way to celebrate the day is to educate ourselves and others about the magnificent animal that is an elephant. It is necessary to raise issues that these animals face and social media is the best platform for this. People watch documentaries on elephants as this makes us realize about wildlife and about problems that animal face which can be an eye opener.
People strengthen the foundations dedicated to protecting elephants from poachers or relocating them to locations better suited to their needs. The two major threats they face today is human greed for Ivory and habitat loss. Trade in Ivory, though banned in many countries, continues to thrive. In the black market, it is said to cost more than the value of gold, making poaching a lucrative activity. Loss of habitat has reduced their feeding pastures and confined them to smaller species making it easier for poachers to hunt them down. A hundred years ago, there were more than 12 million elephants in wild. At present, there may only around 4,00,000. 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 their significant creatures.
We admire Elephants in part because they demonstrate what we consider the finest human traits: self awareness and social intelligence. But the way we treat them puts on display the very worst of human behavior. The escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human – elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are just some of threats to both the African and Asian elephants. Working towards better protection for wild elephants, improving enforcement political prevent the illegal poaching and trade of Ivory, conserving elephants habitants, better treatments for captive elephants and where appropriate, reintroducing captive elephants into natural, protected sanctuaries are the goals that numerous elephant conservation organizations are focusing on around the world. Human elephant conflict is a significant concern as human population increase and forests cover decreases, forcing elephants into close proximity with human settlements. Incidents include crop damage and economic losses as well as both elephant and human casualties. A lack of legislation regarding the care and treatment of elephants in Zoos, circuses and tourism often leads to their mistreatment. Captivity can be a serious threat to elephants, and Asian elephants are often illegally captured in the wild trafficked in the lucrative tourism industry.
In India, it is elephant elevated standing in Indian culture that prevents them from being killed, even when they bring destruction to people and property. Over 80 percent of Indians are Hindus, and to members of Hindu Religion, the elephant is a sacred animal. Asian elephants are revered today as spiritual icons; they were once also feared as potent weapons of war. Countless armies surged across Asia on elephants. Hindus inter wind the majestic Elephant in their everyday life effortlessly through culture art and aesthetic from paintings on caves, murals and miniatures. World elephant day asks us to experience elephants in non – explosive and sustainable environments where elephants can thrive under care and protection. On World elephant’s day, August 12, express your concern, show your knowledge and support solutions for the better care of captive and wild elephants alike. Share your love and concern for elephants with everyone.
Donate to one of the many dedicated organizations across the globe working to save the elephants. We should encourage individuals and organizations Worldwide to embrace the day and its mission to create events and outreach most pertinently to their elephant conservation initiatives. This day reminds us to mark the plight of World Elephants. Saving Elephants from extinction is the main motive behind this day.
We almost work together to protect elephants so that our future generations do not get to know about the largest animal only from books. Instead, they can experience the existence of elephants on their own. Support World elephant day so that we can continue to be a collective voice speaking out on behalf of elephants.