The memory of elephants is very advanced within the animal kingdom, but it is not the only fact that we must draw attention to.
Elephants are incredibly intelligent and empathetic creatures and August 12 is a day not only to celebrate the presence of elephants on our planet, but to raise awareness of the incredible dangers these mammals face, such as poaching and captivity. .
This international initiative co-founded by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, and led by Patricia Sims, Producer and Director of CanazWest Pictures Inc., began in 2012 as a way to draw attention to the plight of elephants in the wild and ever since. It has grown on a massive scale to raise awareness across the planet.
On social media, the hashtag #WorldElephantDay will flood tweets and posts about this endangered animal.
The extinction of the African elephants is a global crisis that must be resolved now. Driven by the illegal trade, 90% of Selous elephants in central Africa have been killed by poachers According to current trends, when today’s children reach adulthood, African elephants will become extinct in the wild. The elephant poaching crisis exists because there are insufficient funds for the implementation of effective, professional and organized law enforcement in most of the African elephant range states.
The ivory demand problem
The demand for ivory, which is the highest in China , leads to the illegal hunting of African and Asian elephants. For example, one of the largest elephants in the world, Satao, was killed in 2018 for his iconic tusks. And it is that the value of ivory in the illegal market exceeds that of gold, so that African elephants face an epidemic of poaching. Elephants are also poached for meat, skin and other body parts, and the illegal wildlife trade puts elephants in increasing danger because it is perceived – by the poachers – as a low-risk endeavor. and high profit.
The problem of habitat loss
The other major stumbling block for elephants is habitat loss due to increased deforestation in mining and agricultural activities which has become an absolutely problematic issue, especially for Asian elephants. Habitat fragmentation also creates isolation, making reproduction difficult and allowing poachers to find elephants and set traps more easily.
