Introduction

Elephant are social creatures that lives in herd and families.  These creature are creditable and intelligent with deep emotions. World Elephant Day was initially observed on 12 of August in 2012 after being recognized by Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims and Thailand’s Elephant Reintroduction Foundation.   Later it was appreciated by Star Trek legend William Shatner who attempt and narrated the magnificent documentary by the title of “Return to the Forest", an enthralling 30-minute film that was pertaining to reintroduction of captive Asian elephants to the wild.

Date of Celebration August 12th, 2024

This year currently World Elephant Day will be celebrated with zeal to draw attention and safeguard these wonderful creatures by understanding the plight faced by elephants.

Theme: Raising Awareness for Elephants Miseries and their importance in planet that is crucial for survival of all creatures dwelling land.

Significance of World Elephant Day

Its core significance is to generate awareness about safeguarding elephants and to highlight threats that are posed to them like habitat loss, poaching, and conflict with humans. Poaching is considered as top most threat to elephants.  According to a rough estimated around 30 thousand elephants are viciously killed annually for the sake of Ivory tusks.

  • It raises awareness about the plight of elephants. 

It is a source of generating awareness that can help to encourage people to take action to protect elephants.

  • It encourages people to take action to protect elephants. World Elephant Day persuade people to think and take steps towards protection of elephants, such as donating to elephant conservation organizations for the sake of their betterment , speaking out  and getting rid of  the ivory trade plus adopting elephant-friendly products. These actions can play a significant role in creating difference for elephants to ensure their manageable survival.
  • It unites people in the fight to protect elephants.

It would provide an opportunity for the people around the globe to unite and lend a hand for protection of these innocent beings. This unity can help to amplify the voice of elephant conservationists and can help to put pressure on governments and organizations to take action to protect elephants.

  • It celebrates the beauty and intelligence of elephants. World Elephant Day celebrates and signifies  the beauty and intelligence of elephants

Why Elephants are important?

Elephants are sophisticated gardeners of savannas and forests, their unique ability help plants to germinate as they help in dispersal of seeds by getting aid from their digestive system.  Many plants seeds are dependent on elephants for their dispersal and generation plus survival as they play role of facilitator.  Elephants also fascinate tourists globally that give hype or boost to tourism industry of countries that are inhabited by elephants.

Rule and protection for Elephants by World organization

CITES Appendix I Appendix II are stated rules and laws for protection of elephants as they are elegant animals holding their grace and dignity in an ecosystem. As narrated by these regulations trade of raw ivory is internationally strictly prohibited. The aim is to rein in illegal ivory and restrict any type of harm to elephants.

Interesting Facts J

Fortunately an ample amount of celebrities and political figures have been raising awareness regarding this campaign pertaining to elephants to ensure their safe and smooth survival few notable personalities include President Barak Obama, Leonardo DiCaprio.

 

Cultural History

Elephants hold a prominent role in cultural regime they were center of attraction for Buddhist and Hindus as their worshipping entities, Sculptural art and older civilizations depicted elephants and they were most adorn symbols used as political gifts, warfare has utilized these animals.

Interesting Facts J

  • Small seals discovered in the Indus River Valley (modern day Pakistan).
  • Republican Party of US has utilized elephant as their symbol.
  • Elephant is national symbol of country Thailand
  • Elephants are well known for their migration movements.

Global media attention

  • During 2020–2021: Media coverage raises international attention to 2 migrating Asian elephant herds in southwestern China (during COVID-19 pandemic) (e.g., Campos‐Arecas et al. 2021; Jiang et al. 2023; Lin et al. 2023).

Part of literature

Elephants have remained part of literature

 

Activity Patterns Observed in Elephants

  • Activity peaks
    • Usually, 2 to 3 (sometimes 4) per day
  • Night time activity
    • Show nocturnal activity outside of protected areas

Feeding and drinking

  • Daily foraging as 90 % time is observed as foraging time 12 to 18 hours approximately.
  • Drink at least once daily
  • Seasonal changes are apparent during dry season elephants take more resting naps than feeding hours.

Resting and sleeping

  • Resting behavior elaborates that they take shelter in shady areas take rest while standing or lying or leaning against trees

Movements and dispersal

Movement along large distances exhibiting linear moves 10 to 150 km per day as observed by (Williams et al. 2020).

Use of protected habitat

Varies according to location, population size, sex, etc.  Some of adult females can be long-term dwellers of protected areas.  While breeding males and adult females generally prefer to remain outside protected areas boundaries.

Home range

Home ranges of different individuals overlap; it may range from hundreds to thousands square kilometers.  It is dependent on various factors: climate conditions, food and water availability, terrain, human disturbance and access of mates are prominent.                                       

Movements of males

Activity centers that of males varies and keep on shifting in groups.

Migration

Herds of elephants often move across hundreds of kilometers and into thickly human-populated areas

Dispersal

Males develop a quality of leaving natal herd during the time of adolescence. This feature helps to prevent many issues like inbreeding and ensure gene population including population health. Young females prefer to remain intact within natal group.

Group size

 “Group” size varies according to situations and other factors can be as small as a mother–calf pair or as large observed ranging from several females and their offspring even it can range up to 20 individuals. All-male groups consist of   2 to 7 individuals.

Vocalizations

Usually elephants utilize higher and lower frequency sounds that are not audible by humans.  Infrasonic calls have chief importance.

  • “Growls”
    • A quiet call often termed because it is not audible to human ears.
  • “Rumbles”
    • Louder calls as compared to growls. High diversity in sound structure (Nair et al. 2009)
  • Alarming Calls or Trumpeting                                                                                       
    • These are usually loud call that are linked to alarming situations like surprise or social excitement.
  • Mating vocalizations
    • “Must chirp–rumble”

            It is a gesture to demonstrate dominance, courtship often given by male members.                                                                                         

  • Estrus rumbles
    • Females use these sounds to attract males during estrus.                                    Vocal imitation and “Lip buzzing                                                                               the lip buzzing is actually a criteria of expelling air via lips this ability is confined to rare animals.                                                                                      

Tactile communication

Tactile communication is vibrant and can be seen during greeting, parental care. Touch using tail, trunk, leg and different body parts have been observed

Chemical communication

Scents and chemical clues have their worth in communication.  Scents are usually emitted in different secretions that are special chemical compounds that helps to communicate.

 Visual communication

Visual displays have been reported in elephants.

Why efforts be made to conserve elephants and organizations involved on elephant conservation

Elephants are beauty of earth they are innocent animals have their crucial role in an ecosystem.  They share earth with other creatures and have rights to be conserved.  According to IUCN 2019 assessment Asian elephant is declared as endangered species.  CITES banned ivory trade and it has been proposed that national parks and protected areas have been made to utilized proper protection of elephants. Their conservation is core key for making a planet better place to dwell.

About the Author: Wajeeha Razzaq is a PhD scholar at Ghazi University Dera Ghazi Khan.  She is a dedicated Researcher and Writer with an enthusiasm to work for betterment of nature and Wildlife. She aims to put a part in prosperity towards gaining sustainable future and in making a world better place to live in.