WORLD ELEPHANT DAY

Join in the worldwide observance on August 12 as we celebrate of one of Earth's most magnificent creatures on World Elephant Day.

#WorldElephantDay

As the largest living land animal on earth, elephants weigh up to 9 tons and stand almost 13 feet high. They have large ears and a long trunk used for drinking, grabbing things, smelling and breathing. Interestingly, elephants also use their trunk as a way to defend themselves.

Elephants are native to Africa and Asia. There are two types of African elephant species--the savanna elephant and forest elephant. Only Asian male elephants grow tusks, while both African male and female elephants can grow tusks. Interestingly, Asian elephants only have one "finger' on their trunk and African elephants have two.

5 Elephant Tidbits

An elephant has around 150,000 muscles in their trunk, allowing breath, drink, and smell.
Elephant skin is around 2.5 cm thick. The wrinkles in their skin holds water to help keep them cool.
On average, an elephant eats around 300 pounds of food a day, including grass, tree shrubs, fruit, and leaves.
Elephants can communicate by feeling vibrations in their bones, carried through the ground.
The temporal lobe responsible for memory is larger than a human, meaning an elephant has an amazing memory.

Elephants are spirited and playful animals. Have you ever seen them frolic in the water? And they will defend their own with their mighty tusks. Whether foraging for food or digging a mud hole, their tusks are vital for survival. Since hunters value the ivory more than the life of the elephant, they endanger the continued existence of these majestic animals.

Elephants are in danger of extinction. Poaching for ivory from the tusks and loss of habitat are two of the main problems elephants face today. Through communication, awareness, and community involvement, we can protect this animal and the beauty they bring to nature.

CELEBRATE WORLD ELEPHANT DAY

Show your appreciation today by visiting the elephants at your local zoo. Get involved. Learn about conservation and eliminating poaching. Watch a documentary about elephants to learn more about this majestic creature. Use #ElephantAppreciationDay to post on social media.