World Elephant Day is raising awareness with adorable images
In case you missed it today, 12 August is also known as World Elephant day.
Since 2011, this day has been set aside by many around the world to “spread awareness, share knowledge and provide solutions for better care and management of both captive and wild elephants”.
The world Elephant Day website explains that the animals face numerous challenges that include poaching, loss of their habitats, exploitation and abuse.
The Wildlife Conservation Society points out that ivory trafficking and poaching kill 35,000 African elephants every year.
"Ivory and rhino horn, derived from the illegal killing of elephants and rhinos in Africa and Asia, are typically trafficked by transnational organized crime syndicates across the world,” said Christian Samper, president and CEO of the WCS.
It’s #WorldElephantDay! I wanted to make sure you didn’t forget. Unless you’re an elephant. Then I know you didn’t forget.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 12, 2015
Throughout many today people, including celebrities, have taken to social media in efforts to raise awareness about the plight of some of their favourite and most endangered animals.
This guy just wants to say "hey".
They are known to be playful creatures.
Ricky Gervais is a well-known animal activist:
Today is #WorldElephantDay. Watch this 30s video from @BFFoundation and RT if you would be so kind. Thanks. https://t.co/2mmFIu1ppL
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) August 12, 2015
Ian Somerhalder is an avid animal lover and uses his foundation to fight for animals rights, includes those for elephants.
Look at how cute this guy is with his buddies!
When you realize that all beings are you and you are all beings, you lose all fear #worldelephantday pic.twitter.com/GXS3l7eSB6
— Lukas Autry Nelson (@lukasnelson) August 12, 2015
And we could never forget this epic elephant pool party:
