African bush elephants in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

African bush elephants in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

World Elephant Day, celebrated each year on August 12, was inspired by the Asian elephants of the Indian subcontinent, but the observance is dedicated to the preservation and protection of all elephants. The African bush elephants that wander the grasslands and woodlands of Mana Pools National Park are the largest of the various elephant species. These and other African elephants are increasingly threatened because of widespread poaching for their tusks and because their habitat is rapidly diminishing.