African elephant herd, Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Wild, wise and wonderful. World Elephant Day

Big ears, bigger hearts—elephants are more than just icons of the wild. Every year on August 12, we celebrate World Elephant Day—a global movement to raise awareness about the majestic giants that roam places like Amboseli National Park in Kenya, pictured here. What makes elephants so extraordinary isn't just their size; it's their minds. These animals have incredible memories.

But even in protected spaces like Amboseli and Singhbhum Elephant Reserve, elephants face threats. Habitat loss, climate change and the illegal ivory trade continue to take a toll. World Elephant Day is more than a celebration; it's a reminder that without our help, even these mighty animals could quietly disappear. The Indian elephant, a subspecies of the Asian elephant, roams across diverse landscapes in mainland Asia, with India home to nearly three-fourths of its population. These gentle giants thrive in a range of habitats, from open grasslands and dry deciduous forests to lush evergreen and semi-evergreen woodlands. As megaherbivores, Indian elephants have enormous appetites, consuming up to 150 kilograms of plant matter daily.