Elephant family in Amboseli National Park, Kenya

© Ibrahim Suha Derbent/Getty Image

Protecting the gentle giants. World Elephant Day

Being the largest land animals on Earth, African elephants—similarly to their Asian relatives—show extraordinary qualities in their appearance and behaviour. Some studies revealed, for example, that elephants can recognise themselves in the mirror; that baby elephants change their first set of tusks and teeth, or that these mammals display emotions such as grief when losing family members. The list of surprising and wonderful facts is never-ending. Unfortunately, World Elephant Day—held annually on August 12—was not only established to admire them but also to highlight the urgent difficulties that these animals face. The Amboseli National Park in Kenya—where this photograph was taken—is one of the few remaining habitats where African elephant herds can still be found in large numbers.