World Elephant Day is a special day to celebrate and protect elephants, the gentle giants of our planet. Observed every year on August 12, it raises awareness about the challenges elephants face, like poaching, habitat loss, and human-elephant conflicts. This post covers the history of World Elephant Day, its 2025 theme, Indian states with the highest elephant populations, and answers key questions about the 2025 event in India, using simple words and helpful tables for easy understanding.
What is World Elephant Day?
World Elephant Day is a global event dedicated to protecting elephants and their habitats. It highlights the importance of elephants as keystone species that help maintain ecosystems by dispersing seeds and creating clearings for other animals. The day encourages people to support conservation efforts, fight poaching, and promote peaceful coexistence with elephants.
History of World Elephant Day
World Elephant Day began on August 12, 2012, started by Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand. The idea came after the release of a short film, Return to the Forest, narrated by William Shatner, which focused on releasing captive Asian elephants back into the wild. Since then, over 100 conservation organizations and countless individuals worldwide have joined the movement. It aims to raise awareness about the threats to African and Asian elephants, including habitat loss, ivory poaching, and human-wildlife conflicts.
Theme of World Elephant Day 2025
The theme for World Elephant Day 2025 is “Bringing the world together to help elephants”. This theme emphasizes global unity and collective action to protect elephants. It encourages governments, communities, and individuals to work together to save elephant habitats, reduce conflicts, and stop illegal ivory trade. Another source mentions the theme as “Matriarchs & Memories”, focusing on the wisdom of elephant matriarchs and the women conservationists protecting them. Both themes highlight the need for collaborative efforts and respect for elephants’ role in ecosystems.
Importance of Elephants
Elephants are vital to their ecosystems. They:
- Clear paths and create water holes, helping other animals.
- Disperse seeds through their dung, growing new forests and grasslands.
- Are cultural symbols in countries like India and Thailand, representing wisdom and strength.
However, elephants face serious threats:
- Poaching: Illegal ivory trade kills thousands of elephants yearly.
- Habitat Loss: Deforestation and urbanization shrink their living spaces.
- Human-Elephant Conflict: Elephants entering farmlands lead to crop damage and retaliation.
Indian States with Maximum Elephants
India is home to about 60% of the world’s Asian elephant population, with approximately 29,964 wild elephants as per the 2023 Report on Elephant Corridors. The country has 33 Elephant Reserves and 150 identified corridors to protect these animals. Below is a table listing the Indian states with the highest elephant populations based on available data from the 2017 census.
| State | Approximate Elephant Population | Key Elephant Reserves |
|---|---|---|
| Karnataka | ~6,000 | Mysore, Dandeli, Nilgiri |
| Assam | ~5,700 | Chirang-Ripu, Dihing-Patkai, Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong |
| Kerala | ~3,000–4,000 | Wayanad, Nilambur, Anamudi, Periyar |
| Tamil Nadu | ~2,700–3,000 | Nilgiri, Coimbatore, Annamalai, Srivilliputhur |
| Odisha | ~1,900 | Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi, Sambalpur |
Key Notes:
- Karnataka leads with the highest elephant population, especially in the Western Ghats.
- Assam has the most number of elephants after Kerala.
- Kerala and Tamil Nadu are also significant, with reserves in the Nilgiri and Anamudi regions.
- Odisha has substantial populations, particularly in the eastern regions.
- These numbers are based on the 2017 census shared by WildlifeSOS on X, as more recent state-wise data is unavailable.
India’s Efforts in Elephant Conservation
India is a global leader in elephant conservation, with initiatives like:
- Project Elephant: Launched in 1992, it protects elephants and their habitats across 13 states. It merged with Project Tiger to form Project Tiger & Elephant for better resource use.
- Elephant Corridors: 150 corridors ensure safe migration between habitats.
- Plan Bee: A railway initiative using buzzing bee sounds to deter elephants from tracks, reducing collisions.
- Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation: GPS tracking, community awareness, and early-warning systems help reduce conflicts.
In 2025, India hosted World Elephant Day celebrations in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, with a workshop on human-elephant conflict and a nationwide campaign involving 12 lakh school children from 5,000 schools. A 12-foot sand sculpture by Sudarshan Patnaik on Puri Beach, Odisha, with the slogan “Save My Habitat,” marked the event.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Who hosted World Elephant Day 2025 in India?
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), in partnership with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, hosted World Elephant Day 2025 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh, focusing on conservation and human-elephant conflict mitigation.
Q. Did an Assam mahout win the Padma Shri for elephant conservation?
Yes, Parbati Baruah, known as India’s first woman mahout and called “Hasti Kanya” (Elephant Girl) in Assam, received the Padma Shri in 2024 for her remarkable work in animal conservation and breaking gender stereotypes in a male-dominated field.
Q. Who won the Gaj Gaurav Award in 2025?
The Gaj Gaurav Awards 2025 were conferred to frontline conservation workers and mahouts for their contributions to elephant welfare. Recipients included:
- Arunachal Pradesh: Ganesh Tamang (Mahout), Sumit Gogoi (Elephant Attendant)
- Madhya Pradesh: Kesu Singh Walke, Sahadan Ram Lakada (Assistant Mahouts)
- Tamil Nadu: M. Murali (Anti-Poaching Watcher), S. Karthikeyan (Forest Guard)
- Uttar Pradesh: Irshad Ali (Mahout)
Conclusion
World Elephant Day 2025, celebrated on August 12, is a call to protect elephants and their habitats. Started in 2012 by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, it unites people globally to fight for elephant survival. The 2025 theme, “Bringing the world together to help elephants” (or “Matriarchs & Memories”), emphasizes unity and the wisdom of elephant matriarchs. In India, states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Assam lead in elephant populations, supported by strong conservation efforts. Let’s join hands to ensure these majestic animals thrive for generations!
Visit www.worldelephantday.org to learn more and support elephant conservation today!
Also See: Assam’s Kaziranga Ranks 3rd Globally in Tiger Density
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