- Elephant Appreciation Day - September 22
Published by -NAWA News Feed- in -Wildlife News- · Wednesday 22 Sep 2021
Every year on September 22nd folks all around the world celebrate Elephant Appreciation Day (EAD). This day originated in 1996 in Sarasota, FL when Wayne Hepburn, who loved elephants and collected pachyderm paraphernalia, decided to dedicate a whole day to them.
Now it has blossomed into a day of awareness for the plight of wild elephants and how lucky we are to share the earth with such fascinating and magnificent creatures
This day is not to be confused with World Elephant Day, which is celebrated every August and is only a few years old.
Zoos and private facilities around the world have special programs and celebrations for EAD every year to share elephants with people. Just what is it that draws people to elephants? Their intelligence and strong family bond reminds us of ourselves. Elephants are ecosystem engineers - transforming forests into grasslands which carry a higher biodiversity load. In turn, the elephants replant those forests as they migrate across vast distances in search of food and water.
Both African and Asian elephants are considered keystone species and are integral to the survival of so many more animals under the umbrella of life. No matter your age or creed, elephants enchant people. That is the message and reason for EAD! Now go out and see some elephants today and this weekend.