Today, 12th August – is World Elephant Day! Here are some amazing facts about these large animals.
Our country, once the home to a large elephant population widely distributed across most states, now has fragmented populations because of excessive habitat loss, subsequent conflict with human beings and poaching for their tusks.
Yet, we need these mighty animals for more reasons than one!
From ‘gardening’ entire forests to digging water holes for themselves as well as other animals, elephants are intelligent, emotional and have excellent memories!
With their dung, they ‘transport’ seeds all over the forests. At they same time, they also clear up large trees and ensure that tiny plants on the forest floor get enough sunlight.
In many such little ways, these large mammals keep the entire ecosystem in check and the forests as we know them, cannot exist without them.