Photographs selected by Jeff Campagna

August 12 is World Elephant Day, which has been celebrated since 2012 as a time to support elephant conservation and raise awareness about their plight. Some of the world’s most recognizable animals, with their distinct ears, protruding tusks and large trunks, wild elephants are most often found in the savannas and deserts of Africa and Asia. However, climate change and the ivory trade have threatened their homelands and decreased their numbers.

They say that elephants never forget. On this World Elephant Day, let’s remember why we want them to stick around. Take a look.


 
2 - A small herd of elephants wade through the shallow waters of the Okavango Delta, where cheetahs, white rhinoceroses, black rhinoceroses, African wild dogs and lions also roam.
A small herd of elephants wade through the shallow waters of the Okavango Delta, where cheetahs, white rhinoceroses, black rhinoceroses, African wild dogs and lions also roam. Leighton Lum, Botswana, 2022
3 - An elephant peeks through the trunk of another, which perfectly frames its big, brown eye.
An elephant peeks through the trunk of another, which perfectly frames its big, brown eye.  Prelena Soma Owen, Botswana, 2016

4 - The sun sets as a herd of elephants walks across the dry earth.
The sun sets as a herd of elephants walks across the dry earth. Saurabh Dhanorkar, Kenya, 2022
5 - An elephant takes a drink along the shores of Lake Kariba, which is littered with the remains of dead trees reduced to skeletons.
An elephant takes a drink along the shores of Lake Kariba, which is littered with the remains of dead trees reduced to skeletons.  Marco Poggioni, Zimbabwe, 2022
6 - The world has lost about 90 percent of its African elephants in the past century.
The world has lost about 90 percent of its African elephants in the past century.  Subramanian Sridharan, Kenya, 2021
7 - Two elephants kick up dust as a herd of wildebeests and a lone giraffe graze nearby.
Two elephants kick up dust as a herd of wildebeests and a lone giraffe graze nearby. Simon Smith, Kenya, 2023
8 - Two elephants head-to-head form a heart.
Two elephants head-to-head form a heart. Madhusudan Hari, Kenya, 2020

9 - Sunlight pierces the clouds to illuminate an acacia tree and a family of elephants.
Sunlight pierces the clouds to illuminate an acacia tree and a family of elephants. Jie Xu, Kenya, 2023
10 - Because the soil in Tsavo West National Park is red, most elephants there are covered in a colorful layer of dust.
Because the soil in Tsavo West National Park is red, most elephants there are covered in a colorful layer of dust. Abisai Alvarez, Kenya, 2022
11 - An elephant flares its ears as it moves with its herd through the desert.
An elephant flares its ears as it moves with its herd through the desert. Thomas Vijayan, Kenya, 2019

12 - Walking along the terrain of the northern Namib Desert, elephants cast large shadows that nearly dwarf their actual size.
Walking along the terrain of the northern Namib Desert, elephants cast large shadows that nearly dwarf their actual size.  Alessandra Meniconzi, Namibia, 2022
13 - These two elephants are either sharing or fighting over a snack at the Elephant Nature Park sanctuary.
These two elephants are either sharing or fighting over a snack at the Elephant Nature Park sanctuary. David Fagerlie, Thailand, 2023
14 - Clouds fail to conceal the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro as a herd of elephants walks across the plain below.
Clouds fail to conceal the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro as a herd of elephants walks across the plain below. Subramanian Sridharan, Kenya, 2021
15 - An active rainy season replenishes Amboseli National Park, bringing fresh water and vegetation for elephants and other animals.
An active rainy season replenishes Amboseli National Park, bringing fresh water and vegetation for elephants and other animals.  Nicolas Urlacher, Kenya, 2023

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Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.

Jeff Campagna

Jeff Campagna is a photo editor at Smithsonian magazine. You can follow him on Instagram at @jeffcampagna.