August 12 has been set aside as World Elephant Day since 2011. Supported by numerous conservation agencies, the day is a time to “spread awareness, share knowledge, and provide solutions for better care and management of both captive and wild elephants,” according to the organizer’s website. Elephants continue to face numerous challenges, including poaching, habitat loss, exploitation, abuse, and proximity to human conflict and poverty. On this World Elephant Day, I’ve gathered a few recent images of African and Asian elephants in their natural habitat, as well as in preserves and protected parks.
An earlier version of this photo essay misidentified the location of one of the photos. The caption has been corrected.