Staff Writer
On Saturday, a herd of elephants took advantage of World Elephant Day by interacting with tourists at a reserve in South Africa.
On Saturday, the Bela Bela Adventures with Elephants reserve celebrated the important occasion by using the occasion to educate a group of curious visitors about the magnificent animals as they alternated between feeding and petting members of the herd.
The staff of the reserve takes satisfaction in being able to link regular people with elephants through special experiences so they can have a greater understanding of the species, with conservation being the reserve’s first priority.
Sean Hensman, manager of Adventures with Elephants, emphasized the significance of being able to educate people about elephants. “I think everybody, whether you’re a zoo, an NGO, a facility like ours, a national park, we all want wildlife in our future and elephants are a huge part of that,” he said.
That, in my opinion, is the beauty of World Elephant Day. We’re just trying to get the word out there that elephants have a place on this world.
A visitor to Adventures with Elephants named Rob Leibbrandt called the trip a “educational experience.” “I believe the kids enjoyed it. You don’t often get the chance to interact with or even witness elephants up close. It was, in my opinion, really good.
World Elephant Day was first observed in 2012 and is observed every year on August 12. Elephants are the largest terrestrial animals in the world and are easily recognized around the globe due to their tusks and trunks. The largest of the group, male African elephants can weigh up to 6 tonnes.
