Speaking of August...

On a different note, how many of the "World [Something] Day" commemorative days are you familiar with? While researching for this article, I discovered that there are over 200 international days designated by the United Nations (such as "World [Something] Day" or "International [Something] Day"), and if you include those designated by other international organizations and companies, the total number exceeds 1,000.

We animal keeper also often find ourselves talking about "World [Something] Day" in our computer search bar, or researching it ourselves.

In fact, there are also "World [Animal Name] Days" that are related to animals. Many of these were established to raise awareness of the current situation and appeal of endangered animals, to encourage interest in those animals, and to increase awareness of conservation and environmental issues.

And August 12th was "World Elephant Day."

World Elephant Day was established in 2012 by Canadian filmmaker and conservationist Patricia Sims and the Thai conservation organization Elephant Reintroduction Foundation. Local elephants are being driven from their habitats by deforestation for agricultural expansion and are being killed by poachers for their ivory.

To raise awareness of this situation, Tama Zoo also held events related to this day, including a "World Elephant Day" evening keeper talk, coinciding with the park's evening opening hours. Tama Zoo exhibits two of the three species of elephants currently in existence: Asian Elephant and African Bush Elephant. We hope that this day will encourage people to see the elephants, imagine the current state of their habitats, and develop an interest in them.

Furthermore, there is another special day in August: August 25th.

Today is the birthday of Vidura, Asian Elephant kept at Tama Zoo, who will turn 19 this year.

The name Vidura apparently means "wise" or "clever" in the language of his homeland, Sri Lanka. Elephants are large animals, and extensive examinations and treatments require anesthesia. animal keeper, we routinely check the elephants' health by training them and checking the soles of their feet and the surface of their bodies for any abnormalities. Even during these daily health checks, if we make a mistake in our movements, Vidura will often correct us and let us know, making us realize that he is indeed "clever," just as his name suggests.

August is a month full of summer events like swimming at the beach, festivals, and fireworks, but we hope you'll also remember "World Elephant Day" and "feel and think about elephants."

I also recommend spending your time that way.

[Kiyohara, Tama Zoo]