CAPE TOWN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Africa on Wednesday marked World Elephant Day with a call for collective efforts to protect the country's elephant populations and preserve their ecological, cultural and economic value for future generations.
In a statement, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) said World Elephant Day, observed annually on Aug. 12, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of elephant conservation, habitat protection and the need to promote coexistence between people and elephants,
According to the statement, South Africa is home to an estimated 44,000 to 45,000 African savanna elephants, which the DFFE said form an important part of the country's natural heritage, biodiversity, cultural identity and tourism economy.
The department said the African savanna elephant is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with habitat loss, fragmentation and illegal killing among the key threats to elephant populations across the continent.
The DFFE also stressed the publication of the National Elephant Heritage Strategy (NEHS) in the Government Gazette on May 29 as a significant milestone in the country's elephant conservation efforts.
"The NEHS provides a long-term framework for the conservation and sustainable management of elephants as a national heritage asset. It promotes coordinated planning, cooperative governance, regional connectivity and safe migration pathways across Transfrontier Conservation Areas, while recognizing the ecological, cultural and socio-economic value of elephants," the statement read.
The DFFE reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the NEHS and strengthening partnerships among government, conservation authorities, communities, traditional leaders, the private sector, academia and civil society.
"On World Elephant Day, South Africa calls on all stakeholders to support collective efforts to safeguard elephants and ensure that their ecological, cultural and economic values are conserved for present and future generations," it said.
