Trichy

On World Elephant Day, the Forest Department and local residents celebrated the majestic elephants at the Government Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Trichy MR Palayam. Trichy District Forest Officer Krithiga attended the event, distributing fruits to the ten elephants housed at the centre. Special poojas were held in their honor.

PM Modi praised community efforts to protect elephants and highlighted the positive trend of increasing elephant populations. In a post on X, he stated, World Elephant Day is a moment to recognize our collective efforts to safeguard elephants and ensure they have suitable habitats. Elephants are deeply embedded in our culture and history, and it is heartening to see their numbers grow.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav also expressed pride in India’s achievements. He noted, India is home to about 60% of all Asian elephants. They are not only a symbol of our cultural and religious heritage but also crucial to our ecosystem. ‘We have increased the number of elephant reserves over the past decade, and we celebrate both our elephants and our strong connection with them’.

World Elephant Day, observed on August 12 each year, serves as a global reminder of our commitment to conserving this iconic species. In India, elephants are considered National Heritage animals and are an integral part of our cultural fabric, as highlighted in a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change press release.