World Elephant Day: Join the Live Chat at 9 AM/Noon!

Celebrate World Elephant Day by joining the Live Chat with elephant conservation and ivory trade expert, Simon Hedges, on the African Watering Hole Live Cam today, 8/12/14. The chat beings at 9 AM PST/Noon EST and you can join the conversation here!

Fast & Fascinating Facts on Elephants:

Between 1960 and 1990, elephant populations in East Africa suffered a huge decline, as 85 to 98 percent of elephants were killed for their ivory. Despite these decimations, Tanzania and Kenya maintain a significant elephant presence. Today, there are an estimated 25,000 elephants in Kenya, though poaching continues to threaten this number. – See more.
The African elephant (Forest and Savannah) is threatened with less than 400,000 remaining worldwide.
The main market for illegal ivory is China, where a single tusk can fetch $100,000–200,000. – See more here.
During mating, a female elephant will emit a call that is joined by the rumbling and trumpeting of her family and other nearby individuals. This phenomenon is called the mating pandemonium.
After an extraordinary 660 days, a female gives birth, usually at night in the company of her family. The moment of birth is a significant moment, and the family erupts in momentous trumpeting for up to 40 minutes!