On  World Elephant Day today, we’re working to raise awareness about  the urgent plight of African and Asian Elephants, and to give everyone ideas about how we can help look after these magnificent animals in human care and in the wild.

Unfortunately African and Asian elephants are under terrible pressure from poaching, hunting and habitat destruction. Taronga Western Plains Zoo is home to six Asian elephants and one African elephant that are doing their bit to contribute to the preservation of their kind. As well as participating in our region’s first conservation breeding program for their species, Taronga Western Plains Zoo elephants are great ambassadors for their species, getting people thinking about how they can help ensure their future survival.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo also has a long history of providing funds and support to many elephant conservation projects around the world from Africa to Aceh in Indonesia. You can check these out on the Taronga Western Plains Zoo website. You can contribute to these programs by visiting the zoo shop. The purchases made from the shop contribute to the care and conservation of Taronga Western Plains Zoo animals and for their counterparts in the wild. There’s some amazing original artworks created by our elephants during their weekly enrichment activities, so you can purchase a great piece art and also know you are contributing to the preservation of these remarkable animals.