11th World Elephant Day : Aiming at raising awareness for elephant conservation

Myanmar has the largest captive Asian elephant population in the Southeast Asia region with more than 6,700 elephants.

With the theme for World Elephant Day 2023 "Bringing the world together to help elephants”, the 11th World Elephant Day commemoration ceremony was held on August 12 at the Shwesettaw Manchaung elephant camp in Minbu township of Magway Region. This ceremony intends to raise awareness for the prevention against the risk of elephant extinction.

About 22 Elephant Conservation Based Tourism(ECBT) in Myanmar have been established and also, the Shwesettaw Manchaung elephant camp, one of the best-known elephant conservation areas in Myanmar was opened in 2019 with the aims to develop the community –based tourism. Although there used to be many species of elephants around the world, there are only 2 species of the Asian and the African elephant in existence till now.

Assistant manager, Myanmar Timber Enterprise, Su Yee Phyo, said " It needs to pay special emphasis on prevention against illegal hunting, threats to elephant habitat losses and ivory trafficking in Myanmar. In Shwesettaw Manchaung elephant camp, arrangement for pastureland and habitats are also being undertaken for the food safety and well-living of the elephants. We also take care of their health with elephant veterinarians."

At present, elephants have been kept in the place created nearly resembling to the nature at Shwesettaw Manchaung elephant camp.

Myanmar is home to the largest population of Asian elephants in Southeast Asia region.

Nowadays, the elephants' pastures and habitats are also disappearing with the increase in human population. So, with the aims to enhance the awareness for elephant conservation, the 11th World Elephant Day was observed at the Shwesettaw Manchaung elephant camp as a commemoration event, it’s reported.