Visakhapatnam: To mark the World Elephant Day, an awareness programme was organised at theelephant enclosure of the Vizag zoo park here on Friday.
Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi, Visakha zoo lovers and Sri Prakash School students and teachers participated in the event.
“The goal of World Eleph-ant Day is to create awareness of the urgent plight of African and Asian elephants, and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better care and management of captive and wild elephants. African elephants are listed as vulnerable and Asian elephants as endangered on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by the IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations.
“Asian elephants are threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation,” said Vizag zoo curator Mr B. Vijaya Kumar.
