South Africa is marking World Elephant Day by highlighting the importance of protecting the country's elephant populations. Image: FlickrSouth Africa is marking World Elephant Day on Wednesday, 12 August by highlighting the importance of protecting the country’s elephant populations and strengthening efforts to promote coexistence between people and wildlife. Across Africa, elephants continue to face threats including habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as illegal killing. National Elephant Heritage StrategySouth Africa reached an important milestone in its elephant conservation efforts earlier this year with the gazetting of the National Elephant Heritage Strategy (NEHS) on 29 May 2026. On World Elephant Day, the department has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the National Elephant Heritage Strategy and strengthening collaborative efforts to protect the country’s elephant populations.