Government of the Republic of South Africa
Government of the Republic of South Africa
08/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/12/2026 12:35
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment commemorates World Elephant Day 2026
South Africa commemorates World Elephant Day 2026
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) joins the international community in commemorating World Elephant Day on 12 August 2026.
World Elephant Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of elephant conservation, habitat protection and promoting coexistence between people and elephants.
South Africa is home to an estimated 44 000 to 45 000 African savanna elephants, which form an important part of the country's natural heritage, biodiversity, cultural identity and tourism economy. The African savanna elephant is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with habitat loss, fragmentation and illegal killing among the key threats to elephant populations across the continent.
National Elephant Heritage Strategy
A significant milestone in South Africa's elephant conservation efforts was the gazetting of the National Elephant Heritage Strategy (NEHS) on 29 May 2026, under Government Gazette No. 54764, Notice No. 7545.
The NEHS provides a long-term framework for the conservation and sustainable management of elephants as a national heritage asset. It promotes coordinated planning, cooperative governance, regional connectivity and safe migration pathways across Transfrontier Conservation Areas, while recognising the ecological, cultural and socio-economic value of elephants.
The Department reaffirms its commitment to implementing the NEHS and strengthening partnerships among government, conservation authorities, communities, traditional leaders, the private sector, academia and civil society.
On World Elephant Day, South Africa calls on all stakeholders to support collective efforts to safeguard elephants and ensure that their ecological, cultural and economic values are conserved for present and future generations.
For media enquiries, please contact: Zolile Nqayi on 082 898 6483 / [email protected]
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