World Elephant Day: PM Modi shares stunning images

New Delhi, Aug 12: In a world that is increasingly becoming environmentally conscious, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to share some stunning pictures of elephants on the World Elephant Day today. In a series of tweets he shared, PM Modi said that the number of elephant reserves in the country has risen in the last eight years and is part of India's efforts to minimize human-animal conflict.

"On #WorldElephantDay, reiterating our commitment to protect the elephant. You would be happy to know that India houses about 60% of all Asian elephants. The number of elephant reserves has risen in the last 8 years. I also laud all those involved in protecting elephants, PM Modi tweeted.

"The successes in elephant conservation must be viewed in context of the larger efforts underway in India to minimise human-animal conflict, and integrating local communities and their traditional wisdom in furthering environmental consciousness," PM Modi added.

World Elephant Day is an annual observance that brings the world together to fight for a common goal and that is to protect elephants.

The day is observed every year on 12 August to make people aware of the critical threats that elephants are facing and to find an optimal solution to ensure their survival.

On World Elephant Day, we are going to tell you some of the interesting facts related to elephants.

• The word 'elephant' has been derived from the Greek word 'elephas'. Elephas means ivory.
• Elephants are known to be the largest land mammals living on the earth.
• Among all the elephants, African Elephants are the largest. The males can measure up to a height of 3 meters and can weigh up to 6 tonnes.
• Wild Elephants have a lifespan of 60-70 years and they reach their full height at the age of 35-40 years.
• A newborn calf of an elephant can weigh up to 120 kg which is similar to lifting 19 stones!
• The average gestation period of any elephant is 22 months. The newborn babies can stand on their own minutes after their birth.
• Elephants are able to locate water and food with the help of their trunk. They use their trunks to smell the food and then put it in their mouths.
• Elephants bathe in mud to protect themselves from sunburn and keep bugs off their bodies.
• A normal elephant needs 150 kg food on a daily basis and perhaps therefore, they keep on eating throughout the day.
• The male elephants leave their groups after they have attained the age of 12-15.