The Nandankanan Zoological Park celebrated World Elephant Day on Wednesday with a series of engaging awareness programmes aimed at promoting elephant conservation.
The day began at 9.30 am with the zoo’s four female elephants — Lisa (2), Asha (3), Hira (28), and Basanti (62) — being bathed and decorated. Visitors offered fruits such as coconuts, apples, bananas, watermelon, maize, and sugarcane as part of enrichment activities.
Mahouts were felicitated for their dedicated service in caring for the elephants. A keepers’ talk provided insights into elephant behaviour, care, and conservation, while a quiz competition engaged students and visitors, with winners receiving recognition.
Other activities included a signature campaign, storytelling, origami sessions, a movie screening at the zoo library, and a photo session with elephant‑themed frames.
Zoo authorities emphasised that the programmes were designed to involve visitors, students, and wildlife enthusiasts in spreading awareness about the importance of protecting elephants and their habitats.
World Elephant Day is observed annually to highlight conservation challenges faced by elephants worldwide. Nandankanan has consistently marked the occasion with interactive programmes to inspire public participation in wildlife protection.
