Guardians of the Gentle Giants: Mahouts From Indigenous Communities and Their Bond with Elephants

Guardians of the gentle giants: Mahouts from indigenous communities and their bond with elephants

With World Elephant Day (August 12) and the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (August 9) observed back-to-back this month, a look at the bond between tribal people and elephants. Also, how technology comes to the rescue while mitigating man-animal conflict

World Elephant Day: Former poachers help protect Elephants as South Sudan records zero poaching cases

South Sudan is marking World Elephant Day with a notable conservation achievement, as community efforts in the Boma-Badingilo and Jonglei landscape have contributed to zero known elephant poaching cases in the Boma landscape so far in 2026. In a statement posted by Boma-Badingilo South Sudan, conservation partners highlighted the growing impact of community-led wildlife protection efforts under the Tango program, an initiative led by African Par…

World Elephant Day: How these giants are adapting to a changing world

By David Brown - Mongabay August 12 is World Elephant Day. To celebrate, Mongabay looks back at recent stories about how the future success of these mammals depends on healthy, connected habitats. Asian elephants adjust what they eat A recent study from Malaysia showed that Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are adapting to rapidly changing landscapes by diversifying their diets — a sign of resilience, but also a warning about the pressures resha…