Thailand has celebrated National Elephant Day, honoring the largest land animal that is a beloved symbol of the kingdom with feasts of fruits and vegetables.
In 1998, March 13 was declared as a day dedicated to the conservation of its elephants.
Traditionally, elephants have been used as work animals and even in warfare but in modern times their very existence is under threat.
Kampon Tansacha, President of the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in Chonburi province, where a ceremony was held to mark the day, said elephants are a source of national pride and part of the country’s cultural and historical identity.
Kampon said the goal is now “to maintain those domesticated elephants and give them food and shelter.” (NNT)
