August 12th this year is the 14th World Elephant Day, with the theme of "Walking with Giant Elephants: Harmony, Habitat, and Hope", emphasizing the importance of harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants, and calling on countries to strengthen elephant protection and habitat restoration, injecting hope into the global elephant conservation cause on the basis of protection and coexistence. At present, there are only two genera and three species of elephants left in the world, namely the Asian elephant of the Asian elephant genus, the African grassland elephant of the African elephant genus, and the African forest elephant. In 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature designated the African savannah elephant as an "endangered species" and the African forest elephant as a "critically endangered species". At present, there are about 350000 African grassland elephants, mainly distributed in grasslands, shrubs, and sparse forest ecosystems in eastern and southern Africa; There are about 140000 African forest elephants, mainly inhabiting the tropical rainforest areas of Central and Western Africa. In recent years, African countries have continuously introduced policies and measures to protect elephants, promoting the steady recovery and growth of elephant populations through legislation, public education, and the construction of national parks, and achieving positive results in the protection of African elephants. The Luango National Forest Park located in Gabon is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, with lush trees and a habitat for approximately 10000 African forest elephants (hereinafter referred to as "forest elephants"). Gabon has approximately 95000 forest elephants, accounting for 60% to 70% of the global forest elephant population. However, due to habitat loss and degradation, poaching, and illegal trade, the number of forest elephants in Gabon has sharply decreased. From 2004 to 2014, approximately 25000 forest elephants died from poaching in the Minquebe National Park in Gabon, resulting in a decrease of about 80% in the forest elephant population in the region. To combat illegal poaching and ivory smuggling, the Gabonese government has established a "Wildlife Crime Court", which specifies that elephant thieves face up to 10 years in prison and ivory smugglers face up to 20 years in prison. In 2021, the Gabon National Parks Authority established the first "Wildlife DNA Comparison Laboratory" in Central Africa, which tracks poaching and smuggling routes through DNA analysis of seized ivory. The Gabonese government is also strengthening the construction of the national park system. Currently, the forest elephant conservation area consisting of 13 national parks covers 22% of the country's land, and this proportion is expected to increase to 30% by 2030. To prevent forest elephants from damaging crops grown by farmers and alleviate conflicts between humans and elephants, the Gabonese government has partnered with the non-governmental organization "Fighting for Habitat for Giant Elephants" to promote a mobile electronic fence project nationwide. In 2023, the project installed 500 fences, effectively preventing elephant herds from damaging crops and benefiting nearly 5000 farmers in Gabon. Other countries in Central and Western Africa are also committed to strengthening forest elephant conservation. Since 2014, the Ministry of Forest Economy of the Republic of Congo and the non-profit organization "Wildlife Conservation Society" have established the Noel Foundation to protect and manage the core habitat of forest elephants in approximately 4200 square kilometers of the Noel National Park. By training forest rangers, strengthening patrol deployment, and other means, the Noabeldoki National Park will achieve a record of no forest elephant poaching for the first time throughout the year in 2023. Ben Evans, the head of the management department of the Nouvelle Aquitaine National Park, stated that the coordination efforts between the government and the private sector have greatly enhanced the park's patrol capabilities and coordination mechanisms. The construction of the elephant ecological corridor has become a highlight of the protection of African grassland elephants (hereinafter referred to as "grassland elephants"). In Eastern and Southern Africa, countries have established elephant ecological corridors and transfer mechanisms, as well as cross-border protected areas, to protect grassland elephants and promote elephant population recovery and ecological health. The establishment of an ecological corridor between Maputo Special Reserve in Mozambique and Tambe Elephant Park in South Africa has restored the migration path of grassland elephants. South Africa's Kruger National Park and Mozambique's Zinav National Park have established a transfer mechanism. Since 2018, various wild animals such as grassland elephants that inhabit Kruger National Park have been transferred to Zinav National Park, promoting ecological restoration while enhancing ecological connectivity. Thanks to the construction of ecological corridors and the implementation of transfer mechanisms, the number of elephants in Kenya has increased from about 16000 at the end of the last century to nearly 37000 by 2024. The largest African grassland elephant cluster in the world - Kawango Zambezi Cross border Reserve was established in 2011, covering Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. There are about 220000 grassland elephants living here. In recent years, protected areas have provided more suitable habitats for grassland elephants through methods such as elephant population census, strengthened patrol mechanisms, and promotion of electronic fences. The Global Wildlife Crime Report 2024 released by the United Nations shows that the number of ivory seizures and elephant poaching related crimes worldwide is decreasing, and the protection of African elephants has achieved positive results, but still faces challenges such as habitat destruction and climate change. Elephant poaching still exists in some countries, and there is still a lot of work to be done in the protection of African elephants. (New Society)