I have always loved elephants, and I feel like a lot of others do as well.

We also have to remember that elephants are beautiful, glorious creatures. They rightfully earn the honor of being the largest land mammal in the world, with being able to weigh up to an astounding 22,000 pounds and can grow up to 13 feet tall. Their large brains - the largest of any land animal - are remarkably similar to that of humans, and allow them to be great problem solvers, recognize various sounds, have strong memories, and much more. They are fascinating creatures. Unfortunately, elephants are in terrible danger.

The Asian elephants have about 40,000 remaining in their population, which makes them an endangered species. The more commonly known African elephants are classified as threatened, with 400,000 remaining. To make these numbers even more disturbing, African elephants were estimated to have a population between 1.3 and 3 million just 37 years ago.

The main threat to these creatures is the ivory trade. The elephant’s long, ivory tusks are seen as a valuable possession to some people, and, motivated by greed, poachers hunt down and kill these animals in order to sell the tusks off to the highest bidder. Though poaching is considered illegal, it is estimated that 30,000 to 38,000 elephants are poached every single year. Those numbers are shocking to me. It disgusts me how much harm these innocent animals are experiencing due to the compromised morals of human beings.

Habitat destruction is also a concern when it comes to the well-being of elephants. Because these animals are so large, they require a sizable amount of land in order to graze and feed. However, with the rapidly increasing human population, their land is being taken away from them.

With all of the other concerning issues going on in the world, it is easy to forget about the threat posed towards elephants. For a lot of us, elephants grazing the African landscape is far removed from our everyday lives. However, the importance of this issue should not be underplayed. People need to realize that there is a good chance that elephants could go extinct in the near future. Their removal would not only mean the tragic loss of such a unique and magnificent animal, but also could translate into negative consequences when it comes to the delicate ecosystem in Africa, since other animals and the surrounding environment are dependent on the actions of the elephant.

There are several steps that we can take in order to ensure the safety for elephant population of the world.

First, and the most easiest, is to spread awareness on this issue. You can celebrate World Elephant Day on August 12. Post on social media - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - about the dangers elephants are facing in order to get the message out. You can find an advocacy toolkit here. There are hundreds of petitions on Change.org in regards to helping elephants that you can encourage others to sign.

You can donate. A few charities out there that help protect elephants are the International Elephant Foundation, Save the Elephants, Wild Aid, and Elephant Without Borders. You can also adopt an elephant through the World Wildlife Foundation, which includes donating monthly. I know that if you’re a broke college student like me, it can sometimes be difficult to give away money, even if it is for a good cause. But if you do chose to donate, no matter what the amount, you will feel so good knowing that you helped save the elephants.

Also, the clothing company Ivory Ella donates 10% of their net profits to Save the Elephants. Even one purchase through their store will allow you to help the elephants in a small yet meaningful way. Everything counts.

Lastly, you can choose to keep yourself educated on this important issue. Keep your eye out for articles on various news websites in regards to elephants. Browse websites that are concerned for the safety of elephants. Do research on various aspects of this issue - the ivory trade, the habitat destruction, the legislation concerning elephants, and also what current efforts are being made in order to save them.

It is obvious that unless dramatic action is taken towards protecting the elephants against poaching, as well as making sure their habitat is maintained, we will no longer have these animals roaming our planet. Without them, Africa’s ecosystem will be facing a huge crisis. Be the change. Save the elephants.