The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden sends this information as posted below:
Every month is a big month for elephants, but August is gearing up to be bigger than ever at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden with both Asian Elephant Awareness Month and World Elephant Day, Saturday, August 2, 2025.
“We’re all still riding high on the arrival of Xerxes, the first Asian elephant bull born at the Zoo,” said Rachel Boyd, OKC Zoo’s Curator of Elephants. “We hope the excitement surrounding Xerk helps our guests connect with Asian elephants and take conservation action to support the species.”
The birth of Xerxes (pronounced ZURK-seez) brings renewed excitement to the Zoo’s multi-generational herd of Asian elephants. The bouncing baby boy has been racking up social media milestones with adorable videos of him playing in the water and exploring his habitat with his family.
Trumpet the call and bring your herd to the Zoo on Saturday, August 2, 2025 for World Elephant Day from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The elephant habitat in Sanctuary Asia will be the event spot for the following activities:
- Caretaker Chats!
- Special training session at 11 a.m. in the Inasmuch Elephant Pavilion: The elephant care team will talk about the importance of regular foot care for our herd members.
- Test your elephant knowledge with activities including “Foraging for Food,” “Meet the Herd” matching game, a plinko game, trivia wheel, and an elephant personality quiz.
- Take a Conservation Pledge for Elephants.
- Purchase a collectable OKC Zoo animal wristband to help support wildlife conservation.
- Stop by the World Elephant Day photo station to snap a pic and share it on social media with #AsianElephantAwarenessDay.
Expect a packed house for the special elephant presentation at 2 p.m. in the Inasmuch Elephant Pavilion at Sanctuary Asia for Xerxes’ first World Elephant Day.
The Oklahoma Zoological Society is celebrating World Elephant Day with opportunities to support elephant conservation. Fans can adopt an elephant plush for $25 and purchase custom canvas totes painted by the Zoo’s elephants for $30 each, both benefitting the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Asian Elephant SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction program. A bundle including a plush and tote is available for a $50 donation. World Elephant Day activities are free with regular admission.
Asian elephants are an endangered species in the wild and Asian Elephant Awareness Month aims to raise support for the species as their population continues to decrease. The Zoo partners with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction program for Asian elephants to bring attention to the crisis. Asian Elephant SAFE enhances and assists Asian elephant conservation efforts within the species’ 13 range countries by engaging communities with elephants in human care, supporting science of the treatment and management of Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV) in Asian elephant range states, and developing education materials, tools kits, and social media materials to introduce to all AZA institutions.
“By coordinating with several zoos and aid organizations, the Asian Elephant SAFE program can maximize its impact on protecting this endangered species,” said Boyd, Vice Program Leader for Asian Elephant SAFE. “Even from all the way in Oklahoma, people can help save Asian elephants from extinction.”
The Zoo also leads the Sri Lanka Elephant Project (SLEP), which does on-the-ground research and conservation in the area with the densest population of Asian elephants in the world.
“Asian elephants are threatened by habitat loss, which leads to human-elephant conflict as people and elephants compete for the same resources,” said Dr. Chase LaDue, OKC Zoo conservation scientist and Executive Director of SLEP. “In the area of Sri Lanka where SLEP works, many communities depend on farming or agriculture for their livelihoods, which only intensifies the conflict.”
SLEP works to promote coexistence by aiding local communities as they seek alternative livelihoods that are compatible with the presence of healthy elephant populations in the area.
Make a stand for Asian elephant conservation through the #AsianElephantAwarenessMonth social media campaign. Follow the OKC Zoo on social media @okczoo to learn how to help Asian elephants.
The Oklahoma City Zoo’s regular daytime hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Now through Labor Day, ZOOfriends members can enter early at 8:30 a.m. to beat the heat. Avoid the entry lines and purchase advance Zoo admission tickets online at okczoo.org/tickets. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District. Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. Zoo more with a ZOOfriends membership! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission for 12-months, plus additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming, and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership.
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