(UPI) World Elephant Day, marked annually on Aug. 12, was founded by filmmaker Patricia Sims and Thailand's Elephant Reintroduction Foundation to promote the protection of Asian and African elephants.

The first World Elephant Day was held Aug. 12, 2012, with its official founders listed as Canadian filmmaker Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, which is dedicated to safely returning captive elephants to the wild.

The annual observance is now marked in partnership with more than 100 elephant conservation organizations worldwide.

The World Elephant Society was founded in 2015 as a public charity to support World Elephant Day campaigns and events. Sims serves as its president and executive director.

"World Elephant Day is a rallying call for people to support organizations that are working to stop the illegal poaching and trade of elephant ivory and other wildlife products, protect wild elephant habitat, and provide sanctuaries and alternative habitats for domestic elephants to live freely," Sims said on the holiday's website.

Other holidays and observances for Aug. 12, 2022, include Baseball Fans Day, IBM PC Day, International Youth Day, Julienne Fries Day, Middle Child Day, National Kool Aid Day, National Sewing Machine Day, Shop Online for Groceries Day, Truck Driver Day and Vinyl Record Day.

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