Yossi the Elephant Celebrates 52nd Birthday at Ramat Gan Safari on World Elephant Day

On August 12, 2026, World Elephant Day was marked globally to raise awareness about elephant conservation and combat illegal poaching and ivory trade. At the Ramat Gan Safari in Israel, the occasion coincided with the 52nd birthday of Yossi, the largest elephant in any zoo worldwide. Yossi's extraordinary size results from a combination of genetics and his advanced age, as male elephants continue growing throughout their lives. The safari highlighted that while Yossi thrives in a protected environment, wild African elephants are shrinking in size due to targeted poaching of the largest, oldest individuals with the most impressive tusks. This selective hunting removes mature elephants before they can reproduce, leaving younger, smaller populations in the wild. Meanwhile, at the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, elephants took advantage of the hot weather by spending extended time in pools. The celebrations at Ramat Gan included a special birthday cake for Yossi, emphasizing the contrast between his safe habitat and the challenges faced by wild elephants.