Patricia Sims.
Co-Founder of World Elephant Day and Producer/Director
"Return to the Forest"

Sivaporn Dardarananda
Secretary-General
Elephant Reintroduction Foundation

What:
The first-ever World Elephant Day (www.worldelephantday.org / Facebook: www.facebook.com/worldelephantday?ref=hl / Twitter: @ElephantMovie) in conjunction with the film "Return to the Forest" is an international awareness campaign to inform the public about the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants. The campaign is supported by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation
(www.elephantreintroduction.org /eng/menu1_en.html) in Thailand and developed by Canadian Patricia Sims of Canazwest Pictures Inc.

Where:
The World Elephant Day website (http://www.worldelephantday.org/ ) will release "Return to the Forest," a 30-minute documentary produced by CanazWest Pictures Inc. and commissioned by the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, a royal initiative of HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Hollywood actor William Shatner is the narrator.

Movie trailer: worldelephantday.org/

Why:
Both species of elephants -- African and Asian -- are under siege. With less than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the world, they are now considered endangered. About 4,000 live in Thailand with approximately 2,800 in captivity and 1,200 in the wild. While facing severe threat from habitat loss, Asian elephants are also killed for their ivory, meat and body parts while young elephants are captured from their natural environment for use in the tourism industry. In Africa, there are less than 400,000 elephants. During the past two years, poaching for ivory has surged to unprecedented levels. It is estimated that 100 African elephants are slaughtered daily for the illegal trade.

When:
World Elephant Day August 12, 2012


MEDIA IN THAILAND: for more information, press kit, or film premiere screening details please contact Kattika Tanjad Tel: 090-040-2129
Email: poy_kattika@hotmail.com or info@worldelephantday.org

MEDIA: For more information, visuals or to book a one-on-one interview with Patricia Sims, (producer/ director of "Return to the Forest" and originator of World Elephant Day) and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, please contact Susan Willemsen or
Alexandra Muszynski-Kwan at The Siren Group Inc. Tel: (416) 461-5270. Fax: (416) 778-9047.

Email: info@thesirengroup.com
Online: www.thesirengroup.com
Twitter @thesirengroup

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