SCOTLAND’S very own elephants are releasing a new charity single to mark World Elephant Day.

Funktastic Highlanders Elephant Sessions have traversed the globe over the past two years and were keen to work with conservation charities. Bringing together some of the world’s leading elephant and conservation bodies, World Elephant Day aims to help protect elephants in Asia and Africa. It was established in 2012 and takes place annually on August 12.

The single, Tyagarah, comes from the band’s latest album, What Makes You, and was a natural choice according to the band’s mandolin player, Alistair Taylor.

“We chose Tyagarah, which we wrote after the first time we had played the beautiful site of Bluesfest in Byron Bay, Australia. It’s got a world music kind of sound that we felt was a perfect fit for a single for this special day.

“Over the past couple of years as a band, we have donated money to the cause, so it’s great to actually team up with World Elephant Day and release this single to help support elephants around the globe.”

Footage from the award-winning feature documentary film When Elephants Were Young, produced and directed by World Elephant Day co-founder Patricia Sims and Michael Clark, has been edited by Taylor to accompany the track and will be available from August 9.

Sims said: “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Elephant Sessions for the creation of the Tyagarah video in support of World Elephant Day. Elephant Sessions is demonstrating their commitment to elephant conservation by donating the proceeds from the sales of their single to World Elephant Day and our work of bringing awareness to the critical need to save elephants from the threats they are facing worldwide.”

The digital single will be available from August 9 and can be bought via iTunes, Amazon and other stores.

For more on World Elephant Day visit www.worldelephantday.org

For more on Elephant Sessions visit www.elephantsessions.com