Tag: environment
Elephanatics October 2025 Newsletter!
October is Here!
“O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
To-morrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.” — Robert Frost, from the poem “October”
As the days grow darker and the chill sets in, it’s the perfect time to renew our spirits and look forward to the warmth of friends and family. Thanksgiving offers a wonderful chance to pause, be grateful for all we have, and cherish the good times. We have some great news to share with you as well!
- We are absolutely delighted to introduce our new Outreach Coordinator and Educator, Amanda Slatin! We are so fortunate to welcome an enthusiastic teacher who is ready to inspire students to become the next generation of Planet Protectors.
Amanda is a passionate Educator committed to sparking curiosity and
lifelong learning, as she enjoys teaching students in K-12th grades. She has a Master’s in Education and has worked as a Curriculum Developer in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Africa. After a recent trip to Kenya, she fell in love with the elephants, who are one of the most protective, loyal, and caring animals. Amanda believes in the power of storytelling, building an interactive classroom, sharing real-world connections to inspire young minds, with a commitment to conservation by fostering empathy, compassion, and community.
- On this World Animal Day, October 4th, Empower the Protectors!
Please consider funding an elephant scholarship for the Mara Elephant Project in Kenya. The Mara Elephant Project (MEP) does vital work on the front lines, and we are proud partners through our unique elephant scholarship program. This isn’t just about saving animals; it’s about building capacity, fostering local leadership, and creating sustainable conservation solutions from within the communities that live alongside these giants. Your support for our scholarship program provides critical training and education for dedicated individuals in Kenya, transforming them into skilled conservationists. They become the eyes on the ground, the voices for the voiceless, and the guardians of elephant herds, directly impacting the reduction of poaching and mitigation of human-elephant conflict. Donate today!
- We are now a member of the Canadian Committee for the IUCN (CCIUCN)!
The Canadian Committee for IUCN (CCIUCN) provides a crucial voice and networking platform for Canadians engaged in IUCN work. As a supportive, collegial non-profit, the CCIUCN allows individuals and organizations across Canada to actively share information and foster collective action on conservation issues. They specifically work intergenerationally and with diverse cultures (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) to ensure different world views and perspectives are represented in their initiatives. Their activities, including the Annual General Meeting and communication channels, showcase the diversity of Canadian conservation.
In addition, the CCIUCN is a hub for sharing applicable global IUCN news, information and expertise. The #IUCNWorldConservationCongress is being held in Abu Dhabi this year Oct 9 – 15 with the theme “Powering transformative conservation”. Rewilding will be a central component at the Congress. You can help support rewilding efforts here.
- CITES CoP20 – November 24 – December 5, 2025
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is the global mechanism that keeps wildlife trade from pushing species toward extinction.
The member Parties will meet soon for the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from November 24 to December 5, 2025, to vote on new proposals. Elephanatics and our coalition believe some of these proposals pose a serious threat. We have submitted a letter to Canada’s CITES Management Authority outlining our opposition and calling for immediate action to oppose these proposals. Please review our urgent position letter here: Canada CITES Management Authority SUBMISSION
We are deeply grateful for your support and shared love of elephants and all wildlife. Let’s keep working together to help our fellow friends! Enjoy the fall season ahead.
The ELEPHANATICS Team
Elephanatics Newsletter September 2025
Back to School Edition
At Elephanatics Foundation, we’re committed to educating the next generation. We believe that fostering a deep understanding of elephants—their vital role as a keystone species and their status as iconic mammals crucial to local and global ecosystems—is the cornerstone for building the next generation of future conservationists.
Elephanatics Education Resources for Teachers | Educators | Homeschools
To better support teachers and students, we have created new, updated, and personalized lesson plans tailored for elementary and secondary educators. Access our full range of elementary and intermediary lesson plans, designed for both Canadian and US curriculums, with a simple click! Available below for immediate download:
- For elementary and secondary school educators – bring a wildlife ranger or elephant researcher into your classroom! To find out more click here.
- Check out our lesson plans on elephant ecology and action! Click here to learn more.
- NEW! Request a teacher to do a virtual presentation in your classroom! Pick a special day like #WorldElephantDay #WorldWildlifeDay or #EarthDay to make it even more impactful! Or, just pick any day that suits you!
On behalf of the Fran Duthie (Elephanatics) African Elephant Conservation Scholarship, Mara Elephant Project is thrilled to welcome four incredible young conservation champions into the herd!
These four candidates were chosen not only for their passion and drive, but also because they represent the communities Mara Elephant Project partners with to protect wildlife and their habitats. Amos and Faith are from the Loita area and are passionate about its preservation. Additionally, Sarah and Robert are from key operational areas in the Mara where the community is critical to supporting MEP’s coexistence efforts. Together, they represent the future of conservation, leaders driven by resilience, passion, and a vision for thriving communities and wild spaces. Congratulations, Faith Leuka, Amos Baari, Robert Muli and Sarah Loiman!
Read more about their journeys here.
A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating #WorldElephantDay with a donation!
This year, Elephanatics was honored to partner with the Mara Elephant Project (MEP), an organization on the front lines of elephant conservation in Kenya, Africa. Our shared goal was to raise awareness and critical funds for the Loita Forest in Kenya, a lush and biodiverse habitat that is not only home to a thriving elephant population but also a sanctuary for many other rare and endangered species.
Our initial target was to raise $1,200, and we are beyond grateful to share that with a generous dollar-for-dollar match from Elephanatics, we completely surpassed that goal!
Your contributions will directly fund the Mara Elephant Project’s crucial on-the-ground efforts—from anti-poaching patrols that keep elephants safe, to community-led programs that resolve human-wildlife conflicts. Every dollar donated will be put to work immediately, ensuring the guardians of this forest have the resources they need to protect this precious ecosystem.
Thank you for being an essential part of the solution where together we are helping to protect and build a world where elephants and all wildlife can thrive.
Conservation and Technology
Can Tech Turn the Tide on Wildlife Crime?
As one of the world’s most profitable international crimes, the illicit wildlife trade generates billions in revenue each year. The criminal syndicates responsible for poaching and illegal resource extraction are highly organized and well-funded. Find out how scalable innovation is being used as a strategic tool to effectively counter this global threat. Read more here.
Interested in supporting our work? Click here to donate.
Thank you for your support!
ELEPHANATICS TEAM
Happy #WorldElephantDay 2025
Today we pause to give thanks and respect to the matriarchs who shape our world – from elephants to humans!
The theme of World Elephant Day 2025 is “Matriarchs & Memories.” The theme is a tribute to the deep emotional lives and social intelligence of elephants and serves as a call to action to protect both the physical presence of elephants and the cultural and biological heritage they represent.
We would like to thank everyone who has donated to our fundraiser to help support Mara Elephant Project. Their goal to raise funds to preserve a section of the Loita Forest in Kenya for elephants, other wildlife and communities, is one of their largest projects to date. They have forged partnerships in the forest to pay people to protect and preserve the land, solidify MEP’s ongoing protection efforts and create an elephant easement that provides shelter for the gentle giants that call it home.
Your donations help them fund critical activities to protect this area. Please continue to help them preserve a forest for elephants, people and the planet.
Double your impact today on #WED! 
#Donate – rb.gy/7k17mg
Fran Duthie African Elephant Scholarship 2025
📣 Congratulations 📣 to the four new recipients chosen for the Fran Duthie African Elephant Conservation Scholarship, 2025! 🎓
Mara Elephant Project is thrilled to welcome four incredible young conservation champions into the 2025 Fran Duthie (Elephanatics) African Elephant Conservation Scholarship herd.
Faith Leuka – A passionate forestry student and community leader from Narok, committed to sustainable land use and empowering women in conservation. Faith is currently undertaking her Diploma in Forestry at the Kenya Forestry College in Kericho. Amos Baari – A climate advocate and pastoralist champion pursuing his Master’s in Climate Change and Environment, working to bridge pastoralist livelihoods and biodiversity protection. Baari is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Climate Change and Environment at the University of Nairobi. Robert Muli – A wildlife conservation student whose resilience and leadership have fueled his dream to strengthen community-based conservation and wildlife management. Muli is currently enrolled at the University of Eldoret, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation and Management. Sarah Loiman – A dedicated student from Narok with aspirations in Environmental Science, determined to give back through education, outreach, and wildlife protection. Sarah is pursuing a Bachelor of Environmental Science at Kenyatta University.These four candidates were chosen not only for their passion and drive, but also because they represent the communities Mara Elephant Project partners with to protect wildlife and their habitats. Amos and Faith are from the Loita area and are passionate about its preservation. Additionally, Sarah and Robert are from key operational areas in the Mara where the community is critical to supporting MEP’s coexistence efforts. Together, they represent the future of conservation, leaders driven by resilience, passion, and a vision for thriving communities and wild spaces.
If you wish to support the next generation of wildlife conservationists in Kenya visit the Mara Elephant Project donate page and leave a note that it is for the scholarship.
Our future lies in their hands!
World Elephant Day is August 12th
Until August 12th, every dollar you donate to Mara Elephant Project through this fundraiser will be matched by Elephanatics up to a total of $1200!
World Elephant Day is a day that brings the world together to help elephants. This year Elephanatics is partnering with the Mara Elephant Project for WED to raise awareness and funds for the Loita Forest that forms the eastern part of the Greater Mara Ecosystem and is home to not just elephants, but many rare species. The virgin, old-growth, afro-montane forest is one of the most beautiful and intact forests in East Africa. The forest faces significant threats, particularly from current subdivision of communal to private title deed ownership. This subdivision is causing land use change which accelerates the destruction of the forest jeopardizing the wildlife residing within and the surrounding rangelands. Importantly, the rangelands serve as crucial protective buffers and movement corridors for elephants and other wildlife.
A unique opportunity is available for MEP to purchase 1,000 acres or 100 high-value parcels adjacent to the forest core, near wetlands or within corridors, to put into a Conservation Land Trust. Owning these parcels would create a figurative mote that surrounds the 58% of the forest that is community owned, less inhabited, but still at risk of destruction. It also ensures MEP jurisdiction in perpetuity providing a permanent barrier where MEP can enforce forest protection effectively blocking illegal habitat destruction activity from reaching the 58% of the forest.
Their goal is to raise $100,000 in August, which would take them over halfway toward their project funding goal in 2025.
Your much needed donations will be matched and will fund critical activities to protect this area.
We thank you for your continued support. Please donate at: rb.gy/7k17mg
Mara Elephant Project USA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the efforts of Mara Elephant Project to protect elephants and their habitats across the Greater Mara Ecosystem in Kenya.
Visit their website at https://maraelephantproject.org for more information.
Thank you.
The Elephanatics Team
Elephanatics Newsletter July 2025
The Elephant Days of Summer!
Summer is here, a time for relaxation and reflection. Here are some wins and good news on our radar for our elephant lovers!
The Fran Duthie African Elephant Conservation Scholarship application for 2025 is now open and will be administered by the Mara Elephant Project. Accepting applications until the end of July, this scholarship provides financial support, and hands-on training for Kenyan students. The scholarship is intended for students pursuing conservation or a related field. The goal of this scholarship is to provide financial support to Kenyan nationals acquiring a technical certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate degree in an area related to conservation and the protection of wildlife. Alongside the financial support, this scholarship will provide practical experience to the scholar during their studies by undertaking a 1-month internship with a Kenyan conservation organization.
Apply today -> https://buff.ly/haSKLIw
We’re thrilled to share that The Mara Elephant Project is currently hosting recipient Mary Wangari at HQ for a one-month internship. Read more here.
It takes a village! A big elephantine thank you to Vegan Supply for once again letting us be their ‘jar donation’ recipient for the month of June. With their support we were able to raise funds to support our education and conservation programs. Vegan Supply is one of North America’s largest vegan online marketplaces.
Mark Your Calendars! August 12th is World Elephant Day!
#worldelephantday is a day that brings the world together to help elephants. This year Elephanatics is partnering with the Mara Elephant Project for WED to raise awareness and funds for the Loita Forest that forms the eastern part of the Greater Mara Ecosystem and is home to not just elephants but many rare species. The virgin, old-growth, afro-montane forest is one of the most beautiful and intact forests in East Africa. The forest faces significant threats, particularly from current subdivision of communal to private title deed ownership. This subdivision is causing land use change which accelerates the destruction of the forest jeopardizing the wildlife residing within and the surrounding rangelands. Your much needed donations will be matched and will fund critical activities to protect this area. Donate here.
Advocacy Alert
Working in collaboration with other global NGOs the Elephanatics team has sent letters to MPs and Federal Ministers regarding the urgent need for a global agreement, taking the form of an additional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.
Supporting the work of Global Initiative to end Wildlife Crime, Elephanatics will continue to engage and advocate for urgent action to be taken to bring to fruition a global treaty to combat the illegal trade by integrating offences into international criminal law. Read more here.
Fun Fact!
How can you tell the difference between elephant and mammoth ivory? To save elephant populations from extinction, the international community banned the sale of their ivory—but selling mammoth ivory remains legal, and the two are difficult to tell apart, especially for non-experts. This leaves a possible loophole for sellers of poached ivory to exploit. Now stable isotope analysis could provide a cheap, rapid option to speed up sample screening and stop the sale of elephant ivory! Read more here.
(Photo credit: Unsplash CCo Public Domain)
Enjoy the rest of the summer everyone!
Elephanatics Team
A Triumphant Recognition! A huge Congratulations!
It is with great pride and excitement to announce that Dr. Jake Wall, co-founder of Elephanatics and EarthRanger, has been awarded the Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographic Society Prize for 2025 – an honour recognizing outstanding individual achievement in the pursuit and application of geographical research, with a particular emphasis on wildlife conservation and environmental research studies.
“Dr Wall has been at the forefront of leveraging technology to create freely available geospatial tools for the benefit of wildlife conservation in Africa and beyond for the last 20 years. Jake’s dedication and passion for wildlife is matched only by his tireless efforts to provide conservationists with the tools and methods they need to better protect the natural world.His approach has been methodical and detailed focusing on the benefits, not only to the natural landscape, but the communities that live along side these majestic animals.
As Director of Research and Conservation for the Mara Elephant Project (MEP), Jake established a long-term elephant monitoring programme and developed an application to easily map landscapes, especially fences, which have become a major threat to wildlife movements in the Mara ecosystem. Prior to working with MEP, Jake worked as the Geospatial Scientific Advisor to Save the Elephants for 15 years where he developed a real-time tracking system to visualise GPS data from collared African elephants across the continent. Algorithms scanned the data and, among other things, sent alerts when elephants had moved unusually fast, suggesting panic, or had stopped moving which might indicate a poaching event. In partnership with Save the Elephants and the Allen Institute for AI, this system was expanded into EarthRanger, now used by over 600 sites across 74 countries and growing rapidly.
To complement EarthRanger, Jake is now leading the development of Ecoscope, which provides users with access to ready-made analytics from sources of publicly available remote sensing data. It allows researchers and conservationists to easily engage with the data and generate meaningful outputs, thereby turning conservation data into information to improve decision making, insight and the protection of ecosystems.”
Congratulations Jake! You are very deserving of such a prestigious acknowledgement. Team Elephanatics is extremely proud of all your hard work and devotion to protecting the greatest animal ever created!
The elephants trumpet! 🐘
Happy Valentine’s & Family Day!
Elephanatics Newsletter
February 14th, 2025
Holidays and celebrations are a time to remember and focus on what is important in these uncertain times and what to be grateful for – love, family, friendships and the beautiful natural world around us.
It takes all of us working together on shared goals to advance the protection of elephants, a keystone species, integral to the health and well-being of communities and the larger ecosystem.
Thank you for your enduring support. Together we can continue to make life better for elephants and all wildlife!
We have some LOVE to share with you:
Small Wins for Elephants:
There were two positive outcomes at the 78th meeting of the Standing Committee (SC78) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on the issue of domestic ivory markets. The Standing Committee agreed to renew important decisions directing Parties with legal domestic ivory markets to report on measures taken to ensure they are not contributing to poaching or illegal trade.
Japan has still not closed its legal trade. Read more here.
EU, ICCWC, and Civil Society Join Forces to Combat Wildlife Crime
Global International Wildlife crime represents one of the greatest threats to the protection of the world’s endangered and at risk species. In a win for wildlife protection, a new coalition partnership between GUARD Wildlife (Global United Action to Reduce and Dismantle Organized Wildlife Crime) the EU, and ICCWC, aims to conserve endangered species and biodiversity for future generations. GUARD Wildlife will enhance coordinated responses to combat wildlife crime at the national, regional and international levels and reduce illicit trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products in source, transit and destination countries. Read more here.
The Fran Duthie African Elephant Scholarship Update
Established in 2022 the Fran Duthie African Elephant Conservation Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to Kenyans pursuing conservation. We are pleased to share an update of our most recent students who have benefited from this capacity building scholarship. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can support the scholarship fund in 2025, please contact us or make a donation today to show your LOVE!
Elephanatics Education! Getting the Word Out!
Education is one of Elephanatics foundational pillars. Teaching and engaging youth is helping to raise a new generation of students who understand the value of biodiversity and of course, the vital importance of elephants. A big thanks to a homeschool teacher in the US who sent us photos of her students who created their own original t-shirt designs and stickers after teaching our ‘Trunks of Hope: T-Shirt design Mission for Elephant Conservation’ lesson plan! Check out our lesson plans!
We would like to show our LOVE and THANKS to one of our volunteers who wrote an article on the work Elephanatics does as an organization. We appreciate your time and efforts, Charlotte!
- Volunteer are always needed. Please contact us if you are interested in helping elephants!
Happy News for the First Month of 2025!
Elephanatics is very pleased to share the most recent updates from the four recipients of the Fran Duthie Scholarship administered by our partner organization, Mara Elephant Project, in Kenya.
Learn about the exciting work these students are undertaking in conservation related fields. By securing an education for the next generation in wildlife conservation, we are helping to secure a healthy future for our planet as well. We wish them continued success with their programs!
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can support the scholarship fund in 2025, please email us or make a donation today.
#maraelephantproject
An Update from the Four Recipients of the Fran Duthie Scholarship