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

Grade 3’s Shout It Out For Elephants!

San Diego – March, 2023
A BIG Thank You to Ms. Cynthia’s Grade 3 class for being such eager learners and lovers of elephants! Determined to make a difference for elephants they held a fundraiser for Elephanatics to stop them from becoming extinct from poaching and human elephant conflict.
We are so very grateful for their enthusiasm and for the opportunity to deliver a presentation to their classroom. 🐘
Can’t wait to go back! Watch video here –  IMG_8451

Elephants and Biodiversity – How are they connected? NEW Lesson Plan!

Elephants and Biodiversity – How are they connected? NEW LESSON PLAN!

"Elephanatics Foundation - Free elephant conservation lesson plans, toolkits for teachers, and persuasive essay resources."The decline of elephant populations due to the illegal wildlife trade and poaching is now almost the stuff of legendary horror. While elephants roamed the forests and savannas of Africa in the millions in the past, the 20th century has seen an accelerated assault on their lives with populations declining from 10 million in the early 1900s to approximately 450,000 today.

While poaching threats continue unabated, climate change, biodiversity loss, and human wildlife conflict are equally as threatening to the long-term survival of Africa’s elephant populations.

Elephants are at the crossroads of multiple human system failures. In Kenya, 200 elephants died recently due to the drought bringing elephants in closer conflict with humans competing for limited resources.  As a keystone species the loss or potential extinction of elephants will have devastating consequences for ecosystems dependent on them for their survival, driving a circle of degradation for all species, including humans.

How do we emerge from this human created mess? Elephanatics is committed to providing resources and education for people of all ages, with the intention of helping people understand that elephants, like the rest of the natural world, are an integral part of a broader ecology that help form the fabric of ecosystems essential to our collective survival. In Elephanatics’ latest lesson plan “Biodiversity and the Important Role of the African Elephant,” students from grades four to twelve will learn how to:

  • Correctly use appropriate science vocabulary to include – biodiversity, keystone species, natural community, interrelationships, and characteristics.
  • Describe interrelationships between the African elephant and their environment. Using pictures and words, explain why the African elephant is a keystone species.
  • Identify human-caused species loss as one of the major current threats to biodiversity.
  • Explain how the disappearance of the African elephant affects other species.

Link to lesson plan here.

View all our lesson plans here.   All plans can be modified to suit grade appropriateness.

With a commitment to supporting education for future generations on the importance of protecting wildlife and biodiversity, we hope to ensure the long-term survival of Africa’s remaining population of extraordinary wild elephants.