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| International Elephant Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Elephant Foundation |
| Formation | 1998 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | USA |
| Location | Austin, Texas |
| Region served | Global |
| Leader title | President |
International Elephant Foundation is a US-based conservation organization focused on the protection of African elephant and Asian elephant populations through conservation, research, and community engagement. Founded in 1998, the organization operates across Africa, Asia, and the United States, partnering with governments, World Wildlife Fund, universities, and local NGOs to implement field projects, scientific studies, and educational initiatives. Its work intersects with international agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and forums like the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The organization was established in 1998 amid rising concern over elephant poaching linked to illegal ivory trade, driven by demand in markets such as China and Thailand, and framed by policy debates at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the CITES Conference of the Parties. Early projects supported range states including Kenya, Tanzania, and India, often in collaboration with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, the Zoo and Aquarium Association, and academic partners from University of California and Oxford University. Over time, programs expanded to address human–elephant conflict in landscapes such as the Okavango Delta and the Western Ghats, while contributing data used by the IUCN Red List assessments and informing regional strategies such as the African Elephant Action Plan.
The foundation’s mission emphasizes the conservation of elephant species and their habitats through science, partnerships, and education, aligning with global frameworks including the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. Core objectives include reducing poaching linked to transnational networks like those investigated by INTERPOL and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, improving population monitoring methods promoted by the IUCN Species Survival Commission, and fostering coexistence strategies implemented by governments such as Botswana and Sri Lanka. The organization also aims to build capacity among practitioners associated with institutions like the National Geographic Society, the World Bank, and national wildlife services.
Programs address anti-poaching, habitat protection, and human–elephant conflict mitigation in priority sites including Chobe National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Kaziranga National Park. Anti-poaching initiatives support ranger training, intelligence sharing with agencies like INTERPOL and African Parks, and deployment of technologies promoted by Google-supported conservation tech pilots and research from Harvard University and MIT. Habitat programs collaborate with landscape-scale efforts such as the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park and corridor projects in the Eastern Himalaya, while community-based conflict mitigation trials reference methods trialed in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Zimbabwe.
The foundation funds and conducts research on population dynamics, genetics, and movement ecology with partners including University College London, University of Oxford, and the University of Pretoria. Grants have supported telemetry studies using methods developed at institutions like Penn State University and genomic studies comparable to work from the Wellcome Trust. Research outputs contribute to conservation planning tools used by entities such as the IUCN, United Nations Environment Programme, and regional wildlife agencies in countries like Namibia and Laos.
Major collaborations encompass zoological institutions like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, museums including the Smithsonian Institution, and NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society. The foundation coordinates with national authorities in range states—Tanzania National Parks Authority, Kenya Wildlife Service, and Department of Wildlife Conservation (Sri Lanka)—as well as multilateral funders like the Global Environment Facility and conservation philanthropies like the Ford Foundation and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Cross-sector partnerships also involve private sector actors and research consortia affiliated with Imperial College London and Stanford University.
Outreach initiatives include curricula for schools modeled on materials from the Jane Goodall Institute and public campaigns aligned with awareness efforts by National Geographic and the BBC. The foundation works with zoos such as San Diego Zoo and Bronx Zoo to engage visitors, and supports community education projects in rural areas of India, Kenya, and Zambia that echo participatory approaches used by Conservation International and Fauna & Flora International. Media partnerships have featured platforms like PBS and The Guardian to communicate research findings and policy messages tied to CITES discussions.
Governance comprises a board with representatives from zoological, scientific, and philanthropic sectors, mirroring governance models from organizations like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the IUCN. Funding streams include grants from foundations such as the Ford Foundation and Howard G. Buffett Foundation, corporate donations, and support from zoological partners including the San Diego Zoo and Smithsonian National Zoo. Program accountability aligns with standards referenced by the Charity Navigator and reporting practices used by international NGOs engaged with the Global Environment Facility and multilateral development partners.
Category:Wildlife conservation organizations Category:Elephant conservation