Study: Beehive Fences Reduce Elephant Conflict.
A groundbreaking, nine-year study has revealed that elephants approaching small-scale farms in Kenya avoid beehive fences housing live honey bees up to 86% of the time during peak crop seasons.
© Jane Wynyard
Securing A Future For Elephants
Our mission
Our mission is to secure a future for elephants and to sustain the beauty and ecological integrity of the places they live; to promote man’s delight in their intelligence and the diversity of their world, and to develop a tolerant relationship between the two species.
New Study Confirms Beehive Fences Effectively Reduce HEC
A nine-year study shows that elephants avoid beehive fences around small-scale farms in Kenya up to 86% of the time during peak crop seasons, helping reduce human-elephant conflict and increase farmers’ income. Published in Conservation Science and Practice, the research highlights the potential of nature-based solutions to protect both livelihoods and wildlife. The study was led by Save the Elephants in collaboration with the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Kenya Wildlife Service, and the University of Oxford.
Like Us, Elephants Have Names Too!
A groundbreaking study reveals that African elephants use unique “vocal labels” to address one another, akin to names in human communication. Conducted by researchers from Save the Elephants, Colorado State University, and ElephantVoices, the study recorded vocalizations from wild elephants in Kenya, uncovering these individually specific calls. Published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, the findings offer new insights into animal cognition and language evolution.
The Elephant Queen: How a wildlife documentary inspired Kenya
A new study highlights that powerful nature films like The Elephant Queen, created by filmmakers Mark Deeble, Victoria Stone, and Etienne Oliff, can positively impact attitudes and support for elephants in rural communities. Sponsored by Save the Elephants, the study examines the film’s mobile cinema outreach across Kenya, revealing its potential to foster conservation awareness in marginalized areas facing increasing human-elephant conflict.
Mystery of Tuskless Male African Elephant Leaves Scientists Puzz
Save the Elephants (STE) researchers have identified what may be the first publicly documented case of a male African elephant born without tusks. This rare discovery, published in Pachyderm, defies genetic assumptions that tusklessness occurs only in females. The 13-year-old tuskless male, from the Hawaiian Islands family in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, was first observed as a calf in 2011 by STE’s Director of Field Operations, David Daballen. His tuskless mother, Kauai, raises questions about the inheritance of this unique trait.
Check Out our Human Coexistence Toolbox
As human-elephant conflict increases across Africa, farmers need practical, sustainable and affordable ways to peacefully co-exist with elephants without having to resort to violence. Save the Elephants has developed a unique ‘how to’ manual, the Human-Elephant Coexistence (HEC) Toolbox of tried and tested elephant deterrents to empower rural communities to protect their livelihoods from elephants. Built on the success of STE’s Elephants and Bees Project in Tsavo, the Toolbox is the brainchild of Dr Lucy King who heads up STE’s Human-Elephant Coexistence program.
Why Save The Elephants?
Elephants are Africa’s gardeners and landscape engineers, planting seeds and creating habitat wherever they roam. Without urgent action to save their species, elephants could disappear from the wild within a single generation. Approximately 100,000 elephants in Africa were killed for their ivory in just three years between the years 2010 & 2012.
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Like Us, Elephants Have Names Too!
A groundbreaking study on African elephant communication has revealed that elephants, like humans, use ‘names’ to address each other.
Impact of drought and development on the effectiveness of beehive fences as elephant deterrents over 9 years in Kenya
A groundbreaking, nine-year study has revealed that elephants approaching small-scale farms in Kenya avoid beehive fences housing live honey bees up to 86% of the time during peak crop seasons.
African elephants address one another with individually specific name-like calls
A groundbreaking study on African elephant communication has revealed that elephants, like humans, use ‘names’ to address each other.
© Frank af Petersens
Studying elephants
Leaders in elephant science, Save the Elephants provides cutting-edge scientific insights into elephant behavior, intelligence, and long-distance movement and applies them to the long-term challenges of elephant conservation.
The Samburu elephant population is one of the most extensively studied in the world. The elephants’ births, deaths, and interactions are closely monitored, making this population a valuable resource for understanding elephant society. Read more here
We conduct vital research on elephant behaviour and ecology and pioneered GPS radio tracking in Africa to provide fresh insight into the life of elephants. Our solid scientific data has helped shift international policy towards a better future for the species. Read more here
Our STE Wildtracks App enables us to conduct real-time monitoring of elephant movements. The data compiled is used to make critical decisions about elephant corridors as well as to respond quickly to elephants in distress. Read more here