About Films and Publications
Save the Elephants has come a long way on the page and the silver screen. In the early 1970s, The Family That Lives With Elephants, narrated by David Niven, told the story of Iain and Oria Douglas-Hamilton and their family, growing up amongst the elephants of Tanzania. It was the beginning of a decades-long relationship with storytelling, one that has grown alongside our research and our mission ever since. That same period gave rise to Iain’s own writing, beginning with Among the Elephants, published in 1975, which chronicled his groundbreaking early research into elephant behaviour and social structure.
As poaching escalated into a full-blown crisis, the story moved from the field to the front lines of conservation policy. Ivory Wars, released in 1989, captured this turning point, and Iain’s book Battle for the Elephants, published by Viking in 1992, told the fuller story of the fight against the ivory trade that came to define much of his life’s work.
Since then, STE has remained continually active in depicting the life and times of these majestic creatures we work with, as well as the people who have come to play a vital role in their survival. We’ve partnered with many production companies to open up the fascinating Samburu landscape and the world of elephants to global audiences – starting with Africa’s Elephant Kingdom in 1998, through to the acclaimed three-part BBC series The Secret Life of Elephants in 2009, and the 2015 launch of the ten-part BBC series This Wild Life, which profiled life in Samburu alongside STE and Elephant Watch Camp. Our work with communities learning to live peacefully alongside elephants has also been documented on screen, including the story of the Elephants and Bees Project, which turned a simple, buzzing idea into a powerful tool for coexistence.
Our founder, Scottish biologist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, revolutionised elephant research in the 1960s and went on to become a leading voice against ivory poaching. His remarkable journey from scientist to conservationist is now captured in A Life Among Elephants, a powerful documentary featuring rare footage and interviews. Premiering globally in 2024, the film traces his lifelong mission to protect Africa’s elephants.
As much of today’s storytelling moves toward bite-sized, visual content, we’re evolving too – producing short clips that share our work with the world and spotlight the efforts of our partners. You can find all of this on our YouTube channel.
