Born Free offers Hope for Elephants
A future without elephants is unimaginable. Born Free’s new appeal offers a lifeline for one of Africa’s most iconic species.
Elephants are among the world’s most popular animals, and yet, they are in crisis. Poached for their ivory, hunted as trophies, killed in retaliation, they suffer from habitat loss and the impact of climate change, and are exploited in captivity. Despite their popularity, these magnificent creatures remain on the endangered list.
That’s why today, we’ve launched an important new appeal to offer hope for elephants.
Over the last century, 96% of Africa’s elephant population has been lost, and every day, dozens more are killed. These remarkable animals, with strong family bonds are reduced to mere commodities. Fuelled by continuing demand from China and the Far East for ivory, and run by criminal networks, the illegal trade is worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Trophy hunters still pay a fortune to kill elephants each year for ‘sport’, exporting thousands of grotesque ‘trophies’. And on top of this, elephant habitat is being destroyed. With less space, elephants come into more contact with local people, leading to ‘conflict’ and casualties on both sides.
But, there is hope. In 1989, Born Free helped bring about a global ivory ban and, with help from our supporters, we’ve fought to keep elephants safe ever since.
Our new appeal, Hope for Elephants, supports tangible conservation efforts in Kenya including stopping armed poachers, investigating the illegal trade in elephant parts, funding local rangers to remove snares, and promoting coexistence within communities living alongside elephants.
On the ground in Kenya, our Saving Meru’s Giants Manager, Newton Simiyu, says: “My passion for nature started at an early age, encouraged by my father – a conservation hero. I have now been working for Born Free Kenya for over seven years, protecting these sensitive giants in Meru National Park, northeast of Nairobi, the area where Elsa the lioness was raised and Born Free’s homeland.
“Do you believe, like me, that every elephant matters? Do you share my vision for elephant conservation, where thriving elephant populations peacefully coexist with local communities? By working together, we can save the elephant.”