What Save The Elephants does

Save the Elephants (STE) is a UK-registered charity and US 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization, founded in 1993 by Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with field research stations in Samburu National Reserve and Tsavo, and registered offices in London and New York. Its mission is to secure a future for elephants through scientific research, anti-poaching and wildlife protection, and human-elephant coexistence. Core technical capabilities include pioneering GPS radio collaring of African elephants (over 500 collared across Africa), the proprietary STE Wildtracks mobile application for real-time movement monitoring, drone-based aerial surveillance, and Google Earth-based visualization of tracking data, all feeding a longitudinal dataset on nearly 1,000 individually identified elephants in Samburu.

The organization's product and program portfolio spans the Elephant Crisis Fund (a joint grant-making vehicle with Wildlife Conservation Network that has distributed $37.4 million via 489 grants to 114 partners in 44 countries), the Human-Elephant Coexistence Toolbox (an illustrated manual of 80+ coexistence techniques distributed globally), the Elephants and Bees beehive-fence deterrent program (14,000 fences in 24 countries at an 80% deterrence rate), the African Elephant Library (8,000+ references on Zotero, co-managed with IUCN/SSC AfESG), wildlife corridor demarcation in northern Kenya, postgraduate scholarships, and content products including The Trumpet newsletter, the Elephant News Service, and the 2024 feature documentary 'A Life Among Elephants'.

Revenue is generated through individual donations (one-time, recurring, legacy bequests), corporate partnerships (e.g., Fahlo), institutional grants, cryptocurrency donations via The Giving Block, and merchandise sales. Go-to-market relies on digital channels (website, email, social media), earned media, documentary storytelling, and a formal corporate partnership program. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and Advisory Councils; Frank Pope serves as CEO, Prof. George Wittemyer as Chief Scientist, and Dr. Lucy King heads the coexistence program. Founder Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton passed away in December 2025.

Name

Save The Elephants

Legal name

Save the Elephants

Website

https://savetheelephants.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Save the Elephants is a UK- and US-registered nonprofit conservation organization, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, that conducts elephant research, GPS tracking, anti-poaching support, and human-elephant coexistence programs across Africa and Asia, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Elephant protection
• Anti-poaching programs
• Human-wildlife coexistence
• Habitat preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting elephant conservation, with options for one-time and recurring contributions.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with companies across different sectors for business goals while supporting elephant conservation, including ESG strategy alignment.
3. Cryptocurrency Donations: Accepts cryptocurrency donations via fiscal sponsor Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) through The Giving Block platform.
4. Legacy Giving/Bequests: Gifts made through wills and estate planning for long-term conservation impact.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling elephant-themed merchandise to support conservation efforts.
6. Elephant Crisis Fund: Joint initiative with Wildlife Conservation Network distributing grants to partners across Africa. While not direct revenue for STE operations, it funds the broader coalition.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Save The Elephants is a nonprofit conservation organization that conducts long-term scientific research on African elephants, implements anti-poaching and habitat protection programs, develops and distributes human-elephant coexistence tools, and channels grant funding through the Elephant Crisis Fund to partner organizations across Africa and Asia. Its work spans GPS tracking of elephant populations, community-based coexistence solutions (such as beehive fences and the HEC Toolbox), scientific publication, and educational programs.

Product overview

Save the Elephants is a conservation research organization rather than a software product company. Its offerings consist primarily of conservation programs, research tools, and knowledge resources. Core offerings include the Elephant Crisis Fund (grant program for anti-poaching efforts), the Human-Elephant Coexistence Toolbox (80+ coexistence techniques manual), and the African Elephant Library (8,000+ research references database). Technology offerings include the STE Wildtracks App for real-time elephant monitoring, GPS tracking/collaring services, and beehive fence programs. Additional services include the Elephant News Service newsletters, The Trumpet email newsletter, cryptocurrency donation processing, and educational scholarships. The organization also produces documentary films and publishes scientific research to advance elephant conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF): A joint initiative with Wildlife Conservation Network providing flexible, responsive support to organizations combatting the ivory trade and protecting elephant landscapes across Africa.

Products and services

• Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) A joint initiative with Wildlife Conservation Network providing flexible, responsive funding to NGOs across Africa and Asia combatting the ivory trade, promoting human-elephant coexistence, and protecting elephant landscapes. Since 2013, has distributed $37.4 million through 489 grants to 114 partners in 44 countries.
• Human-Elephant Coexistence (HEC) Toolbox An illustrated manual featuring over 80 tried-and-tested techniques for fostering peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants. Each method is assessed based on budget, complexity, and risk. Distributed globally to rural communities and organizations. Over 1,400 manuals distributed worldwide.
• African Elephant Library (AEL) A collaborative reference library between Save the Elephants and IUCN/SSC African Elephant Specialist Group containing over 8,000 academic papers, articles, and theses on African elephants, hosted on the Zotero platform.
• Elephants and Bees Project Initiative testing beehive fences as elephant deterrents, achieving an 80% success rate in deterring crop-raiding elephants. The program has expanded to more than 14,000 beehive fences in 101 locations across 24 countries in Africa and Asia.
• Wildlife Corridor Protection Program Using 30 years of tracking data, Save the Elephants identified 10 key wildlife and livestock corridors in northern Kenya. Seven of these corridors have been demarcated with 164 markers and are patrolled by 16 Mama Tembos (elephant mothers).
• Elephant Scholarships Program Postgraduate scholarships for young scholars in biodiversity, conservation, and environmental sciences to develop knowledge and skills for conservation work.
• STE Wildtracks App Real-time monitoring mobile application enabling Save the Elephants to track elephant movements and respond quickly to elephants in distress. Data compiled is used for critical decisions about elephant corridors and protection responses.
• Save the Elephants Merchandise Shop Online shop selling elephant-themed merchandise to support conservation efforts, operated via savetheelephants.shop and bonfire.com storefronts.

Quantifiable outcome

• No elephants poached in Samburu-Laikipia in 2022 - first time in over 20 years of monitoring
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTE's fiscal sponsor for US donations, enabling 501(c)(3) tax-deductible contributions. Joint initiative with the Elephant Crisis Fund, providing flexible funding to conservation organizations across Africa. 100% of funds raised through WCN reach the field.
• Kenya Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment wildlife agency providing support and permissions for STE's research and conservation work in Kenya. Critical partner for anti-poaching efforts and wildlife management.
• IUCN/SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTE has four members on the AfESG, contributing to the African Elephant Library containing 8,000+ references on elephant biology, ecology and management. Joint project supporting researchers and conservationists.
• University of OxfordcoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch collaboration on elephant behavior, including drone monitoring studies and scientific publications. Oxford researchers work with STE on elephant conservation science.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal conservation organization working on landscape planning and elephant corridor protection. Collaborative efforts to protect critical wildlife habitats.
• Northern Rangelands TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports community conservancies in northern Kenya, working with STE on wildlife corridor protection and community-based conservation initiatives.
• Wildlife Conservation SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal wildlife conservation organization collaborating on elephant protection and conservation efforts across Africa.
• WildAidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnti-wildlife trafficking organization working with STE on reducing demand for ivory and combatting illegal wildlife trade, particularly in China.
• African ParksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization managing national parks across Africa, collaborating on elephant protection and habitat management.
• WWFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal conservation organization working on elephant protection and wildlife trade issues as part of broader biodiversity initiatives.
• Frankfurt Zoological SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman conservation organization collaborating on elephant research and protected area management, including support for the Great Elephant Census.
• International Fund for Animal WelfareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal welfare organization supporting anti-poaching campaigns and demand reduction efforts, particularly in China.
• Born Free FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based wildlife charity working on elephant conservation and opposition to captive elephant use.
• WildlifeDirectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenya-based organization supported by the Elephant Crisis Fund for prosecution support in wildlife crime cases, including the Feisal Ali Mohammed ivory trafficking case.
• Tsavo TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenyan conservation organization working in Tsavo ecosystem, supported by STE through aerial surveillance and ECF funding.
• Mara Elephant ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenyan organization protecting elephants in the Mara ecosystem through rapid response anti-poaching and community engagement.
• Big Life FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based conservation in the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem, supported by ECF for anti-poaching and human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
• Samburu County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government support allowing STE to conduct research in Samburu National Reserve and surrounding areas.
• Sagalla Community (Tsavo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community that donated an acre of land for the Human-Elephant Coexistence Centre, demonstrating support for coexistence research.
• UN Environment ProgrammemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN body collaborating on global environmental policy and wildlife conservation initiatives.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WildAid: WildAid is a direct peer that partners with STE on demand-reduction campaigns for ivory and other wildlife products, particularly in China. Both organizations run global campaigns to reduce ivory demand and combat wildlife trafficking.
• African Parks: African Parks manages national parks across Africa and partners with STE through the Elephant Crisis Fund. Both organizations focus on protected-area management for elephants and other large mammals at landscape scale, with overlapping funders and grantees.
• Big Life Foundation: Big Life Foundation operates community-based anti-poaching and human-wildlife conflict programs across the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem. It is one of STE's ECF grantees and operates in directly overlapping elephant range with very similar coexistence and ranger-based methodologies.
• Mara Elephant Project: Mara Elephant Project protects elephants in the Greater Mara ecosystem through rapid-response anti-poaching teams, community engagement, and GPS tracking — a near-identical operating model to STE's, just focused on a different Kenyan ecosystem.
• WildlifeDirect: WildlifeDirect is a Kenya-based nonprofit supported by STE's Elephant Crisis Fund that focuses on wildlife crime prosecution. It is highly comparable on the policy and enforcement side of elephant conservation, even though its operating scope is narrower.
• Northern Rangelands Trust: Northern Rangelands Trust supports community conservancies across northern Kenya — the same landscapes where STE's Samburu Research Centre and wildlife corridor programs operate. Both organizations work on corridor protection and community coexistence around elephants.
• Tsavo Trust: Tsavo Trust is a Kenya-based conservation organization working in the Tsavo ecosystem, an area where STE also operates the Tsavo Research and Coexistence Centre. They collaborate on aerial surveillance and share many of the same ranger, monitoring, and habitat-protection functions.
• African Wildlife Foundation: African Wildlife Foundation is a direct peer — a nonprofit focused on wildlife conservation across Africa, including landscape-scale protection and community-based conservation programs. Its geographic and mission overlap with Save the Elephants makes it one of the most comparable organizations in the field.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS is one of the largest global wildlife conservation organizations and a partner of Save the Elephants. While WCS operates across many species and geographies beyond elephants, its work on African elephant protection, anti-poaching, and field research overlaps significantly with STE's mission.
• World Wildlife Fund: WWF is a broad incumbent global conservation organization and an STE partner. Both work on elephant protection and wildlife trade policy, but WWF operates a much larger portfolio across species, ecosystems, and geographies beyond Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ste_kenya
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/savetheelephantsinfo
• Facebookfacebook.com/savetheelephants.kenya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/save-the-elephants
• Instagraminstagram.com/savetheelephants

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Save The Elephants