Elephants Alive
Elephants Alive is a South African non-profit conservation NGO founded in 1998 that conducts long-term elephant research — individual identification, satellite tracking, and tree-protection studies — across Southern Africa, serving protected-area managers, rural communities, the scientific community, and conservation donors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersHoedspruit, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Elephants Alive does
Elephants Alive is a South African non-profit conservation NGO founded in 1998 and headquartered in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, that conducts long-term scientific research and community-based coexistence work to protect Southern Africa's elephants and their habitats. The organization builds and operates a portfolio of field-research and applied-mitigation programs: an individual elephant identification database of 2,000+ elephants using its proprietary SEEK (System of Elephant Ear pattern Knowledge) ear-pattern methodology; satellite and GPS collar tracking (200+ collaring operations) documenting transboundary elephant movements of up to ~3,000 km across South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe; vulture nesting-tree monitoring and tree-impact surveys across 3,000+ iconic trees; tree-protection protocols (wire-netting for trunks over 40 cm diameter and beehive-based deterrence reducing tree mortality roughly six-fold); cafeteria-style studies of elephant-unpalatable crops; and replicated community-based Rapid Response Units for crop-raiding incidents.
Its business model is a hybrid non-profit structure funded by individual donations (processed via PayPal internationally and PayFast in South Africa through the official website), research and operational grants from foundations such as OAK, FFS-IGF, HSI, YPO, Peace Parks, Pennies for Eles, and Rettet das Nashorn, and commercial revenue from elephant-friendly honey (>80 litres annually), lip balm, soap, beeswax food wraps, and bee gift packs sold at the Hoedspruit Farmers Market and local lodges. The organization serves four primary constituencies: protected area management authorities (SANParks, ANAC, and APNR reserves), rural communities adjacent to protected areas, the scientific and academic community (13 local and 42 international universities collaborating on 50+ peer-reviewed publications), and conservation supporters/donors engaged via the website, newsletter, social media, fundraiser dinners, and educational workshops. Operational scale is small — a core team of approximately 8 researchers including Dr. Michelle Henley (co-founder and principal researcher) and Marlene McCay (Chairperson), supplemented by interns, volunteers, and university-supervised graduate students.
Elephants Alive firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elephants Alive
- Legal name
- Elephants Alive
- Website
- https://elephantsalive.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Elephants Alive is a South African non-profit conservation NGO founded in 1998 that conducts long-term elephant research — individual identification, satellite tracking, and tree-protection studies — across Southern Africa, serving protected-area managers, rural communities, the scientific community, and conservation donors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elephants Alive industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation Services
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wildlife Surveys & Movement/Connectivity Studies (e.g., Avian/Bat, Telemetry) (EUAHAHAH), Wildlife Proofing & Entry Point Sealing (Exclusion Work) (HSAMAMAL), Insect & Live Feed (Crickets, Mealworms, Feeder Roaches) (AFADAFAM)
Keywords
Where Elephants Alive is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hoedspruit
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Elephants Alive business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual and corporate donations received via the official website through PayPal (international) and PayFast (South Africa), and bank transfer. Recurring monthly donation options are available.
- Elephant-Friendly Honey and Bee Products: Sale of honey harvested from beehives protecting marula trees, lip balm made from beeswax, honey-infused soap, beeswax food wraps, bracelets, and bee gift packs. Products sold at local farmers markets, lodges, and to tourists; over 80 litres of honey harvested annually.
- Scientific Research Grants and Partnerships: Funding from organizations such as FFS-IGF (Foundation François Sommer and International Foundation for Wildlife Management) for collar donations, HSI, YPO, Pennies for Eles, Rettet das Nashorn, OAK Foundation, and the Peace Parks Foundation.
- Educational Workshops and Outreach: Workshops on protecting trees against elephant impact for landowners, reserve wardens, and managers; presentations at industry conferences; educational outreach to schools and communities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Elephants Alive product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Elephants Alive conducts long-term scientific research on Southern Africa's elephants through satellite/GPS collar tracking and an individual elephant identification database (SEEK methodology) cataloguing over 2,000 elephants across four countries. The organization develops and tests community-based coexistence solutions including beehive-based tree protection, wire-netting methods, unpalatable crop propagation, and Rapid Response Units for crop-raiding elephants. It also generates revenue through sale of elephant-friendly honey, lip balm, soap, and beeswax products harvested from conservation beehives.
Product overview
Elephants Alive is a conservation organization operating as a single unified program focused on elephant research and protection rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their core offerings center on long-term elephant monitoring through individual identification databases and satellite/GPS collar tracking across Southern Africa. Key products include beehive-based and wire-netting tree protection methods that mitigate human-elephant conflict while producing elephant-friendly honey and beeswax products. The organization supplements these with education and outreach programs, vulture nesting research, and rapid response units for crop-raiding incidents. Their research products are disseminated through scientific publications and workshops rather than traditional software product channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Elephant-Friendly Honey and Bee Products Raw organic honey harvested from beehives used to protect marula trees from elephants, plus beeswax-derived lip balm, soap, beeswax food wraps, bracelets, and bee gift packs. Sold at local farmers markets, lodges, and to tourists; products sell out at each appearance with waiting lists. Revenue supports conservation initiatives.
- Educational Workshops on Tree Protection and Elephant Coexistence Workshops on 'Protecting Trees against Elephant Impact' delivered to landowners, reserve wardens, and managers at venues such as Thornybush, Tuskers Workshop, and South African Veterinary Association conferences. Includes training on beehive fence construction, wire-netting application, and unpalatable crop cultivation.
- Conservation Research and Elephant Tracking Services Long-term scientific research services provided to protected area management authorities (SANParks, ANAC, APNR reserves) and government agencies. Includes satellite collar tracking, individual elephant identification, transboundary movement research across South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe (covering ~3,000km), and data-driven management recommendations.
- Rapid Response Units (RRU) Community-based response teams that reactively respond to crop-raiding elephants to scare them away before they cause damage, using non-lethal low-disturbance methods. Implemented for rural communities adjacent to protected areas to increase tolerance and reduce crop damage.
Quantifiable outcome
- Beehives decrease tree mortality six-fold versus unprotected control trees; no marula tree with an active beehive has died from elephant impact over 5 years.
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Elephants Alive
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Elephants Alive technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature6 records
Elephants Alive partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Administração Nacional das Áreas de Conservação of Mozambique (ANAC)coreANAC is the Mozambican government authority responsible for conservation areas. They granted Elephants Alive permission to collar elephants and provided Senior Technician Mohamed Harun, who also serves as Professor of Animal Physiology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. ANAC uses Elephants Alive's scientific data to carry out its role sustainably through nature-based solutions.
- Mozambique Wildlife Alliance (MWA)coreImplemented the first Rapid Response Unit (RRU) to respond non-lethally to crop-raiding elephants in Mozambique. The RRU uses low-disturbance methods and basic elephant behavior understanding. This community-based response model can be replicated in many places, increasing tolerance and reducing crop damage. Led by Dr. Carlos Lopes Pereira, Strategic Director.
- Save the Elephants (STE)coreLong-standing collaboration on elephant tracking and individual identification. Elephants Alive uses STE's Google tracking link for satellite collar monitoring. Ronny Makakule was awarded a trip to Kenya by STE to meet David Daballen (elephant ID expert). STE staff (Benson team – Benjamin Loloju, Nelson Mwangi) shared advanced coding skills with Elephants Alive's tracking team.
- Peace Parks FoundationcoreCollaborative partner in the Maputo Special Reserve collaring operation. Brian Neubert represented Peace Parks Foundation in the joint effort to collar elephants and understand movements across the Usuthu-Tembe-Futi Transfrontier Conservation Area.
- Jejane Private Nature ReservecoreStrong supporter of Elephants Alive research activities since 2015. Hosted the ambitious beehive tree protection project, hosting 50 active beehives in 50 marula trees. Also hosts wire-netting and control tree comparison studies. Additional nine wild bee swarms reoccupied cleaned hives at the site.
- Kruger2Canyon BiospherecoreElephants Alive identified as a key partner in community development programs. Four key local communities have been identified in consultation with Kruger2Canyon Biosphere for bee garden and beekeeping programs to provide alternative livelihoods, increase food security, and develop economic improvement for impoverished rural communities near Protected Areas.
- Dr. Lucy King / Elephants and Bees ProjectcoreDr. Lucy King established the value of using beehive fences to protect crops in multiple countries. Elephants Alive collaborated with her by combining beehives and elephant-unpalatable high-market-value crops, implementing two soft barriers that generate income while protecting crops through pollination services.
- Saving the SurvivorscoreDr. Johan Marais and Dr. Joao Almeida from Saving the Survivors participated in Gilé National Reserve collaring operations and Maputo Special Reserve operations, providing wildlife veterinary expertise.
- Wildlifevets SAcoreDr. Ben Muller and team from Wildlifevets SA provided wildlife veterinary support for elephant darting and collaring operations across Mozambique (Gilé, Maputo Special Reserve, Balule) and South Africa (treatment of injured elephants like Matambu, rescue operations).
- Wits University (University of the Witwatersrand)coreRobin Cook, Elephants Alive researcher, conducted his Master's degree at Wits University under supervision of Dr. Michelle Henley. The beehive tree protection project was driven as Robin Cook's thesis. Wits represents one of 13 local universities collaborating with Elephants Alive.
- Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC)coreEmergency care facility for orphaned and injured elephants (e.g., Timisa the calf). Adine Roode, manager of Camp Jabulani at HESC, introduced rescued calves to the semi-domesticated elephant herd. HESC supported elephant orphan formula development funded by OAK Foundation.
- University Collaborations (13 Local and 42 International)coreElephants Alive has supervised 10 PhD, 15 MSc, 8 BSc, and 13 undergraduate fieldwork studies. Collaborating universities include Cambridge University (Dr. Hannah Mumby – dung analysis for genetics and stress hormones), Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (Dr. Kari Morfeld – stress hormones), and 42 international universities producing 50+ peer-reviewed publications.
- Transfrontier AfricacoreCollaborative partner in elephant conservation across transfrontier areas. Shared fundraising efforts for elephant rescue missions. Partnered on honeybee alarm pheromone research (SPLAT) in Balule Private Nature Reserve.
- Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR)coreA collective of private nature reserves (Klaserie, Thornybush, Umbabat, Timbavati, Jejane, etc.) sharing an unfenced boundary with the Kruger National Park. Elephants Alive has been officially registered with APNR since 2003, conducting long-term elephant identification, collaring, and tree monitoring across the reserves.
- Mara Elephant Project (MEP)coreElephants Alive leadership (Marlene McCay and Dr. Michelle Henley) attended STE strategic meeting where MEP CEO Marc Goss and Dr. Jake Wall shared insights on elephant conservation, tracking, and individual identification relevant to MEP's work in Kenya's Mara.
- Black Mamba Anti-Poaching UnitcoreEleven women from Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit up-skilled by Elephants Alive in beekeeping and permaculture, creating alternative livelihoods and fostering positive relationships with communities near Protected Areas.
- Human-Wildlife SolutionscoreCollaborating with Elephants Alive on semi-captive elephant trials at Camp Jabulani (Kapama Private Game Reserve) investigating elephant behavioral responses to honeybee pheromone, sounds, smells, and presence.
- SANParks (South African National Parks)coreElephants Alive officially registered with SANParks in 2003. Research informing management of the Kruger National Park and surrounding areas on seasonal movements, sustainability of trophy hunting, impact on vegetation, and identification of poaching hotspots.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Elephants Alive competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Save the Elephants: Save the Elephants is the closest peer to Elephants Alive - both run long-term individual elephant identification, satellite tracking programs across Africa, and collaborate operationally (Elephants Alive uses STE's Google tracking link and receives coding support from STE staff). They compete for similar scientific, grant, and donor mindshare.
- Amboseli Elephant Project: Run through the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, this long-running project is a methodological ancestor to Elephants Alive's SEEK approach, providing foundational individual identification and longitudinal behavior research on African elephants since the 1970s.
- Elephants Without Borders: Elephants Without Borders conducts transboundary elephant surveys and population studies across southern Africa, including the Kavango-Zambezi TFCA. Highly comparable in research mission, geographic corridor focus, and use of individual identification and satellite tracking.
- Tsavo Trust: Tsavo Trust runs a science-based large-elephant monitoring and anti-poaching program in Kenya's Tsavo landscape, including individual identification and ecosystem research. Operates as a regional counterpart applying similar methodologies to a different African ecosystem.
- Peace Parks Foundation: Peace Parks Foundation is a core operational partner (jointly collared elephants in Maputo Special Reserve) and operates at landscape scale across multiple TFCAs. Strongly comparable through its transfrontier conservation mandate and its role in funding/protecting elephant corridors in Southern Africa.
- Mara Elephant Project: MEP runs a comparable science-driven elephant monitoring and anti-poaching program in Kenya's Maasai Mara, including individual identification and beehive-fence conflict mitigation. Elephants Alive leadership has met directly with MEP at STE strategic meetings, and the two share approaches and methodologies.
Broad incumbents
- International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): IFAW is a larger global animal welfare and conservation NGO with elephant protection programs. Comparable through its wildlife conservation funding footprint and advocacy, though much broader in mission and species focus than Elephants Alive.
- Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS is a major global conservation NGO with significant elephant programs across Africa, including transboundary work. Comparable through its elephant monitoring and protected-area management work, but with much broader species and geography scope.
- African Wildlife Foundation: AWF is a larger, more broadly scoped African conservation NGO working on elephants among many species. Comparable in the human-wildlife coexistence and habitat corridor mission, but with significantly greater funding scale and geographic breadth.
Emerging players
- Wildlands Conservation Trust: Wildlands operates community-based conservation and beehive fence programs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, overlapping with Elephants Alive's human-elephant conflict mitigation approach and community livelihood focus through beekeeping and tree planting.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Elephants Alive social profiles
Digital presenceElephants Alive financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elephants Alive leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Elephants Alive funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elephants Alive M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Elephants Alive
What does Elephants Alive do?
Elephants Alive conducts long-term scientific research on Southern Africa's elephants through satellite/GPS collar tracking and an individual elephant identification database (SEEK methodology) cataloguing over 2,000 elephants across four countries. The organization develops and tests community-based coexistence solutions including beehive-based tree protection, wire-netting methods, unpalatable crop propagation, and Rapid Response Units for crop-raiding elephants. It also generates revenue through sale of elephant-friendly honey, lip balm, soap, and beeswax products harvested from conservation beehives.
Is Elephants Alive a public or private company?
Elephants Alive is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Elephants Alive founded?
Elephants Alive was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Elephants Alive based?
Elephants Alive is headquartered in Hoedspruit, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Elephants Alive make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are elephant-Friendly Honey and Bee Products, scientific Research Grants and Partnerships and educational Workshops and Outreach.
Who are Elephants Alive's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Save the Elephants, Amboseli Elephant Project, Elephants Without Borders, Tsavo Trust, Peace Parks Foundation and Mara Elephant Project. Broad incumbents are International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Wildlife Conservation Society and African Wildlife Foundation. Wildlands Conservation Trust is listed as an emerging player.
Does Elephants Alive have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elephants Alive.
What industry is Elephants Alive in?
Elephants Alive's product category is Wildlife Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAI, Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation, with a secondary code of EUAHAHAH, Wildlife Surveys & Movement/Connectivity Studies (e.g., Avian/Bat, Telemetry). Its SIC code is 8731.