Amboseli Trust for Elephants

What Amboseli Trust for Elephants does

Amboseli Trust for Elephants (ATE) is a Kenya-registered not-for-profit trust and US-registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization that operates the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP), the world's longest continuously running study of wild elephants, in operation since 1972 in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. The organization's core asset is a 50+ year longitudinal dataset covering more than 3,500 individually identified elephants across 68 named families, tracking births, deaths, social relationships, ranging patterns, and ecological interactions across an 8,000 km2 ecosystem spanning Kenya and Tanzania. Research outputs include 149+ peer-reviewed publications, an open CSV data repository with R analysis code, a D3.js interactive visualization tool, family-history documents, books, and BBC documentary films.

ATE serves four primary constituencies: individual conservation donors engaged through the Elatia Project membership program ($30 per year per elephant family, with quarterly updates, family trees, and films) and the Elephant Naming Program ($2,500 one-time donation per calf); academic researchers and conservation scientists who collaborate using the longitudinal dataset; Maasai communities in the Amboseli ecosystem through a livestock consolation scheme (operational since 1997), 60+ scholarships, and 17 community scouts; and government wildlife agencies such as Kenya Wildlife Service, for which ATE serves as technical advisor. Revenue is generated through donations and contributions, recurring Elatia memberships, naming rights, merchandise (Zazzle store and wildlife art prints), planned giving, and bequests, with donations administered under US 501(c)(3) tax-deductible status and Kenya trust status.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led: outreach is driven by direct supporter engagement, organic content (books, films, newsletters), and a small set of partnerships (Kenya Wildlife Service, Amboseli Ecosystem Trust, Big Life Foundation, ATGSA, ElephantVoices, Save the Elephants, University of Stirling, Duke University). Payment channels include the elephanttrust.org website, Zazzle, M-Pesa for Kenyan donors, and direct mail/wire transfer for major gifts. The organization is governed by trustees including founder Dr. Cynthia Moss, with operations led by Director of Science Prof. Phyllis Lee, Operations Director Sylvi Nyambura, and US Executive Director Dr. Betsy Swart.

Name

Amboseli Trust for Elephants

Legal name

Amboseli Trust for Elephants

Website

https://elephanttrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Amboseli Trust for Elephants operates the world's longest-running wild elephant research program (since 1972) in Kenya's Amboseli ecosystem, maintaining a 50+ year dataset on 3,500+ individual elephants across 68 families and serving individual donors, researchers, Maasai communities, and Kenya Wildlife Service through memberships, naming programs, scholarships, and coexistence initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Research

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation research
• Elephant population monitoring
• Nonprofit conservation organization
• Human-wildlife coexistence
• Donor membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

NEWBURY, Massachusetts

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and contributions: Primary revenue stream from individual donors, grant-making organizations, and supporters. Includes one-time donations, recurring contributions, and honor donations. All donations administered under 501c(3) status in the USA and are tax-deductible.
2. Elatia membership program: Annual subscription membership starting at $30 per year per elephant family followed. Members receive quarterly updates, family trees, photographs, and short films about their adopted family.
3. Elephant naming program: Unique donor package allowing supporters to name elephant calves for a $2,500 donation. Name is attached to the elephant for its lifetime, creating a lifelong connection and funding opportunity.
4. Merchandise and art sales: 100% of proceeds from Zazzle store and wildlife art prints support operational costs. Includes Karen Laurence-Rowe elephant sketches and other donated artwork.
5. Bequests and planned giving: Complex donation arrangements including stocks, shares, in-kind support, and legacy bequests managed through the US Executive Director.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Amboseli Trust for Elephants operates the world's longest continuously running elephant research program (since 1972), documenting 3,500+ individual elephants across 68 families in the Amboseli ecosystem. The organization funds its research through donor programs including the Elatia Project annual membership (USD 30 per elephant family followed), the Elephant Naming Program (USD 2,500 donation), published books and documentary films, merchandise sales, and grants. It also implements community-based conservation with Maasai communities through scout employment, scholarships, and a livestock consolation scheme.

Product overview

Amboseli Trust for Elephants operates as a conservation research organization offering the Elatia Project as its primary donor engagement product—a membership program where sponsors follow specific elephant families with exclusive quarterly updates. The organization also offers an Elephant Naming Program ($2,500 per name), merchandise through Zazzle and wildlife art prints, published books and documentary films, family history documents, research publications, a public data repository with downloadable datasets, an interactive data visualization tool, quarterly newsletters, annual reports, and educational programs including scholarships and conservation career workshops. The research arm (AERP) has monitored the Amboseli elephant population since 1972, with ATE established in 2000 as the legal entity supporting this work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elatia: A membership project that allows supporters to follow specific elephant families for a year, receiving exclusive updates, photographs, and quarterly news about their adopted family.

Products and services

• Elatia Project (Membership Program)
• Elephant Naming Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Livestock spearing reduced by more than half after initiation of consolation scheme
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Kenya Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATE serves as technical advisor to Kenya Wildlife Service on elephant conservation and management. Provides expertise on elephant welfare cases, responds to requests for expert statements on captive elephants, and contributes to national elephant management policy. The Kenya Wildlife Service assesses and approves research proposals involving interventions such as collaring.
• Amboseli Ecosystem TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATE serves on the executive council, board, and technical committees of the Amboseli Ecosystem Trust. Was integral to developing the first Amboseli Ecosystem Management Plan and continues involvement in planning for the ecosystem's future.
• Big Life FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for scout coordination and wildlife security. ATE scouts' work is coordinated with Big Life Foundation and the Amboseli-Tsavo GameScouts Association (ATGSA).
• Amboseli-Tsavo GameScouts Association (ATGSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATE scout operations coordinated with ATGSA and member organizations. ATE adapts its training courses periodically to train ATGSA members. ATE researchers assist in verification of livestock consolation claims.
• Save the ElephantssupportingTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on elephant collaring studies. Save the Elephants provides experienced collar fitting support as part of the immobilization team for GPS/GMS-satellite collar deployment.
• Savannah TrackingsupportingTechnology or IntegrationCollar technology partner for GPS/radio tracking equipment. New generation collars designed with reasonable fit and minimal weight relative to body size, with 5-year lifespan.
• ElephantVoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Joyce Poole and Petter Granli's NGO on elephant vocalization recording and analysis. Builds scientific understanding of elephant intelligence and social complexity, and enhances conservation and management toolbox.
• University of StirlingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf Phyllis Lee holds a chair in psychology at University of Stirling. Research ethics reviewed by University of Stirling Animal Welfare and Ethics Review Board. Long-standing collaboration since 1982.
• University of CambridgesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple PhD researchers have completed degrees at Cambridge including Joyce Poole's PhD thesis on musth in African elephants (1982). Phyllis Lee was previously Reader at Cambridge.
• Duke UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientists from Duke University mapped DNA profiles to define family relationships and origins of the Amboseli population. Cross-referenced with behavioral observations for genetic relatedness studies.
• Born Free FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerATE maintains dialogue with Born Free Foundation (UK) on elephant welfare issues in captivity. Phyllis Lee is member of House of Lords/DEFRA UK Zoo Elephant Welfare Group investigating sustainability and welfare standards of captive elephants in the UK.
• PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaintains dialogue with PAWS (US) on elephant welfare issues. ATE provides consultancy and expert opinions on individual welfare cases and responds to requests for statements on specific captive elephants.
• In Defense of Animals (IDA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaintains dialogue with IDA on elephant welfare advocacy. ATE contributes expert perspective on captive elephant welfare through ongoing communications.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation organization with a much broader species and geographic remit than ATE, but comparable in operating in elephant range states and engaging individual donors.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Large international NGO running field conservation programs globally, including elephant range sites in Africa; comparable in scientific research output and donor-funded nonprofit structure.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation organization with major elephant conservation initiatives in Africa; comparable as a donor-driven nonprofit operating in the same conservation funding landscape.

Direct peers

• Amboseli Ecosystem Trust: Multi-stakeholder body overseeing the broader Amboseli landscape on whose executive council and technical committees ATE serves; overlaps directly with ATE on land-use planning and conservation strategy.
• Big Life Foundation: Coordinated partner that runs community scout operations across the Amboseli ecosystem alongside ATE; comparable in geographic focus, community-based conservation approach and reliance on donor funding.
• Save the Elephants: Kenya-based elephant research and conservation NGO that collaborates with ATE on GPS collar deployment; operates a comparable long-term elephant monitoring program with a similar scientific and donor-engagement model.
• Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Kenya-based elephant conservation organization running anti-poaching, orphan rehabilitation and community programs; shares ATE's Amboseli-adjacent operating geography and donor base, and was a former employer of an ATE outreach consultant.
• ElephantVoices: Founded by ATE collaborators Joyce Poole and Petter Granli, ElephantVoices is a direct elephant-conservation peer focused on elephant communication, cognition and social behavior — the same scientific niche ATE occupies.

Regional players

• Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust: Community-led conservation trust operating in the wider Amboseli/Tsavo region, sharing ATE's Maasai-community engagement model and employing former ATE project staff.

Others

• The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee: US-based captive elephant welfare and education facility; comparable as a US-headquartered elephant nonprofit engaging individual donors, though focused on captive rather than wild elephants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCShGeLAm0oi_ongeNAsGsRA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amboseli-trust-for-elephants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Amboseli Trust for Elephants