Elephants Without Borders
Elephants Without Borders is a Botswana-based nonprofit that conducts aerial surveys, satellite telemetry tracking, and human-elephant conflict mitigation (EleSenses toolkit) across southern Africa, serving rural farmers, communities, and schools while publishing elephant conservation research.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersKasane, Botswana
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Elephants Without Borders does
Elephants Without Borders (EWB) is a Botswana-headquartered non-profit conservation organization operating as Somarela Trust, with a USA affiliate (EWB, Inc.) incorporated in New York. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Mike Chase, a Motswana elephant biologist with 20+ years of field experience, EWB conducts scientific research, aerial population surveys, and satellite telemetry-based elephant tracking across the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) spanning Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique. Its core programmatic outputs include the Great Elephant Census (a continental-scale aerial population survey), decadal aerial trend surveys of Botswana and KAZA, and the largest open dataset of elephant movements in the region (1.2 million telemetry points across 261 elephants). The organization publishes peer-reviewed research in journals including PLoS ONE and Oryx, in collaboration with the Universities of Pretoria, Duke, UNSW, Witwatersrand, and UCLA.
EWB's technical portfolio spans four buckets: (1) aerial survey and GPS/satellite telemetry infrastructure for population and movement monitoring; (2) the EleSenses Toolkit, a low-cost, solar-powered, mobile sensor-based deterrent system targeting elephants' five senses and demonstrating a 100% reported success rate when correctly deployed; (3) motion-detected camera traps deployed in six wildlife corridors; and (4) activity data loggers ('scientific Fitbits') implanted in elephants for sleep and behavior studies. Complementary programs include wildlife rescue and the Botswana Elephant Sanctuary orphanage (caring for rescued calves such as Moleo, Tuli, Panda, and Boipuso), the Side by Side Initiative for community coexistence, school-based environmental education across 14 schools in Chobe District, professional safari guide training, the Boots on the Ground podcast, and the planned International Elephant Institute (IEI) under partnership with the Botswana Government.
EWB generates no commercial revenue. Funding flows through donations, foundation grants (most prominently the Disney Conservation Fund for the EleSenses program), and trust-based support from partners including the Omogolo Wildlife Trust and the Tlhokomela Trust, with the Side by Side Initiative representing a $150,000 targeted community fundraising campaign. Government partnerships (notably Botswana's Department of Wildlife & National Parks), academic alliances (Plus Alliance: UNSW, King's College London, Arizona State University), and earned media exposure via the Netflix documentary 'Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale' (Vulcan Productions) underpin both operational capability and donor cultivation.
Elephants Without Borders firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elephants Without Borders
- Legal name
- Somarela Trust
- Website
- https://elephantswithoutborders.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Elephants Without Borders is a Botswana-based nonprofit that conducts aerial surveys, satellite telemetry tracking, and human-elephant conflict mitigation (EleSenses toolkit) across southern Africa, serving rural farmers, communities, and schools while publishing elephant conservation research.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elephants Without Borders industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)
Keywords
Where Elephants Without Borders is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kasane
- HQ country
- Botswana
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
Elephants Without Borders business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Elephants Without Borders product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Elephants Without Borders is a charitable conservation organization dedicated to conserving African elephants and other wildlife through scientific research, environmental education, and community-based coexistence programs. The organization conducts aerial surveys, satellite telemetry tracking, and ecological research across southern Africa, while deploying the proprietary EleSenses deterrent toolkit to reduce human-elephant conflict and operating wildlife rescue and orphaned elephant care programs. Its offerings serve rural farming communities, schools, safari tourism professionals, and conservation policymakers in Botswana and the broader KAZA region.
Product overview
Elephants Without Borders operates as a conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected research, mitigation, and community programs centered on African elephant conservation. The core offerings include aerial and satellite monitoring for population tracking, the EleSenses Toolkit for human-elephant conflict mitigation, the Side by Side Initiative for community coexistence, and wildlife rescue operations including the Botswana Elephant Sanctuary for orphaned calves. Supporting programs include education and outreach, the Conservation Ecology Research Station for academic collaborations, the Boots on the Ground podcast for awareness, and the Great Elephant Census for continental data collection. These programs work together to achieve the organization's mission of conserving Africa's wildlife through research, education, and community empowerment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Side by Side Initiative: Community coexistence project initiative aimed at alleviating human-elephant conflict through education, awareness, safety and mitigation techniques.
- EleSenses Toolkit
- International Elephant Institute (IEI)
Products and services
- Aerial Surveys
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% success rate in elephant crop raiding prevention when EleSenses mitigations used correctly
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Elephants Without Borders
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Elephants Without Borders technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Elephants Without Borders partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA)coreKAZA is the transfrontier conservation area spanning Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe that holds 228,000 elephants. EWB conducts aerial surveys across KAZA to monitor elephant population trends.
- University of PretoriacoreAcademic partner in study published in PLoS ONE on reconnecting elephant populations in southern Africa. EWB contributed satellite telemetry data from 261 elephants tracked across the region.
- Duke UniversitycoreResearch partner in study examining satellite telemetry data for 261 elephants across southern Africa to identify natural and human factors affecting elephant movement and habitat connectivity.
- University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)coreEWB hosts collaborative field ecology courses with UNSW at the Conservation Ecology Research Station in Okavango Delta. Professors and students participate in 10-day intensive field courses on river basin ecosystem management, with EWB providing research station facilities and field expertise.
- Kings College LondoncoreCollaborative partner in the Plus Alliance field ecology course hosted by EWB at the Okavango Delta research station, contributing academic lectures and student participation to the River Basin Ecosystem Management course.
- Arizona State UniversitycorePartner in the Plus Alliance field ecology course, contributing professors and students to the River Basin Ecosystem Management course at EWB's Okavango research station.
- Plus AlliancecoreMulti-institutional academic alliance including UNSW, Kings College London, and Arizona State University that co-hosts field ecology courses with EWB at the Okavango Delta research station.
- Department of Wildlife & National Parks (Botswana)coreGovernment partner providing support and guidance on EWB projects, including elephant collaring operations, orphan elephant care, and problem animal control. EWB works in partnership with DWNP for wildlife rescue operations.
- Ducere FoundationminorOrganized the Walk for Eco-Literacy environmental campaign with EWB, a 240km trek across Chobe District to promote environmental practices. Ducere Foundation led the expedition and provided fundraising support.
- Dr. Larry Patterson (Wildlife Veterinarian)minorWildlife veterinarian who provides veterinary care for EWB's elephant operations, including collaring procedures and health assessments of elephants in the field.
- Vulcan ProductionsmajorProduced the Netflix documentary 'Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale' featuring EWB founder Mike Chase and the Great Elephant Census. Film directed by Ben Bowie and Geoff Luck with music by Dave Matthews.
- Off the Fence FilmsminorCo-producer of 'Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale' documentary that features EWB's conservation work and Great Elephant Census.
- University of WitwatersrandcoreAcademic research partner that collaborated with EWB on elephant sleep studies using activity data loggers. Professor Paul Manger led the study published in PLOS ONE on wild elephant sleep patterns in Chobe National Park.
- University of California, Los AngelesminorCollaborated with EWB and University of Witwatersrand researchers on elephant sleep pattern study, contributing expertise to the research published in PLOS ONE.
- Green Kids ClubminorEWB partners with Green Kids Club initiative founded by Sylvia Medina to present children's books addressing bush fires and poaching to Botswana schools. Green Kids Club teaches environmental stewardship through picture books.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Elephants Without Borders competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Wilderness Safaris: Southern Africa safari and conservation company with significant Botswana operations overlapping EWB's Chobe working area. Comparable regional conservation footprint, but operates a commercial ecotourism model versus EWB's grant-funded research.
- Great Plains Conservation: Botswana/Kenya-based conservation tourism and reserve operator with strong overlap to EWB's Chobe geography. Comparable in regional conservation footprint and brand, but commercially driven (high-end tourism) versus EWB's nonprofit research model.
Direct peers
- African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation nonprofit operating across multiple countries including Botswana and the KAZA region. Comparable in mission (African wildlife conservation), community-based programs, and policy advocacy, though it operates at significantly larger scale.
- Save the Elephants: Kenya-based nonprofit focused on elephant research, satellite tracking, and anti-poaching work. Highly comparable to EWB in mission (elephant conservation), methodology (satellite telemetry, field research), and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
- Peace Parks Foundation: Transfrontier conservation nonprofit co-developer of the KAZA TFCA alongside EWB's survey partner. Direct overlap on KAZA landscape management, transboundary policy, and southern Africa ecosystem stewardship.
- ElephantVoices: Research-driven nonprofit studying elephant communication, social behavior, and conservation. Direct methodological overlap with EWB on elephant behavior research, though it focuses more on cognition/communication than landscape-level population monitoring.
- Panthera: Wild cat-focused conservation nonprofit, but it shares EWB's model of rigorous field science, telemetry-based population monitoring, and partnership with national wildlife authorities across Africa.
Broad incumbents
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation giant active in KAZA and across elephant range states. Comparable on policy advocacy, anti-poaching, and habitat connectivity work, but at vastly greater scale and brand recognition than EWB.
- International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global animal welfare and wildlife conservation organization with elephant programs in Africa. Comparable in donor-funded conservation and policy advocacy, with broader species and geographic mandate.
- Wildlife Conservation Society: Large global conservation NGO operating across Africa, including Botswana. Comparable in wildlife research and protected area management, with much broader scope (multiple species, multiple regions) and resources than EWB.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Elephants Without Borders social profiles
Digital presenceElephants Without Borders financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elephants Without Borders leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Elephants Without Borders funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elephants Without Borders 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 Without Borders
What does Elephants Without Borders do?
Elephants Without Borders is a charitable conservation organization dedicated to conserving African elephants and other wildlife through scientific research, environmental education, and community-based coexistence programs. The organization conducts aerial surveys, satellite telemetry tracking, and ecological research across southern Africa, while deploying the proprietary EleSenses deterrent toolkit to reduce human-elephant conflict and operating wildlife rescue and orphaned elephant care programs. Its offerings serve rural farming communities, schools, safari tourism professionals, and conservation policymakers in Botswana and the broader KAZA region.
Is Elephants Without Borders a public or private company?
Elephants Without Borders is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Elephants Without Borders founded?
Elephants Without Borders was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Elephants Without Borders based?
Elephants Without Borders is headquartered in Kasane, Botswana, in the Africa region.
Who are Elephants Without Borders's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Wilderness Safaris and Great Plains Conservation. Direct peers are African Wildlife Foundation, Save the Elephants, Peace Parks Foundation, ElephantVoices and Panthera. Broad incumbents are World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Wildlife Conservation Society.
Does Elephants Without Borders have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elephants Without Borders.
What industry is Elephants Without Borders in?
Elephants Without Borders's product category is Wildlife Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGAIAI, Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation. Its NAICS code is 813312.