Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Uk

What Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Uk does

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a Kenya-headquartered nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1977, operating an integrated portfolio of wildlife rescue, anti-poaching, veterinary, habitat protection, and community engagement programs across Kenya. Its flagship Orphans' Project has hand-raised and rewilded 327 orphaned elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and other species over nearly five decades, supported by a specialized aerial unit of 8 fixed-wing aircraft and 4 helicopters, 7 mobile veterinary units, 30 anti-poaching teams working jointly with Kenya Wildlife Service, and a Canine Unit of 4 trained tracker dogs. The Trust also operates habitat and water infrastructure including 41 boreholes, 530 km of fencelines employing beehive-based human-wildlife conflict mitigation, 14M+ indigenous trees propagated for reforestation, and 14M mangroves planted along Kenya's northern coast.

The organization's revenue model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack consisting of annual wildlife adoption subscriptions (US$50/year in the US, £35/year in the UK), one-time and recurring donations (with Gift Aid in the UK), online merchandise sales across regional storefronts (US, Global, Europe), legacy/estate giving, in-kind wish-list donations, and Sheldrick Lodges eco-tourism in the Tsavo wilderness. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through a multi-regional website with IP-geotargeted content and currencies, complemented by earned media coverage in the Guardian, BBC, New York Times, National Geographic, and Washington Post. The Trust operates a network of affiliated registered charities — UK (Charity 1103836), USA (501(c)(3) EIN 30-0224549), and Canada (739215754 RR0001) — alongside its primary Kenyan operating entity, with Angela Sheldrick (daughter of founder David Sheldrick) serving as CEO.

The Trust's customer base spans individual conservation supporters globally, corporate CSR partners, rural Kenyan communities bordering national parks (beneficiaries of employment, education, and healthcare programs), and government partners led by Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service. Pricing is intentionally accessible to maximize adoption penetration, and the recurring adoption-plus-monthly-donation structure provides predictable revenue. Notably, the Trust does not publicly disclose audited revenue figures, and no funding rounds, traditional investors, or equity instruments exist given its nonprofit status.

Name

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Uk

Legal name

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Website

https://sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a Kenya-based nonprofit (founded 1977) that rescues and rehabilitates orphaned elephants, rhinos, and other wildlife, and runs integrated anti-poaching, mobile veterinary, aerial surveillance, habitat protection, and community outreach programs funded by global individual donors through adoptions, donations, merchandise, and eco-lodges.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAIAC

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYBPAGAIAB

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYBPAGAIAD

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Orphan elephant rehabilitation
• Anti-poaching operations
• Mobile veterinary services
• Habitat protection programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Adoption Programs: Annual adoption packages for orphaned elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and other wildlife. Adopters receive personalized certificates, monthly updates, and Keeper's Diaries. Multiple adopters per orphan.
2. Donations: One-time and monthly donations processed through the website. Includes Gift Aid option for UK taxpayers. In honor and in memory gift options available.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling SWT merchandise, original watercolors by Angela Sheldrick, and commemorative print editions of Annual Newsletters. Regional shops for US, Global, and Europe.
4. Legacy Giving: Planned giving through estates or trusts providing long-term investment in wildlife conservation with various tax advantage options.
5. Eco Lodges: Sheldrick Lodges offering sustainable safari experiences in Tsavo wilderness that support field conservation initiatives.
6. Wish List/Gift-in-Kind: In-kind donations through wish list program providing essential supplies for wildlife care and community programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates the world's most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in Kenya, providing round-the-clock care, reintegration, and rewilding of orphaned elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and other species. It complements this with integrated anti-poaching teams, mobile veterinary units, aerial surveillance, habitat protection, water provision, and community outreach programs. Public support is delivered through an Orphan Adoption Programme, one-time and recurring donations, merchandise sales, and eco-lodge safari experiences.

Product overview

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates a multi-project wildlife conservation platform centered on its Orphans' Project, the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation programme in the world. Beyond the flagship Orphans' Project, the Trust runs an integrated portfolio of nine core conservation projects: Anti-Poaching Operations, the Canine Unit, Community Outreach, Saving Habitats, Mobile Veterinary Units, Water for Wildlife, Aerial Operations, and Sheldrick Lodges eco-tourism. The Orphans' Project feeds into and is supported by these complementary programmes, which together provide 360-degree protection for Kenya's wildlife. The Trust also offers a donor-facing Orphan Adoption Programme, an Online Shop for merchandise, and an external elephant communication tool called Hello In Elephant. The offering is structured as a platform of interdependent field programmes supported by public engagement mechanisms (adoptions, donations, e-commerce), rather than a single software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Orphans' Project A pioneering rescue, rehabilitation, and rewilding programme for orphaned elephants, rhinos, and other species in Kenya, providing round-the-clock specialist care until animals can be reintegrated into the wild.
• Anti-Poaching Operations A network of boots-on-the-ground anti-poaching teams operating in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), complemented by drone units and a specialist Canine Unit to patrol key habitats and prevent illegal wildlife activities.
• Canine Unit
• Community Outreach Conservation initiatives supporting rural communities bordering Kenya's National Parks, including school field trips, school lunch programs, tree planting, beehive fencelines for human-wildlife conflict mitigation, hospital donations, and student scholarships.
• Sheldrick Lodges (Eco Lodges)
• Saving Habitats
• Mobile Veterinary Units Seven fully equipped mobile veterinary units and a rapid response Sky Vet initiative operated with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) vets to treat sick and injured wildlife across Kenya, responding to snares, spear wounds, gunshot wounds, and other emergencies.
• Water for Wildlife
• Aerial Operations
• Orphan Adoption Programme
• Online Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• 327 orphans successfully raised to adulthood and rewilded
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Save the ElephantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Research partner whose work on elephant aversion to bee sounds informed the beehive fenceline project for human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary operational partner for all anti-poaching operations, veterinary units, and wildlife protection activities. SWT operates in partnership with KWS with joint operations teams, coordinated arrests, and shared law enforcement training at KWS academy in Manyani.
• Kenya Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for habitat conservation and forest protection, particularly for Kibwezi Forest concession and mangrove regeneration projects along Kenya's northern coast.
• Mara Elephant ProjectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner for Mau Forest operations with MEP/SWT Alpha Team jointly protecting elephant populations.
• Mount Kenya TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner for Mount Kenya operations with Mobile Camping Team protecting wildlife in the region.
• Lamu Conservation TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Amu Ranch operations and joint drought mitigation measures including water relief in Lamu Conservation Area.
• Mtito-Andei Sub-County HospitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity healthcare partner receiving medical supplies, equipment, and ongoing water delivery support to enhance healthcare in Tsavo region.

Scale indicators26 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Save the Elephants: Kenya- and Samburu-based elephant conservation NGO and existing SWT research partner (since 2014) that combines field research, anti-poaching, and community programs — directly comparable in mission, geography, and conservation methodology.
• Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Large Kenyan conservancy combining wildlife sanctuary, anti-poaching, and community programs. Operates the only northern white rhino sanctuary in the world — closely parallels SWT's mix of intensive animal care, ranger operations, and community investment.
• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy: Kenya-based conservancy in northern Kenya running anti-poaching, rhino and Grevy's zebra protection, and community programs. Directly comparable as a Kenyan conservation operator with ranger forces, wildlife monitoring, and community engagement.
• Born Free Foundation: UK-registered wildlife charity operating sanctuaries, anti-poaching, and conservation projects across Africa and Asia. Comparable as a UK-based conservation nonprofit with elephant and big-cat sanctuary operations and similar fundraising footprint.
• Mara Elephant Project: Kenya-focused elephant protection NGO that partners with SWT via the MEP/SWT Alpha Team. Highly comparable in anti-poaching ranger operations, aerial surveillance, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation in the Greater Mara ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Large US-headquartered conservation organization operating global field programs across wildlife, forests, and oceans. Overlaps with SWT in wildlife protection, anti-poaching, and veterinary care but operates across many geographies and species.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Largest global wildlife conservation organization with active Kenya programs on elephants and rhinos. Compares on broad mission but differs as WWF is far larger, more diversified, and less focused on direct hands-on orphan rehabilitation.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation NGO with field programs across the continent including Kenya, focused on habitat protection, wildlife conservation, and community partnerships — comparable in mission scope but operates across many countries and species.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Major US-based zoological and conservation organization running wildlife conservation programs globally including Kenya. Compares on veterinary care, species recovery, and conservation fundraising but operates through zoo-based revenue rather than donation-first model.

Emerging players

• Giraffe Conservation Foundation: Specialist NGO focused exclusively on giraffe conservation across Africa. While narrower in species focus than SWT, it overlaps on the Orphans' Project's giraffe adoptions, rewilding methodology, and East African field operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SheldrickTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sheldricktrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/SheldrickWildlifeTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sheldricktrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/sheldrickwildlifetrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Uk