elephant family

What elephant family does

Elephant Family is a UK-registered conservation charity (number 1127366) founded in 2002 by Mark Shand and operated as part of the British Asian Trust, with a 501(c)(3) US entity headquartered in London. The organisation protects endangered Asian wildlife — primarily elephants, but also tigers, snow leopards, and golden langurs — by funding habitat restoration, wildlife corridor preservation, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation projects implemented through a network of Indian NGO and government partners (Aaranyak, the Holematthi Nature Foundation, the Nature Conservation Foundation, Conservation Himalayas, the Karnataka Forest Department, and the Coexistence Collective of ~200 indigenous artisans in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve). Its technology footprint is deliberately low-tech and community-operated: single-strand solar fencing, red LED alert lights, WhatsApp-coordinated Rapid Response Units, solar streetlights, and loudspeaker early-warning systems deployed in forest-fringe villages in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Sundarbans. The organisation also operates the Nature Information Centre in Karnataka (14,000+ visitors since 2018) and an Elephant Friendly Tea certification programme.

The business model is donation- and event-driven rather than commercial. Elephant Family generates the bulk of its funds through a recurring cycle of high-profile UK-based art campaigns — the CoExistence exhibition of life-sized Lantana camara elephant sculptures, the Big Egg Hunt and Little Egg Hunt of artist-designed egg installations, the Animal Ball gala, and Wonders of the Wild — together with corporate partnerships (Chopard, Xerjoff, Clarence Court, Emporio Sirenuse, Globe-Trotter, HOUSE of WARIS Botanicals, TinTra Foundation) in which a percentage of product or event proceeds flow to the charity. Since 2014, Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla have served as Joint Royal Presidents, providing the brand and access that anchor the event-driven fundraising model.

Cumulatively, the charity has raised over £20 million since 2003, supported 150+ conservation projects across Asia, claims measurable impact for 20,000 elephants and 3.5 million acres of habitat across 45 species, and is currently expanding geographically (US tour via The Great Elephant Migration, 2024-2025), programmatically (Sundarbans via Living Carbon International, golden langur canopy bridges via Conservation Himalayas), and commercially (Elephant Friendly Tea certification, Lantana-to-biochar livelihood initiative targeting 500+ jobs by end-2025).

Name

elephant family

Legal name

Elephant Family

Website

https://elephant-family.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elephant Family is a UK conservation charity, founded in 2002 and part of the British Asian Trust, that protects endangered Asian wildlife through habitat restoration, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and partner-led projects in India, funded primarily via public art campaigns, gala events, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation charity
• Habitat preservation programs
• Human-wildlife coexistence
• Art fundraising campaigns
• Conservation nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Elephant Family generates revenue primarily through donations from supporters, including regular giving programmes, one-time gifts, legacy bequests, and corporate partnerships. Donors can contribute through the Enthuse donation platform referenced on the website.
2. Art Auction Proceeds: Public art exhibitions featuring elephant sculptures and egg installations are auctioned to raise funds for conservation projects. Proceeds from auctions of sculptures (e.g., Lantana elephants, egg sculptures) support the CoExistence Fund and direct conservation work.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Collaborations: Branded collaborations with companies such as Clarence Court, Chopard, Emporio Sirenuse, Globe-Trotter, HOUSE of WARIS Botanicals, and others generate revenue through product sales, with a percentage of profits donated to Elephant Family's conservation work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Elephant Family protects endangered Asian wildlife — primarily elephants, tigers, snow leopards and the golden langur — through on-the-ground conservation programmes in India covering habitat restoration, wildlife corridor preservation, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation using community-managed solar fencing, early warning alert lights, WhatsApp-powered Rapid Response Units, and solar streetlights. The charity funds this work through donations, corporate partnerships, art auctions, and large-scale public art campaigns such as CoExistence, the Big Egg Hunt, Little Egg Hunt, The Great Elephant Migration, the Animal Ball, and Wonders of the Wild, which combine fundraising with mass public awareness.

Product overview

Elephant Family is a UK-based conservation charity (part of the British Asian Trust) focused on protecting Asian wildlife, particularly elephants and tigers. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs centered around conservation initiatives and public art campaigns. Their core conservation work includes on-the-ground projects in India and South Asia addressing habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict through community engagement, technological solutions, and biodiversity protection. Complementing this is a signature public art program featuring large-scale exhibitions including the CoExistence Campaign (life-size lantana elephant sculptures), the Big Egg Hunt (giant art eggs), and The Great Elephant Migration (touring elephant sculptures). These art campaigns serve dual purposes: raising public awareness about wildlife conservation and generating significant funds for on-the-ground conservation projects. The organization also operates supplementary programs including the Nature Information Centre (educational facility), human-elephant coexistence technology solutions (solar fencing, alert systems), and the CoExistence Fund (grant-making for partner organizations). Corporate partnerships and luxury brand collaborations further extend their reach and fundraising capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Programs On-the-ground conservation initiatives in India and South Asia focused on protecting Asian elephants, tigers, snow leopards, golden langurs and other endangered species through habitat preservation, wildlife corridor restoration, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Targeted at endangered species and forest-fringe communities in Asia.
• CoExistence Public Art Campaign Large-scale public art campaign featuring life-size elephant sculptures made from invasive Lantana camara weed, displayed in London's Royal Parks and internationally. Sculptures are auctioned to raise funds for the CoExistence Fund supporting human-wildlife coexistence projects. Targeted at the general public, donors, and corporate partners.
• Little Egg Hunt Free public art exhibition featuring large-scale egg-shaped sculptures designed by world-renowned artists and designers, displayed in Chelsea, London. The 2024 edition featured 12 installations as a prelude to the Big Egg Hunt 2025. Targeted at London visitors and supporters.
• Big Egg Hunt World's largest interactive egg hunt featuring approximately 200 giant egg sculptures created by top artists, designers and celebrities, displayed across London's iconic landmarks and auctioned to raise millions for conservation. Targeted at the general public, tourists, donors and collectors.
• The Great Elephant Migration International public art campaign presenting 100 life-sized Indian elephant sculptures made from Lantana camara, touring the United States starting July 2024 through Newport, New York City, Miami, Blackfeet Nation (Montana), and Los Angeles to raise funds for coexistence initiatives. Targeted at US audiences, donors and cultural institutions.
• Wonders of the Wild Grand finale event of the Big Egg Hunt, featuring over 120 giant egg sculptures displayed at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, with special recognition awards presented by The King and Queen to conservation partners and artists. Targeted at donors, royalty, celebrities and conservation leaders.
• The Animal Ball Annual high-profile charity fundraising gala held at Lancaster House, featuring guests in sustainable animal masks created by leading fashion houses, celebrating Elephant Family's conservation work and raising over £1 million per event. Targeted at high-net-worth donors, corporate partners, royalty and celebrities.
• Human-Elephant Coexistence Technology Solutions Affordable, community-managed technological tools deployed to mitigate human-elephant conflict, including seasonal solar-powered electric fencing on bamboo posts, red early warning alert lights, WhatsApp-coordinated Rapid Response Units, solar-powered streetlights, and loudspeaker-based public service announcement systems. Targeted at forest-fringe communities in India living alongside elephants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000 elephants supported since 2002
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Living Carbon InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2024Elephant Family partnered with Living Carbon International to conserve the richly diverse landscape of the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. Together they work on regenerative agriculture, woodland conservation, and clean energy initiatives to protect endangered species, support local communities, and contribute to global climate action through carbon sequestration.
• British Asian TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElephant Family is part of the British Asian Trust, a UK registered charity (1127366). The British Asian Trust provides organisational infrastructure, data protection standards, fundraising frameworks, and acts as the parent charity. Elephant Family's work is aligned with the British Asian Trust's conservation and livelihood programmes.
• Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHNF is Elephant Family's primary conservation partner in the Western Ghats, Karnataka, India. The partnership covers wildlife monitoring (tigers, leopards, elephants), community engagement, the Nature Information Centre (NIC), conflict mitigation, and policy advocacy. HNF supports forest department frontline staff with training and resources.
• AaranyakcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAaranyak is an Assam-based conservation NGO implementing Elephant Family's human-elephant conflict mitigation projects in Assam and Meghalaya. Activities include community-managed solar fencing, Rapid Response Units, the Gajah Kotha (Elephant Stories) campaign, weaving and livelihood programmes, and Gajah Katha outreach materials.
• Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCF works with Elephant Family on human-elephant coexistence in Valparai, implementing early warning alert light systems. NCF is also referenced alongside HNF as part of the Holématthi Nature Foundation ecosystem for conservation in the Western Ghats.
• Conservation HimalayascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElephant Family announced a new partnership with Conservation Himalayas to protect the golden langur, one of the world's most endangered primates in Assam. Conservation Himalayas is building artificial canopy bridges to connect fragmented langur populations separated by roads.
• Clarence CourtflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerClarence Court is the presenting sponsor of the Little Egg Hunt (2024) and the Big Egg Hunt (2025). Their CEO Adrian Gott has expressed ongoing support for Elephant Family's conservation work through their egg brand partnership.
• ChopardflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerChopard is the event partner for Wonders of the Wild (May 2025), the grand finale of the Big Egg Hunt. Guests wore Chopard jewellery and watches at the event. Chopard also contributed items to the live auction including a diamond elephant necklace.
• Emporio SirenuseflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEmporio Sirenuse collaborated with Elephant Family on an exclusive resortwear and homeware collection. 10% of all collection profits support Elephant Family's conservation work. The collection was shot at Dera Amer elephant sanctuary near Jaipur.
• Globe-TrotterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobe-Trotter, a luxury luggage brand, included Elephant Family in its series of luxury luggage collaborations alongside James Bond, Aston Martin, and others. The partnership involves limited-edition cases blending Globe-Trotter's heritage with Elephant Family's brand identity.
• HOUSE of WARIS BotanicalsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHOUSE of WARIS Botanicals launched the UK's first Certified Elephant Friendly Black Tea in partnership with Elephant Family. £1 per pack supports Elephant Family's urgent work to protect Asia's wildlife. The tea is sourced from certified organic, biodynamic, fair trade, and wildlife-friendly estates in India.
• Art&NewportflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerArt&Newport, a nonprofit art organization founded by Dodie Kazanjian, presents the US phase of The Great Elephant Migration. The 100 life-sized Lantana elephant sculptures tour Newport, New York City, Miami, Blackfeet Nation (Montana), and Los Angeles through 2025.
• Coexistence CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Coexistence Collective is a community of approximately 200 indigenous artisans from the Bettakurumba, Paniya, Kattunayakan, and Soliga communities of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. They sculpt life-size elephants from invasive Lantana camara. Their work creates employment and addresses the invasive species crisis threatening elephant habitats.
• LOVE BRAND & Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLOVE BRAND & Co. is the official merchandise partner and sponsor of the Newport exhibition of The Great Elephant Migration, supporting with a pop-up shop of elephant-themed clothing and merchandise.
• IBI International Fine Art LogisticsminorOthersIBI International Fine Art Logistics provides logistical support for transporting the elephant sculptures and egg installations for exhibitions. They are referenced as having saved the CoExistence campaign by migrating the herd for free.
• Tintra FoundationflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTintra Foundation co-presented the Animal Ball 2023 with Elephant Family. The foundation supports financial and social inclusion aligned with conservation goals and empowering communities to protect wildlife and habitats.
• XerjoffflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerXerjoff was the headline sponsor of the CoExistence campaign and produced the exclusive 'CoExistence by Xerjoff' fragrance, with all profits going to Elephant Family. Their 'Spray to Help' mission supports the campaign.
• Cadogan EstateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCadogan Estate, one of the UK's most esteemed landowners, partnered with Elephant Family and Clarence Court for the Little Egg Hunt 2024, hosting installations in Sloane Square and the surrounding Chelsea area.
• Faena Art / The Reef LineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFaena Art and The Reef Line collaborated with Elephant Family for the Miami leg of The Great Elephant Migration during Art Week, with support from Xerjoff.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Wildlife Trust of India: India-based conservation NGO working on species protection and human-wildlife conflict across Indian landscapes. Closely comparable on geography and project types (solar fencing, coexistence), with direct overlap in field-partner model used by Elephant Family.
• Nature in Need: Smaller conservation nonprofit focused on Asian wildlife and habitat. Comparably scoped niche with community-based conservation programmes, though smaller and less established than Elephant Family's branded art-campaign fundraising engine.

Direct peers

• Born Free Foundation: UK wildlife charity focused on animal welfare and conservation across species. Comparable in UK-donor base, event-driven fundraising (galas, art auctions), and conservation advocacy; overlap in human-wildlife coexistence work.
• Tusk Trust: UK conservation charity supporting wildlife and community projects across Africa, with a strong royal patronage tradition and high-profile gala (Tusk Conservation Awards). Closely comparable in scale, fundraising format, and patronage-driven model.
• David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Charity dedicated to elephant orphan rescue, rehabilitation, and habitat protection in Africa. Directly comparable in fundraising model (high-profile patrons, donor engagement, art auctions) and core mission of protecting elephants, though geographically Africa-focused.
• Fauna & Flora International: UK-registered conservation charity focused on threatened species and habitats across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Closely comparable in scale, donor base, and project-partner model, with overlapping species portfolios including Asian elephants and tigers.
• Save the Elephants: Specialist elephant conservation nonprofit operating across Africa and increasingly Asia. Directly comparable mission of protecting elephants and reducing human-wildlife conflict, though historically Africa-focused; overlap in conflict-mitigation technology and research partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Major US-based conservation nonprofit running zoos, field programmes, and public-engagement campaigns globally. Comparable mission around species and habitat protection, with similar use of public-facing campaigns to drive donations, though broader in scope and zoo-based.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Largest global conservation NGO with extensive Asian wildlife and habitat programmes. Comparable as a donor-funded, advocacy-and-project-driven nonprofit protecting endangered species, but operates at vastly larger scale and broader species scope than Elephant Family's Asian-wildlife focus.

Regional players

• Asilia Africa: Conservation-focused safari and hospitality company combining eco-tourism revenue with community and conservation projects in East Africa. Thematically adjacent — combines revenue-generating experiences with conservation funding — but operates commercially and regionally in East Africa rather than Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elephantfamily
• Facebookfacebook.com/elephantfamily
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elephant-family
• Instagraminstagram.com/elephantfamily

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about elephant family