Elephants in human care need your help. Across Southern Africa there are many reasons that elephants have come into human care. Some were orphans from culling operations, a historical practiced used by authorities to control elephant populations, some taken into human care as result of severe droughts, as well as other reasons. As a result of human intervention these elephants have survived and now humans have a duty of care for them.

Southern Africa is home to over 70% of all African elephants in the world, but with increasing human population their wild homes are shrinking and becoming increasingly fragmented. Release and re-wilding for elephants that have spent most of their lives in human care is not always in the best interests, nor that of the local human communities. We therefore need to ensure that the rest of their lives is of high quality and enjoyable. With a lifespan of 65 - 70 years this is a big commitment.

Droughts continue to devastate wild populations, this year several hundred elephants are known to have died in National Parks in Zimbabwe alone. Elephants that have spent most of their lives in human care would be ill equipped to deal with such realities.

'We Are All Mammal' UK based charity has been working hard with wildlife professionals, welfare scientists, wildlife veterinarians, elephant carers and owners across Southern Africa as well as a local NGO, VAWZ to develop and implement meaningful standards for welfare and management of elephants in human care. We are very near to implementation and we just need a little further financial assistance to get us over the line!

Just a bit more about the project: This is a project is the result of 4 years work coordinating and engaging with stakeholders. In 2021 we published a set of standards, agreed upon by the following 3 stakeholder groups:

Local Welfare Organisation Partners and veterinarians

International Welfare Experts, Ethologists and other relevant Scientists

Elephant owners and tourism operators, that care for elephants

This project was initially crowdfunded and has received donations from some of these stakeholder groups.

We now are asking for a little more support to help us implement these standards across multiple elephant care facilities in Southern Africa. So far eleCREW in Zimbabwe (www.eleCREW.org) has reached compliance with 2 further facilities in South Africa currently being assessed.

With your help we can make a brighter future for elephants in human care.

e!https://www.weareallmammals.org/