Elephants are under a barrage of threats – from poaching to habitat loss, human conflict and climate change. Every year nearly 4,000 elephants are killed to sustain the illegal trade of ivory. In order to understand the best way to protect elephants in today’s world, additional support for research, education and conservation programs is needed to ensure their future.
The National Elephant Center is poised to become a leader in this effort through research, advocacy, education and conservation:
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RESEARCH - Wild populations of elephants are increasingly becoming managed due to shrinking habitat, changing population dynamics and encroachment by human development. Population management research at The National Elephant Center will provide conservationists with tools and techniques for managing these populations in the wild.
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ADVOCACY - The Center envisions becoming a voice for elephants nationally and internationally through advocacy and collaboration that will speak up for elephants on issues that affect their continued survival.
- EDUCATION - Though not open to the public, The National Elephant Center will educate school children locally and support formal education programs at accredited zoos throughout the country, which teach millions of visitors each year about elephants and their status in the wild.
- CONSERVATION - The Center will provide an important space for research that will help zoos aid the Asian and African elephant populations in the wild. North American zoos already help support more than 85 research projects in zoos and in the wild to learn more about elephants.
