Greetings,

With September comes the second elephant day of the year–Elephant Appreciation Day (September 22nd). Join us today in celebrating elephants and making sure they are here for generations to come!

Our supporters (you) are the best! We are always touched by the generosity of the people who make conservation work possible! Let us introduce you to just three of our wonderful donors who inspire us.

The people in Africa and Asia who live alongside elephants are the ones who make the decisions about if and how elephants are protected. The International Elephant Foundation supports youth education in Uganda and Namibia where future conservationists are taught. Being inspired to help schoolchildren connect with wildlife, supporter Joan Silaco sent us a giant (dare we say jumbo) sized box of school supplies. Distributing these supplies to some of our outreach programs in Africa will help kids do activities and have fun while learning about elephants.

Longtime supporter Cora Musial was inspired to support elephant conservation in another way. Cora is a regular at our monthly Conservation Chats, connecting with project leaders from around the world in an intimate but virtual setting. Her engagement and questions always add value to the chats. Cora decided to help elephants by gifting stock to IEF. Trusts, stocks and bonds, cryptocurrency, Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), IRA Rollovers, and estate planning are all amazing ways to help elephants that are not normally top of mind.

Fitting elephants with GPS collars is a safe and proven way to understand seasonal movement patterns and provide early warning to communities who experience crop raiding elephants. By knowing where elephants are, people feel more secure and can prepare for the visiting giants.

GPS collars were urgently needed for two adult female elephants in Namibia. Named Memory and Spear Tusk, these females each lead herds of 10-12 members known to raid crops. Spear Tusk had a calf in 2021, which is a special occasion as elephant calves in this area of Namibia have an alarmingly low survival rate due to drought and environmental stresses. In an emergency appeal, Joe and Tricia Berry of The Berry Family Trust stepped in to fund the collars. This donation will make a demonstrable difference in the lives of multiple elephants and countless community members!

One thing that resonates with us is that our donors possess an internal drive to connect with elephants on a deeper level, making sure that elephants not only live for future generations but thrive. Words do not do justice to how grateful we are for every one of you!

Thank you for reading our eNewsletter. Please consider sharing IEF’s news on social media or directly with a friend as we hope to build on the great work you’ve supported. Together we can secure a future where elephants thrive!

Warm Wishes,
Debbie & the IEF Team