Success: Iconic African Elephants On the Rise

Target: Barnaby Phillips, Director of Communications at the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation

Goal: Support plans to bolster populations of at-risk African elephants.

The existential threats to African elephant populations have been well-documented. This ForceChange petition called attention to one major problem: habitat loss. Forced displacement caused by human activities have killed countless elephants, presumably including a mass death event in Botswana that claimed hundreds of the animals. While the outlook for these majestic creatures may seem dire, there’s new reason to hope.

A long-term analysis that surveyed over 70 percent of the continent’s roaming elephants concluded that populations have experienced a steady increase over the past several years. The current overall African elephant population is estimated to be about half a million: a marked improvement since the animals first became endangered largely because of poaching and habitat destruction. Researchers credit the gains to more protected areas that are connected to other protected regions. Such conservation efforts enable the elephants natural and crucial migration routes.

Sign the petition below to thank an instrumental force in this long-term rescue initiative.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Director Phillips,

Recent promising reports about a steady resurgence of African elephant populations are a testament to what committed investment can achieve. And the contributions of the Elephant Protection Initiative and its alliance of member nations have played a key role in this success story. Thank you for helping spearhead these achievements, especially the habitat protection efforts.

May the next leg of the journey prove equally successful.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Bernard Dupont