O’Connor, S. Two elephants walking on grass-covered ground. Unsplash, https://unsplash.com/photos/two-elephants-walking-on-grass-covered-ground-BuQ1RZckYW4. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.

By: Charlotte Leung

Gracefully grazing through the lush and vast grasslands of Africa, elephants, in herds of many, wander as they sway their trunks above the horizon. It seems perfect, right? Such a beautiful scene. But that is far from reality for many innocent elephants. Every day, over 100 African elephants fall victim to the hunt for ivory. With each gunshot comes a stun of silence that deafens the vibrant safari. One sale after another, poachers smuggle and sell illegal ivory in never-ending hubs established around the world. This is where the story of Elephanatics, an elephant advocacy organization, begins as the empowering voice of the hushed elephants that lay across Africa.

Founded by passionate individuals Fran Duthie and Dr. Jake Wall with directors Tessa Vanderkop, Dr Andrea Duthie and Dr Rene Beyers, alongside a small group of volunteers, Elephanatics was established in 2012 to educate the public about the threats elephants face to all. Over the years, they have offered innumerable classroom presentations for students of all ages, hosted fundraisers, and written letters/petitions to the parliament to ignite change and protection for the welfare of all elephants.

As the catalyst of ivory trade advocacy, one of the Elephanatics’ extraordinary achievements includes their establishment of the Ivory-Free Canada petition. Partnering with the Humane Society International and the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, their petition received over 700,000 signatures across Canada to end the legal domestic trade of elephant ivory, which the Canadian government later enacted.

Furthermore, from 2014 to 2017, Elephanatics hosted the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos (GMER). Elephanatics not only increased public awareness and support for thise severe problem but also coordinated local marches, hosted meaningful campaigns on their social media and newsletters, and encouraged community involvement through numerous activities for local schools to participate in. 

In addition to their marvelous accomplishments, Elephanatics has been a fierce supporter of educating Canadians about the threats elephants face. They provide a myriad of free resources for schools country-wide. For instance, in September, Elephanatics partnered with the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) to launch a dedicated page on its website to provide elephant educational activities. MEP is now offering remarkable classroom experiences for a  Kenyan conservationist to speak to students on Zoom for free.

In closing, Elephanatics is an empowering and inspiring voice for all elephants. They are not only fierce supporters of elephants but also beacons of change for the lives of elephants across Africa. Elephanatics is an exceptional organization for students to grasp the impacts and actions that they can take against the ivory trade.

Works Cited

Disrupting the conventional wisdom in conservation – Global March for Elephants and Rhinos (GMFER), https://gmfer.org/. Accessed 22 October 2024.

“About Us.” Elephanatics, https://elephanatics.org/about/. Accessed 22 October 2024.

“Ivory Free Canada – Jane Goodall.” Jane Goodall, https://janegoodall.ca/take-action/ivory-free-canada/. Accessed 22 October 2024.

World Elephant Day. “Ivory Free Canada.” https://worldelephantday.org/news/2019/08/ivory-free-canada-2. Accessed 22 October 2024.