We humans are the greatest threat to the largest land mammal on our planet. With under only 415,000 elephants still remaining, this species is at very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Although African Elephants inhabit a 37 of the continents sub-Saharan countries, over 70% of their range exists in protected land.

Fundamentally, the main factor challenging the African elephant population and contributing to their rapid depletion, is ivory poachers. International poachers and traffickers kill this iconic species for its ivory tusks, which are then sold and made into anything from musical instruments to religious objects to jewellery and crafts. At current poaching rates, African elephant populations may be extinct in the wild within our lifetimes.

In April 2019, I will be spending 2 weeks in Zambia, volunteering at Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone spending the days and some nights conducting valuable research and data on the elephants movements and behaviours.