Mara Elephant Project

06/18/2026

“How could it possibly be halfway through 2026 already? Time stops for no man, or elephant.

We’ve been racing against the clock at Mara Elephant Project to keep protecting elephants and their habitats, and we need your help. This year, we’ve experienced extended rains in the Maasai Mara and even though there is an abundance of green vegetation to enjoy, we know elephants are getting ready to target ripening crops.

With rising tensions, we need the more training and tools to avert tragedy.”

Read more of the mid-year update from MEP CEO Marc Goss ->

We’ve been racing against the clock at Mara Elephant Project to keep protecting elephants and their habitats, and we need your help.

06/17/2026

An elephant in need. An unexpected hero.

In this , we’re highlighting an incredible example of conservation collaboration from our friends at the Mountain Bongo Project. While conducting routine field operations in the Aberdares, MBP's India ranger team detected an injured elephant that had become entangled in a rope snare.

The team quickly alerted Kenya Wildlife Service and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Mobile Veterinary Unit, helping guide Dr. Jeremiah Poghon to the elephant so it could receive life-saving treatment. The treatment was successful, and shortly afterward the elephant stood up and walked away on its own—a promising sign for its continued recovery.

While Mountain Bongo Project's primary focus is protecting the critically endangered mountain bongo, their teams spend countless hours in the field monitoring some of Kenya's most important wildlife habitats. When they encounter an animal in distress, regardless of species, they take action and are lucky to have partners that support these efforts.

06/16/2026

Children are the future of conservation.

That’s why Mara Elephant Project offers FREE Zoom sessions connecting classrooms directly with conservationists and rangers in Kenya. These conversations offer a unique opportunity for students to hear firsthand about elephant conservation, human–elephant coexistence, and daily life working to protect wildlife in the Mara.

Recently, Sheffield Elementary School in Massachusetts hosted a Zoom session with two Kenyan conservationists. The students were deeply engaged, asking thoughtful questions and showing genuine excitement as they learned about MEP’s mission. The conversation was shared in an age-appropriate, fun, and interactive way that made conservation feel real and accessible.

Interested in bringing MEP into YOUR classroom? Explore FREE educational resources and virtual sessions here: https://buff.ly/5t9dwsO

06/15/2026

May was a month of rapid responses, community collaboration, and conservation action across the Mara landscape. From guiding one of Mara Elephant Project's longest-collared elephants, Polaris, away from a community settlement boundary, to training new VirtualRanger community leaders and supporting conservation efforts through The Rhino Charge, Kenya, our teams remained committed to protecting wildlife and supporting the communities that live alongside it.

https://buff.ly/mUdX8Pp

06/14/2026

She's calm, social, and recently welcomed a new baby.

Meet Surely Rawlings, Individual #90 in Mara Elephant Project’s ElephantBook.

Since our elephant research team first identified Surely in 2021, she's become one of those elephants we're always happy to see due to her calm, steady demeanor.

That's why spotting her last month was such a special moment. Tucked beside her was her fourth calf, a healthy baby girl.

Named after a supporter of MEP that valued her chosen family, Surely’s consistent monitoring, helps us better understand elephant family relationships and how generations of elephants stay connected.

Surely and her calf were in good health, and we're excited to watch this little one grow up surrounded by the same strong family bonds that have made Surely Rawlings such a memorable elephant to monitor.

06/13/2026

You never know what a drone patrol in the Mara might reveal.

Some days, Mara Elephant Project rangers locate an injured elephant in need of assistance. Other days, they prevent a herd from heading toward danger. And sometimes, they witness something extraordinary.

During a routine monitoring patrol, as the drone climbed higher, rangers began counting elephants. And counting. And counting.

What appeared on the ground to be a large herd turned out to be a mega herd of nearly 100 individual elephants.

A breathtaking sight, a promising sign for the population, and a moment our team won't soon forget.

06/12/2026

To most people, it would have looked like nothing more than a mound of earth hidden among the trees.

But for the rangers patrolling the Mau Forest, it was a telltale sign of habitat destruction. Beneath the soil lays a charcoal kiln built to reduce trees to charcoal. Every tree lost reduces habitat for critically endangered species and impacts the cover and connectivity that they rely on.

Charcoal remains a primary source of cooking fuel for millions of Kenyans, and rising energy costs continue to place pressure on forest resources. In critical habitats like the Mau Forest, protecting remaining trees is essential for safeguarding the species that depend on them.

Dismantling charcoal production in this vital habitat requires a consistent, coordinated approach. The Rapid Response Unit, a multi-agency team comprising rangers from Mara Elephant Project, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service,
County Government of Narok, and Mountain Bongo Project, is a prime example of the impact collaboration can have in protecting the Mau Forest.

By discovering and destroying kilns, the team helps prevent further habitat loss in one of Kenya's most important forest ecosystems.

Every kiln destroyed, arrest made, or charcoal bag seized means one less threat to the forest.

06/11/2026

Just as Airkenya Express, Mara Elephant Project's Official Safari Airline, connects people to some of Kenya's most remarkable landscapes, their partnership helps us connect conservation with the communities at the heart of them.

Every community is different, and so are its needs. That's why Mara Elephant Project's community programs span from conservation education, human-elephant conflict mitigation, community training, and outreach initiatives designed around the people who live alongside wildlife every day.

With the support of partners like AirKenya, Mara Elephant Project can continue investing in the communities that are such an important part of the Mara. Conservation isn't only about wildlife; it's also about the people who share the landscape with it.

06/10/2026

Long-term impact in the Mara is only possible because of consistent support from people like you.

Recurring donors make it possible for Mara Elephant Project to respond to human–elephant conflict, monitor elephant movements, and protect the open landscapes that support both wildlife and livelihoods. This steady support helps our teams stay equipped and ready in the field, whether they are tracking elephants, supporting communities, or working to reduce conflict before it escalates.

By joining our Recurring Donor Club, you are helping sustain the work that protects elephants and strengthens coexistence across the Greater Mara ecosystem. As a thank you, recurring donors receive an exclusive MEP Recurring Donor Club pin, available only to monthly supporters.

Join the club today and be part of the steady support behind conservation in action:
https://buff.ly/ZhjnXlo

06/09/2026

How do you discuss the complexities of human-elephant conflict with children who experience it first-hand?

This is a question the Mara Elephant Project education team is always trying to answer, especially during educational sessions at local schools.

They approach every student engagement with authenticity, grounding conversations in real experiences of living alongside wildlife. When speaking with students aged 10-16 at Pusanki and Ngosuani Comprehensive Schools, the team was able to connect classroom learning to everyday realities in the Mara.

The discussion quickly became interactive, with students raising thoughtful questions about crop damage, safety near wildlife areas, and how to respond when elephants move close to homes and farms.

In response, the team drew on lived experience working and growing up in elephant range, sharing practical, locally relevant strategies for staying safe while also protecting wildlife and the surrounding habitat.

The message throughout was simple and honest: we were you. Concerned about living with wildlife, wanting to see change, and choosing to take action to make coexistence possible.

By the end of the session, discussions had shifted from concern to responsibility, with students actively exploring how they can play a role in protecting wildlife within their own communities.