Elephant Aware USA, Inc

12/09/2025

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Save the Elephants’ founder, Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, aged 83, who passed away peacefully as the sun set in Nairobi last night.

Iain dedicated his life to understanding and protecting Africa’s elephants. At just 23, he pioneered the first scientific study of the social behavior of wild elephants in Lake Manyara, Tanzania. He revealed the depth of their intelligence, family bonds, and emotional lives, transforming how the world sees these remarkable animals. He never lost his lifelong curiosity with what was happening inside the minds of one of our planet’s most intriguing creatures.

Iain exposed the scale of the ivory crisis, helping drive global action against poaching, and later founded Save the Elephants to protect elephants through science, innovation, and community partnerships. His vision, courage, and compassion changed the course of elephant conservation. Today, his legacy lives on in every elephant that walks safely across Africa’s landscapes and in all who continue the work he inspired.

Never was Iain happier than when sitting with a young scientist studying maps of elephant tracks. He catalysed and supported countless careers in research and conservation, both from Africa and all over the world.

“Iain changed the future not just for elephants, but for countless people around the world. His courage, determination and rigour inspired everyone he met. Whether sitting quietly among elephants, poring over maps of their movements or circling above a herd in his beloved aircraft, that glint in his eye was there. He never lost his lifelong curiosity with what was happening inside the minds of one of our planet’s most intriguing creatures,” said Frank Pope, CEO of Save the Elephants and Iain’s son-in-law.

Iain, together with his wife Oria, inspired his daughters Saba and Dudu to devote their own lives to working for nature. He leaves behind six grandchildren, each of whom dreams of following his example in one way or another. The family kindly requests privacy during this difficult time.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4aK2FbY

📸 Indianapolis Zoo

12/02/2025

12/02/2025

Thank goodness!

CITES rejects bid to reopen trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn!

In a victory for rhinos and elephants, the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to CITES has voted overwhelmingly to reject proposals submitted by Namibia to overturn the bans on international commercial trade in rhino horn and elephant ivory.

Namibia submitted three proposals which, if adopted, would have allowed international trade in its stockpiles of white rhino horn, black rhino horn and African savanna elephant ivory – a move that would drive increased demand for these products and potentially unleash a new wave of poaching and illegal trade.

Parties engaged in intense discussions with several rhino and/or elephant range states such as Kenya, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Niger, along with the EU, UK and US voicing concerns for wildlife populations if trade in rhino horn and ivory were allowed.

Meanwhile Japan, China, Botswana and Tanzania were among those who supported Namibia’s proposals.

EIA Senior Wildlife Policy Analyst (Rhinos) Taylor Tench intervened on the white rhino proposal to support the views expressed by Kenya and others, urging parties to oppose the proposal given the destructive impacts its adoption would have on wild rhino populations.

We also highlighted that allowing trade to resume would effectively reverse decades of demand-reduction and enforcement progress.

Find out more about Namibia’s proposal at https://loom.ly/t60qHZw

10/18/2025

https://c.org/Z6LbMbyR5j

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09/29/2025

The Haunting Sadness in This Lionesses' Eyes Express the Alarming State of Affairs in Africa.

Over the past few years, the news from Africa has become dire.
Africa's most magnificent animals, the iconic "Big Five" - lions, elephants, rhinoceros, leopards and Cape buffalo - are being harvested for their body parts on a scale never seen before. Even worse, their habitat is under mortal threat by slash-and-burn agriculture and human sprawl in a continent that's expected to be home to two billion people by 2050.

In Africa, on this vast, magnificent continent, the world is witnessing the carnage to wildlife. We need to draw attention to the plight of Africa's imperiled national treasures, it's magnificent animals and habitats!

Wildlife's time may be fast running out, all the signs indicate this is a critical moment in the battle to Save Africa's Heritage.

(Image: Peter Pischler)

09/29/2025

10/28/2024

Honored to be invited to Governor Healey's signing ceremony today!