Elephants Without Borders (EWB, Inc.)

Profile

Elephants Without Borders is a non-profit, tax-exempt, registered organization in the Republic of Botswana. Registered in the Deeds Office of Botswana, as the Somarela Trust under number MA 18/2004. Under number 91451 of the Business Names Act, the Trust operates as Elephants Without Borders.

Elephants Without Borders (EWB, Inc.) is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 public charity, registered in the State of New York, USA, incorporated under section 402, Type B, under section 201. Public Registered Charity # 41-30-49

History

After Mike Chase received his PhD, he was determined to continue studying and conserving the world’s largest elephant population, so he founded and established Elephants Without Borders (EWB). Appropriately, EWB is based in Kazungula, Botswana’s border town where the boundaries of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet along the Zambezi River. EWB operates its’ projects and activities in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe under the official endorsement and full support of government authorities. With an estimated 151,000 elephants also calling the northern reaches of Botswana home, this wildlife hot spot is the ideal location for Elephants Without Borders researchers to study the migratory patterns, behavior, and ecology of pachyderms. EWB is the country’s leading regional cross-border research project focused on elephant conservation and management.

Our Vision

Since elephants don’t use passports, the notion of elephants and conservation without borders is crucial for preserving biodiversity and a healthy landscape. Using African elephants as an inspiration, EWB strives to identify wildlife migratory corridors, secure wild habitats and elevate conservation of all wildlife. The largest mammal that walks the earth is now leading the way to help save vast areas of wild lands and the biodiversity they support.

The great paradox about elephant conservation is that while many African countries are experiencing rapidly declining elephant populations, others have to cope with rising elephant numbers. Both declining and growing elephant numbers present certain problems and concerns.

Botswana has the largest elephant population remaining on the African continent. Ironically, the recovery of this country’s elephant population has led to growing concern about how to manage this large population. Some people are worried that elephants have recovered in greater numbers than the environment can sustain, and there is significant concern over increasing human-elephant conflict.

We use state-of-the-art technology, to monitor the movements, status and behavior of elephants, addressing complex issues regarding elephant ecology through research studies and sharing the results with decision makers and local communities.

Better understanding elephant ecology and sharing this information allows us to work towards securing key habitats and migratory corridors for wildlife to flourish. EWB also provides advisory services to governments, private sector, local communities, researchers, journalists and film-makers.

At EWB, we believe elephants are of considerable economic, ecological, cultural and aesthetic value to many people in the world and are one of Africa’s most valuable wildlife species. They are the flagships, providing motivation for raising awareness, stimulating action, encouraging funding for conservation efforts, and generating opportunities to reconsider the boundaries between conservation and rural development. Our vision, to open borders for Africa’s wildlife through education and research will help ensure future generations share their lives with these great giants.