The Mali Elephant Project
Mali is a beautiful, landlocked desert country in North West Africa. Perhaps best known for its rich cultural diversity, Mali is also home to the northernmost herd of African elephants.
Research conducted by Save the Elephants in 1999 to GPS collar three Malian elephants and map their ranges, revealed a unique pattern of migration among African elephants. WILD developed a plan, obtained funding and got to work with Save the Elephants and other partners to answer a few key questions:
- Elephants Live in Mali? In the early stages of this program, not much was known about the unique herd of elephants in Mali.
- Are the elephants in Danger? Once we knew a bit more about the elephant population, it was clear that imminent threats exist and that conservation action was needed to secure the future of the herd.
- What can be done to help? We’ve embarked on a large-scale action and outreach program to work with local communities, government officials, tourism companies and others to help the Mali elephants, and in turn, help the people of Mali.
Map of the migration route:
Click here for the French version
Thank you to our new partner the International Conservation Fund of Canada! Learn more about all of our partners >
Project Details
Dr. Susan Canney is the project lead for our work in Mali, which includes:
Research & Understanding (Phase I) spanned 2003-2006 and involved extensive field research, including the composition of the elephant heard and more complete maps of their movements and migrations.
Action & Outreach (Phase II) includes more dynamic research using live satellite collars, and focuses on education, outreach and local action program
Mission to Mali, April 2012 update
