Want to advocate for elephants? Get started with our guide on what you can do—and what you shouldn’t do—to aid conservation efforts.
What You Can Do To Advocate for Elephants
The most important thing to remember is that you can be an effective advocate for elephants, and that every little bit matters. Choose the method of advocating that suits you best.
Donate.
The most common way to help elephants is to donate to a reputable organization. Some organizations send your money directly to the field, without taking a dime for overhead. Visit our advocacy index to search for a charity that aligns perfectly with your values.
Advocate Picks: The Elephant Project or Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization.
Visit.
Planning a vacation? Visit a national park that protects elephants or a sanctuary that protects them. Your tourism dollars will help the parks or sanctuaries stay open and continue their important work. Do your research first—don’t visit a reserve that allows game hunting or a “shelter” that offers elephant rides.
Advocate Picks: Thula Thula Private Game Reserve in Empageni, South Africa, or Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Volunteer.
Get up close and personal with the elephants at sanctuaries in southeast Asia. Many small sanctuaries house former working elephants and run volunteer programs for several weeks at a time. You pay for your travel and housing, and you get to help feed, wash, and walk the elephants. Additionally, you’ll get the most immersive elephant education out there. Check out our guide on volunteering with elephants—ethically.
Educate.
Have a friend who wants to see elephants on their vacation? Educate them about the dangers of elephant rides and why it’s important to vacation responsibly. Share vetted stories on social media to spread the word that elephants desperately need our help. You never know what kind of difference a small group of passionate people can make.
Advocate Picks: Share news stories from Advocate News or Monga Bay.
Write.
If you have the gift of writing well, put pen to paper! Write op-eds for your local news source on why we shouldn’t keep elephants in zoos. Submit your idea for a blog post to the Advocate Blog using our contact form to be featured as a guest writer. Share your thoughts on social media to spread awareness.
Advocate Picks: Submit a story idea to us!
Petition.
You can start a petition about anything! Some helpful advocacy strategies include petitioning your local zoo to send its elephants to a sanctuary. Or, petition the US government to permanently ban imports of elephant trophies under all circumstances. Search petition websites to add your name to existing petitions.
Advocate Picks: Change.org, ActionNetwork.org, and Environmental-Action.org.
Shop.
Yes, you can shop and help protect elephants! Many organizations sell merchandise, with proceeds going to help keep the lights on or straight to the field. Visit our Elephant Outlet page to see a list of elephant advocacy organizations with shops.
Advocate Picks: Save Vanishing Species Stamp (US government)
Adopt.
One of the most rewarding opportunities is to remotely adopt a foster elephant. Almost any organization that takes care of elephants allows patrons to “adopt” one. You can sponsor an elephant yourself or gift the adoption to a loved one. Support legitimate sanctuaries or nature parks—not zoos.
Advocate Picks: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
What Not To Do
At the very least, try to avoid these harmful practices when you travel or have the chance to see an elephant in person.
Don’t ride elephants.
Never agree to ride an elephant. We believe all interactions with elephants should be on the elephants’ terms. Elephants employed to give rides to humans usually undergo abusive training practices and are chained when not working. Document any tourism organization that offers elephant rides on websites like TripAdvisor or Responsible Vacations.
Don’t visit circuses in which elephants – or any animals – perform.
Elephants should not be trained to perform in any way. Avoid visiting circuses, festivals, or “round-ups” where elephants are expected to do tricks.
Don’t buy ivory—even secondhand.
Unfortunately, the demand for ivory products still exists, even though the trade is banned due to elephants’ status as endangered. Even buying it secondhand keeps demand high. Don’t resell any ivory you have. Instead, donate it to the US Fish and Wildlife Service so it can be disposed of properly.
Don’t support zoos that hold elephants captive.
Elephants belong in the wild. Though zoos claim to aid in conservation efforts, the elephants that are held in zoos will never have enough space to move around since they are forced to be on display for patrons. Elephants in zoos have a much shorter lifespan than their wild counterparts. Elephants that can’t be released into the wild should be sent to sanctuaries, which replicate their natural habitat more closely.
Elephant Advocate 