African Elephants
Why WCS?
28 percent
WCS sites and landscapes cover 28% of the African forest elephant population.
14 percent
WCS sites and landscapes cover 14% of the African savannah elephant population.
On Our Strategies
Protect Elephants and Their Habitat
We support rangers and help government agencies better manage rangers' patrols using SMART (the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool). In addition, WCS helps protect elephants at key sites through the use of intelligence networks and aerial surveillance.
Build Capacity in Range States
WCS has helped or is currently helping develop and implement National Elephant Action Plans and Strategies with a number of countries, including Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda.
In Action
For decades, WCS has helped to strengthen and secure elephant strongholds throughout the Congo Basin. In areas where WCS has supported ranger patrols with our SMART program, elephants are seven times more abundant when compared to unpatrolled forest areas. While elephants in many parts of Africa continue to be slaughtered by well-armed, criminal gangs of ivory poachers, elephant populations in the Republic of Congo are stable in all areas managed by WCS.
12 countries
WCS works in 12 of the 37 African elephant range states.
Monitor Elephant Numbers
For African savannah elephants, WCS is a key partner in the Great Elephant Census, a Paul G. Allen Project, leading the counts in 11 countries, including Mozambique, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Related Regions
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December 16, 2021
WCS Welcomes EU Steps on Further Restricting its Domestic Ivory Market
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November 18, 2021
New Survey Confirms that Gabon is the Largest Stronghold for Critically Endangered African Forest Elephants
The most comprehensive survey conducted of elephant numbers in the Central African nation of Gabon since the late 1980s has found elephants occurring in higher numbers than previously thought.
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October 28, 2021
Community-Run African Reserve that Stores Almost a Billion Tons of Carbon Quietly Celebrates its 20th Anniversary
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View All News
WCS Welcomes EU Steps on Further Restricting its Domestic Ivory Market
The following statement was issued by WCS Vice President of International Policy Dr. Susan Lieberman in response to the European Union’s new ivory trade rules announced today.
Read the storyNew Survey Confirms that Gabon is the Largest Stronghold for Critically Endangered African Forest Elephants
The most comprehensive survey conducted of elephant numbers in the Central African nation of Gabon since the late 1980s has found elephants occurring in higher numbers than previously thought.
Read the storyCommunity-Run African Reserve that Stores Almost a Billion Tons of Carbon Quietly Celebrates its 20th Anniversary
As the world’s climate leaders gather in Glasgow for the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (CoP26), a little-known Community Reserve in the Republic of Congo – that helps store some 30 billion tons of...
Read the storySign Up for Email Updates
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