“From walking with herders to horseback safaris, from architecture inspired by rock formations to the possibility of seeing a black leopard in its natural range, this is Kenya, reimagined for the traveller who seeks more than a checklist,” says Joss Kent, &Beyond Executive Chairman & CEO. “Suyian Conservancy brings the full breadth of Laikipia to life through layered storytelling, meaningful interaction, and a lodge that feels as though it has grown organically from the ground it rests on.”

Meaning “wild dog” in the local Samburu language, Suyian is not just a sanctuary for guests, but also for wildlife. Suyian Conservancy offers rare access to northern Kenya’s most iconic and elusive species, including Grevy’s zebra, Laikipia hartebeest, reticulated giraffe, African wild dog and, although elusive, black leopards.

Every activity here is a deeper invitation to explore the landscape. Guests can choose to walk with herders across grazing lands, ride out on horseback across the plateau, track nocturnal species on night drives, or simply sit still and let nature come to them. Helicopter excursions, yoga on ancient rock platforms, community visits, and conservation talks led by expert guides complete the picture, each moment carefully crafted to inspire presence, perspective and awe.

Created in collaboration with Nicholas Plewman Architects, Michaelis Boyd and Fox Browne Creative, the lodge’s architecture and interiors celebrate a unique Afro-Wabi-Sabi aesthetic whose trademarks are earthy textures, hand-crafted details, and a philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection. Each of the 14 suites (including a family suite) features private plunge pools, expansive views, and layered interiors that reflect Kenya’s tactile richness, from wild dog–inspired cladding to Samburu beadwork and bronze details.

Tucked into the rocks, the lodge’s wellness centre offers two treatment rooms, a steam room, and cold plunge pool, all positioned for uninterrupted views of the escarpment. A state-of-the-art gym and shaded yoga studio complete the offering, while meals are crafted from seasonal ingredients sourced from the nearby highlands and the lodge’s own herb garden. Guests can dine in the shared guest areas or in private, indoors or out, indulging in menus that reflect local influences and seasonally available produce. From the welcoming, home-style chef’s kitchen to the map room filled with conservation tales, every element of Suyian has been designed to invite reflection and deepen connection.

The setting for &Beyond’s new lodge on Suyian Conservancy was carefully selected for the potential it offers to contribute to community and conservation efforts within Kenya in partnership with global conservation charity Space for Giants. Its untouched nature and wild spaces, combined with &Beyond’s strict conservation ethics, make it the ideal wildlife viewing destination, far from the large tourist numbers often encountered in other parts of East Africa.

Owned by the Suyian Conservancy Trust, a Kenyan not-for-profit, the conservancy is managed under a plan approved by the Kenya Wildlife Service with oversight from Space for Giants. Once a cattle ranch, the land has been rewilded over decades into a thriving biodiversity corridor — where herders, elephants, lions, and leopards now share space. With &Beyond holding sole tourism rights, there is no other lodge on the concession, meaning that guests have the land to themselves.

“The opening of &Beyond Suyian Lodge marks a major milestone in Space for Giants’ mission to make Suyian Conservancy a self-financing engine for nature conservation. We are proud to partner with &Beyond to demonstrate how world-class tourism can sustain vital conservation efforts while delivering tangible benefits to local communities.

When guests stay at this lodge, they directly support the protection of wildlife and the wellbeing of the people who share this landscape,” says Dr. Max Graham, the Founder & CEO of Space for Giants.

“What sets Suyian Conservancy apart is not just what it offers, but how it feels. It’s a lodge built not just for safaris,”explains Kent, “but for those seeking space to breathe, to learn, and to feel part of something larger. Suyian is our love letter to Kenya’s wild north — raw, remarkable, and quietly transformative.”

&Beyond Suyian Lodge is now open. For more information, visit andBeyond.com or contact your preferred travel provider.

Lily James’ voice breaks a little as she says: ‘It’s rare to stand in a place and feel the sheer weight of power and inspiration. But that’s exactly what happened.’ She is talking about a trip to Northern Kenya taken with charity Space for Giants in 2024, to witness their conservation work first-hand. Public speaking nerves are rare for A-list actors, but this is a topic very close to Lily’s heart, and she wants to do it justice. ‘It’s very profound, and I feel nervous talking about it because it means so much,’ she says. ‘On my first night, I watched the sun slip down behind the horizon as a herd of elephants marched across the land and I felt a kind of primal instinct and urge to want to protect the land.’ 

I am one of a handful of people, the only journalist at a table of conservationists and philanthropists, listening to Lily James’ moving speech, in a private Knightsbridge dining room at a dinner in aid of Space for Giants (SFG), an international conservation organisation working across Africa to protect and restore natural ecosystems and the large wild animals they support. The work of organisations like SFG is vital in protecting not just local African ecosystems (and the majestic elephant at the heart of them), but in the global conservation movement as a whole. 

Lily’s journey with Space for Giants began several years ago. ‘A few years back I travelled to Botswana and it was a truly life-changing trip,’ she tells me. ‘Shortly after, I learned about the incredible work Space for Giants is doing through my stylist, Rebecca Corbin Murray. From the moment I discovered their mission, I felt a deep and personal pull toward it. I’ve always had a longing to be more actively involved in protecting and preserving the wilderness, a cause that resonates. It is absolutely vital to do all we can to protect the last remaining wild landscapes for generations to come.’

So where does beauty come into all of this? Just as the voices (and beautiful faces) of inspirational global ambassadors like Lily James can move people to take action and, most importantly, donate, the partnership of supporting businesses makes evenings like this possible. Lily acknowledges this in her speech. ‘Thank you to Chantecaille, your deep commitment to nature and sustainability continues to inspire us.’ And this is the key to changemaking: a deep commitment, so as consumers we must vote with our wallets and invest in brands putting their money, or rather our money, where their mouths are. 

Beauty For Good

In a world where luxury increasingly seems at odds with sustainability and positive progress, there are those who see the potential for the reverse. Chantecaille’s philanthropic journey began nearly two decades ago, when founder Sylvie Chantecaille launched the Les Papillons eyeshadow collection to support Monarch butterfly conservation. Since then, the brand has created 110 conservation-inspired products and supported 34 conservation groups worldwide. The brand’s Lip Veil and Luminescent Eye Shade collections have raised over $150,000 for Space for Giants, funding anti-poaching efforts, wildlife ranger training, and the construction of elephant-safe electric fences. In Kenya’s Laikipia region, the number of poached elephants has dropped by up to 97 percent since 2012, while human-wildlife conflict has been dramatically reduced in areas protected by SFG’s smart fences.

‘In a time of ecological crisis, fashion and beauty may seem unlikely allies but they are proving to be among the most powerful,’ Dr Max Graham, Founder & CEO, Space for Giants tells me. ‘When brands like Chantecaille embed nature into their identity, and when ambassadors like Lily James lend their voice to the wild, they offer something essential: hope. Not just hope that awareness will grow but that crucial funding and action will follow. Together, they show us that restoring Africa’s wild heart isn’t only a conservation goal. It’s a cultural shift. And it’s already underway.’

Conversations For Conservation

I ask Lily James whether she believes beauty can be a force for good. ‘When there’s transparency and open communication to ensure ethical practices and efforts towards sustainability within the luxury landscape then the beauty industry can be a shining example and encourage other businesses to do the same. It’s vital to raise awareness and provoke the right conversations.’

Though I sit (feeling slightly inadequate) in a room of impressive individuals making their entire life’s work about conservation, those using their faces and voices to raise awareness and philanthropists using their wealth for good, it’s evident that even the small actions move the needle in a world where positive change must come at every level. Choosing to buy a lipstick that directly contributes to a charity like Space For Giants, as opposed to one that doesn’t, is that tiny step in the right direction that it’s well worth taking. 

Content originally published by Rebecca Cox on Country & TownHouse. View the original article here.

Libreville, 21 March 2025 – As the world marks the United Nations’ International Day of Forests today, Space for Giants is proud to announce a landmark agreement to help ensure that subsistence farmers in the Central African nation of Gabon are able to successfully share the country’s forests with its extensive elephant population.

In partnership with the Ministry of Water and Forests of Gabon and the Wildlife Conservation Society, Space for Giants has signed a historic agreement to tackle human elephant conflict in the Central African nation to enable the installation of a further 1,800 mobile fences.

The project, funded by the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), aims to transform the livelihoods of tens of thousands of subsistence farmers over the next 2 years and marks a significant step forward in mitigating human-elephant conflict in Gabon. It builds on the work already done by Space for Giants, in support of the Ministry of Water and Forests, that has transformed how HEC is addressed in Gabon since 2022.

“The Human-Wildlife Conflict, and more specifically the Human-Elephant Conflict, has been growing at a phenomenal rate for over a decade, and is contributing to the increasing impoverishment of rural populations who make their living from agriculture, while at the same time exposing them to the risks associated with the presence of elephants in the vicinity of their villages,” said Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Gabon’s Minister of Water and Forest. “Through the CAFI program, we are striving to mitigate this increasingly recurrent conflict. Through studies, we are also trying to implement the policy of building electric barriers.”

On the 29th of January 2025 Space for Giants, alongside Mr Allogo, inaugurated its 1,000th mobile electric fence, celebrating the innovative initiative which has already helped provide a more secure livelihood to nearly 15,000 beneficiaries across Gabon.

The CAFI funded project will now scale up Space for Giants’ capacity and reach across Gabon to ensure that subsistence farmers across the country are able to live peacefully alongside the critically endangered forest elephants.

Gabon is the largest refuge of African forest elephants (Loxodonta Cyclotis), with an estimated 95,000 remaining. However, it is also the only country in the world dealing with human-elephant conflict on a national scale, with elephants present in 47 out of 48 administrative departments. Electric fencing has proven to be the only effective mitigation to address HEC occurring to such an extent.

The CAFI-funded project will see Space for Giants install 1,800 mobile fences in all nine provinces of the country, expand human-elephant conflict outreach and improve agricultural practices for sustainable food production in Gabon.

Marie-Gabrielle Imandimori Aroma is a smallholder farmer who has benefited from the fence project in Eshira village, Ogooue-Maritime province. “I am the leader of an agricultural cooperative, and I can say that it is thanks to this fence, we have been able to carry out multiple harvests, feed our families, and achieve a fairly stable yield,” she said. “The elephants don’t even get close to our farm anymore. We aspire to expand our production with the help of this tool.

“For almost eight years, we fought elephants. There were moments when you could hear them lurking behind the house.  Every night, the routine was to rise from sleep to bang on the cans and barrels. They wreaked havoc on our crops, and we struggled to replant what they destroyed. But since the electric fence was installed, the situation has changed. Now, we can consume all that we harvest. We plant and sell, and it aids us in providing for our children.”

Space for Giants will work alongside WCS, the administrator of the CAFI project to achieve the desired outcomes over the next 2 years.  The project will benefit an estimated 27,000 beneficiaries, improving their food security and securing their livelihoods.

In order to strategically distribute mobile electric fencing throughout the country, Space for Giants has already established provincial bases in five out of the nine provinces in Gabon. These provincial teams continually deploy fences, conduct outreach, conduct monitoring and evaluation missions and train beneficiaries. This successful model has allowed the project to grow with support from a number of national and international funders and partners. CAFI financing is testament to the belief in the Space for Giants approach and its adoption by subsistence farmers.

‘‘Space for Giants congratulates the Ministry of Water and Forests for securing this CAFI financing to continue supporting subsistence farmers living alongside forest elephants,”  Eric Chehoski, Space for Giants Country Director, explained. “Our fencing programme has proved extremely successful for Gabon’s context and we look forward to fulfilling the role as technical partner to the Ministry to achieve meaningful outcomes under this project, both for the Gabonese people and the critically endangered forest elephants.”

WCS will be working closely with Space for Giants as our partner on this project. Mr. Gaspard Abitsi, WCS Gabon Country Director, told how he is excited by such a vital initiative occurring at this important time.

He said: “This project is the result of an efficient collaborative effort between Gabonese government agencies, conservation NGOs and the CAFI national focal point which allowed in an extremely constrained time to mature this project and thus provide a rapid response to the Prime Minister's call-in mid-December 2024. This is a crucial contribution from the international community which consolidates its support for the Gabonese government's constant efforts in the preservation of the forests and wildlife of the Congo Basin. This first initiative will certainly encourage other donors to invest more in this issue, in order to improve the peaceful coexistence between people and the forest elephant in Gabon.”

Libreville, 29th January 2025 - The 1000th mobile electric fence and a new provincial office were inaugurated today during a ceremony presided by the Minister of Water, Forests and Human-Wildlife Conflict, and the governor of the Nyanga province.

The event marks the success of an unprecedented innovation in environmental conservation that Space for Giants has implemented in Central Africa, linking community development with biodiversity protection.

Human-elephant conflict is a critical political, social, and economic issue in Gabon. It threatens food security and hampers rural communities’ ability to send their children to school, given that agriculture is a primary source of livelihood.

Installing mobile electric fences has allowed farmers to protect their farms against destruction from crop-raiding elephants.

The milestone means Space for Giants achieved its 2024 target of installing 1,000 mobile electric fences in Gabon to address the issue of human-elephant conflict and nearly 15,000 people have already benefited from the project, spread across 43 of the country's 48 departments.  

The solution, proven to be 95% effective in preventing elephants from raiding crops where it has been implemented, has been identified as one of the key measures adopted in Gabon's national human-wildlife conflict strategy.

The official inauguration ceremony was held today in the city of Tchibanga, in Nyanga Province. It was attended by Maurice Ntossui Allogo, the Minister of Water and Forests, key partners, and members of the local administration.  

This celebration, combined with the launch of a new provincial office funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, not only highlights Space for Giants and the Government of the Gabonese Republic’s commitment to effectively address the urgency and demands of local communities but also represents a significant step forward in the field of conservation in Central Africa. 

‘‘I am delighted to attend the inauguration ceremony of the 1000th electric fence,” said Maurice Ntossui Allogo, the Minister of Water and Forest. “Food security, safety, and the restoration of the dignity of rural communities depend on mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and the farmers who have suffered are waiting for actions from our Government, conservation partners, and international organizations, with results that must be immediately noticeable. 

“With this in mind, we must double our efforts by intensifying the installation of individual electric fences, as the feedback from beneficiaries has been encouraging.’’ 

The event was an opportunity for Space for Giants to reiterate its role as a key technical partner to the Government of the Gabonese Republic in mitigating this conflict. 

Eric Chehoski, Space for Giants Country Director, Gabon, said: ‘‘The completion of this 1,000th fence demonstrates the efforts of the Gabonese Republic to find a solution to a food security crisis for its rural citizens. As the technical partner in attenuating human-elephant conflict, Space for Giants recognizes that much more remains to be done, to extend the project into all affected rural communities across Gabon. 

“The growing demand for mobile fences reflects the effectiveness of the tool, its impact, and its adoption by farmers. Our hope is that the government will integrate the mobile electric fences into a community and economic development strategy that aligns with national priorities.”

Gabon is the largest refuge of African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), with an estimated 95,000 individuals. However, it is also the only country in the world dealing with human-elephant conflict on a national scale, with elephants present in 47 out of 48 administrative departments. 

Electric fencing has proven to be the only effective mitigation technique outside of administrative slaughtering in Gabon. As a result, the government of the Gabonese Republic, through its Ministry of Water and Forest and its technical partner Space for Giants, initiated the mobile electric fencing program to address the national crisis. 

The electric fence conceived and deployed by Space for Giants is therefore a crucial a bridge between conservation and the development of rural communities. Many farmers previously faced sleepless nights and high risks while protecting their crops using ineffective traditional methods such as lighting fires and banging on tin drums.

 The fences now provide peace of mind, shielding them from the stress and danger they once endured.

The mobile electric fencing program is funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Elephant Crisis Fund, Elephant Cooperation, Chantecaille Foundation, Perenco, TotalEnergies, Maurel & Prom, The Art Ortenberg and Liz Claiborne Foundation and Atlantic Packaging. It received funding in the pilot phase from Assala Upstream, Vaalco, Elephant Crisis Fund, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy.

Personal Background

I am from the Baganda tribe, a culture deeply connected to nature and rooted in the traditions of Uganda’s Lake Victoria basin. I was born into the Lion clan, known as "Mpologoma" in Luganda. Growing up, I was taught to respect and protect lions, which are powerful symbols for my clan. These values passed down through my grandparents’ stories, gave me a strong appreciation for conservation from an early age.

This passion led me to pursue a degree in Conservation Biology, where I developed a deep interest in understanding how different species interact within ecosystems. During my undergraduate studies, I interned at Murchison Falls National Park and worked closely with Dr. Hebert Kasozi on giraffe communication research. His mentorship and the hands-on experience I gained during this time strengthened my commitment to wildlife conservation.

Inspired by my work with Dr. Kasozi, I focused my master’s research on the effects of oil and gas mining on mammal populations in Murchison Falls National Park, with a special focus on the critically endangered Nubian giraffes. This experience deepened my dedication to protecting vulnerable species and laid the groundwork for my future career in conservation.

Professional Journey

Before joining Space for Giants as a Giraffe Monitoring Officer, I worked on several conservation projects in Uganda. Most recently, I led two research projects in Murchison Falls National Park. The first explored the effects of oil mining on mammal populations, while the second assessed the effectiveness of electric fences in reducing human-elephant conflicts along the park's northern boundary.

These projects strengthened my skills in data collection, wildlife monitoring, and habitat assessment. They also prepared me to work in remote and challenging environments, such as Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve. Each experience has given me the knowledge and resilience needed to take on giraffe conservation with a well-rounded and practical approach.

Leading the Charge for Giraffes in Pian Upe

As part of the Space for Giants team, I lead giraffe monitoring efforts in Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve. My work involves creating detailed identification profiles for individual giraffes and documenting their population size, structure, and distribution patterns. Additionally, I collaborate with local communities to foster positive relationships with wildlife and raise awareness about giraffe conservation.

Through comprehensive data collection on giraffe behavior and habitat use, my team aims to develop a thorough understanding of the giraffe population in Pian Upe. This information will guide our conservation efforts and help ensure the long-term survival of these magnificent animals.

Ambitious Goals for Giraffe Conservation

My main goal is to build a complete profile of the giraffe population in Pian Upe, documenting their behaviors, movements, and challenges. Beyond collecting data, I hope to create a sustainable relationship between the local communities and the giraffes by promoting education and engagement around conservation. Ultimately, I aim to establish a thriving giraffe population in Pian Upe, ensuring they have a safe and secure habitat for generations to come.

Vision for Impact

I see my role as part of a larger effort to protect giraffe populations across Africa. Every step we take in Pian Upe helps us address the global decline of giraffes. By developing a model for effective, community-supported conservation, I hope to create a blueprint that can be used in other regions. I also envision this work influencing policies that strengthen giraffe conservation across Uganda, showcasing the possibility of harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife.

A Collaborative Vision

Conservation is a team effort, and collaboration is essential to success. I believe protecting wildlife is just as much about working with people as it is about the animals themselves. At Space for Giants, I have the privilege of working with a talented team and local partners who bring unique skills and knowledge to our mission. By combining scientific research with the insights of local communities, we can create sustainable solutions for giraffe conservation. My role is to connect researchers, conservationists, and community members, ensuring that together we can achieve results that no single group could accomplish on its own.

A Personal Mission

For me, conservation is both a responsibility and a passion. Growing up in Uganda, I saw how quickly habitats could be threatened, which gave me a sense of urgency to act. Witnessing habitat loss firsthand and seeing the power of community involvement has only strengthened my commitment to this work.

Giraffes, with their unique beauty and vulnerability, remind me of nature’s grace and fragility. They inspire me to keep pushing for solutions that allow wildlife and people to thrive together. My vision is for a future where giraffes and other species have the space and safety to flourish alongside human communities.

Message to Our Supporters

As I embark on this journey with Space for Giants, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our supporters. Your commitment to conservation makes this work possible. Thanks to your generosity, we can protect giraffes and other wildlife, ensuring they have a future in our shared landscapes.

I am honored to work on giraffe conservation in Pian Upe, collaborating with local communities and raising awareness about the importance of coexistence. With your continued support, I am confident we can create a brighter future where giraffes and other wildlife not only survive but thrive. Thank you for being an essential part of this mission. I look forward to sharing our progress with you as we move forward together.

In 2016, Space for Giants, in partnership with the Laikipia County Government, made a significant stride in mitigating human-wildlife conflict. We installed over 140 kilometers of electric fencing (equivalent to over 1,333 football pitches) in West Laikipia, a region home to Kenya’s second-largest elephant population. This successful initiative has significantly reduced human-elephant conflict, demonstrating the potential impact of our current project. However, there is still much to be done.

50 kilometers of fence remain unfinished and require realignment, including ADC Mutara, Kifuku Ranches, and Suyian Conservancy. These unfenced sections offer elephants easy access to farms, posing a continuous threat to the communities that live there.

For farmers like Wanjiku, a smallholder in the ADC Mutara area, the consequences of elephant raids are not just heartbreaking but devastating. After working tirelessly to harvest her 2-acre maize farm, she watched 80% of her crop—her year’s income—vanish overnight, consumed by elephants that found a broken access gate, which had been damaged earlier by another elephant during the night. Left unrepaired, it provided easy access to the farms. Incidents like this shatter livelihoods and heighten tensions between humans and elephants, sometimes resulting in deadly retaliation. Wanjiku's story is one of many, and it's a stark reminder of the urgent need to secure boundaries that protect local people and elephants. 

In areas without physical fencing, Space for Giants uses geofences. Geofences are virtual boundaries that track collared elephants. When elephants approach and cross these boundaries, EarthRanger technology triggers real-time alerts. *EarthRanger is a real-time software tool that helps conservation teams monitor wildlife movements, track potential conflicts, and enhance protection efforts through data collection and analysis.

With support from Space for Giants scouts, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Human-Elephant Conflict team responds quickly, directing the elephants back into protected areas before further conflict occurs. Our human-elephant conflict mobile scouts monitor elephant movements, respond to conflict, and support local communities, ensuring the safety of both people and wildlife while bridging conservation efforts and community needs.

Completing the fence is crucial. It will protect farms from raids, allow farmers to thrive, and foster peaceful coexistence between people and elephants. But we cannot achieve this without your help.

We are appealing to you to help us raise funds for this vital project. Every contribution will bring us closer to fully fencing off vulnerable areas and safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of those who call West Laikipia home.

Libreville - 02 October 2024 - As part of its ongoing commitment to addressing Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) and conserving Gabon's wildlife and natural resources, Space for Giants (SFG) has signed a strategic fifteen-month partnership with the NGO Conservation Justice (CJ). This collaboration will focus on monitoring and managing mobile electric fences in the provinces of Haut-Ogooué, Ogooué-Lolo, Ngounié, and Ogooué-Ivindo. It underscores Space for Giants' leadership in delivering sustainable solutions to HWC by deploying mobile electric fences to safeguard community subsistence farms across these regions.

This agreement aims to develop sustainable solutions to Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) by deploying mobile electric fences to protect community plantations in the provinces above. The partnership will foster seamless collaboration based on each organization's technical expertise, focusing on cooperation methods, communication mechanisms, and implementation strategies.

Leveraging its expertise in installing electric fences in Gabon, Space for Giants will lead in its competency areas, applying its technical know-how to installing mobile electric fences in local communities.

Eric CHEHOSKI, Country Director of Space for Giants Gabon, stated: We recognize that it is now inconceivable to address conservation or wildlife protection in Gabon without confronting the issue of human-elephant conflict. Acknowledging this reality, we embrace this partnership, as it fully considers the needs of local communities in the target areas, where subsistence crops are regularly devastated by elephants. This partnership is marked by a strong commitment to raising awareness, with a particular emphasis on providing communities access to mobile electric fences, a practical and immediate solution to this challenge.

For its part, Conservation Justice will focus on community engagement, identifying potential beneficiaries of the electric fences and encouraging them to submit requests to the relevant authorities, including the Ministries of Water and Forests, Environment, and Agriculture. Within the framework of this collaboration, Conservation Justice will also work on raising awareness among communities and providing ongoing support to the beneficiaries.

Luc MATHOT, Executive Director of Conservation Justice, emphasized that sustainable work cannot be achieved without the participation of local communities, and we are deeply committed to further strengthening this aspect. Human-Wildlife Conflict has continued growing and has become a priority for all organizations involved in wildlife conservation and sustainable development.

Based on priorities and emerging opportunities, the collaboration between SFG and CJ could expand to other provinces in addition to the target provinces.

Libreville, 12th September  2024 - Space for Giants, in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Forest, is proud to announce that its mobile electric fence initiative has reached and benefited 11,796 people across Gabon. This achievement highlights the strides made in mitigating the human-elephant conflict in the country with the deployment of 857 mobile electric fences and a goal of reaching 1000 fences by the end of 2024.

Human-elephant conflict is a critical political, social, and economic issue in Gabon. It threatens food security and hampers rural communities’ ability to send their children to school, given that agriculture is a primary source of livelihood.

Installing mobile electric fences has allowed farmers to protect their farms against destruction from crop-raiding elephants. Since the project’s inception in 2022, Space for Giants has installed 857 fences, safeguarding farms from elephant crop raids and farmers from food insecurity. 

"This electric fence has changed my life. It has secured my field, allowing me to harvest more plantains. I sold a portion of the harvest to cover my children's educational expenses and feed my family," said Albertine Sama Moussavou, a beneficiary from the Ogooué-Maritime province.

The electric fences have greatly enhanced beneficiaries' economic and psychological well-being. The average age of fence beneficiaries is  57. Many farmers previously faced sleepless nights and high risks while protecting their crops using ineffective traditional methods such as lighting fires and banging on tin drums. The fences now provide peace of mind, shielding them from the stress and danger they once endured.

‘‘Before this barrier, life was very difficult. We couldn't do anything. Some of us even considered abandoning farming altogether. I lived in a makeshift camp within the plantation with my family. Since witnessing the effectiveness of this fence, my family and I have moved back to the village to live with the others. ” said Antoine Nguema, a beneficiary from the Ngounie province.

Beneficiaries have reported noticeable interactions between the electric fence and elephants, proving the tool’s effectiveness. The fences have repelled 1,055 elephant attacks out of 1,112 attempts, preventing crop raids and ensuring food security for rural communities. Due to the fence’s success in deterring elephants, requests for them have continually increased. To date, 2,339 fence requests have been documented across the territory with the Ministry of Water and Forests via incident reports and electric fence requests recorded on the Human-Fauna Conflict Gabon App.

"Communities have shown growing enthusiasm for the program due to the positive results of the fence's effectiveness. Nationwide, the demand for our fences far exceeds official figures. While 10,000 beneficiaries is commendable, further expansion is needed to secure more people, ”said Hans Pascal Ekorezock Ndong, Program Manager.

Space for Giants’ innovative mobile electric fence solution provides an immediate and effective response to the human-elephant conflict in Gabon. As a technical partner to the government of the Gabonese Republic, Space for Giants has played a crucial role in mitigating a socio-political crisis. The organization has installed 857 fences across 39 of Gabon’s 48 departments, demonstrating the widespread impact of this initiative.

Perenco, TotalEnergies, Maurel and Prom, Elephant Cooperation, and the Elephant Crisis Fund funded the mobile electric fencing program. The pilot phase also received funding from Assala Upstream, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Vaalco, and The Nature Conservancy.

Space for Giants was honored to have England rugby star Ben Earl represent us at this year’s BGC Charity Day. Held annually, this significant event is a reminder of the colleagues lost in the 9/11 attacks and serves as a powerful example of the collective good that can be achieved through corporate support.

Ben, well known for his passion on and off the pitch, took to the trading floor at BGC Partners to raise crucial funds for Space for Giants’ mission to protect wildlife and wild spaces. His commitment to conservation was evident as he tackled the challenge of trading, all in the name of making a difference for nature.

Remembering 9/11 and the Power of Corporate Support

BGC Charity Day is more than just a fundraising event; it is a moment to honor the memory of the BGC colleagues who tragically lost their lives on 9/11. Their legacy lives on in the incredible impact this day continues to have on global charities like Space for Giants.

Corporate support, such as that from BGC Partners, plays a pivotal role in advancing our mission. The funds raised during BGC Charity Day will help us continue our efforts to protect endangered wildlife, safeguard habitats, and support the communities that live alongside them.

A Special Thanks to BGC Partners and Ben Earl

We extend our deepest gratitude to BGC Partners for their continued dedication to charitable giving and Ben Earl for standing with us on this important day. Together, we’re making strides in conservation and ensuring that future generations can continue to experience the beauty and wonder of our planet’s wild spaces.

For more updates on our work and how you can get involved, follow us on social media and stay tuned for more news.

Libreville - 05 September 2024 – On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, the General Directorate of Agriculture and the international charity Space for Giants signed an agreement to collaborate on the installation and monitoring of solar mobile electric fences for cooperatives, associations, and other formal or informal groups operating in the agricultural sector. This agreement marks the beginning of a strategic collaboration to develop sustainable solutions to mitigate human-elephant conflict and promote agricultural development in Gabon. 

This partnership was partly initiated by an agricultural project funded by the African Development Bank. By joining forces, Space for Giants and the Ministry of Agriculture aim to provide an effective response to a continuing crisis that profoundly impacts rural communities in Gabon, and could be a driving force for agricultural self-sufficiency in the country.

‘‘Gabon is firmly committed to increasing its agricultural production. Current policies aim for the country to achieve food and nutritional security. This partnership will allow us to secure various agricultural areas and productions, and, as a result, enhance the value of the products from the different stakeholders on the ground, who are facing the intrusion of pachyderms into their farms,’’ expressed the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Serge Rufin Okana.

Space for Giants will be responsible for installing electric fences and training end-user farmers and Ministry personnel in fence operation, maintenance, and data collection. Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Agriculture will raise awareness among local communities regarding the process for obtaining electric fences and ensure that data collection follows SFG protocols. The Ministry will also establish the methodology for transparently identifying and selecting farmers or cooperatives benefitting from this project. 

This partnership embodies a multisectoral and inclusive approach, essential for resolving a conflict that threatens not only food security but also the economic stability of rural communities. Together, the Directorate of Agriculture and Space for Giants are committed to safeguarding the livelihoods of Gabonese farmers and fostering a future where humans and elephants can coexist.

‘‘Finding solutions to human-elephant conflict requires multisectoral partners. For Space for Giants, building this relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture is crucial, as this crisis primarily affects agricultural areas,’’ stated Eric Chehoski, Country Director of Space for Giants Gabon.

As the lead technical partner in mitigating human-elephant conflict for the government of the Gabonese Republic, Space for Giants plays a crucial role in alleviating a socio-economic and food security crisis. As of August 31, 2024, the organization has installed 857 fences across 39 of Gabon's 48 departments, benefiting 11,796 farmers.

On August 20th, 2024, Space for Giants, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Ole Naishu and Lolldaiga Conservancies, successfully collared three bull elephants in Ole Naishu and Lolldaiga, Laikipia, Kenya. This collaring exercise, supervised by KWS's Veterinary Department, is essential for monitoring elephant movements and mitigating human-elephant conflict (HEC).

Laikipia County, home to 42% of Kenya's second-largest elephant population, has long been a hotspot for human-elephant conflict. While Space for Giants has historically concentrated its efforts in West Laikipia, where our work began, we are now expanding our focus to other parts of Laikipia. East Laikipia, specifically Umande, is another part of Laikipia that is experiencing increasing levels of HEC in recent years and Space for Giants is committed to supporting our partners to better understand the scale of the challenge.

Human-elephant conflict is complex and requires practical yet effective strategies to protect elephants while safeguarding local communities' lives and livelihoods. While electric fences have proven effective, they are not foolproof. Space for Giants, together with Laikipia County Government and KWS, has constructed over 150 kilometres of electric fences, collared elephants to track their movements, and closely monitored fence performance to help mitigate human-elephant conflict. Despite these efforts, some elephants still manage to breach the fences, leading to crop damage and ongoing conflict.

Elephant collaring plays a crucial role in these conservation efforts. The collars, equipped with geographic positioning systems (GPS), enable Space for Giants to track elephant movements in real-time on EarthRanger, especially for bulls known for their crop-raiding behavior. This technology provides essential data for understanding and managing human-elephant conflict.

We use geofences—virtual boundaries—to define specific areas of interest. When an elephant crosses a geofence, EarthRanger triggers real-time alerts with GPS location, direction, and time sent to the KWS Human-Elephant Conflict Rapid Response Team. Supported by Space for Giants scouts, the KWS team guides the elephants back into protected areas to minimize conflict. Our scouts also monitor the elephants' health and report any injuries to KWS, particularly during crop-raiding incidents.

The newly collared elephants are part of Space for Giants' ongoing elephant-monitoring program, which focuses on identifying and managing crop-raiding and fence-breaking elephants. The operation was successful, and all three elephants—Naishu, Nchoro, and Njorai—are healthy. One of the elephants, Naishu, was re-collared, while the two, Nchoro and Njorai, were newly collared.

We extend our gratitude to Ole Naishu Conservancy for sponsoring and supporting the collaring exercise and to the KWS and Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) for working with us on important conservation initiatives in Laikipia.

Space for Giants and its partners are unwavering in their commitment to using collaring and other innovative conservation strategies to help foster coexistence between elephants and farmers in one of Kenya's most critical conservation areas.

7th August 2024

London, U.K.

Lily James becomes Global Supporter for Space for Giants, championing African wildlife conservation efforts

In a move towards bolstering conservation efforts across Africa, Lily James an advocate for wildlife conservation, joined Space for Giants as a Global Supporter.  During a recent visit to Kenya, she witnessed firsthand the organization's dedication to restoring and protecting natural ecosystems, combating the challenges of human-wildlife conflict and wildife crime, and ensuring that wildlife conservation generates benefits for local citizens through the development of income-generating enterprises, such as tourism and carbon credits.

Expressing her excitement at the new role, Lily said, "I am truly honored to be a Space for Giants Global Supporter and help to achieve their goals to protect Africa's remaining natural ecosystems and populations of large wild animals they contain, and the people who depend on the land."

"Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting some of the critical wild refuges that have been restored and protected by Space for Giants in Kenya," Lily shared. "With more than 90% of Africa's 8,400 protected landscapes without funding and many natural ecosystems without any protection at all in the face of huge human pressures, wild animals such as elephants, rhinos and big cats are in huge trouble. The work that Space for Giants does is, therefore, more important than ever.”

One of the most remarkable projects Lily encountered during her visit was the reintroduction of 21 eastern black rhinos back into Loisaba Conservancy where they were once on the brink of extinction due to poaching for the last 50 years. "Without Space For Giants' tireless work on the ground every day, our children would only see these incredible animals in books," she emphasized.

CEO and Founder of Space for Giants Dr. Max Graham said ‘We are hugely grateful to Lily for taking up this critical role to support us and our frontline teams to preserve Africa’s last remaining natural ecosystems ad the large wild animals they hold’.

Space for Giants, with its unwavering commitment to protecting Africa's natural heritage over 10 African countries, welcomes Lily as a valuable addition to its global conservation efforts. 

Approximately 31% of the Earth's land surface is covered by forests. The Congo Basin forest, which spans six countries, including Gabon, is the second largest forest in the world after the Amazon and is a vital asset for humanity. Covering 88% of its area with humid forests, of which 65% are primary forests, and the remaining 23% are secondary forests useful for agriculture, Gabon ranks first among African countries in forest area with its 23 million hectares of forest. These forests host over 10,000 plant species and are maintained by its renowned engineers: the elephants.

The 95,000 elephants residing in Gabon’s forests significantly contribute to their diversification through seed dispersal. By clearing dense vegetation areas to feed, they create clearings that offer new growth opportunities for various plant species, enriching the diversity of forest habitats. As undisputed compasses of the Gabonese tropical forest lining the equator, elephants naturally create trails or corridors that also help connect different forest areas.

As the world celebrates International Day of Forests on March 21, 2024, through innovation for a better future, Space for Giants, through its “human-elephant conflict" program, is deploying an innovative solution in Gabon - mobile electric fences - to protect subsistence farmers’ crops and elephants, aiming for effective coexistence and to limit as much as possible the exploitation of primary forests for agricultural purposes.

The fences help better define land management plans, allowing farmers to have areas dedicated to agriculture and areas strictly reserved for forest and wildlife preservation. They enable farmers to restrict their agricultural activities around villages, thus reducing the need to cut trees in primary forests. Mobile electric fences, suitable for slash-and-burn agriculture practiced in Gabon, allow local populations to open up new agricultural lands for essential food crops. This reduces pressure on intact forests, as farmers can clear already-used lands rather than primary forests.

Today,  Gabon is considered the last refuge for forest elephants. It has 650 mobile electric fences installed across its lands, minimizing the exploitation of virgin forests for agricultural purposes and promoting their preservation, which is beneficial for the world and future generations.

Images courtesy of ANPN.

KENYA, 5 March 2023—International conservation charity Space for Giants has been certified carbon neutral after measuring, reducing, and offsetting its carbon footprint. Between January 1st and December 31st, 2022, it successfully balanced its carbon dioxide emissions with carbon removals, achieving One Carbon World Limited verification.

Space for Giants carefully measured its teams’ total emissions, after which verified carbon offsets were bought, with the funding going towards protecting and restoring natural landscapes and supporting local citizens who rely on them. The organisation was awarded a Statement of Carbon Neutrality for reaching the carbon-neutral international standard.

Carbon neutrality represents a critical stride in the collective effort against climate change. It revolves around the equilibrium between the emissions produced and those removed from the atmosphere, effectively offsetting the carbon footprint. This method enables organizations to address emissions while focusing on sustainable long-term reduction strategies.

Dr Max Graham, Founder and CEO of Space for Giants, said, “As an organisation, we acknowledge our responsibility to limit our carbon emissions wherever possible and to offset those that are currently unavoidable to continue the work that we do and to invest in the protection and restoration of natural spaces. 

The verified carbon credits were retired through the United Nations platform and supported a reforestation project in Uruguay covering 18,000 hectares lasting 100 years. This project was verified by the Rainforest Alliance and certified by the Forest Stewardship Councill for fair wages.

“It is incredibly important to us to continue to do what we can as a community, as a team, and as an organisation to ensure that we help protect and restore vital landscapes. We are working to put in place measures that further limit our negative effects on the environment. We are by no means perfect and will continue to be transparent with our partners and followers as we go on this journey together,” Max added.

To help address the climate crisis, Space for Giants has evolved from a conservation organization to a restoration organization. Its new carbon program aims to leverage the carbon markets to drive finance into the restoration of Africa’s ecosystems so that they can sequester the carbon we need. 

This process will combat climate change, rural poverty, food insecurity, and the species extinction crisis and create green jobs.

On 3rd March, the world observes World Wildlife Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of wildlife and the need for its conservation. World Wildlife Day also addresses wildlife’s various threats, such as habitat destruction, poaching, and climate change, while advocating for concrete actions to protect and preserve endangered species and their habitats. This year’s theme is “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation.”

Today, we're proud to highlight conservation work in Gabon, where Space for Giants, in partnership with the State of the Gabonese Republic, is pioneering innovative solutions to mitigate the human-elephant conflict spanning 47 of Gabon’s 48 departments.

Gabon hosts a significant population of 95,000 forest elephants, making it a crucial sanctuary for this species across all provinces. However, the Gabonese agricultural context practices shifting agriculture within the forested rural areas of Gabon, which the forest elephants inhabit. This causes conflict when the elephants raid the subsistence farms, threatening the elephants and the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

Space for Giants has implemented an electric fence program to address this challenge, with 637 fences installed from March 2022 to February 2024, benefiting 7,827 people across Gabon's nine provinces.  

The fences are low-cost, low-specification mobile electric fences that start as a simple one-strange electric line with an option to add additional wire strands if the elephants break through the first line of defense. This approach suits the Gabonese subsistence farmers’ context, as they can move, fix, and manage the deterrent fences themselves. The project has been successful, with 544 cases of crop-raiding attempts prevented in 312 villages.

Central to the success of this initiative is integrating digital tools for monitoring and evaluation. The deployment and functionality of electric fences are tracked using digital solutions powered by solar energy. Furthermore, 45 camera traps have been strategically placed to monitor interactions between elephants and fences.

Soon, there are plans to install an acoustic sound system for analyzing animal profiles, focusing on elephants around plantations. This comprehensive strategy, integrating conservation efforts with advanced technology, symbolizes a beacon of hope for the harmonious coexistence of wildlife and communities within Gabon’s forests.

Let’s unite to protect and safeguard the planet’s last remaining endangered forest elephant species and the surrounding communities by donating to the human-elephant coexistence program in Gabon.

Your contribution will drive the ongoing expansion of innovative mobile electric fencing and technology to the most needy areas, safeguarding vulnerable elephant populations.

Laikipia, Kenya,13 February, 2024: -- The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and partners today celebrate the successful translocation of 21 eastern black rhinos to Loisaba Conservancy, establishing a new viable breeding population in a country that now has 17 sanctuaries where the species has recovered since being on the brink of extinction decades ago.

Loisaba, located in Laikipia County, received the 21 rhinos from Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta and Lewa conservancies in an 18-day exercise executed by highly trained capture and veterinary experts drawn from KWS and its partners. The translocation was made possible by the support of various partners, including: The Nature Conservancy, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Space for Giants, Elewana Collection, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lewa Conservancy and the goodwill of our communities that support conservation efforts.

Kenya had 20,000 black rhinos in the 1970s before poachers decimated them for their horns, which were sold as decorative dagger handles in Arabia and medicines in the Far East. By the time the KWS was established in 1989, rhino numbers had declined to below 400. Since then, Kenya’s eastern black rhinos have made a remarkable comeback, and today, there are an estimated 1,004 individuals.

In terms of black rhinoceros numbers, Kenya now ranks third after South Africa and Namibia. Kenya is a stronghold of the eastern sub species, hosting approximately 80 per cent of the entire world’s surviving population. Meanwhile, southern white rhinos continue to thrive in Kenya, having increased from 50 individuals that were imported from South Africa in the eighties and nineties to reach the current population of 971 individuals.

Kenya is playing a critical role in efforts to save the northern white rhino from extinction, as it is host to the only remaining two females of the species left in the world. Kenya is partnering with the global community on this project through the BioRescue project, which is a consortium of local and international experts. Thirty embryos have so far been developed, awaiting implantation into southern white rhino surrogate females. Long before Loisaba became a conservancy, the last rhinos were poached out of the area 50 years ago. The reintroduction of these 21 animals is a great milestone in Kenya’s rhino recovery action plan, and safeguarding this keystone species depends on creating more space and collaborating with communities and like-minded partners to help numbers recover.

Dr. Max Graham, CEO and Founder of Space for Giants, said, "Black rhinos were once common on Loisaba. The last known individual here was killed by poachers in the 1970s, a pattern experienced across Kenya and, indeed Africa as a consequence of the devastating and illegal trade in their horns. The return of black rhinos to Loisaba is not only a testament to the effective leadership and skills of the Kenya Wildlife Service but also a demonstration of how impactful partnerships between governments and conservation NGOs can be for restoring, managing, and protecting our natural world. And, of course, the return of black rhinos here gives all of us one of the most precious commodities of all: hope."

“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of the resettlement of rhinos to a landscape where they’ve been absent for 50 years,” said Tom Silvester, CEO of Loisaba Conservancy. “I recognize the splendid role the KWS vet and entire translocation team played to oversee the successful return of this iconic species to this landscape and we are committed to partnering with like-minded conservationists to raise rhino numbers in Kenya.”

Dr. Erustus Kanga Director General, Kenya Wildlife Service, said “I am elated to be associated with this momentous effort to secure more space for this cornerstone species. In the recent past, one of the main causes of mortality of rhinos has been territorial fights due to limited space in sanctuaries which has also led to suppressed growth rates due to competition for space and resources, leading to prolonged age at first calving, prolonged inter-calving intervals and more births of male calves, among other density dependent factors.”

Today’s celebration of the successful translocation exercise brings together top Kenyan government officials, led by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua, Principal Secretaries in the Ministry, Governor of the County of Laikipia, Laikipia community members and wildlife enthusiasts from across the world.

The 500th fence was inaugurated today at a special ceremony attended by the Minister of Water and Forest and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Human-Wildlife Conflict. It marked the implementation by Space for Giants of one of the largest ever Human-Elephant Conflict initiatives rolled out in Africa over  12 months. 

●           International conservation NGO Space for Giants achieved its 2023 target of 500 mobile-electric fences in Gabon to address the issue of human-elephant conflict.

●           Over 4,800 subsistence farmers in 35 out of 48 departments in the country benefit from fencing as a human-elephant conflict mitigation strategy.

●           The solution is 95% effective in stopping elephant crop-raiding where introduced.

●           Space for Giants and the Government of Gabon now rolling out the programme to additional districts while also providing maintenance for fences already provided.

Libreville, 2 February 2024 - In partnership with the Ministry of Water and Forests, Space for Giants is proud to announce the achievement of its 2023 annual target of 500 mobile electric fences (MEF) installations, benefitting 4,815 people throughout nine provinces in Gabon.

This marks a significant step forward in mitigating human-elephant conflict in Gabon. Human-elephant conflict is a major challenge to the Gabonese, who are largely subsistence farmers living alongside the endangered African forest elephants.

The official inauguration of the 500th mobile electric fence was held today on the outskirts of Kango in the Estuaire province. It was attended by Maurice Ntossui Allogo, the Minister of Water and Forests, and key partners and members of the local community. The ceremony highlighted the viability of mobile electric fencing in securing food security for rural communities and announced scaling the program in 2024.

‘‘The Human-Wildlife Conflict, and more specifically the Human-Elephant Conflict, has been growing at a phenomenal rate for over a decade, and is contributing to the increasing impoverishment of rural populations who make their living from agriculture, while at the same time exposing them to the risks associated with the presence of elephants in the vicinity of their villages. The inauguration of the 500th mobile electric fence is the result of positive feedback from the beneficiaries. This encourages the government to continue in this vein.’’  said Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Minister of Water and Forest.

As the program continues into 2024, Space for Giants, as a technical partner alongside the government of the Gabonese Republic, looks to the future and encourages an inclusive, multi-sectoral approach to overcoming this conflict in the years to come.

Eric Chehoski, Space for Giants Country Director, Gabon, said: ‘‘Space for Giants congratulates the Ministry of Water and Forests, in charge of human-wildlife conflict, and financial partners in this important engagement to protect Gabonese farmers and the forest elephant. We installed 500 mobile electric fences in 2023 and will continue to roll out fences to protect affected farmers throughout 2024. The demand is strong. There is a real cry of distress on a national scale because of human-elephant conflict. Fences need to be part of a multi-sector effort to improve agriculture and the economy of rural Gabonese. Our goal is food security and actively participating in these rural communities’ social and economic development. This is the best way to guarantee the protection of the critically endangered Forest Elephant.”

In order to strategically distribute mobile electric fencing throughout the country, Space for Giants set up four bases in 2023 in four of the nine provinces: Haut-Ogooué, Ngounié, Ogooué-Ivindo and Ogooué-Maritime. These bases carried out three-pronged missions, reinforced by the team of itinerant missions in charge of improving fencing technology, focusing on the maintenance and monitoring of the proper functioning of electric fences, the training of beneficiaries in the use of this repellent device and the training of partners. While Space for Giant Gabon plans to reach 1,000 fences in December 2024, the program will emphasize the fence maintenance system and the appropriation of the system by the beneficiaries.

The local communities warmly welcomed the initiative. Gabon is the largest refuge of African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), with an estimated 95,000 individuals. However, it is also the only country in the world dealing with human-elephant conflict on a national scale, with elephants present in 47 out of 48 administrative departments. Electric fencing has proven to be the only effective mitigation technique outside of administrative slaughtering in Gabon. As a result, the government of the Gabonese Republic, through its Ministry of Water and Forest and its technical partner Space for Giants, initiated the mobile electric fencing program to address the national crisis.

Nadia Moussavou, Beneficiary in Kafélé village, Estuaire province, said: “For almost eight years, we fought elephants. There were moments when you could hear them lurking behind the house.  Every night, the routine was to rise from sleep to bang on the cans and barrels. They wreaked havoc on our crops, and we struggled to replant what they destroyed. But since the electric fence was installed, the situation has changed. Now, we can consume all that we harvest. We plant and sell, and It aids us in providing for our children.”

The mobile electric fencing program is funded by Perenco, TotalEnergies, and Maurel and Prom. It has also received funding in the pilot phase from Assala Upstream, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Vaalco, the Elephant Crisis Fund, the Elephant Cooperation, and The Nature Conservancy.