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ANNUAL REPORT2 0 2 3E L E P H A N T S A L I V E - A N N U A L R E P O R T - 2 0 2 3P H O T O : J O S H H I B B E T T

This year has seen us make great strides into various avenues that definewhat Elephants Alive is about. Being true to our mission statement, wehave worked hard to ensure the survival of elephants, especially thosethat live dangerous lives moving between neighboring countries. Withscience as our compass and elephants as our guide, we are chartering anew model to benefit elephants and communities that is potentially sustainable, diversifies incomeand brings food security where people and elephants need to coexist. With this year marking 25years of tracking elephants and more than 300 elephant collaring operations, we have usedtrailblazing elephants moving outside of Protected Areas (PAs), to charter our strategic plans. Ourlong-term tracking history has revealed that elephants are moving over an area greater than thesize of Scotland! Their movements are linking two Transfrontier Conservation Areas (GreatLimpopo- and Lebombo TFCA), seven National Parks and 17 smaller PAs across over fourcountries. The combined population estimates of the two TFCA and interlinked areas is close to 50000 elephants, representing 12% of the continental elephant population and flagging the areassignificant to elephant conservation. More than half of the total elephant population occurs outside of PAs while 76% of them are foundacross one or more international boundary where they frequently affect people’s safety andlivelihoods when crop-raiding at night. Promoting co-existence between elephants and people willonly be achieved by implementing innovative ways to ensure people’s safety and to protect theirassets (food crops and infrastructure). We believe that our increased focus on elephant movements,consultation with communities through questionnaire surveys and heartwarming programs such asthe , ensuring human safety through the deployment of Rapid Response Units toaddress human-elephant-conflict (HEC) incidences, upskilling through cost-effective non-incomegenerating ‘soft barriers’ (as I like to call them) around food crops, and benefit-sharing via cropbarriers that diversify and generate an income, will foster coexistence values in the longer term.Read all about how we bring these various strategic steps together in our corridor projects. As our mission statement also incorporates protecting, both charted and uncharted elephanthabitat, we believe in using elephant tracking data and the linkages they define between PAs(corridors) and across national boundaries to provide valuable maps for strategic land useplanning to help reach biodiversity targets. The global target of conserving 30% of the land by 2030will never be reached if we only focus on existing PAs. Elephants and their movements are steppingforward as important landscape planners to help us reach biodiversity targets and connectecosystems, thereby allowing essential ecological processes to function at a landscape scale. At amore localised scale where elephant populations are expanding or compressed within their range,they can impact large trees and the nesting birds that use them for breeding. Preserving trees and critically endangered vultures and raptors as biodiversity indicators are alsoof importance. Read all about our long-term monitoring efforts involving elephant effects on treesand innovative ways to protect them. 01A word from our CEONdlopfu Gogos

Elephants function best when part of a close-knit society where individuals are known and appreciated as part of the whole. Likewise, we would not be able to do the work that we do without our whole community of supporters that we have gathered along the way. We are very grateful to theelephants who have not only connected landscapes through time but also organisations and people who have enabled us to be where we are today. As we continue to learn from nature while following in the footsteps of elephants, an analogy is required. The Buffalo thorn ( ) has one thorn facing backward representing where we come from and one facing forward representing where we are going. We need to pause at the proverbial backward facing thorn and remember our rootsby celebrating the past 20 years we have worked in the Associated Private Nature Reserves. With great sadness Anka Bedetti, our Tracking Projects Manager, passed away this year after eight years of being part of our family. As the elephants never forget, so too will she always be remembered by our herd. While remembering our roots, we continue to look to the future with some new faces and plans and the wonderful publication of Zoya & Naru which will lead you on a reading journey that the whole family can enjoy. Thank you all for your support which has made us what we are! With elephant hugs from Michelle and the TeamZiziphus mucronata

28 YEARS OF ELEPHANT CONSERVATION MIThe fences between theKruger National Park(KNP) to the east, and theAPNR and Sabi SandPrivate Game Reserves tothe west, are dropped.1993Michelle Henley and Cathy Greylingstart identifying individual elephantsby recording ear patterns, the start ofa continent-wide, scientific,standardised methodology to identifyindividual elephants (SEEK).1996Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton &Marlene McCay pioneer thedeployment of GPS elephanttracking collars in Timbavati.19982002STEelepthe ParktransowMichellethe ElephanprinciscieProof-of-Coexistence gcollaboration withMamba Anti-PoachElephants Alive starts first RapidResponse Unit in southern Mozambiquetogether with our partners the MWA. TheSouth African unit followed in 2022.20212022First-ever cafeteria-style experiments with semi-habituated elephants at H.E.R.D. (HoedspruitElephant Rehabilitation and Development) todetermine elephant feeding preferences withregards to elephant unpalatable crops.B.E.A.C.O.N.: Building of conflictmitigation soft barriers andwatchtowers in HEC-hotspot insouthern Mozambique.20232024PAGE 13PAGE 12PAGE 15PAGE 23PAGE 5Zoya & Naru publishedPAGE 3103

Our mission is to ensure the survival of elephants and their habitatsand to promote harmonious coexistence between elephants and people.LESTONESE SA’s first official collaring of anphant named Mac. Establishment ofGreater Limpopo Transfrontierk (GLTP) in 2002. The seeds for ans-national research area werewn...e Henley joins Savents South Africa asipal researcher andentific coordinator.2003Start of our educational outreachwith Bush School programs.Start of the Big Trees studyincorporating 3000 iconic trees.2004Start of Vulture study abouteffects of elephant impact ontrees containing large tree-nesting birds.2008After 12 years of activeelephant research andconservation projects,STE-SA evolved proudlyinto the independententity: Elephants Alive. 2013Start of Bees & Trees project toprotect iconic, indigenous treesfrom elephant impact and theproduction of honey. 20152017Collaborating with WildShots Outreach wherelocal students documentElephants Alive Projects.Ndlopfu Gogo programme,introducing grandmothers fromthe surrounding communities toelephants.20192020oncept co-gardens inh the Blackhing Unit.PAGE 21PAGE 19PAGE 20PAGE 17PAGE 1104

CELEBRATING:A QUARTER OF A CENTURY OF ELEPHANT TRACKING!ELEPHANTS COLLARED IN:APNR (Iain Douglas-Hamilton & MarleneMcCay)19982002APNR as Save theElephants – South Africaand ongoing as ElephantsAlive (STE-SA)Eastern Kruger NationalPark (STE-SA &SANParks)20062008Northern KrugerNational Park (STE-SA &SANParks)2015Phalaborwa MiningCompany (EA & PMC)2017Great Letaba Ranch withthe provincialadministration (EA &LEDET)2019Maputo Special Reservewith the Peace ParksFoundation & BanhineNational Park (EA, PPF& StS)Manyeleti Game Reservewith the provincialadministration asElephants Alive (EA &LEDET)2014Limpopo National Parkwith the NationalAdministration for theConservation Areas ofMozambique (EA &ANAC)2016Sabi Game Park andoutside of PAs withSaving the Survivors inMozambique (EA & StS)2018Sandringham in SA &ongoing in southernMozambique with theMozambique WildlifeAlliance (EA, LEDETand MWA)20212023Sabi Sands Game Reserve(EA & Sabi Sands)05

Moveme nts of eleph ants col lated ov er 25 y ears. Bu ll eleph ants ( blue t racks) ar e far more ad venturo us compa red tothe si te faithful fa mily un its (yello w t racks), as cows wit h y oung at fo ot are less pr one to tak ing risks. We are verygratef ul t o ou r pa rtners in South Afric a (t he W ardens of the Associa ted Private Nat ure Reserves and South Afr icanNation al Pa rks) a nd in M ozambiq ue (the Mozambiq ue Wi ldlife Al iance) for as sisting in t he deplo yment of colla rs.All do nors ar e thanked for fin ancing var ious co llars over time ( Map by Dr. Silvia Kirkman © Elephan ts Alive).IN NUMBERS collaring operationsin countries since1998300+4Linking national & smaller reserves717Over datatracking points 2 MILLIONArea of over sqkm covered80,000 scientific papers published5 total elephantscollared, with 17669collars still deployed06

P H O T O : K A Y L A Z O O N25 YEARS LATER, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?Over the last 100 years we have lost 97% of Africa’s elephants.Elephants are a long-lived species in need of long-term studies andinnovative solutions for improved co-existence with humans. Asscience-based change makers, Elephants Alive has been trackingelephants for a quarter of a century, spanning four countries in allareas where tracked elephants go. Since 1998, we have conductedover 300 collaring operations and can individually identify morethan 2 000 elephants from their tusk and ear features. Combiningthe latest technology to track elephants, with on the groundobservations has provided a unique insight into the social bonds,breeding behaviour and movements of these amazing animals.By collaring elephants, they become storytellers and intelligenceagents. We have amassed over two million location points to help usobtain landscape insights into where there should be corridors tolink protected areas, how elephants avoid conflict by becomingnocturnal, how they forge friendships and wander together as malesexploring new areas, how they react to boundaries (both fences andvirtual political international boundaries), how often they encounterwater and other resources, how reproductive cycles drive setpatterns and how they plan crop-raids. The list is endless butimportantly the technology has advanced to enable us to understandwhen an elephant is injured or has died so that the collars are alsoproviding a measure of protection.We track elephant movements using advanced GPS technology to:Define cross-border movements and elephant corridorsthroughout the Transfrontier Parks Understand how habitat resources, social and safety driversinfluence movement patterns.Understand the abundance, movements, and importance of theremaining large tuskers.Inform managers, conservation bodies and landowners onseasonal movements and vegetation impact.Identify poaching hotspots to inform the deployment of anti-poaching patrols.To assess the efficacy of experimental mitigation methods at theindividual big tree- or the food crop level, to reduced localelephant impact.Understanding of how elephant mortality rates, differ betweenSouth Africa and elsewhere in view of the escalating illegal tradein ivory.By helping us collar elephants, you will be helping us keep track oftheir incredible journeys and ultimately improve our knowledge ofthe ecological processes necessary to protect their habitat and fostercoexistence between elephants and people. 07

beca me on e of thefirst e lepha nts t hat wecollare d out side ofProtect ed Ar eas i n2018. H is ni ghtlyescapad es to raid sugarcane fi elds on th e SA-Mozambique b orderinspire d our worktowards prev entin gfurther Huma n-Elephan t Con flict ,saving both his a nd hiscompanions l ives, aswell as prot ectin ghuman l iveli hoods andensurin g hum an sa fety. P H O T O : J U S T I N S U L L I V A NJoão’s movements2018-2023. Showinghow he is constantlycrossing the borderbetween South Africa& Mozambique. JOÃOEach and every one of the elephants we have encountered on our journey is special. However, every so often,we come across an iconic elephant, who changes our course of history. In 2022, we had Trailblazer and hiswandering company of young bulls, who walked an impressive 800km, crossing 3 countries on their journey.Their journey accelerated the need to march onwards (pun intended) with our work of turning human-wildlife conflict into co-existence. In 2023, we tell the story of Tussle and João, two elephant bulls who arechanging the hearts and minds of people towards facilitating coexistence. TWO ICONIC ELEPHANTS FROM TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIESTussles’smovements2006-2023.Showing hisextensiveterritorystretching fromthe middle tonorthern KNP!TUSSLE’S RESCUEP H O T O : R O B I N C O O K is a n iconic KNP bull who’ s calm and g entledemeanour ha s cap tured the hearts of ma ny a Kruger visit orand Ele phant s Ali ve supporters. In 2023 , his tracking da taindicat ed th at he may have been wo unded , and wesuccess fully trea ted his inju red f oot.TUSSLE08

COEXISTENCE PROJECTSIf 2022 was the year of refining the foundations of our Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) strategies, 2023 was the year of action!The study results of our cafeteria experiments on elephantunpalatable crops was published, the Proof-of-Concept elephantunpalatable gardens started flourishing and delivered our firstessential oils, the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) in Mozambiqueachieved a 79% success rate at mitigating HEC, and weimplemented our first four-way mitigation soft barriers and builtthe first B.E.A.C.O.N. (Building Elephant and AgriculturalCommunity Observation Networks) watch tower.2023, THE YEAR OF ALL SYSTEMS GO!Start of TrackingProgram19982019Start of Ndlopfu GogoProgram to buildrelationship withcommunitiesProof of ConceptGardens & apiary withthe Black Mamba APU20202021Rapid Response Unitsmodel in Mozambique2023Soft Barriers &B.E.A.C.O.N.S. to protectfood crops in Mozambique,first essential oil in SACafeteria-styleexperiments forelephant unpalatablecrops. ElephantShepherds in SouthAfrica2022It is all about Maslov’s hierarchy of needs: if your basicneeds are not being met or are being threatened by a six-ton elephant chomping away at your labour-intense foodcrops for your entire family, would you be tolerant? R E A D A R T I C L E09P H O T O : L U C Y K I N G

we have lost over of a species protecting our ecosystems & biodiversityKEYSTONE elephant is worth over in carbon offsets & in tourism revenue of the total rangearea holds over ofthe populationpromoting where people &elephants intersect, while ensuring connectedlandscapes & increased biodiversity& physical SAFETYTHE SOLUTION? problem solve withlikeminded organisationsof the total populationis transboundaryHOW?IN NUMBERS kg of fresh vegetables harvested280 chilli plants producing kg of chillis for sale3760350 litres ofhoney harvested183 sunflowers thatproduced seeds for34786 MILLON unpalatableplants cultivated1423 medicinal plantsconsisting of species117623 permaculture courses, beekeeping courses and queen rearing courses with the Black Mamba APU34290%THE ISSUEless than of Africa's elephants are left$1.75M$1.6M110%70%42%76% of elephants live outsideof nature reserves, causing conflict57.4%HUMAN-ELEPHANTsecuritywith goalsTOLERANCEFOOD & ECONOMICby aligningCONSERVATIONIdentifying through elephantsatellite trackingLOW-COSTCORRIDORSOffer immediate throughRapid Response UnitsSAFETY1234COLLECTIVEProtect people’s assets through non-income generating soft barriersP H O T O : K A Y L A Z O O NAll graphics © Elephants AliveBuilding incommunities, discuss & consultRELATIONSHIPSDIVERSIFYProtect assets & income through income generating soft barriersRISK MAPSDevelop predictive to increaseefficacy & mitigation over large areas567 scientific papers published9cultivation in Mozambique10

Fo od garden to prov ide f resh rations to s taff as part of foster ingsustain able livel ihoods and the se lling of surplus to di versi fy income. E lepha nt unpalatable pl ants with a market val ue ar e grown to gain e xperi encein perm acult ure p ractices, test th e mar kets and empower women . The Black Mamba APU regul arly sells t hechilli both proce ssed and unproces sed. Some plants are b oth u npalatable to ele phant s and also have a highmedicin al va lue. Understanding the impo rtance of medicin al pl ants is useful to help relieve ailments forisolate d rur al co mmunities. Building centers of r evolving conversa tion to host workshops and process products. Inelephan t cor ridor s, the B.E.A.C.O. N. wa tchtowers encoura ge th e exchange of ide as an d processing ofproduct s whi le al so offering a van tage point to protect crops at night using s potli ghts.ELEPHANTS ALIVE HUBPROOF-OF-CONCEPT FOOD GARDENSELEPHANT UNPALATABLE CROPS 100 b eehiv es we re brought i n and thos e of the Big Tree Proj ect were add ed to offe rsweet r eward s to communities. The Proof -of-Concept has s hown that bees hold gr eat p romise for divers ifyin gincome while prot ecting crops from elep hants. EKUTHULENI APIARY & HONEYProof-of-Concept: From this... to this!11

A snapshot of our cafeteria-style experiments at H.E.R.D.We enlisted the help of the semi-habituated elephants at H.E.R.D. to determine which aromatic plantswith a high essential oil value are unpalatable to elephants. Once this was known we focused on plantingthe top-rated elephant unpalatables and are now gaining experience in producing essential oils from themfor rolled out as income generating soft barriers in Mozambique and places of HEC in South Africa.CAFETERIA-STYLE EXPERIMENTS TO DETERMINE ELEPHANT UNPALATABLE CROPSINCOME-GENERATING SOFT BARRIERS:EXPLAINEDA barrier between the food crop (elephant palatablecrop like butternuts, maize, watermelons etc.) of asubsistence farmer and a potential crop-raidingelephant. The barrier is ‘soft’ as it has organicelements to it, unlike hard 6-foot electrified fences. Itis income generating as a beehive fence can protectcrops from elephants as elephants fear bees whileincreasing the production of the food crops due to thepollination services of the bees and it can directlybring in money through the sale of honey and honey-related products. Likewise, a soft barrier ofunpalatable crops with an essential oil value candisguise the presence of palatable crops because theyare aromatic while generating an income through thesales of chilli or essential oils. conservation lang uage // collectiv e nou nR E A D A B O U T T H E E X P E R I M E N T S !by Dr . Michelle Henley12

Above: The South African elephantshepherds Handry & Tshepo, withOperations Manager Jennifer, learning howto register field observations using the Clueyapp, during a workshop with Sensing Clues.Left: Non-lethal tools from the HEC toolkitutilised in South Africa to safely deterelephants from human assets.Rapid Response Units& Elephant ShepherdsP H O T O : R O G A N K E R R13

020406080100 increase in successful interventions:All graphics © Elephants AliveIN NUMBERSELEPHANT SHEPHERDS MOZAMBIQUE OVER 1.5 YEARS95% successful5% unsuccessfultotal distance covered28.178 KM deterrence success rate22%79% conflict casesreported349 interventionsby RRU140Mr. Mabuto and the first RRU in Namaacha Valley. © Lucy King38%91%ELEPHANT SHEPHERDSSOUTH AFRICAsuccess rate withsuccess rate creating AFTERBEFORESUCCESFUL MITIGATIONSad hoc responseshepherd unit14

EXPLAINEDHEC mitigationthrough soft barriersIn May 2023, the Elephants Alive team, with delegates from Save TheElephants (Kenya), Mozambique Wildlife Alliance and PAMSFoundation (Tanzania), came together in an inspirational four-country cooperation exercise to prepare and implement the erection offour types of low-cost soft barriers (non-income generating)surrounding fields in the Namaacha valley region in southernMozambique. In a novel way we have combined literature basedestablished mitigation techniques to protect people’s food crops and ina collective problem-solving way, brought in experts from therepresentative countries that developed some of these techniques. Wealso installed income-generating beehives from Kenya and providedthe seeds for the first unpalatable crop barrier for sunflower and chilliplants.A FOUR-WAY SOFT BARRIER TO PROTECT CROPSNON-COME GENERATING LOW-COST SOFT BARRIERSP H O T O : R O G A N K E R RREAD ABOUTTHE MISSIONby Dr . Michelle HenleyMetal strips: first tested & designed in Kenya, the noise andsight of the metal strips has been proven to deter elephantsfrom breaking into farmers’ fields1.Chilli rags: first developed and tested in Tanzania, clothrags are dipped in a mixture of chilli and old engine oil,and and hung on a string placed between poles which is alsodipped in the chilli oil mix, thereby preventing break-ins tofarmers’ fields.2.Flashing lights: sourced from South Africa but tested inBotwana, the lights are solar powered and flash differentcolours when dark.3.Smelly elephant repellent: developed and tested in Uganda.We prepared two large barrels which we left to ferment, thecontents of which will either be directly sprayed onto cropswhich can be washed off before consumption or hung inbottles around crops as a unique olfactory deterrent.4.INCOME-GENERATION SOFT BARRIERSBeehive fences: developed by Dr. Lucy King and used in 20countries worldwide. Capitalising on elephants’ inherent fearof bees, beehives are hung between poles so they will swingwhen the wire is touched by elephants. As they start to becomeoccupied with wild swarms, we will keep training local farmerson how to keep hives and colonies healthy. This will increaseboth crop production, protect crops from hungry elephants andsupplement income from honey sales. 15

IN NUMBERS“For the first time we feel taller than the elephants!” - the local community chief10 MILLION beehives occupied withwild swarms within a week 5 each of beehive, chilli rag,metal strip & flashing light fencing440M total soft-barrierfencing installed1760M elephant watch tower, first in southern Mozambique1In October 2023, the Elephants Alive team returned to the Namaachavalley to construct the first HEC watch tower in southern Mozambique.The tower serves a dual purpose: the bottom section is a storeroom andhoney processing room for when the honey needs to be harvested in thesummer months. The top section is a viewing platform to watch forelephants at night, when they are most likely to crop-raid. It also has awater tank and the railings are fitted with educational posters from theSave the Elephants HEC toolbox manual. The roof is fitted with a solarpanel so strong spotlights (a visual elephant deterrent at night) &phones can be charged. The watch tower creates a safe space toworkshop, process goods and exchange ideas. B.E.A.C.O.N. - BUILDING ELEPHANT AND AGRICULTURALCOMMUNITY OBSERVATION NETWORKSclose to seedsof unpalatable crops (chilliand sunflowers) supplied16

NDLOPFU GOGO PROJECTFirst Gogo TrackingField Days20192021 First Gogo Camp atKoru camp withtracking days, Bags ofLove, hats & blanketsPhoto exhibition incommunity, Hlokomelaclinic visits20222023 First iGoGo program, H.E.R.D. visit &Relate Gogo programBorn out of the striking similarities between the matriarchs in elephantsociety and the grandmothers in the communities surrounding theProtected Areas that they call home, the (ElephantGrandmother in Xitsonga) Programme was born. By bringing thesegrannies into the nature reserves they are separated from by fences andintroducing them to the wildlife and elephants we study, we not onlyfoster a conservation mindset, but also give these women a chance toexplore, play, be spoilt, unwind, and learn. The change in each and everygranny we meet is profound, and we continue to learn from them withevery Gogo camp and tracking day.THE WISE MEET THE WISEP H O T O : K A R A B O M O K G A K A L EP H O T O : R I V O N I M K A N S IA BOOK TO FOSTER CO-EXISTENCENdlopfu Gogo17

P H O T O : E V E L Y N P O O L EIN NUMBERS grandmothers from communities in Nlopfu Gogo Programme141 5 grandmothers in HealthProgramme in clinic visists16011 Gogo Camps since June 202021 Wild Shots Outreachphotographers35 shortfilm, photo exhibition, TV productions & news articles1121 educational bookletsdistributed277KEEPING WARM WITHBLANKETS FROM THE USAEven during the colderwinter months, we organiseour Gogo camps. To keep thegrannies warm, we receivebeautiful, colourfulcrocheted hats and blanketsfrom Blankets for BabyRhinos in the USA. Thankyou to the volunteers fromStichting Wings for Animalsand Swift Shuttles, forbringing these blankets allthe way from USA!At each camp, our gogos alsoreceive "Bags of Love"containing toiletries andother essentials, kindlydonated by Susan Harwood.P H O T O : R I F U M O M A T H E B U L AP H O T O : E M I L Y M A T H EIn February 2023, the NdlopfuGogos learnt to use tablets andfind their way around internet.The grannies got to take theirtablets home, and use themagain on camp in September! Inaddition to their localknowledge, the grandmotherslearned to use technology, withthe aim of sharing this and anynewly acquired educationalmaterial accessed via theinternet with theirgrandchildren. Gogos becomeour elephant emissariesspreading the conservationmessage about elephantsthrough the communities theycome from. iGOGOSClick here to read the articleGOGO’S FROM CAPE TOWN ON ATRIP OF A LIFETIME!If you’ve followed us for a while, you’ll knowour Reläte Bracelets well (pictured middle left).This November, four Gogos who bead thesebracelets in Cape Town, got on a plane toexperience a 3-day immersive camp experienceat Koru Camp and meet the elephants they arebeading for! Before flying back home, they alsopaid a surprise visit to the elephants at H.E.R.D.Safe to say, this was a once-in-a-lifetimeexperience for them, and we hope to invitemany more beading Gogos from Ikamva Labantuand Reläte Bracelets to our program!18

P HO T O: R U TH A N NE S M I T H19BIG TREES PROJECTThe conservation successes of the Greater Kruger Region has meant that itsabundance is increasingly cause for debate. South Africans are exceptionally pand in the nature parks they visit, as they make for iconic landmarks and phome. To top it all off, the impact that elephants have on their environment is faraccess to the leaves, roots and nutrients. They also remove the bark to get acoften strips off in a circular manner around the trunk, this may lead to ring bresponsible for transporting nutrients upwards from the soil. Yet, elephant dispersing seeds in fertile dung and improving plant diversity by opening up gAnd so, in 2023 our Big Trees project entered its 16th consecutive year, borbetween the two titans of the African bush: elephants and large trees.THE BATTLE OF THE TITANS...Big Trees & BigElephants: Wire-netting (APNR)20042008Big Birds & BigElephants: Vulture& nesting studyBig Trees & Little Bees:Bee hives in trees(Jejane)20152018Pyramids & Creosote(Ingwelala/N’tsiri)Elephants Alive’s research team has been feverishly analysing andwriting up the results of field surveys in the Associated Private NatureReserves (APNR) for publication in various international scientificjournals.The results show that wire-netting can be used as a budget-friendlymitigation method to significantly increase tree survival by reducingelephant impact on these trees. However, conservation managers willneed to replace wire-netting every four years to maintain efficiency. Tothis day, no active beehive was ever tampered with by elephants duringthe study! On the flip side, quality comes at a cost. The beehive projectproved to be the most effective - yet most costly and labour-intensive -way of preventing elephant impact on large trees.

READ ABOUT WIRENETTINGREAD ABOUT PROTECTING BEES WITH TREES trees wire-netted outof trees in field assessmentsIN NUMBERS trees monitored for impact since300020041,3952,758 large trees protected in Bees & Trees study since1502015Keeping elephants in enclosed systems with numerous artificial waterpoints, takesaway the drivers of elephant movements whichwould naturally ensure that vegetation has timeto recover after heavy impact in the driermonths when elephants are anchored aroundlimited perennial water sources. scientific papers published1520s resident elephant population is doing so well, that theirroud - and rightly so - of the large trees on their propertiesrovide shelter to all kinds of species who call the savannar from straightforward. Elephants break trees to get easierccess to the nutritious cambium layer underneath. As barkbarking, causing the tree to die off as the cambium layer isfeeding on trees has been found to benefit other species:rassland areas, to name a few. n out of a mission to understand the complex relationship

Elephants Alive entered our 16th consecutive year of vulture treesurveys across sections of the APNR. One can only wonder if back in2008, when Dr. Michelle Henley conducted her first survey on treescontaining vulture nests in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve andcontinued with them until 2017, if she had any idea that over the 15years of annual surveys it would have spread into five private naturereserves bordering the Kruger National Park, as well as theHoedspruit Airforce Base?These surveys, originally started in 2008, assess elephant impact onlarge trees nested in by vulture species, identifying impact trends and tree species of potential concern.Vulture Tree Surveys Flying Smoothly0 7Robin Cook checking the trunk for ant and termite damage.All photos credit AmbersunnyMAIN FINDINGS of the originaltrees from 2008 survived. of the originalWhite Backed Vulturenests are still up.73%14%Nest collapse & tree felling are also have astake, limiting vulture nestsurvival rates. not correlatedclimatic factors READ THE BLOG21

The vulture tree survey has continuously shown us howecological systems are complex. Vulture nest vulnerability(with regards to elephant impact) is dependent on wherethe trees occur, which species of tree is in question, aswell as the size of the tree. Furthermore, adult birdsurvival is critical when assessing population persistence,and thereby the impact that poisonings and electrocutionshave on vultures need to be considered when assessingvulture population dynamics.Robin Cook assessing a vulturenesting tree with wire netting. All data is loggedelectronically on site. A 1m long plank is held up next to the tree while photos are taken. This islater digitally processed to obtain an accurate measurement of tree height. large trees, tree speciesIN NUMBERS414 vulture nests146 study areas5 nest activity63%11Measuring the diameter of trees at shoulder height forstandardised data collection. science paper published & in review1 122

28 years ago, Dr. Michelle Henley and her mother startedidentifying elephants in the Associated Private NatureReserve, and together with the Elephants Alive team hassince developed a standardised identification system basedon ear patterns (System for Elephant Ear-patternsKnowledge or SEEK for short). This system is used to buildan accurate and detailed database of all individualelephants within a defined study area and allows for acombination of algorithms to enable a semi-automatedelephant ID system. Why is this important? An elephant ID study is the onlyway to understand the social drivers of elephantmovements and as they are highly social animals, thisrepresents an important driver. An ID study also providesinsight into population dynamics. Population density anddistribution has far-reaching effects on ecosystems,biodiversity, and tourism-based economies and is thusimportant to managers and scientist alike. Some interesting avenues we are currently exploring withthe elephant ID study include looking at the context underwhich ear secretions in elephants take place. Previously,most believed that elephants just secrete fluid from theirtemporal glands but unpacking the phenomena of earsecretion will form part of Jennifer Blondeau’s MSc.Tapinder Sidhu, a PhD candidate, will identify bodypostures from our ID study records and field observationsto predict elephants’ behavioural states. The applied valueof both these studies includes providing information thatcould inform human-elephant-conflict mitigating strategiesas it would be very useful to be able to predict elephant’sbehavioural states from camera traps when trying tounderstand fear landscapes.28 YEARS & 2000 ELEPHANTS LATER...IDENTIFICATION PROJECT23

individual elephants inID database across GLTFCA scientific papers publishedIN NUMBERS2000+ years of longest & mostconsistent data collecting insouthern Africa 289P HO T O: C H AD C O CK IN G

P HO T O: W I LL U Y SOur work would not have been possible without the continued supportcoming from numerous organisations and individuals. In particular,we would like to thank the US Fish and Wildlife Services forsupporting us the past 15 years, the Oak Foundation and ElephantCrisis Fund for a decade of support. The Rufford Foundation and CAHPrivate Philanthropy have kindly offered support over the past 5 yearswhile Save the Elephants have walked with us since the official outsetin 2003. Thank you all for your considerable investment in ourachievements and for helping us secure a future for elephants.We would like to thank the management of the Association of PrivateNature Reserves, South African National Parks, and AdministraçãoNacional das Áreas de Conservação (ANAC) in Mozambique for theircontinued support and permissions for the research to be conductedwithin their respective Reserves. The Mozambique Wildlife Allianceneeds special mention for all they do in the conservation arena and forpartnering with us to make coexistence a reality. “If you want to go quickly, goalone. If you want to go far, gotogether.” – African ProverbGRANTORS:CAH Private PhilanthropyDarwin Main InitiativeElephant Crisis FundJAMMA InternationalFoundationKate Sanderson BequestFundLouis Stewart FoundationMillichope FoundationOak FoundationRufford FoundationRobert GillespieFoundationSave the ElephantsSpirit FoundationThe Lions ShareUS Fish and WildlifeServices WITH THANKS TO:Hoedspruit Coffee CompanyKate Adamson Conservation FundKoru CampKruger To Canyons BiosphereRegionMammoth SafarisMeerendal Wine Estate Mozambique Wildlife AllianceMichigan State UniversityNdlopfu, Ingwelala & NtsiriShareblocksPAMS FoundationPrimos GinReläteRobinson & Sinclair WineExportersSouthern African ConservationTrust Wildlife & Communities(SACT)Transfrontier AfricaWashesha SocksWoolworths (My Planet)Wildscapes Veterinary &Conservation ServicesWild Shots OutreachWild Wonderful WorldWorth Wild AfricaYuka Safaris 25CORPORATES, INSTITUTIONS& NGOS:Blue Sky Society TrustBushwise

& book writtenbook chapters31 communitiessupported within SouthAfrica and Mozambique10 scientific presentations, 300+ reports & workshops for APNR members1755Collaboration with private- & state-basedinstitutes for logistical &financial support23 recognition awards, scientific peer reviewedpapers published & student degrees fromundergraduate to PhDs1050+65 popular articles, videosand press releases500+Contributed to the Norms and Standards forManaging elephants in South Africa 2008-2022, policy documents & the Non-Detriment Findings asissued by the Scientific Authority of South Africa 2015 & 2022in collaboration with local & academicinternational institutions1344I N N U M B E R SINDIVIDUAL DONORS AND SUPPORTERS:Aida Ettayeb; Antony & Sella McClellan; Brian & Claire Makare; Dalene Worral; Henrik Fourie; JeremyHiggs; John Solomon; Julie Scofield; Kari Morfeld; Kristopher Goins; Leon Haywood; Marc Solomon; Marie& Michael Valstorp; Mark & Jacqui Atkinson; Matt Lindenburg; Mikael & Kirsten Olufsen; Mike & GailStrong; Mike and Liz Berry; Philip Guttentag; Raymond James; Reimund Kuehn; Scobie Ward; SusanHarwood; The Smelting family; Tony & Natalie Pinfold.ZOYA AND NARU LITERACY PROGRAM:Alastair Wood; Ambrose & Christina Cary; Andrew Thompson; Anglo American; Blaine John Tomlison;Cathy Buchanan; Carol Broomhall (Jacana Publishers); Caroline Montague (Author); Evelyn Poole; JeanineHugo; Jennifer Cough-Copper; John Solomon; Kari Morfeld; Lonnie & Kitty Strickland Foundation; MarcoScheiss; Marc Solomon; Marie Valstrop; Marlene McCay; Michelle Henley; Mike Hunter; Pip Goring; SimonPeile; Richie Ryall (Artist); Tim Hedges; Tony McClellan; Tony & Trish Trahar.P H O T O : T O M S V E N S S O N

27Founder & ChairMarlene McCayCBE, Scientific AdvisorDr. Iain Douglas HamiltonCEO, Co-founder &Principal ResearcherDr. Michelle HenleyIT, database & businessmanagementBarry PaulTreasurer, marketing &brand managementSarah LaneScientific AdvisorDr. Kate EvansWe are very grateful to our co-opted board members who have helped us steer the ship in 2022. Please read more on our website about the valuable expertise that these individuals have broughtto the table together with skills of our existing Board Members.Head of WildlifeConservation &Trade for the OakFoundationAlexandra KennaughDirector of LawEnforcement andProtection of ANAC Dr Carlos Lopes PereiraExecutive DirectorOperation SmileSouth AfricaSarah ScarthWarden of TimbavatiPrivate Nature Reserveand Head Warden ofAPNREdwin PierceBOARD MEMBERSEducation for SustainableDevelopment (ESD)Manager for the Krugerto Canyon BiosphereVusi Tshabalala

Income Expenses2023 2024 2025 202605,000,00010,000,00015,000,00020,000,000INCOME CATEGORIESEXPENSE CATEGORIESDevelopment Costs4.9%Administrative Costs8.2%Employee Costs6.5%Project Costs80.5%Sale of goods0.8%Grants & Donations99.1%Functions & Presentations0.04%Elephants Alive is totally reliant on the goodwill of the people and organisations that supportus. We sell a small proportion of our goods related to the coexistence project involving bee-related products and unpalatable crops. We have also sold bracelets in partnership withRelate and books to help people understand elephant behaviour. Although we often presentour work to the general public, we receive a negligible amount (0,04%) from this activity. FINANCIAL REPORTIn 2022, our actual expenses almost matched ourincome. This was due to the after effects of COVID-19where there were various adminstrative delays inreceiving the funds from successful grant applicationssubmitted in 2021. In 2023, we were fortunate toreceive a number of new grants such at the DarwinInitiative (UK Government). In 2024, we will beapplying for some larger grants related to US Fish andWildlife Services (US Government) which we hope tosecure and which will impact the projected budgetaccordingly (2024-2026).RECOVERING AFTER COVID-19We are a South African registered Public Benefit organisation. For restricted funding, allgrants and earmarked donations are used on the intended projects as per the applicationbudget. Most of our expenses go towards field-based project costs while the majority of ourstaff are running the field projects. A small proportion of donations are spent onadministrative costs. Part of our funds are also spent on development in keeping with ourGlobal Communication value centred around inspiring people to become custodians of ournatural heritage. EXPENDITUREINCOME28

It feels like yesterday when in 2003 Dr. Ian Whyte from the Kruger National Park and Dr. IainDouglas-Hamilton, as great names in the elephant conservation arena, sat down to formulate ourobjectives for the years to come. It is hard to believe that 20 years have lapsed while we are stillholding true to those objectives and have achieved so much more as well. With a deep sense of gratitude to the 20 years of research you have enabled in the AssociatedPrivate Nature Reserves (APNR), we would like to thank the Wardens of Timbavati, Klaserie,Umbabat, Balule and more recently Thornybush for always offering the logistical support weneeded at collaring operations. After your annual census over the Reserves, you readily providedus with information on where we can search on the ground to find new vulture nests so that we canmonitor those trees for elephant impact over time. To all the managers and landowners who havekindly allowed us to traverse the Reserves in search of elephants and who have welcomed the to also enjoy that privilege, we are most grateful. We have workshopped together ontopics of interest where more information was needed and we have enjoyed the inputs and insightsfrom co-opted APNR Wardens on our Board. Thank you for all your support and for being at thecore of so much of the work we have done in the past and hope to still do in the future. We lookforward to continuing our journey with you and for sharing our research insights in the years tocome. Looking back while propelling ourselves forward, we owe the vision of actively contributingtowards the global biodiversity objectives as well as the United Nations Sustainable DevelopmentGoals, to the elephants themselves. They have bravely led the way over treacherous ground. As we continue to keep elephants at the centre stage of all we do, we ensure that we remember thepeople’s lives who they affect and also the wonderful opportunities they have created to engagewith the community. We look ahead with hope and expectation as we need to roll out the literacyprogram connected to Zoya and Naru in five communities surrounding our head quarters that areexperiencing human-elephant-conflict (HEC). We look forward to meeting new ineach of these communities as well. We will also be diminishing HEC at Phalaubeni on the border ofthe Kruger National Park where we have already helped this community with a solar pump toincrease their production of food crops who will now need active protection from crop-raidingelephants. As in Mozambique, we will be erecting both income generating and non-incomegenerating soft barriers around their crops to protect their assets and plan a number of workshopsrelated to being an elephant guardian, beekeeping and essential oil production. At our Proof-of-Concept Gardens we will be gaining more experience with the production of various essential oiltypes so that we roll out the most profitable high-yield varieties in the communities of SouthAfrica and Mozambique. As we look forward while remembering what we have alreadyaccomplished, we will also be building two more B.E.A.C.O.N.S. in Mozambique to enable thecommunities to keep vigil over their crops and while offering a space to brainstorm how to makecoexistence a reality in the months to come.We remember that both our past and our future are delicately intertwined while they lie in thehands of our partners, donors, supporters and stakeholders. We will keep moving forward with aprevailing sense of gratitude to all who have been part of our journey. Thank you all from thedepths of our hearts!29REMEMBERING OUR ROOTS & LOOKING AHEADNdlopfu GogosNdlopfu GogosAssociated Private Nature Reserves (APNR)B U F F A L O T H O R NZiziphus mucronate

On 18 September 2023, we lost Anka Bedetti as a key team member ofElephants Alive. We were so blessed to have had her as part of our ElephantsAlive family for eight years. She had a smile that could light up a room. Shewas so loved by us all as a friend and a colleague. She leaves behind herMother (Marianne), Father (Bruno), Sister (Anouk), Husband (Andre), anddearest little Ella and Tim.In honour of her memory and all the elephants that she was faithfullyfollowing as Tracking Projects Manager, we have placed a bench with aplaque for her at our Elephant Memorial Garden.Loved, and never forgottenP HO T O: K A YL A Z OO NAs for each of the 16 deceased collared elephantswho are remembered in this special corner of ourCoexistence Gardens, we will plant a tree next toAnka’s bench. With time her tree will grow tall andprovide shelter and shade for all the creatures andbirds that she loved too. This space will allow us tosit and share our stories with her so that she willforever remain a part of our little herd of peopleand elephants. When we next collar a family unit ofelephants, we will name the cow Anka to ensurethat her name will always remain part of our dailyconversations and movements.Anka, we thank you for the incredible person thatyou were! We are so grateful for all you meant to usand the elephants. We will continue with the goodwork that you carried for eight years and willremember you daily. With gratitude, heavy hearts,elephant hugs, and long-distance rumbles….Michelle and the Team30

A BOOK FOR CONSERVATIONZOYAeleph n&An unforgettable story...... about an African journey of a boy, an elephant and the unlikely assortment of other wildanimals, big and small, who join their quest. As Zoya, an elephant calf, is left an orphan, Naru, aboy from a nearby village, takes her under his wing to help her find her herd again. Guided by ancient African proverbs, the story by Caroline Montague speaks of theinterconnectedness of all species, friendship and generosity. Beautifully illustrated by artist RichieRyall, this book will appeal to adults and children alike as a compelling tale of companionship,courage and hope in the face of adversity. Our Focus:Supporting Science and Research -Elephants Alive tracks and monitors themovements of elephants along wildlifecorridors and across (inter)nationalboundaries Promoting Harmonious Coexistencebetween elephants and people Promoting Literacy and Education - Using the book, Zoya & Naru, to reach out to communities living in close proximity with elephants. Zoya & Naru raises awareness of the plight ofelephants and promotes harmonious coexistencebetween elephants and people. The book willreach people around the world, raise concernand touch our mindful natures. In doing so, wehope that it will spur an urgent desire to protectour precious wildlife before it is too late. The author and the artist have donated allproceeds from the sale of the books to ElephantsAlive. Contact info2u@elephantsalive.org forwholesale book orders. The Original Artworksand a Limited Edition Print Series are availablefor purchase here. The author and the artist have donated all proceeds from the sale of the books to Elephants Alive. Contact info2u@elephantsalive.orgfor wholesale book orders. The Original Artworks and a Limited Edition Print Series are available for purchase here. 31

tsNARUlive&Will you join our herd?Literacy Programme: Elephants Alive and Jacana Media havejoined forces to create the Zoya & NaruLiteracy Programme. The aim of theprogramme is twofold – to support literacyand reading in the mother tongue; and topromote the conservation and protection ofelephants. The books will be made availablein English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Sepedi andXitsonga with plans for further translationsinto isiXhosa and Portuguese in 2024. Thekind support of donors and supporters ofElephants Alive has enabled the distributionof 2000 soft cover books to schools, librariesand communities living in close proximitywith elephants. Visit www.elephantsalive.org/zoya-naru tosupport the Literacy Programme directly. Click or scan code for a preview & more informationabout the book.Contact info2u@elephants alive.org for wholesale orders. 32Francis Garrard; Grootbos Private NatureReserve; High Tea With Elephants; IngwelalaShareblock; Jaime Gubbins; Khaya NdlovuManor House; Leopard Hills; Matumi Fresh;Monwana Game Lodge; Motswari; LodgeNdlopfu Shareblock; Sabi Sabi Collection;Serondella; Simbavati Waterside; ThornybushCollection.WITH THANKS TO:

OUR TEAMP HO T O: C H AD C O CK IN G

34Ronny MakukuleSenior Researcher &BeekeeperDr. JenniferBlondeau (BVSc,MMedVet)Operations ManagerRobin Cook (PhDEcology candidate)Big Trees ProjectsManagerPedro Sitao CoexistenceTechnicianTinyiko MasiaCommunity ProjectsManagerDr. Michelle Henley(PhD Ecology,PGCE)CEO, Co-Founder &Principal ResearcherValerio BaloiCoexistence TechnicianHandry MatebulaElephant ShepherdTshepo Ngobeni Elephant ShepherdDr. Evelyn Poole (PhD SocScD) Digital MarketingCharlotte Sullivan Senior OperationsAssistantAidan Bunney Content Creation &Campaign Optimisation Dr. Silvia Kirkman (PhD Ecology)Tracking ProjectsManagerDr. KatherineBunney-Gordon(PhD Ecology)Research CoordinatorSalmina KgohloaneCoexistence & EssentialOil TechnicianThe faces behind our work:Jean Whitehouse Guest Liaison OfficerHarriet Nimmo (Msc Biology,Executive Leadership) HNWI CommunicationsYvette Taylor (BTech TRP)Administration &Fundraising CONSERVATION PROJECTSDEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

By Elephants AliveR e g i s t e r e d N o n - P r o f i t O r g a n i s a t i o n # 0 5 5 - 8 7 1 , P u b l i c B e n e f i t O r g a n i s a t i o n # 9 3 0 0 7 3 1 0 5 & 1 8 A t a x c e r t i f i e d .N P C r e g i s t r a t i o n n u m b e r : 2 0 2 0 / 8 7 7 7 2 4 / 0 8N P O r e g i s t r a t i o n n u m b e r : 2 6 7 - 7 3 1E k u t h u l e n i S h a r e b l o c k L t d P o r t i o n 7 F a r m O x f o r d 1 8 3H o e d s p r u i t , 1 3 8 0 - L i m p o p o , S o u t h A f r i c aFor mor e inf o, pl ease contact info 2u@el ephantsalive.orgP HO T O: C H AR LI E L YN A M35ANNUAL REPORT2 0 2 3Design & layout by Evelyn Poole