Sharing the Earth
Mankind’s relationship with elephants is ancient and complicated: For thousands of years we have hunted them for food and ivory, captured them to use as beasts of burden and — ironically — employed them to destroy the forests they need to survive. Elephants have reacted to our encroachment by raiding the villages and crops of people who are often poor and marginalized, and who compete with them for living space.
Elephant Earth, the conservation branch of Hidden Places Travel, aims to improve the lives of elephants by engaging with local people in areas where wild elephants live and where captive elephants are kept in order to
- protect remaining wild elephant populations
- support research relating to wild and captive elephants
- provide education on captive elephant welfare
- help establish humane and sustainable elephant tourism projects
We support evidence-based, grass roots approaches to elephant welfare and conservation.
Projects
Ongoing
- Elephant Earth Events in North America and Asia to raise awareness and funds for elephant conservation and welfare.
- Funding anti-poaching project in Tanzania. Our local partner is Honeyguide Foundation.
Completed
- Funding anti-poaching project in Kenya. Our local partner is Space for Giants.
- Funding the university education of a young Samburu woman from a village in an important elephant corridor in Kenya.
- Start-up funding for community anti-poaching scouts in Kirisia Hills, Laikipia.
- Construction of a craft centre for Samburu women in Nalare, Laikipia.
- GPS collaring of Nelson, a key problem elephant in Laikipia, Kenya
- Construction of new ranger shelters in the Salakpra Reserve, Thailand
Behind the scenes
- Lobbying to bring elephant-friendly training methods to Asian countries.
- Acting as a hub to connect like-minded conservation and animal welfare groups.
- Collaboration with other welfare organizations to develop a responsible elephant tourism program in Thailand and Myanmar.
Education and awareness-raising
- Dag Goering’s info/art exhibit, Elephant Enigma, which premiered in Victoria almost 10 years ago and since then has shown to great acclaim in various venues in North America, India and Europe.
- Elephant Earth Events in India and Canada featuring public presentations and panel discussions with experts in elephant welfare and conservation.
- Appearances in the media to highlight the present elephant poaching crisis.
A4C Blog
- Elephants and EtoshaHeading towards Namibia’s Etosha National Park, we came across these amazing baobab trees. Their trunks looked like elephant skin. Speaking of elephants, when Dag spotted this pile of dung [...]Read more
- Ancient Art in the Burning MountainNow I know what a ‘washboard road’ feels like! Driving towards the mountain range called Brandberg certainly shook us about, but the views and the sense of absolute isolation were worth it. [...]Read more
- Ode to the E-Bike – what’s so great about them: our experiencesIt’s official: I am madly in love with my e-bike. Dag and I each have one at our European base in Catalonia. To start with, at last [...]Read more
A4C on Instagram
After hauling our gear all morning, who can blame them for raiding our hand washing water? The soapier the better, it seems! Come and meet the camels on our next Miles for Elephants trek. See the link in our bio for details. #kenya #milesforelephants #adventuresforacause #adventuresforalifetime #wildtrek #africatrek #camelfriends #wildcampingkenya
There are elephants on the plain. Rana, our second lead guide, carefully checks their movements before we carry on. It’s thrilling to be walking through the territory of these megafauna, knowing we are their guests. And kept safe by our Samburu team. See the link in our bio for details of the 2022 trek. #kenya #elephantland #elephantadventures #africatrek #wildtrekking #adventuresforacause #milesforelephants #gotrekking #samburutribe #laikipiasafari
The amazing Gabriel leads our Miles for Elephant treks in Kenya. He grew up in this landscape, watched over his family’s goats and cattle, keeping an eye out for predators, when he was a kid. He knows the fauna and flora of this place inside out. He knows how to keep us safe. He is a brilliant teacher, guide and naturalist. Funny, compassionate and always fully in the moment. An angel indeed. #kenya #bestguideever #milesforelephants #adventuresforacause #adventureofyourlifetime #trekkingafrica #wildtrekking #samburutribe #saveelephantsworld
