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new, post-grade

"“They walk up to 50 miles a day. When they don't move, that's when they have physical problems.” Fico also contends that elephants in captivity typically die at about age 40, while those in the wild live into their 70s." - Direct Quote

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Bob Jenkins, animal care and conservation director at the San Francisco Zoo, shakes his head slowly as he ponders the loss of elephants from the city-owned zoo. "Every day," Jenkins responds when asked if he misses having elephants at the zoo.

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new, post-grade

Education people about elephants, especially people who live Africa and Asia is essential to the survival of them. People should know of better ways to protect their crops and way more income, instead of killing an elephant who may wonder into their farm on accident. Park rangers attempt to help elephants but often get killed by poachers who want to kill the animals.

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Save The Elephants - 25 Years and Beyond

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The number of poachers is increasing yearly. If it is not contained they will become extinct faster that we imagine.

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Besides our food chain being destroyed, without pandas, we would lose the protection over other animals such as mokeys, pheasants and more. Therefore, the more we protect our pandas, the more they will protect our ecosystem.

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Map data provided by IUCN

The panda, with its distinctive black and white coat, is adored by the world and considered a national treasure in China. This bear also has a special significance for WWF because it has been our logo since our founding in 1961.

Pandas live mainly in temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China, where they subsist almost entirely on bamboo. They must eat around 26 to 84 pounds of it every day, depending on what part of the bamboo they are eating. They use their enlarged wrist bones that function as opposable thumbs.

A newborn panda is about the size of a stick of butter-about 1/900th the size of its mother-but females can grow up to about 200 pounds, while males can grow up to about 300 pounds as adults. These bears are excellent tree climbers despite their bulk.

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Map data provided by IUCN The panda, with its distinctive black and white coat, is adored by the world and considered a national treasure in China. This bear also has a special significance for WWF because it has been our logo since our founding in 1961.

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Elephants are "keystone" animals, meaning they are essential to their surrounding environment. They use their tusks to dig up water holes during dry seasons (beneficial for other animals as well). Their dung helps transport seeds across an ecosystem. They help wildlife around them.

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As the world’s largest land mammal, elephants have quite the commanding presence. But did you know elephants can’t jump? Or that baby elephants lose their first set of teeth and tusks, just like humans? Learn about both Asian and African elephants and the threats facing these highly intelligent anim…

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Adopting animals is a great way to ensure them a home, refuge, and safety. It's a way to make sure that the animal is getting the care they need to ensure they can live and survive.

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By adopting an elephant with a donation of $50 or more, you become a partner in The Sanctuary's efforts to provide the gift of home, herd, rest, refuge, and individualized care for life.
Adopt an Elephant donors receive:

a Certificate of Adoption, including a photo and bio detailing the amazing story of your "adoptee"

monthly EleNews email updates

the most recent issue of our triannual newsletter, Trunklines

eligibility to apply for a Volunteer Day at The Elephant Sanctuary

Adopt an Elephant supporters who set up a recurring Monthly donation also receive:

a one-year subscription to The Elephant Sanctuary's triannual newsletter, Trunklines

a one-time 10% discount on a future purchase of apparel in our Gift Shop

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated at . You can also learn about how to shop.elephants.com/give Become a Member or Feed an Elephant.
Gifting an Elephant Adoption:
For a unique gift to celebrate special days, or to express sympathy and cherished memories, consider making an Adopt an Elephant donation to The Elephant Sanctuary "In Honor" or "In Memory" of a loved person or pet.

When you make a gift on behalf of another, benefits related to this gift (outlined above) will be directed to you to pass along to the person you wish to receive the dedication/gift (your "Honoree").

This change has been made recently to ensure that The Sanctuary is not storing or collecting information about any individual without their express consent, in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

If your honoree wishes, they may opt themselves into additional communications from The Sanctuary.

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more I agree

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By adopting an elephant with a donation of $50 or more, you become a partner in The Sanctuary's efforts to provide the gift of home, herd, rest, refuge, and individualized care for life.

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The constant expansion of humans is causing a decline their habitat. The land on which elephants used to freely roam on, is being converted into agricultural and industries.

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Despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery - China is the biggest consumer market for such products.

The ban on international trade was introduced in 1989 by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) after years of unprecedented poaching. In the 1980s, an estimated 100,000 elephants were being killed per year and up to 80% of herds were lost in some regions.

The ban allowed some populations to recover, especially where elephants were adequately protected.

But there has been an upsurge in poaching and illegal ivory trafficking in recent years, driven by increasing demand in Asia, which has led to steep declines in forest elephant numbers and some savannah elephant populations.

Insufficient anti-poaching capacity, weak law enforcement and corruption undermine efforts to stop the poaching and trafficking in some countries.

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Despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery - China is the biggest consumer market for such products.

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Elephants are wanted for their ivory. Despite the international ban, tens of thousands of elephants are killed each year for their tusks. There is a large market for it to make jewelry and other items in China.

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Despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery - China is the biggest consumer market for such products.

The ban on international trade was introduced in 1989 by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) after years of unprecedented poaching. In the 1980s, an estimated 100,000 elephants were being killed per year and up to 80% of herds were lost in some regions.

The ban allowed some populations to recover, especially where elephants were adequately protected.

But there has been an upsurge in poaching and illegal ivory trafficking in recent years, driven by increasing demand in Asia, which has led to steep declines in forest elephant numbers and some savannah elephant populations.

Insufficient anti-poaching capacity, weak law enforcement and corruption undermine efforts to stop the poaching and trafficking in some countries.

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Despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery - China is the biggest consumer market for such products.

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Luckily, thanks to stricter laws when it comes to animal protection, pandas are being hunted less often. These types of laws are crucial because of the unbelievably small amount of pandas left on the earth.

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Polar Bears Are Starving Because of Global Warming, Melting Sea Ice, Study Shows

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New science sheds more light on recent controversy over how much the large carnivores are being impacted by melting sea ice.

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As bamboo slowly dies off every few decades, pandas are constantly in search of more. However, with the modern-day construction of roadways and buildings, they have more trouble finding their main source of food.

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Helen Briggs and Victoria GillScience correspondents, BBC News

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Climate change: Polar bears could be lost by 2100

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Scientists say we have time to save polar bears if we act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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Denning is the most vulnerable time in a polar bear's life. And in a warming Arctic, where polar bears face enormous challenges, the survival of every single cub is critically important.

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Conservation Concerns | Polar Bears International

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Climate change is the main threat to polar bears. Others include commercial activities, pollution, and conflict.

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Map data provided by IUCN

The panda, with its distinctive black and white coat, is adored by the world and considered a national treasure in China. This bear also has a special significance for WWF because it has been our logo since our founding in 1961.

Pandas live mainly in temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China, where they subsist almost entirely on bamboo. They must eat around 26 to 84 pounds of it every day, depending on what part of the bamboo they are eating. They use their enlarged wrist bones that function as opposable thumbs.

A newborn panda is about the size of a stick of butter-about 1/900th the size of its mother-but females can grow up to about 200 pounds, while males can grow up to about 300 pounds as adults. These bears are excellent tree climbers despite their bulk.

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Map data provided by IUCN The panda, with its distinctive black and white coat, is adored by the world and considered a national treasure in China. This bear also has a special significance for WWF because it has been our logo since our founding in 1961.

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Whales have been commercially hunted since the 11th century, primarily for their oil and meat. Hunting became more widespread in the 17th century, and the industry was booming from the 1700s to the mid-1900s. In earlier years, slower, coastal species were targeted as they were easier to catch. Upon invention of the steam engine, faster species further offshore could easily be caught and were then exploited. During this time, many species were hunted to the brink of extinction.

Today, some populations have become stable and even show signs of recovery. However, many species are still considered endangered including the blue whale, fin whale, and humpback whale, despite efforts to protect them over the last several decades.

There are several threats that whales continue to face, most of which are caused by human activity. Threats include habitat degradation, contaminants, climate and ecosystem change, disturbance from whale watching activities, noise from industrial activities (including oil drilling), illegal whaling or harvest, reduced prey abundance due to overfishing, and oil spills.

Entanglement is a problem because of the potential impacts it has to the populations of endangered whales. Along the west coast, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) reports that an estimated average of 11 large whales were entangled per year from 2000 to 2012, and it is unknown by how much the actual numbers exceed these estimates. Gray whales and endangered humpback whales are the most frequently reported whale species to be entangled.

Ship strikes to whales are a growing concern worldwide and, for many species, pose a threat to their population recovery. Data from NMFS within the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries totaled 20 whales killed by ships from 1988 to 2011, with an additional 10 that were injured and possibly killed. Actual numbers are likely higher since many strikes go undocumented. Whales also have a tendency to sink rather than float or wash ashore where they are more apt to be found. Ship strikes could be at least 10 times higher than documented numbers. Endangered whales ( blue, fin, and humpback whales), as well as gray whales, are the most commonly killed whales by ship strikes.

Whales are slow to recover due, in part to their slow reproductive rate. Whales do not reach sexual maturity until they are 5 to 10+ years and then only one calf is born about every 2 to 3 years. This fact, coupled with the many man-made threats that whales still face, demonstrate our urgent need to help them. Find out ways that you can help here.

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Whale ALERT - West Coast - Why are the whales endangered?

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Whales have been commercially hunted since the 11th century, primarily for their oil and meat. Hunting became more widespread in the 17th century, and the industry was booming from the 1700s to the mid-1900s. In earlier years, slower, coastal species were targeted as they were easier to catch.

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1. Lauren - Whale, Emma - Panda, Sophia - Elephants, Olivia - Polar Bear
(Research individual animal, write about their struggles)
2. Why do these animals need a renaissance? How does our presentation advocate for them?