Leaders in Asian Elephant Science and Conservation

The National Zoo’s Asian Elephant Science and Conservation Program works to save Asian elephants and the natural habitats they require for survival. The three pillars of our conservation and science program are:

  • Advancing conservation of wild Asian elephants through scientific excellence.
  • Improving care and management of elephants using zoo-based research.
  • Training and mentoring the next generation of elephant experts.

For nearly 40 years the Smithsonian’s National Zoo has pioneered efforts to study, understand, and protect Asian elephants, both in the wild and in zoos. Unique and exceptional science programs clearly establish the National Zoo as a leader in Asian elephant conservation, and the breath and depth of our scientific expertise is evident from our established track record, including:

  • Undertaking the first—and one of the most comprehensive— elephant ecology and behavior studies ever conducted. These studies were in the late 1960s to early 1970s in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
  • Pioneering the use of satellite-tracking to study wild Asian elephants—world leadership that continues today as we use this technology to better understand how much space wild elephants require for survival. Satellite-tracking
  • Discovering the life-threatening herpes virus that infects juvenile Asian elephants in zoos and in the wild; our scientists also developed the only available diagnostic tests to detect this viral infection. Tracking an Elephant Killer
  • Conducting the first genetic studies demonstrating the evolutionary history of Asian elephants and identifying distinct subpopulations for conservation. Phylogeography of the Asian Elephant Based On Mitochondrial DNA
  • Developing the endocrine techniques that were essential for reliably producing elephant offspring by artificial insemination. Elephant Reproduction Project
  • Groundbreaking landscape ecology studies leading to the first comprehensive assessment of how much habitat remains for wild Asian elephants. Mapping Elephant Habitat
  • Creating and implementing non-invasive genetic techniques that allow us to identify individual elephants—an important tool for monitoring wild elephant populations.

By integrating these disciplines in collaborative studies we will be able to address most major threats to the conservation of elephants in the wild and in Zoos or elephant camps. We will do this through strong and effective partnerships with key players at home and in Asia.

Learn more about our plans and how you can help at Elephant Trails.

 

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