The Elephant Conservation Group (ECG) is an informal network of researchers and practitioners that work on Asian elephant conservation, initiated in 2011. The ECG’s objective is to standardize methodology for ecological, behavioural, and physiological research on Asian elephants in their natural and anthropogenic habitats while investigating the drivers of human-elephant conflict and finding pragmatic, locally feasible mitigation measures based on rigorous scientific exploration, to foster coexistence between people and elephants.
The ECG is a highly heterogeneous group that includes members from different organisations and institutions (e.g. NGOs, research groups) carrying out scientific research in diverse natural and anthropogenic landscapes across 9 of the 13 Asian elephant range states; Cambodia (FFI), China (ZSL), India (NCF and WWF), Indonesia (WWF), Malaysia (MEME and WWF), Myanmar (FFI and WWF), Nepal (IUCN), Sri Lanka (CCR) and Thailand (ZSL).
ECG Activities
Joint Research
Group members decide on research topics and methodologies that can be conducted collaboratively or independently with commonly agreed objectives across the Asian elephant range. Past research topics include population distribution and ranging patterns, human and elephant mortality rates, and estimates of body condition indices for elephants across landscapes in Asia.
Knowledge Exchange
The group provides an opportunity for members to share their own research with other experts in the field, providing a forum for them to receive expert feedback, and ensuring all group members have the most up-to-date information on new developments in the field.
Policy
The ECG addresses policy issues pertaining to elephant conservation by drafting policy briefs and summarising knowledge on population management and the causes, impacts and management of human-elephant conflict.
Member Organisations
Contact
For more information on the ECG, contact Dr. Jennifer Pastorini (jenny@aim.uzh.ch).
Elephant Conservation Group 