Representatives of AERU and KEP recently attended the 2010 International Elephant Foundation Conservation and Research Symposium held at Kwalata Game Ranch, Pretoria. The symposium was attended by elephant owners, researchers and conservationists from South Africa and around the world. International delegates came from Europe, America, India, Sri Lanka and other African States, such as Kenya, Uganda and Botswana.

Greg Vogt (GM of KEP and chairman of the Elephant Tourism Association (ETA) and Dr. Debbie Young (head of AERU) presented an overview of the captive elephant situation in South Africa, together with a synopsis of research done on captive elephants in SA. The symposium also allowed us to introduce AERU (the newly formed African Elephant Research Unit at KEP) and highlight the need for sound research on captive elephants within their unique environments, with a view to using science to guide management of captive elephants.

Our presentation, as well as the implementation of a dedicated captive elephant research centre, was extremely well received. Conference delegates were encouraged by AERU's mission to combine research, good husbandry, management and education, with several of them wanting to form research and education partnerships. The introduction of the ETA at the conference also led to the Asian delegates identifying a need for the formation of a similar organisation, which would guide and monitor the management of elephants in their own countries.

Many international zoo delegates were astonished by the photos we showed at the conference – showing elements of how our family of elephants range across fields of grassland and fynbos. This led to an interesting debate on how to define a 'captive elephant'.      

Since the conference, delegates from India, Sri Lanka, USA and Germany have visited KEP. Several more have planned visits for the coming months. Those that have already visited have been extremely impressed with our facilities, our family of beautiful elephants and the way in which we care for and manage them. We are certain that these past and future visitors will result in the formation of long-standing partnerships, which will help to facilitate valuable research initiatives.

We will keep you updated on AERU's activities and research studies…and hopefully, at next year's conference we will be able to present data collected during one of SA's first research studies dedicated to improving the welfare and husbandry of captive elephants in this country.