Main fundraiser photo

AERU Elephants

Donation protected
In March 2018 I took a chance, packed my largest suitcase and headed to South Africa where I spent the next four weeks volunteering with what I think is the most incredible animal in the world, the elephant. 

   It was the most amazing life changing experience I’ve ever had and as I saw what important work they were doing on such limited funds I knew I had to step up and help. We all do. 

   We live in a world where constant conflict between elephants and people occur. More and more elephants are in need of rescue and a forever home at sanctuaries and parks due to constant hunting, poaching, and mistreatment.

   AERU (African elephant research unit) a non-profit trust, was established in 2009 and is based out of KEP (Knysna elephant park). KEP is an elephant facility aiming to rescue and re-home elephants in need. Based in the cape of South Africa, AERU is the first elephant research unit devoted to optimizing the welfare of captive elephants. 

   One of their main objectives is to collect data from the ten elephants currently living at KEP. With this data they will be able to provide valuable information that may be used to improve future management and welfare in facilities around the world. 

   The kind of research they do includes recording biological, anatomical, veterinary, physiological, behavioral and dietary data for each of the ten KEP elephants. AERU researchers and volunteers collect this data to establish good practice welfare policies for all elephants living in sanctuaries, parks and zoos.

   With your donation you’ll help AERU with the much-needed upgrade towards their onsite lab facility. Any money collected will make it possible for AERU to obtain the necessary equipment in order to do hormone level assessment themselves. Being able to do this step onsite will enable AERU to get results much quicker and at a fraction of the cost, in lieu of sending it out. (Each sample costs roughly R155 and with hundreds of samples a month it adds up quick). The more samples they can test, the closer they will be to understanding these magnificent animals.
 
 If you'd like any further information, I've attached the AERU website below,
  as well as a link to the blog that I kept while volunteering there. 

https://aeru.co.za/fundraising-projects/#tab-1-4 

http://skendallphoto.blogspot.com
Donate

Donations 

  • Jens P. Pedersen
    • $25
    • 6 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Sara Larca
Organizer
Brewster, NY

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee