26 minutes: counting down for elephant conservation

Every 26 minutes, one African elephant dies for its ivory. This gloomy statistic is fueled by rampant poaching, the land and water shortages that drive tense conflicts between people and animals, and the oppressive threats of climate?change.

Yet, working together, we can achieve wonders in 26 minutes. That’s how long it takes for IFAW and our conservation partners to protect the life of an African elephant through the complex process of translocation.

Consider how burdensome it is to pack and move yourself and your possessions across a large country. Then compare that to the magnitude of effort required to relocate the world’s largest land mammal. And complete that feat in just 26 minutes.

From the moment a gyrating helicopter hovers above the unwilling target and a skilled veterinarian shoots the tranquillizer dart, the moment the jabbed elephant slowly collapses and is safely placed into a transport truck for the journey—IFAW and our partners have 26 minutes to save that elephant’s life.

I witnessed this process during the summer of 2022 when IFAW and our partners stepped up to protect hundreds of elephants in danger of poaching. Everyone understood the stakes were high. Could the families of elephants be kept together? Would the tranquilization process prove too dangerous for mothers who stand side by side with their young, ever-protective, and hyper-vigilant? Could we safely ferry so many massive creatures into a more secure future?

In July 2022, in close collaboration with Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife and African Parks, IFAW undertook the task of translocating 263 elephants over 217 miles from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu National Park. This effort amounted to one of the largest translocations of elephants ever recorded in eastern Africa.

Conservation is a perpetual struggle against a constantly ticking clock, demanding a steadfast commitment from those who choose to engage and bear the mantle of stewardship. This feat will resonate not only for generations of elephants to come but also emotionally for all those in IFAW’s conservation network fortunate enough to have taken part in the event.

It allows us to save a bit of ourselves, reinforcing our humanity, commitment, and understanding that we live on a shared planet.

So, thank you to those generations of elephants who have been a part of this journey. Welcome home.