Fundraising event for Elephants Alive a great success

A fundraiser for Elephants Alive, an organisation dedicated to ensuring the survival of elephants, was hosted at Coobs in Parkhurst on 4 October.

The fundraiser was organised to raise money for Elephants Alive to allow them to continue doing their valuable work. The event hosted about 100 people who came to contribute to the organisation and participate in an auction.

Michelle Henley, the co-founder of Elephants Alive, has been researching elephants for the past 21 years and aims to help create awareness about the plight of elephants.

“The Kruger Park has lost almost 150 elephants to poaching since 2015 and its starting slowly like it did with the rhinos so there’s a lot of reason to be worried, ” said Henley.

“A lot of people in South Africa think we’ve got too many elephants but this imminent threat of poaching is right on our border and in South Africa.”

Elephants Alive focuses on four key aspects including protection, global communication, research and grassroots education. The ultimate goal is to ensure the survival of both elephants and their habitats.

“One thing I really love about elephants, having studied them for many years, is that they are social role models. In elephant society, they revere the old and adore the young.”

Henley highlighted her love for elephants and the important role they play. She emphasised that more elephants are dying per day than they are able to reproduce.

Fiona Allenberg, one of the organisers of the event, said the event had raised in excess of R100 000, although the final number had not yet been finalised. The money was raised from the sale of the tickets, a raffle and an auction.

Tell us what you think of the fundraising event for Elephants Alive on WhatsApp 079 439 5345