The International Elephant Foundation (IEF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation based in the US, dedicated to the conservation of African and Asian elephants worldwide. It is an institution, specifically an elephant conservation charity, that generates and invests resources to support elephant conservation, education, research, and management programs. The IEF was envisioned in 1998 by Michael Fouraker, Executive Director of the Fort Worth Zoo, and was formally incorporated in 1999. The foundation was created to meet the urgent need for coordinated, science-based action to protect elephants, using the organizational structure of the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) as a template. The problem it addresses is the increasing threat to elephants from poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and emerging diseases.
The IEF works by providing grants-in-aid to institutions, organizations, and individuals engaged in elephant conservation, research, and health. Its mechanism involves funding projects that protect elephants from poaching, seek solutions for human-elephant conflict, and equip and train community conservationists. For example, IEF supports projects like the Sumatran Elephant Conservation Response Units (CRUs) and initiatives to foster human-elephant coexistence in India. The foundation's mission includes supporting programs both in the wild (in situ) and in managed facilities (ex situ), with an emphasis on management, protection, and scientific research.
The IEF connects to other conservation concepts and institutions, such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which recognize it as a bona fide conservation organization. It also publishes the Elephant Husbandry Resource Guide, which sets standards for managing elephants in captivity. Since its founding, the IEF has provided support to over 300 projects across Africa, Asia, and North America. The core mission and mechanism of the IEF have remained consistent since its founding in 1999, focusing on science-based conservation and community partnerships, with no major replacement or amendment to its institutional structure.