As the executor of her aunt’s estate, Katherine Bretzlaff found herself in a rather uncommon situation after her passing; she knew exactly what impact her Aunt Nancy wanted to make from her legacy gift – protect elephants.
Living in San Antonio, Texas, Nancy McHugh fell in love with elephants through her visits to the local zoo. That passion grew while living abroad in Japan, alongside her husband who served in the Air Force, where elephants were frequently depicted in art and as cultural symbols of protection and peace. As a child, Nancy was a prodigy at playing the harp and in 1953 she was invited to attend the prestigious camp, the Summer Harp Colony in Camden, Maine. Her passion for the harp continued throughout her life, as she remained an active member of the San Antonio Harp Group and performed in numerous local music festivals and showcases. In fact, one of her prized possessions, her harp, was donated to the Round Top Festival Institute, an international center for performance and learning based in Round Top, Texas.
Nancy at the Summer Harp Colony in Camden, Maine in 1953 (she is seated 5th from the left).
Nancy was one of four girls, often called ‘the Quick sisters’, after their last name, all of whom remained close throughout their lifetime. After her husband passed away in 2004, her niece Katherine became more involved to help oversee her care. Katherine says that during their time together, Nancy spoke passionately about wanting to leave a legacy that supports the long-term protection of elephants.
Niece Katherine pictured with Aunt Nancy wearing an elephant necklace gifted to her from Nancy.
When Nancy passed away earlier this year, she left her niece specific instructions on executing her wishes and Mara Elephant Project was fortunate to be a recipient of that legacy gift.
“When Katherine called to tell me about her Aunt Nancy’s passion for elephant protection, we worked together to come up with a plan for the estate gift that would make her aunt proud,” says Mara Elephant Project USA Executive Director Claire Bolles. This plan included funding a permanent sub-headquarters for rangers operating in an important elephant habitat, supporting the helicopter hangar to house one of the organization’s most vital assets and protecting two elephants for 3 years through the MEP approach of collaring and monitoring.
In September, MEP alongside our government partners collared a female elephant in Naboisho Conservancy. Sighted nine times since 2021, Individual 201 has been cause for concern from the team given her proximity to settlements and the young calf by her side. She and her herd have been observed moving between wildlife designated areas through communities and crop raiding along the way. In fact, during her collaring operation, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Vet Dr. Njoroge treated her for a spear wound. Tracking her movements will inform mitigation responses and allow KWS, the Wildlife Research and Training Institute and MEP to better understand the remaining connectivity in this area. We named the newly collared young mother elephant, Nancy Q, after her benefactor.
Elephant 'Nancy Q' was fitted with a satellite tracking collar in September.
Now, Katherine can proudly read updates about Nancy Q’s regular movements and witness just how great of an impact her aunt’s wishes had on wild elephants.
Elephant mom 'Nancy Q'.
Nancy, like many others, knew that elephants’ intelligence, memory and strong social bonds make them an ideal catalyst for all conservation work. The killing of elephants not only threatens an iconic species, but it also results in the erosion of the variety of life on Earth. She knew that one of the best investments someone can make to secure the future of life on our planet is to protect elephants and their habitats. Meanwhile, Katherine knew that MEP’s intentional capacity building would not only ensure her aunt’s gift was properly managed, but that it would continue to create meaningful impact over time.
Nancy’s estate gift gave us both something priceless; it fulfilled her wishes to support efforts that protect elephants now, and it gave MEP a chance to continue following our planned path into the future to see elephants not just surviving but thriving in the wild.
To learn more about Mara Elephant Project’s planned giving options, please contact us today.
