A new collar is giving us a closer look at the journey of one elephant and the landscape she calls home.

On August 9, Mara Elephant Project and the Elephant Conservation Organization (ECO) joined the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) mobile vet unit to collar a female elephant near the edge of Nyerere National Park in Tanzania. The collar will help us understand how elephants move through the park and surrounding landscape, providing valuable data to help protect the connections they rely on. We’re grateful to the supporters who make this work possible, and to the veterinary team led by Dr. Haruna and Kenya Choppers for their expertise and aerial support during the operation.

When an injured elephant needs help, having the right tools can make all the difference. MEP’s helicopter and drone each played a critical role in helping teams locate and reach elephants in need of treatment, demonstrating how technology can support rapid response in very different field situations.

In Olarro Conservancy, MEP received a report of an injured sub adult elephant. The MEP helicopter allowed the team to reach the area quickly, bringing together Olarro Conservancy rangers, Mara Conservancy veterinarian Dr. Ashif Hafiz, and MEP CEO and pilot Marc Goss.

Estimated to be between eight and twelve years old, the elephant had suffered an arrow wound. Dr. Ashif assessed the injury and successfully treated the elephant, which was given a good prognosis and remains under close monitoring as he recovers.

A drone proved equally valuable later in August when an injured sub adult bull was reported within a herd of around 20 elephants in Mara North Conservancy. With the herd moving closely together, identifying the injured bull from the ground was challenging.

MEP rangers deployed a drone to scan the herd from above, allowing the team to locate the injured elephant and identify the individual requiring treatment. MEP and Mara North Conservancy rangers then worked alongside Dr. Ashif to assess the bull, finding an arrowhead lodged near his right hind leg.

The arrowhead was successfully removed and the wound treated. The bull remains under close monitoring as he recovers.

An orphaned elephant calf. A family stranded by floodwaters. One helicopter answering the call.

For World Helicopter Day, MEP highlighted the Robinson helicopter that serves as a vital conservation tool across the Mara. As the only helicopter in the Maasai Mara dedicated to wildlife protection and conservation, it supports wildlife treatments, anti-poaching operations, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and emergency response. From transporting an orphaned elephant calf to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage to rescuing people stranded by severe flooding, the helicopter allows MEP to reach people and wildlife quickly when every second matters.

Also in August for World Elephant Day, MEP launched a fundraising campaign that raised $41,500 through contributions from donors and supporters.

The campaign highlighted the connections between elephant conservation and landscape monitoring, technology and human-elephant conflict mitigation, forest conservation and community engagement, and wildlife coexistence and community livelihoods. Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign and continues to stand behind MEP’s work to protect elephants and the wider Greater Mara ecosystem.

This month MEP also continued expanding community-based reporting of human elephant conflict through VirtualRanger, training four new lead reporters from Oloonkolin and Ngosuani/Lemek to report incidents directly through WhatsApp.

But what happens after a report is sent?

A VirtualRanger alert reaches MEP’s Operations Room with real time information on where an elephant is and where help is needed. The team then coordinates with the nearest ranger team to assess the situation and, where possible, safely guide the elephant away from areas where conflict could occur.

Supported by How Many Elephants, VirtualRanger is strengthening the connection between communities and MEP’s response teams, giving people on the ground a direct role in reporting incidents and helping teams respond to them.

Every item in a MEP ranger’s pack has a purpose. In August, the MEP Bulls continued preparing for the 2026 Wildlife Ranger Challenge, getting ready to take on the 21 kilometre challenge at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy on September 19 alongside ranger teams from across Africa.

From communication and navigation equipment to water, first aid supplies, and tools for monitoring wildlife, the gear rangers carry supports their work in the field.

For the MEP Bulls, carrying a pack is part of the job. This September, they’ll carry it for a different kind of challenge, while representing the everyday work of protecting elephants and supporting coexistence across the Greater Mara.

MEP is raising $5,000 to equip the MEP Bulls with essential field gear. Support the team through the Wildlife Ranger Challenge: https://wildlife.rangerchallenge.org/campaigns/mara-elephant-project-2026