We need to act now

BTEH is dedicated to the well-being and survival of African and Asian elephants, fostering socio-ecological resilience in communities seeking human-elephant coexistence, and striving for a world where both elephants and people can thrive. Our community-based conservation approach, developed since BTEH’s founding in 2004, emphasises shared decision-making, sustainability, equality, and partnerships. Through our projects, we promote evidence-based solutions that achieve human-elephant coexistence through range expansion, habitat restoration and supporting farmers in elephant-friendly livelihoods and land use, generating benefits for people, elephants and the ecosystems they share.

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For the future of elephants!

Elephants are a keystone species in the ecosystems they are part of. Elephants disperse seeds, maintain grasslands and find water, all crucial for the survival of other species.

The mission of Bring The Elephant Home is to increase the chances of survival for elephants
in the wild and strive towards a
harmonious world where both humans and elephants can thrive, mutually benefiting from
coexistence.

Antoinette van de Water – founder BTEH

We need your help

We always welcome partners, volunteers, donors and sponsors for our projects. Please consider supporting our activities in Asia or Africa by making a donation. You can follow the latest news here.

Meet the team

Bring The Elephant Home is active on three continents. There is a lot of work to do for our various projects around the world, and we help to realise our ambitious plans is always welcome! More info: support@bteh.org. Meet the team!

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  • This June (5–15, 2026), join us at our BTEH Field Station in Kuiburi National Park, Thailand, for an immersive elephant research experience. Track and identify wild Asian elephants, decode their behaviour, analyse camera traps, and contribute to our pioneering elephant ID system. Work alongside researchers and local communities to turn human–elephant conflict into coexistence. From jungle tracking to community-led conservation and sustainable livelihoods, you’ll be part of real impact. Don’t just watch documentaries. Live one! 💚 Limited spots available. Apply now. #ElephantConservation #AsianElephants #HumanElephantCoexistence #WildlifeResearch #FieldworkLife
  • The Tom Yum Project Open House 2026 schedule is here 🐘🌿 We open our doors every fortnight, inviting you to learn in the heart of nature. Discover elephant-friendly plants and stories of coexistence between people, communities, and nature. Learn about the process behind Tom Yum Project products, explore eco-friendly products, hear the stories behind the Tom Yum Project, and enjoy a simple yet meaningful morning. 🕘 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 📍 Ruam Thai Village 🎟️ Free entry See you at our Open House 💚🐘 Email us at tomyumproject@bteh.org for more information! อัปเดตตารางเปิดบ้าน Tom Yum Project Open House 2026 มาแล้ว 🐘🌿 เปิดบ้านทุกสองสัปดาห์ ชวนทุกคนมาเรียนรู้ท่ามกลางธรรมชาติ ทำความเข้าใจเรื่อง พืชที่เป็นมิตรต่อช้างป่า และเรื่องราวของการอยู่ร่วมกันระหว่างคน ชุมชน และธรรมชาติ ร่วมเรียนรู้ กระบวนการทำผลิตภัณฑ์ของโครงการต้มยำ ดู ผลิตภัณฑ์ที่เป็นมิตรต่อสิ่งแวดล้อม ฟังเรื่องเล่าของต้มยำโปรเจค และใช้เวลาช่วงเช้าอย่างเรียบง่าย แต่มีความหมาย 🕘 09.00–12.00 น. 📍 หมู่บ้านรวมไทย 🎟️ เข้าร่วมฟรี เจอกันในวันเปิดบ้านนะคะ 💚🐘 ส่งอีเมลถึงเราได้ที่ tomyumproject@bteh.org เพื่อขอข้อมูลเพิ่มเติม!
  • Some of the things we do as elephant researchers… 🐘👣 Track elephants across shared landscapes. Monitor their behaviour. Collect dung samples. Listen to people who live alongside elephants. Share what we learn. And, often unseen, a lot of analysing, thinking, and writing. Because fieldwork only matters if knowledge is shared, and used, to support better coexistence for elephants and people. 🌍🤍 #ElephantResearch #FieldworkToFindings #BehindTheScenesScience #HumanElephantCoexistence #ConservationResearch
  • African elephants help shape and sustain healthy ecosystems. Protecting them means protecting the future we share. By symbolically adopting an African elephant, you support on-the-ground conservation, habitat protection, and research that advances elephant well-being and promotes harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife. 🐘 Your adoption makes a real difference. 👉 Visit bteh.org to adopt today. #ProtectElephants #AdoptAfricanElephants #ElephantWellbeing #HumanElephantCoexistence #WildlifeConservation
  • Our paper has just been published in Ecology and Evolution! We’re excited to share our latest research, led by PhD researcher @thewildlifelady Brooke Friswold, on how wildlife tourism affects wild Asian elephant behaviour, and what sustainable, ethical viewing looks like in practice. In Kuiburi National Park, we followed wild elephants over three years, including periods of park closure, to understand how vehicles, people, distance, and noise shape elephant responses. 🔍 What we found More vehicles, people, closer distances, and higher noise increase stress, vigilance, and avoidance. Reduced affiliative (social) behaviour is the most sensitive early warning sign of disturbance, while cow–calf groups are especially vulnerable. Clear behavioural thresholds define ideal and acceptable tourism conditions: viewing distances >100 m / 125 m, fewer than 4 / 8 vehicles, fewer than 10 / 21 people, and noise levels below 32 / 42 dB. Beyond these thresholds, negative behavioural responses increased significantly. These findings offer a practical, scalable model for park managers and policymakers, supporting wildlife observation tourism that protects elephant welfare while sustaining conservation and livelihoods. Huge thanks to the full research team, the support team at KMUTT University, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the rangers and community members who make long-term research like this possible 🐘🌱 👉 Link to the full open-access paper in the comments.
  • 🐘 One spot just opened up! 🐘 Dreaming of studying elephants in the wild? This is your chance. One last place is available for our Elephant Research Program in South Africa, where you’ll work alongside experts and gain hands-on experience with wild elephants in a real research setting. 📍 Kariega Game Reserve 📅 6–16 April 2026 You’ll learn what it’s truly like to study elephants in the wild. From field observations and data collection to understanding elephant behaviour, movement, and conservation challenges. Limited to one participant. Contact us now to secure this unique opportunity before it’s gone. #ElephantResearch #WildElephants #ConservationInAction #FieldResearch #HumanElephantCoexistence SouthAfrica Kariega