Following a significant week for the protection of wildlife – which saw the Duke of Cambridge joining delegates from 54 countries and representatives of the Born Free Foundation in Hanoi for the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference – it has been announced that the Remembering Elephants photography book and exhibition has so far raised over £115,000 for elephant conservation since its release on 19th September this year.
The brainchild of wildlife photographer Margot Raggett and edited by former AP editor Keith Wilson, the project (first covered in AP here) originally got its start through crowdfunding, but is now supported by charity partner Born Free, with 100% of the funds raised going to their elephant protection and conservation programmes in Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
Speaking of the project’s success so far, Raggett says: “We have been overwhelmed at the response to Remembering Elephants, with elephant lovers from all over the globe buying copies.”
The book is attributed to ‘Wildlife Photographers United’, owing to the unprecedented number of photographers working together for a single conservation cause in one book. The project brings together the work of 65 leading wildlife photographers, including eight overall winners of the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year award.
In conjunction with the Foreign Office and Lord Hague of Richmond, the Born Free Foundation has also launched a Government Petition to end the UK’s domestic ivory trade. It has already gained over 68,000 signatures, nearing the target of 100,000 it requires to be debated in Parliament.