Welfare & Conservation Knowledge Exchange
Our Vision:
‘A world where, together, we and our fellow mammals thrive’
Our Mission:
We are a charity working to promote positive coexistence, well being and healthy environment for all mammals
In a world with ever increasing human populations & pressure on wild habitats animal welfare & conservation issue are more relevant than ever. We want to ensure that there is a future for as many species as possible & that that future is a happy one.
In order to ensure the conservation of mammals living in close proximity to humans we must understand their needs, physical, mental and emotional better. Through increased knowledge, understanding and appropriate teaching (of humans and mammals), we can increase tolerance and facilitate co-existence.
‘We Are All Mammals’, WAAM, believes that by engaging with those that care for and whose livelihoods depend on other mammals we can strive toward a better future. We provide practical expertise and disseminate the most up to date scientific knowledge on welfare and behaviour to aid those who can benefit.
We specifically work with tourism operations, conservationists, veterinarians and farmers. Our board of trustees is made up of ethologists, welfare scientists, farmers and a financial expert. We aim to give advice, share knowledge and expertise that can improve welfare and conservation objectives, sustainably, for the long term.
Current Projects
Implementing Standards for the Management & Welfare of Elephants in Human Care
This is a project that has been ongoing for over a year. Working with stakeholders in the Southern African countries to develop meaningful guidelines that will assist those caring for elephants to understand and improve the welfare of the animals for which they have a duty of care. Three different stakeholder groups have been identified:
Local Welfare Organisation Partners and veterinarians
International Welfare Experts, Ethologists and other relevant Scientists
Elephant owners and tourism operators, that care for elephants
This project was initially crowdfunded and has received donations from some of these stakeholder groups. We have now completed a 3rd meeting and have some basic standards agreed. We will continue to have further meetings to improve these guidelines, create aspirational targets, devise means of support to achieve these targets and a meaningful inspection process. We also will be providing training and facilitate knowledge exchange through expert led workshops, to aid elephant carers and facility inspectors.
UPDATE
We are excited to announce that we have published a first edition of “Standards for the Management & Welfare of Elephants in Human Care in Southern Africa”. If you wish to obtain an electronic copy please make a donation of £10 here and add your name to appear on the donation page. Then please contact jake@weareallmammals.org
Further to this we are excited to announce that, as of December 2022, eleCREW a Zimbabwean Charitable Trust that cares for 9 elephants is the first facility to attain compliance with these standards!
Several inspections have taken place in South Africa too and the WAAM welfare team is currently reviewing the results.
We are seeking further donations to support this initiative.
All donations go towards covering costs only.
Ecological Farm and rewilding project open day!
Open day on August 15th from 1pm to 6pm at Cranscombe Cleave, Brendon, EX35 6PU - call 01598741111
2:30pm: Introductory talk about what has been achieved turning an exmoor hill farm into re-wilding project and what more is to come.
3:00pm: Farm and Garden walk and discussions. What is ecological agriculture, animal welfare farming. Biodiversity and the future of agriculture. Providing a life of quality and retaining animal partners and employees.
4:00pm: Tea and scones
4:30pm: Dances by the Drumghigha Stud horses, free school waltz with Stallion and Mares ridden. Adante with Druimghigha Shatish