Facilitating human-elephant coexistence in Asia

As we step into October, we take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and belief in our mission. Your generosity has carried us through another remarkable quarter, one filled with growth, learning, and meaningful impact for both people and wildlife.

Thanks to you, our work empowering communities to coexist with elephants continues to strengthen. Each contribution helps us take another step toward a future where conservation goes hand in hand with community well-being. From supporting farmers in mitigating human-elephant conflict to building resilience through sustainable livelihoods, your support makes it all possible.

We’re thrilled to share that some exciting updates from the field this quarter, from new community-led initiatives to fresh insights from the field. None of this would happen without you - our steadfast supporters - who remind us that real change begins with compassion and commitment.

Together, we’re not only protecting elephants, but nurturing the harmony between people and the wild places they call home.

Alternative Crop Project: Over 12,600 saplings planted!

With your help, our alternative crop distribution program continues to reach new milestones, building on the foundation set with our initial 40 participating farmers. Following the distribution of 3,610 saplings to the first 20 farmers last December, we expanded in June 2025 to reach 45 more farmers, distributing approximately 1750 local orange, 4521 lemon, and 5400 moringa plants. That’s enough saplings to transform 65 family farms and cover over 32 acres of farmland!

The reporting quarter coincided with the dry season, which posed significant challenges for crop maintenance and irrigation. Water availability was severely limited, affecting sapling survival and growth across several project sites. During routine follow-ups, our team observed that some farmers had neglected irrigation for the distributed crops due to resource constraints and competing priorities, particularly the need to focus on their main cash crops.

"We need to explain and reiterate the importance of managing the farm properly, farmers need to be supervised and we need to listen and work with them." -  Sameera (Field Officer)

In response, the field team revisited these farmers to provide hands-on guidance and support, helping them reinstate proper irrigation practices. This included developing simple, sustainable irrigation plans tailored to each farmer’s available water sources, while emphasizing the long-term benefits of the alternative crop program for both livelihoods and elephant coexistence.

Despite these challenges, preparations for the next phase of expansion are well underway. An additional 3,000 saplings (making the total to around 12600 saplings) have been ordered and are scheduled for distribution once the rains commence as I type in mid-Oct. (Yay – the rains are back!) This upcoming round will build on the lessons learned from the previous year, with greater focus on selecting suitable crop types and prioritizing farmers with adequate irrigation facilities.

Thanks to your continued support, each new sapling planted represents not just a step toward sustainable livelihoods, but also renewed hope for the coexistence of people and elephants.

Biodiversity Study: Phase 3 completed!

During this quarter, the third phase of the biodiversity study was successfully completed across 18 selected farms - nine representing our alternative crop sites and nine serving as control sites. The survey was led by Mr. Sudesh, Senior Lecturer in Zoology and Environmental Management, in close collaboration with our field team, in Udawalawe. Conducted over a five-day period, the study included both daytime and nighttime observations, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of faunal activity compared to previous phases.

As with earlier studies, the team camped on-site throughout the survey period, employing a combination of visual encounter surveys, camera traps, and Sherman traps to record the diversity of small animals across the selected landscapes. A detailed report from Mr. Sudesh and his team is expected in the coming weeks and will provide valuable insights into the ecological differences between the alternative crop farms and the control sites.

In other news: Meetings, meetings and more meetings!

During this quarter, our team held several key meetings to review progress and strengthen collaboration across project partners. Notably, Dr. Shermin met with the Deputy Minister of Wildlife and Environment of Sri Lanka to discuss our project, share key findings, and explore potential areas for future collaboration. In addition, the annual team meeting was held in Udawalawe, bringing together field and research teams to reflect on achievements, challenges, and plans for the upcoming season. We were pleased to have members from other elephant conservations join the meeting, providing valuable feedback and gaining insight into recent developments on the ground.

Links:

• 1. Adopt a wild Asian elephant calf to support our work
• 2. Visit our homepage to learn more about Trunks & Leaves' work
• 3. Read our latest blog on farming and elephants in Kuiburi Park

As we move through the heart of the year, July offers us a moment to reflect on the steady progress we've made and the path ahead. Thanks to your support, our mission remains clear: to support the people who share landscapes with wildlife, empowering them as stewards of nature, and finding ways to strengthen our conservation efforts. Conservation isn't just about protecting species—it's about uplifting communities, strengthening livelihoods, and building resilience in the face of environmental change.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we've smashed our $10,000 target and are now working toward $12,000 to reach even more families! Your support is literally changing lives—and saving elephants—one farm at a time. This month, we’re proud to share some exciting updates from the field, highlighting the continued work being done to promote coexistence between people and Asian elephants. None of this would be possible without your steadfast support. Your generosity continues to fuel grassroots action and long-term impact. Together, we’re not just protecting elephants—we’re shaping a future where people and wildlife thrive side by side.

Alternative Crop Project: Over 8400 saplings planted!

With your help, our alternative crop distribution program reached new milestones this quarter, building on the foundation set with our initial 40 participating farmers. Following distribution of 3,610 saplings in December 2024 to the first distribution of 3,610 saplings to the first 20 farmers, we expanded in June 2025 to reach 37 more farmers, distributing approximately 625 local orange, 2,740 lemon, and 1,500 moringa plants. That's enough saplings to transform 57 family farms and cover nearly 30 acres of farmland!

This program, part of our broader study, involves half the farmers planting alternative crops (moringa, local orange, lime) while the others serve as a control group. Challenges included crop flooding from heavy rainfall in December 2024, which destroyed 85% of the moringa plants, and shifting farmer preferences during implementation. Despite this, the team prioritized farmers with adequate irrigation and successfully completed distributions to 37 farmers in June.

While we celebrate these wins, the upcoming dry season means we need to be strategic about our next distributions. Thanks to your continued support, we're eager to extend the program to more farmers, but July and August present limitations. The dry conditions create higher risks for sapling survival, so we're carefully evaluating and prioritizing farms with irrigation during this period, to ensure your investment in these communities has the greatest impact. Our team is developing a plan for optimal distribution schedule that will give the remaining farmers the best chance of success --because every sapling you help us plant represents hope for both families and elephants.

Behavioral Study: Phase 2 done!

Over the past three months, we analyzed data from 40 monitoring sites gathered during Phase 1 and 2 of our behavioral study, including camera trap footage, audio recordings, and new drone imagery. These same sites have now received alternative crops and will continue to be monitored. With Sateesh’s return to Sri Lanka, data collection is complete, marking another milestone you helped us achieve. The field team is now fully prepared to begin Phase 3.

In other updates: Donation to Kekulu Pre-school

With the generous support of Garry from Orangutan Odysseys, our team was able to improve conditions at Kekulu Preschool in Udawalawe, benefiting children from the local village community.

The donation funded the purchase and installation of two ceiling fans. You can imagine how difficult it was for 3–5-year-olds to learn in stifling heat - now thanks to donors like you, these children have a comfortable place to grow and learn—until now, the classroom had no fans, making it unbearably hot during warmer days, with temperatures ranging from 20–31C year-round. Years ago, we helped the school get electricity through our preschool program (with help of GlobalGiving donations!), and this latest support builds on that foundation.

Like many preschools in Sri Lanka, Kekulu has metal grilles instead of glass windows to keep out monkeys and other animals, but without wind, airflow is limited. These new fans have created a much more comfortable and conducive learning environment for the children.

Links:

• Adopt a wild Asian elephant calf to support our work
• Visit our homepage to learn more about Trunks & Leaves' work