Marion E. Garaï, Ph.D.

Marion E. Garaï has been a Trustee and Researcher of the ‘Elephant Reintegration Trust’ – ERT since its inauguration in 2016. Following her MSc on elephants in European zoos, and a study of orphaned captive elephants in Sri Lanka, Marion conducted her Ph.D. on the ‘Social and Stress Related Behaviours of Translocated Juvenile Elephants’, originating from the culling operations in South Africa. This study prompted her to found the Elephant Management & Owners Association – EMOA, where she served as Chairperson for 12 years. EMOA was crucial in developing the National Elephant Norms & Standards of SA. She served as Board member and Chair of the ‘Space For Elephants Foundation’ for 12 years. She was a founding member and Chair for 10 years of the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group – ESAG. Since 1993 she has been a member of the IUCN/SSC Africa Elephant Specialist Group. She is a member of various other organizations. Marion has published and co-authored many peer reviewed papers and books on elephant behavior and welfare of African and Asian elephants. She is interested in finding ways for humans to coexist with elephants, and to accept that they are feeling, emotional, intelligent, cognitive beings like us. Her deep concern is the welfare of elephants under human care, and her aim is to find solutions to end the exploitation, abuse, and cruelty towards elephants.