Mind&Body@Work

Elephants and the Well-being of the Herd

Timm Esque Episode 10

To learn more about addressing well-being on your team, visit (https://www.evleaderlab.com/well-being). 

In this Episode, George Wittemyer, elephant researcher shares what he’s learned about elephant leadership styles and how the matriarch guides her herd through risky situations.

George considers elephants as very similar to humans in their intelligence and the importance of their social structures.  As many herd leaders have been impacted by human poaching, George describes how the survivors repair the fabric of their intricate and important social networks (maybe some things we humans could learn from this?)  

 George is a Professor of Conservation Biology at Colorado State University, specializing in determining how landscape, humans, and climate  - impact demography, distribution, behavior and movement of at risk wildlife populations – specifically elephants.

 George’s team works to actively translate research into policy actions and apply them globally.  He is the Chair of the Scientific Board of Save the Elephants and on IUCN’s African Elephants Specialist Group.

To learn more about George and his research, and/or to contribute to efforts to conserve these amazing beings, go to SavetheElephants.org.  And George reminds us, think about the impact of consuming wildlife products (like ivory or pangolin scales, etc.) before you act!