Turning 30 Years of elephant research into conservation

Our Mission

You cant protect what you don’t understand.

Utopia Scientific runs the Mushara Elephant Study—over thirty years of continuous acoustic, behavioral and genetic research following known families across seasons, years and decades.

We share what we learn, raise awareness for elephant conservation, train the next generation of scientists in the field and work with partners to turn evidence into protection of elephants all over Africa and Asia.

We run the longest continous study of elephant families in southern Africa. Help us continue that legacy and preserve these unique elephant societies for future generations

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Past volunteer and trainee researchers

Four people in a dry, arid landscape removing fallen tree branches and debris.
A group of seven women in outdoor clothing and hats sitting or standing on and around a beige Toyota Land Cruiser in a flat, dry, open landscape with a clear blue sky and some clouds. They appear to be on an expedition or research trip, with some loo
A group of people working on a wildlife research project in a savannah, with elephants in the background.
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A man wearing a beige shirt with green shoulder epaulets and teal pants is using a hammer to pound a nail into a metal structure outdoors. In the background, there is a dry landscape with some small zebras grazing.
A group of people on a safari viewing platform with binoculars, cameras, and notebooks, observing wild animals in the savannah, with an expansive plain and distant herd of animals.
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A young woman in a blue sleeveless shirt smiles while looking at a microscope and holding a notebook, standing next to a wooden table with multiple small glasses filled with a dessert topped with cotton candy.
Three women standing outdoors on a clear day, wearing casual and outdoor clothing, with a light-colored sandy ground and a pale blue sky in the background.
Two women collecting elephant dung in a desert, with elephants in the background.
A group of five women, four of them holding cameras or binoculars, in a safari or wildlife observation setting with elephants drinking at a waterhole in the background.
Three tourists look through a viewing window at elephants and a giraffe in a safari park.
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Five women forming a human pyramid on a flat sandy landscape under a clear blue sky, smiling and wearing sunglasses.
People excavating a dry riverbed with shovels, surrounded by desert terrain and a herd of wildebeest in the background.
Three people sitting at a table in a safari viewing blind, overlooking an African landscape with giraffes in the distance.
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A group of women and children sit inside a makeshift outdoor observatory with telescopes and electronic equipment, overlooking a desert landscape.
A woman in a white t-shirt sitting in a green camping chair, using a laptop on a small table, outdoors with a yellow privacy screen and blue sky in the background.