“When you have a passion or a calling, that is what you do. You don’t have a choice.” That reality crystallized for Kristina McKean after being exposed to an abused baby elephant on the streets of Thailand. It was a moment that shocked her, and set her on her life’s mission of saving neglected elephants, big cats, and dogs.
“Me with Thai Koon-a rescued elephant at The Elephant Nature Park. I was in awe of how trusting and gentle they were, especially after enduring so much hardship. As Lek always says, ‘Elephants pick their people.’ I truly felt that… a real, soul-deep connection.” – Kristina McKean, Founder
In 2017, McKean started The Elephant Project to combat the exploitation of elephants, with the ultimate goal of rehoming and rehabilitating the highly intelligent, emotional animals. It’s estimated that 20,000 elephants are killed each year due to poaching. Since its inception, the Project has saved hundreds of elephants from this crisis. And now the nonprofit has evolved and expanded in big ways.
Though the elephant is still the flagship animal, McKean realized she had an excellent platform to help even more animals: like lions being poached in Africa, and dogs condemned to death in the Chinese meat markets. Whether it’s saving animals across the world, or putting together adoption events closer to home featuring local shelters, McKean is spearheading action.
A core part of The Elephant Project’s ethos is that one person, one small action, can make a huge difference. Their model is simple but transformational: buy an elephant, save an elephant. One hundred percent of the net proceeds from their “SaveUs” stuffed animal collection goes to organizations globally that aid in fighting the poaching crisis and provide care to orphaned and abused elephants, dogs, and big cats.
But there are also other ways to help. McKean shares, “Your voice is so powerful. Especially for young kids in the social media age. You can talk about it on TikTok and share stories to make a difference.” Education, especially with younger people, is a key component to McKean’s work. It’s not just money, but appealing to hearts and minds. You don’t have to go to the extreme to enact change.
This commitment to small action is why she often prioritizes working with smaller organizations that might not have the funding or recognition that other major nonprofits have. Through years of experience, McKean has vetted and built a coalition of organizations, big and small, that work together to create change.
But time is of the essence. McKean urges: “Elephants are diminishing so quickly that we need to step up for them.” But she also emphasizes that this is not the end. “We have to give people hope that we can make a difference for all these lions, dogs, and elephants.” There is still time. And there is still hope.