FORT WORTH, TEXAS-- November 29 -- The fate of elephants is the focus of an intensive weeklong international elephant conservation workshop December 1-5 hosted by the Fort Worth Zoo and attended by more than 100 participants from around the globe. Leading elephant biologists and experts gather during the conference to accomplish one heroic goal, saving elephants from extinction.

The number of elephants in the wild is declining dramatically, and drastic actions must be taken soon to ensure elephants very existence. North America's captive Asian elephant population is not sustaining itself, as elephants in zoos are not reproducing enough offspring to prolong the captive population. Current breeding rates suggest that in 50 years, only 15 female elephants will populate zoos (in 2004 about 240 female Asian elephants live in zoos). Which, in simple terms, means that the captive elephant population may go extinct before the wild population (which is rapidly declining as well).

Given these grim statistics, it's of utmost importance for zoos, conservation biologists, circuses and who else to meet, prioritize goals and determine action steps that not only affect the captive elephant population, but also the wild elephant population. Take, for example, the on-going human-elephant conflicts throughout Asia and Africa. Without progressive ideas to ensure they can co-exist, the elephants will quickly disappear, and eventually all elephants will vanish from the planet.

Papers broaching topics such as artificial insemination; human-elephant conflict; elephant behavior development; reversing the decline of Asian elephants; and how elephants affect crops and people will be discussed in detail as people from around the world fight to save a keystone species for future generations. Conservation projects and research results on elephant management, health, nutrition, reproduction and behavior will also be presented.

Additionally, as part of the conference and workshop, more than $120,000 in grant money will be awarded to those engaged in elephant field conservation and zoo research. A scholarship will also be awarded to an individual to attend a principals of elephant management conference.

In its ninth year, the annual elephant convention began in 1996 when the Indianapolis Zoo brought researchers together who were developing artificial insemination procedures for both Asian and African elephants. The results of the initial meeting ultimately led to the first successful conceptions of both Asian and African elephants through artificial insemination in 1997 and 1998 respectively.

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