Swansea University has presented an honorary award to Dr Kate Evans, a distinguished Swansea graduate, and founder and CEO of the charity, Elephants for Africa.
Elephants captured her heart and her imagination from a young age, and after visiting a Sri Lankan elephant sanctuary aged seven, she made a promise to an elephant that she would help their conservation and wellbeing.
Dr Evans explained: “There was a young elephant there who had recently lost its herd and was now in human care. It was visibly upset in my memory – crying and distraught – obviously its world had been turned upside down and I remember feeling that was incredibly unfair. And so, that was the elephant I made a promise to!”
Despite struggling academically at school, Dr Evans persevered and went on to study a degree and master’s degree in Zoology at Swansea, where she was later diagnosed with dyslexia while completing her PhD.
Dr Evans’ PhD research focussed on adolescent male elephant behaviour, which laid the foundation for Elephants for Africa, which she established after completing her PhD to ensure the continuity and expansion of her research.
Elephants for Africa is dedicated to elephant and wildlife conservation. Through research and education, the charity empowers local villagers to live alongside wildlife, encouraging them to understand elephants while minimising the damage they can sometimes cause.
Dr Evans dedicated herself to studying male elephant social ecology in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, one of the world’s last pristine wildernesses, for more than a decade. Recognizing the need for a more active role in conservation, she relocated her work to the Boteti River region to address the pressing issue of human-elephant conflict.
As the leader of Elephants for Africa, Dr Evans has focused her efforts on Botswana, which hosts the largest remaining elephant population globally. Her commitment extends beyond research; she is an ardent advocate for building local capacity. Through innovative education programs developed by her and her team, Dr Evans ensures that local communities bordering protected areas are equipped with the knowledge and skills to foster the survival of elephants and preserve natural habitats.
Dr Evans’ contributions to conservation are celebrated internationally. She serves as a member and project coordinator at the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre. Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the Best Research Award from Wetnose Animal Aid in 2010 and the George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society in 2011. Additionally, in 2021, Elephants for Africa’s education program received a Silver Award at the Global Good Awards.
On receiving her honorary award, Dr Evans said: ‘Having my life's work recognised by Swansea University with an honorary doctorate is a tremendous honour. Swansea is where my scientific career started, which almost stopped at the first hurdle as I did not get the grades required to get in! I truly believe that the Professor who interviewed me saw something in me, my passion, and that is how I ended up here for both my honours and master’s degrees.
“I have kept in touch with the university and am involved with the mentoring programme, but I hope that my ties to Swansea strengthen with this award and that I get to tap into the incredible knowledge and expertise here to further my work through collaborative research.”