From the time he was a young boy, Steve Koyle has loved elephants.
Koyle’s interest in elephants inspired him to earn a degree in zoology, and it also led him to a job in 2002 at The Phoenix Zoo, where he worked as an elephant keeper.
Around that time, Koyle heard tragic stories about captive elephants that were being mistreated.
Learning about these abused elephants impacted Koyle so deeply, it motivated him to take his love, appreciation, and respect of elephants to the next level and find tangible ways to help them.
“Throughout Southeast Asia particularly, the captive elephants are living a life of quiet desperation,” Koyle says. “It was my first trip to India in 2013 that really opened my eyes to the real life suffering that captive elephants endure and still do. I knew that I had to do whatever I could to help, which led me to form my nonprofit Elephant Care Unchained in July of 2016.”
Elephant Care Unchained’s mission is to eliminate cruelty and improve elephant welfare in native countries.
Or, as Koyle poignantly puts it, “Helping today for those elephants fighting for their tomorrow.”
Through his work at his Chandler-based nonprofit, Koyle and his team travel throughout Southeast Asia, helping captive elephants in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal, and Indonesia.
“We help all elephants and the people who care for them,” Koyle says. “For example, we help improve elephant facilities that support elephant welfare, we teach positive reinforcement training as well as target training, and we provide proper foot care demonstrations and training. We have also supplied facilities with medical supplies and education materials.”
To date, Koyle estimates that Elephant Care Unchained has had a positive and direct impact on thousands of elephant lives. The nonprofit is also now globally recognized as an elephant care and welfare professional.
In order to fund their trips abroad and the work they do with elephants and their caretakers, Koyle and his team rely on financial support from donors.
“As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, it’s only through the generosity and trust of personal supporters, many of which are Arizonians, that we can do this valuable work,” he says. “Most places that we visit are unable or unwilling to pay some ‘strange Westerner’ to help their elephants. I decided years ago that the best, most honest and transparent way to help was to raise funds independently.”
While Koyle is immensely grateful for all of the donations Elephant Care Unchained has received so far, additional help is always needed. Donations can be made directly through the nonprofit’s website at ElephantCareUnchained.com.
For Koyle and his team, knowing that they are making a tangible difference in improving the lives of elephants is immensely rewarding.
“We have saved numerous elephants’ lives with our foot trimming skills and programs,” he says. “We know that while we are at the facilities in Southeast Asia, we are giving the upmost care and attention to the elephants and staff and doing our best to overdeliver the quality of care and services. We live knowing that our intention is to simply help by whatever means possible—all to benefit the elephants’ lives.”
Information:
Elephant Care Unchained, P.O. Box 1687, Chandler, AZ 85244, 480.329.6184, Steve.Koyle@ElephantCareUnchained.com, ElephantCareUnchained.com.
Follow the nonprofit on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube @ElephantCareUnchained.