Results of the two-year, $8 million Great Elephant Census (GEC) of African savannah elephants led by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) have been released at an international wildlife conference in Hawaii, confirming massive declines in elephant numbers over just the last decade. The researchers report the current rate of species decline is 8 percent per year, primarily due to poaching. Investigators led by EWB director Mike Chase say the Pan-African survey shows that for savannah elephant populations in 15 GEC countries for which repeat counts were available, populations declined by 30 percent, or 144,000 animals, between 2007 and 2014. Curt Griffin, Environmental Conservation, with postdoctoral researcher Scott Schlossberg, are members of a research team that compiled the data, conducted statistical analyses and applied new data analysis techniques to help Chase and EWB estimate the abundance and geographic distribution of savannah elephants across Africa using the most accurate, up-to-date statistical methods to analyze the survey data. Results provide a baseline that governments and wildlife conservation organizations can use to coordinate conservation efforts. Billionaire philanthropist Paul G. Allen and his sister Jody Allen are the primary funders of the survey.