Boago Poloko
Boago, or “Bee”, has been a driving force of Elephant Havens from the very beginning. A third-generation conservationist who was raised in the bush by his father and grandfather. He is also a licensed safari guide and a naturalist. While at Abu Camp, he supervised a healthy breeding herd who lived as wild elephants during the day while returning to the camp each night. There he learned how much care and expertise is needed to raise these deceptively fragile orphaned elephants to adulthood. At Elephant Havens, Bee does it all, from managing our team of handlers to overseeing all aspects of the rescue and care of our elephants, as well as taking charge of our community initiatives.
Debra Stevens
Growing up in a small town in Texas, Debra’s lifelong passion for Africa was always a bit of a puzzle to her. It finally made sense once she discovered she was adopted from her birth mother who had lived in the Congo as a child. Debra’s birth grandparents were missionaries there in the 1930s and had even rescued and tried to raise a young elephant. Saving elephants is truly in her blood. When it came time to name the foundation, she only had to look to her birth family’s surname, Havens, for inspiration.
Scott Jackson
Scott was introduced to Africa by Debra on their honeymoon. He had a passion for the wild as a youth that ran headlong into the working world. After decades behind a desk, he found that in Botswana and other areas of sub-Saharan Africa the human footprint was light, there was much to protect and preserve, and there was local enthusiasm for doing so. He quickly developed the same passion for elephants that his wife had always known. A reformed workaholic, he now joins Debra on as many of her regular trips to Botswana as he can while continuing to work full-time as a lawyer in Texas.
Our Handlers
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Elephant Orphans
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