The Asian Elephant is a keystone species in the biologically rich forests of South and Southeast Asia.However, fragmentation and loss of habitat coupled with illegal hunting for meat, hide and ivory, have led to a drastic reduction in wild elephant numbers with fewer than 45,000 Asian elephants left in the wild .Listed as “Endangered” in the IUCN Red List of Mammals, today their distribution is fragmented among the 13 Asian countries, viz., India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China (only Southern Yunnan), Malaysia (peninsular Malaysia and Sabah) and Indonesia (Sumatra and Kalimantan).

ANCF has embraced the fact that the conservation of this flagship species entails the protection of entire landscapes. The organisation is actively involved in promoting field research projects and on the ground conservation initiatives pertaining to the Asian elephant and its habitat.