Save the Elephants works to sustain elephant populations and preserve the habitats in which elephants are found, while at the same time fostering a heightened appreciation and visibility for elephants and their often fragile existence. The organization uses a four pillar approach to fulfill its mission statement, combining habitat protection, research, grass roots organization and involvement, and through disseminating information through television, films, publications and new media sources.

The organization’s mission is to secure a future for elephants and to sustain the beauty and ecological integrity of the places they live; to promote man’s delight in their intelligence and the diversity of their world, and to develop a tolerant relationship between the two species.

Research
They support vital research on elephant behaviour and ecology and have pioneered GPS radio tracking in Africa to provide fresh insight into elephants' ways of life. By understanding elephant needs and movements, Save the Elephants can approach conservation from an elephant's perspective.

Protection
They assist wildlife departments in their fight against ivory traders and poachers. Save the Elephants protects and monitor elephants with aerial surveillance and support anti-trafficking efforts across Africa. Save the Elephants believes that a renewed ivory trade remains the greatest potential threat to elephants and strive to reduce demand in Asia.

Human Elephant Conflict
They study elephants to gain an in-depth understanding of elephant behaviour to reduce damage from crop-raiding elephants using their instinctive avoidance of African honey bees and in the long term by identifying corridors through tracking to align environmental sustainability with national development goals.  

Awareness
Elephants are intelligent creatures with complex levels of consciousness, and Save the Elephants intends to bring this to the world's attention. They disseminate this locally and internationally through the education program, films, community meetings, publications, an elephant library, a news service and the website.