About

Dr Tempe Adams is a leading elephant biologist known for her work at the crossroads of wildlife science and the human experience. Her research not only uncovers how elephants live and move through changing landscapes, but also highlights the voices and challenges of the people who share space with them.

Dr Tempe Adams is a celebrated elephant biologist whose work sits at the powerful intersection of science, conservation, and community. With over a decade of field-based experience across Africa and Asia, Dr Adams is not only dedicated to understanding elephant ecology and behaviour, but also deeply committed to supporting the people who live alongside these giants.

Tempe grew up in the Southern Highlands of NSW in rural Australia. She attributes her love of nature to growing up with a farming and adventurous family that was deeply connected to the land and the natural environment. 

She received her Bachelor of Environmental Science majoring in biology from the University of New South Wakes (UNSW) and gained 1st Class honours on her thesis which explored to use of acoustics in monitoring and determining Blue Whale populations off the East and Southern Coasts of Australia. She obtained her PhD in 2016, specially investigating how humans and elephants can coexist in Botswana also from UNSW, in collaboration with Botswana based wildlife NGO Elephants Without Borders. 

Tempe’s research explores how elephants move, adapt, and survive in increasingly human-dominated landscapes — and how the communities on the frontlines of conservation experience, respond to, and coexist with them. Through a mix of rigorous science, education, and inclusive conservation strategies, Dr Adams champions a future where elephants and people can thrive together.

She is currently an adjunct scholar with the Okavango Research Institute from the University of Botswana and with UNSW. In these positions she teaches, and supervisors post graduate students from both Botswana and Australia in their conservation research projects within Botswana. She is also an active member of both the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group and the Botswana Human-Wildlife Conflict Working Group.

Tempe is also kept busy as the co-creator of the Botswana Elephant Centre, the first education centre for Botswana that is focused sharing accurate, accessible, and scientifically robust information about African elephants where science, culture, and conservation meet.

Communicating science and translating it into the wildlife filmmaking and media world is also a deep passion of Tempe’s having worked as a scientific consultant on a number of iconic features and series. She is also a passionate presenter of her research and its importance in the elephant conservation world in various media platforms (podcasts, tv-interviews).

Tempe’s work has been published in several scientific publications and featured in an array of news media platforms including the BBC, The Times, CNN and National Geographic to name a few.

  • Ph.D. — University of New South Wales (2012–2016)
    Thesis: Can humans and elephants coexist in Botswana?

    Bachelor of Environmental Science, Biology Major (Hons) — University of New South Wales (2008–2011)
    1st Class Honours thesis: Acoustic Surveys: cost effective conservation tool

    • Botswana Human-Wildlife Conflict and Mitigation Working Group (2018–Current)

    • IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group (2021–Current)

    • Affiliate Global Futures Scholar, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory (2025-Current)

    • Member of the Human-Elephant Conflict core sub-committee for WNPS (2025-Current)

    • Kwando Scholar for Kwando Safaris and Chobe Safari Lodge (2024-Current)

    • Received a university medal, the “Crispin Rice prize” for outreach and communication in evolution and ecology (2014).

  • Adjunct Lecturer / Field Coordinator – BIOS 6723: Wetland Ecology Course in the Okavango Delta
    University of New South Wales, Sydney (2017–Current)

    • Partnership development with Kings College London, Arizona State University, University of Botswana

    • Logistics operations and field research activities

    • Teaching terrestrial field survey lessons

    • Supervising students enrolled in the field course

    • Overseeing operations and equipment maintenance in a remote camp

    Smithsonian Journeys Expert / Lecturer (2024–Current)

    • Leading educational trips throughout Southern Africa highlighting conservation initiatives

    Co-Creator – Botswana Elephant Center
    Chobe Safari Lodge & Kwando Impact, Botswana (2024–Current)

    • Managing and curating educational content and interactive displays

    • Delivering elephant education presentations

    • Writing funding and budget proposals

    Adjunct Scholar – Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana (2020–Current)

    • Supervising postgraduate students

    • Conducting social science surveys on farmer perceptions of elephants

    • Coordinating the Botswana wildlife roadkill project

    • Running skill-building workshops

    Coexistence & Education Manager — Elephants Without Borders (Jan 2016–Dec 2023)

    • Led human-wildlife coexistence research in Botswana

    • Co-founded and supervised the EleSenses Elephant Repellent project

    • Developed and trialled mitigation tools with farmers

    • Produced educational content and coexistence strategies

    • Represented EWB at domestic and international conferences and meetings

    Aerial Survey Observer — Elephants Without Borders & Great Elephant Census

    • Over 400 hours of aerial survey spotting

    • Surveys in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, and Zambia

    • Data input and photo verification

    Wildlife Film-Making Industry Experience

    • France 5, “Journeys to the End of the Earth”, Botswana Episode (2015). A biography of myself and the research in Botswana. Aired on France 5 Public Television June, 2015

    • First Light Films (2013). A featured researcher for- Wild ways: Corridors of Life.

    • Worked as a field guide/scientific consultant (2014) for “Urban Jungle”, Animal Planet, National Geographic.

    • Scientific consultant (2019) for Plimsoll Production (Netflix), Episode 6 “A night on Earth”.

    • Scientific consultant (2022) for Freeborne media and Wild Space Productions (Netflix), “Surviving Paradise: A family Tale”.

    • Scientific consultant (2024) for Wildstar Films (National Geographic), Episode 4 “Savannah Queens” for the series “Queens”.