The Elephant Managers Association (EMA) is proud to announce the dates for our 45th annual conference, hosted by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on October 6 to 10, 2024. The conference will include a trip to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, behind-the-scenes tours, two days packed with presentations on various elephant management topics, a banquet and silent auction, a pre-conference trip to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and a post-conference trip to the Indianapolis Zoo.

EMA President Tripp Gorman stated, "EMA is very excited to have the Columbus Zoo host the EMA conference again. We look forward to our pre- and post-conference trip destinations at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and the Indianapolis Zoo to learn about their newest herd members and visit a new elephant facility. This conference location has so many great facilities nearby. It is one of the US's hotspots for any elephant enthusiast. We look forward to this year's conference and presentations by elephant professionals from around the world. We are planning a conference that will give everyone plenty of opportunities to network and discover new ideas."

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is home to seven Asian elephants. The Zoo's giants reside in a five-acre complex with one of the largest indoor facilities in the country. Although elephants have been part of the Zoo for a very long time, the building was built in the mid 1970s with major renovations in 1999. Since our visit in 2016, more renovations have been in progress to ensure modern-day creature comforts are provided to each herd member. Columbus Zoo's elephant programs continues to specialize in many aspects of elephant management, from breeding and calf management to geriatric and bull elephant care.

EMA partners with elephant programs that stand out as leaders in the elephant community to host the annual conference. The annual gathering promotes the cooperative exchange of information, open channels of communication, and meaningful networking opportunities for all elephant care professionals. Host facilities are chosen based on their commitment to elephants, their support of conservation and research efforts, their hospitality, and their demonstrated willingness to foster growth and development in all who work closely with elephants.

EMA's annual conference is the most accessible and affordable opportunity for elephant care professionals to expand their knowledge and professional network. Delegates will receive cutting edge information focusing on professional elephant management trends and will have the opportunity to see firsthand the methods employed by other established elephant programs.

With the help of EMA's Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, both of our conference host—Columbus Zoo and Aquarium—will have the opportunity to showcase the features that make them a premier elephant program. Please save the dates and join us on October 6 to 10, 2024.

For all conference-related information, please keep an eye on this page, or you can contact the EMA Conference Committee at conference@elephantmanagers.com.

Click here to view the schedule for EMA 2024. Schedule subject to change, last updated October 7.

Click here to view the schedule for the pre-conference trip at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

This year's pub crawl will take place in downtown Dublin, Ohio. Click here for a map of downtown Dublin (including eating and drinking establishments), and click here for a map of the designated outdoor refreshment area. The following bars/restaurants are offering pub crawl specials:

• Fado Pub and Kitchen: 20% off tab
• North High Brewing: $5 shots (flyer included)
• Local Cantina: Taco Tuesday and $5 mustache ride
• Urban Meyer Pint House
• Market Bar: Discount on Nocterra beer and a specialty cocktail
• The Getaway Brewing Co.
• Pins Mechanical/16 Bit: $4 Tito's special

Registration for the 45th Annual EMA Conference is now open!

All attendees must register online, and full conference registration for EMA members costs $225 (non-member registration costs $270). Late registration (after September 11) for members costs $275 and for non-members costs $295. Registration fees include transportation to/from hotel, and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium; conference meals (including ice-breaker and banquet); and access to paper presentations.

To receive the discounted member rate, EMA members should verify they are in good standing by logging in to the members only section and using their membership credentials. Conference hosts and EMA Conference Committee members will verify your membership status after conference registration is completed.

The cost for the pre-conference trip to Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on October 6 is $50 (includes transportation to/from the Zoo and lunch). THE PRE-CONFERENCE TRIP IS NOW SOLD OUT.

The cost for the post-conference trip to Indianapolis Zoo on October 10 is $50 (includes transportation to/from the Zoo and lunch). THE POST-CONFERENCE TRIP IS NOW SOLD OUT.

To register for the conference and/or the pre- and post-conference trips, please click here.

Can't make it to the whole EMA conference this year? No problem. You can register for the days you can attend! Prices for individual components of the conference are as follows:

• Day 1 Conference Registration (October 7): $100
• Day 2 Conference Registration (October 8): $100
• Day 3 Conference Registration (October 9, includes closing banquet): $150

To register for single days of the conference, please click here.

The 2024 Keynote Speaker is EMA Executive Director Daryl Hoffman. Daryl is also the Vice President of Living Collections at Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium.

Daryl has been working in the zoo field since 1988 and with elephants since 1991. He has served on the EMA Board of Directors in some capacity since 2000, including as President from 2003 to 2005 and as Executive Director from 2005. Daryl has been an instructor for the AZA Principles of Elephant Management professional courses since 2002, a steering committee member of the AZA Elephant Taxon Advisory Group since 2008, a member of the Board of Directors for the International Elephant Foundation since 2011, and a member of the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus Advisory Group Executive Committee since 2014.