[2] Poole graduated from Smith College in 1979 with a degree in biological sciences and received her PhD in animal behavior from the University of Cambridge in 1982.
[4] Poole has worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Princeton University, head of the Elephant Program at Kenya Wildlife Service, and Scientific Director of ElephantVoices, which she co-founded with husband Petter Granli in 2002.
Poole's mother graduated from Smith College, 1954, and held numerous volunteer positions in Africa and the United States throughout her life.
During the mid-1990s, Poole worked as a consultant for various organizations, including Richard Leakey & Associates, the World Bank, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
[12][13] In 2002, she co-founded ElephantVoices with her husband Granli, with the mission "to inspire wonder in the intelligence, complexity and voices of elephants, and to secure a kinder future for them".
[14] Poole and Granli also designed citizen science projects and digital tools that allowed people to submit observations of individual elephants through the use of customized apps to online databases.
[17] Her research has shed light on the complexities of elephant societies, including coalition formations and cooperation among family members.
Poole's work has also explored the intentional use of signals, such as ostensive communication, where elephants emphasize the importance of specific messages within their groups.
Her studies have provided evidence of intentional, goal-directed actions among elephants, showcasing their ability to work together to achieve common objectives.
These observations emphasize the emotional depth and social bonds within elephant communities, underscoring the importance of empathy in their interactions.
Her work contributed significantly to raising awareness about the issue, ultimately leading to the 1989 international ban on the ivory trade.
In 2005, Poole provided her expertise via video link in the case of International Fund for Animal Welfare, et al. v. Minister for the Environment and Heritage et al., N2005/916.
Her involvement in this case highlighted the welfare issues related to elephants in circuses, contributing to the ongoing debate about the ethical treatment of animals in entertainment.
Poole splits her time between Sandefjord, Norway; Olchoro Onyore, Kajiado County, Kenya; and field sites.
Poole has received several honors and awards in recognition of her contributions to the field of elephant research, conservation, and advocacy and is a National Geographic Explorer.
Poole's research and conservation work has also been featured in various media presentations, including printed articles, books, radio programs, and television.
Poole has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles published in journals such as Nature, Science, Frontiers in Zoology, Biology Letters, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Immunogenetics, and PLoS ONE.