The trust was founded by Nzioki Wa Makau (Chairman of the Board) and Richard Moller who is chief executive officer and an experienced bush pilot.

The stated aim of the trust is the protection of wildlife, especially African elephants, and the reduction of the ivory trade.

[1][2] In June 2014, the Tsavo Trust came into the international spotlight when it announced the death of Kenya's iconic and most well-known elephant, Satao, killed by an ivory poacher with a poisoned arrow.

[7] There are a number of critical issues in the Tsavo ecosystem which include: a high rate of poverty among the people in the region, poor access to education and healthcare, degradation of habitat, ethnic conflict over resources, loss of wildlife, and lack of financial and technical resources to deal with these issues.

Tsavo Trust does this by being a crucial partner to the Kenya Wildlife Service,providing support for aerial and ground biodiversity monitoring, anti-poaching and security operations, and attracting funding to the TCA.