Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Three recent ground-breaking reports reveal the extent of the problems facing elephants in captivity.

In a report, commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK), findings revealed that:

●  More than 80% of elephants had foot problems
●  23% of elephants had an obvious limp or were severely lame
●  More than half of elephants displayed stereotypical (abnormal) behaviour during the daytime
●  Some individual elephants displayed stereotypical (abnormal) behaviour for up to 60% of a 24 hr period

A further study, looking at elephants in European zoos shows shocking, yet not unexpected, findings:

●  Captive elephants do not live as long as their counterparts in the wild.  On average, captive elephants can expect to live only half as long as elephants in the wild
●  Captive-born Asian elephants were particularly likely to die young
●  Elephants transferred between zoos are at increased risk of dying

Overall, the study reveals that the captive population in Europe is an unsustainable drain on wild populations, with one of the researchers labeling zoos as ‘consumers of elephants’.

Another study reveals that many zoos ignore recommended minimum group sizes for elephants in captivity: one fifth of all the elephants in 194 zoos around the world live alone or with only one other elephant; and the majority of female groups consist of fewer than four individuals.

Tour Operators are requested to take onboard these findings and where possible, encourage and influence your suppliers, as a minimum to:

●  Adopt a policy not to import wild-caught elephants,
●  Keep females and juvenile elephants in groups of three individuals or more,
●  Demonstrate a commitment to providing their elephants with sufficient space to move freely, a suitable social structure (see above) and environmental enrichment to maintain a stimulating environment and reduce the potential development of abnormal behaviour.

The studies serve to reiterate Born Free Foundation’s long-held conviction that captivity cannot possibly provide for the basic needs of these highly complex, wide-ranging and social animals.  These findings should be the final straw that leads to the phasing-out of the keeping of elephants in zoos.  Zoos can no longer deny the problems, and the only compassionate and humane answer is to stop keeping elephants in zoos.  Anything less would be a travesty.