New Report Details The Suffering of Captive Elephants in Zoos

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A new report from the Born Free Foundation has outlined the true suffering of captive elephants in zoos across North America & the EU. The report aims to shine a light on the horrors captive elephants endure and the effects captivity are having on their emotional, physical, and mental well-being. As we know, elephants are some of the most social, intelligent, and empathetic animals on our planet, and in some cases, these majestic animals are living in solitary confinement. They are suffering tremendously and this new report brings to light some of the recognized perils captive elephants are facing.

Some of the worst parts of the report outline the psychological torture captive elephants face and the abnormal stereotypic behaviour observed from elephants at zoos across the EU & North America. Behaviour like rocking, swaying, and head bobbing are all indicative of long-term mental distress due to issues like being kept in inadequate spaces and lacking social opportunities due to solitary confinement. Elephants kept in solitary suffer endless mental & psychological anguish over many years of being alone in confinement. 

The report also outlines the horrors of zoos acquiring elephants and whether it's breeding or obtaining them from the wild, elephants suffer to keep zoos stocked. The report stated that a whopping 40% of baby elephants born in captivity don't even make it to 5 years old. Those that are taken from the wild suffer intense emotional and psychological distress as they are ripped from their social hierarchy which disrupts their social stability and conservation of wild populations. Doing this to keep a zoo full with elephants is so immoral, exploitative, and ignorant to the needs of elephants. We are literally willing to put an animal through psychological torture for our entertainment.

Keeping animals captive denies them of everything that comes natural to them. Their diets are impacted, their ability to roam and socialize are impacted, their instinctual habits are also impacted by captivity. Elephants in captivity only live a fraction of the life they would live if kept in the wild. Evidently, infant elephants also have a significantly higher survival rate in the wild than those bred in captivity. Everything surrounding elephant captivity is wrong and we know this, the report simply reaffirms what we already know about elephants in captivity. We are causing them insurmountable suffering so that we can stare at them through metal bars or behind plexiglass.

It is my firm belief that the only time an elephant should be in captivity is through a rehabilitation program that works directly with conservation groups to rehabilitate wild populations. Outside of conservation, elephants do not belong in zoos. We are exploiting their suffering for profits and entertainment, completely disregarding their needs for our own. Elephants in captivity should be moved to sanctuaries or wildlife refuges so that they can have some fraction of normalcy for the remainder of their lives. 

Learn more about the report from Born Free by visiting the link at the top of this post. Share the story, share THIS story, and keep the word going about the perils of captive elephants. We must continue to advocate for their release.

HAPPY VEG