Take action to help free Mari and Vaigai
Mari and Vaigai were torn from their families and natural habitat when they were young. They were given to the Honolulu Zoo and “the children of Hawaii” as a gift from the Indian government and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Mari and Vaigai have been held captive at the Honolulu Zoo for the majority of their lives–Mari is 48 years old and has been held captive at the zoo since 1982. Vaigai is 38 years old and has been held captive at the zoo since 1992.
Mari and Vaigai have spent decades trapped in a barren, incomprehensibly small enclosure. Until a renovation in 2011, when the exhibit was expanded to 1.5 acres, they were held in an area that was less than .2 acres. Their exhibit not only restricts their autonomy—it's also been cited for multiple health and safety violations. A 2016 report from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) revealed that the exhibit lacked adequate shade to keep the elephants out of direct sunlight, that it had rocks that posed danger to the elephants' feet, and that the elephants' water supply wasn't properly tested. The exhibit lacks proper enrichment, too. Both elephants have been observed engaging in behavior indicative of trauma and chronic stress, including rocking and swaying.
Mari and Vaigai deserve the chance to heal, live freely, and be elephants again.
Use this form to urge the Director of the Honolulu Zoo to send Mari and Vaigai to an accredited elephant sanctuary that can meet their complex needs.