Two elephants—Mari and Vaigai—are currently imprisoned and suffering at the Honolulu Zoo.

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 imprisoned 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. For example, at one point, Vaigai and Mari were observed playing with a used car battery that they had dug up to cope with their boredom.

Like many zoos, the Honolulu Zoo uses the elephants in marketing gimmicks, like picking the winner of the Super Bowl and zookeeper demonstrations. In these demonstrations, the elephants can be observed engaging in stress and trauma behaviors, such as rocking and swaying. Captive elephants are often seen engaging in these “stereotypic behaviors” to cope with their stress, and these behaviors are not seen in elephants living freely in the wild. 

For several years, the Honolulu Zoo lost its AZA accreditation for failing to even meet the sub-par standards the industry group sets for elephant care (it’s important to note that elephants still suffer immensely at AZA-accredited zoos). In short, the living situation of the elephants at the Honolulu Zoo is unacceptable and unjust. Mari and Vaigai are suffering greatly in the Honolulu Zoo and they need us to fight for their freedom.

The Nonhuman Rights Project filed a lawsuit this week seeking to have Mari and Vaigai’s right to liberty recognized and for them to be released to an elephant sanctuary where they can exercise their autonomy, have opportunities to make social connections with other elephants, and have their physical and psychological needs met. 

You can help Mari and Vaigai now by signing this petition calling on Linda Santos, Executive Director of the Honolulu Zoo, to release them to an elephant sanctuary.