UPDATE #30: International wildlife organization, Born Free Foundation, calls for a phase-out of keeping elephants at zoos and an end to the capture of wild elephants. 

The major new report, Elephants in Zoos: A Legacy of Shame, released today by Born Free, is backed by a host of leading conservation and animal welfare experts including Damian Aspinall, Chris Packham CBE, Angela Sheldrick, Dr Cynthia Moss, Dr Winnie Kiiru, David Casselman and Dr Keith Lindsay. 

Using powerful individual case studies, the report outlines the history and continuing plight of these captive elephants. It lays bare the, at times fatal, impact of captivity on the physical and psychological health and welfare of the individuals involved. It is a horrifying fact that the majority of elephants in European and North American zoos develop and display abnormal stereotypic behaviours, such as compulsive rocking and swaying, as a consequence of long-term psychological damage.

The comprehensive report identifies zoos as net ‘consumers of elephants’, mainly due to high infant mortality rates, poor reproductive success, and reduced longevity. Shockingly, the report highlights that 40% of infant elephants in zoos die before they reach the age of five. 

Born Free’s research goes on to reveal the impact that capturing wild elephants for captive display has on the social stability and conservation of wild populations. This, in turn, has serious knock-on effects on the wider ecosystems of which elephants are a vital part.

Read the full report here.