Even the “Best” Zoos Damage Elephant Brains In choosing the 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants in North America for 2021, In Defense of Animals (IDA) focused on those that are considered the best by industry standards. Accreditation by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), and the Canadian equivalent (CAZA), is the gold standard for zoos. Yet this gold standard overwhelmingly fails to provide “the highest quality of elephant management and care” claimed by the AZA. Instead of “excellent overall elephant well being,” IDA's  review uncovers a catalog of elephant suffering and even markers of captivity-caused brain damage at AZA and CAZA institutions.

Read the details and get ready to be horrified by what happens to the gentle giants behind the scene!