- Jan
- 12
It's Official: Zoos Kill Elephants
Posted by Steve Martindale at 5:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
One of the most common arguments I hear from people who defend zoos and circuses is that captive elephants have it so much easier than they do in nature. They just love their chains and cages: Hey, no poachers to worry about, plenty of free food instead of starving to death in Asia or Africa, and no worries about diseases because of the veterinary care that they receive. Who wouldn't prefer this cushy prison life to freedom? It's like living in a well-managed retirement village!
In my travels, I have seen many elephants in their natural habitats, including the lovely elephant family pictured here. And I've always known that they were much happier and healthier than those in zoos. But now there is scientific proof! Aside from the unconscionable abuse and cruelty inflicted on captive animals, we now have definitive evidence that none of the "healthy life in captivity" arguments hold water. A recent study on European zoos shows that elephants in zoos live less than half as long as those in the wild do. African elephants in zoos live to be about 17 years old, compared to a life expectancy in Amboseli, Kenya, of 56 years, more than three times as long. This is not a small statistical effect we are talking about here–it's HUGE and undeniable.
The authors of the study point to the effects of physical and mental stress of confinement in zoos and the trauma caused by transferring elephants between zoos. Obesity is also a health issue, since confined elephants don't get the exercise that their wild counterparts do. Elephants in the wild often walk 30 miles per day and are active for 18 hours each day.
I should point out one detail of the study: The elephants in the wild used for comparison were in protected reserves. The biggest threat to elephants in unprotected wild populations is from humans (of course); hunting and poaching are decimating elephant populations in the most ruthless and barbaric ways. And nearly all elephants now in zoos were ripped from their families in the wild. Hunters gun down entire herds of adults to make it easy to capture the babies and juveniles for a life of imprisonment. That is a bloody war that leaves the survivors traumatized for life.
Another argument I hear is that we can't just send all the captive elephants back to Africa or Asia (they wouldn't know how to survive), so we are stuck with them in zoos. But there is an alternative: Stop breeding captive elephants, stop capturing more in the wild, and significantly improve conditions for those currently in captivity. Zoos worldwide currently enslave roughly 1,500 elephants. Two facilities, The Elephant Sanctuary and PAWS, have figured out that elephants thrive when provided with lots of space, varied terrain, a proper climate, humane handling, and a choice of companions. There is no reason that zoos cannot pool their considerable resources to create similar habitats for confined elephants–where they can live free in what does amount to a well-managed retirement village. Where they can enjoy bonding with loved ones, roam at will, and not be shackled or gunned down. Slightly larger pens aren't the answer in Los Angeles or anywhere else.
Posted to Travel | Posted to Tags: Elephant, Steve Martindale, zoo
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Patty Bowers says...
January 12th, 2009, 12:42 pm
EXCELLENT ARTICLE! Since elephants roam 30-50 miles a day, there is no justification for keeping them in circuses and zoos, not to mention being solitary! It is cruelty of the worst kind for these very intelligent, gregarious, sensitive, caring, and special creatures. They are also one of the only wild species that will take in orphans, instead of eating them like some species do. In my lifetime, I hope to see the elimination of elephants in ANY kind of captivity. We must WAKE UP! Boycott and protest the circuses and zoos. Write letters, do everything you can to participate in ending cruel captivity for elephants. Thank you!
Nikki says...
January 16th, 2009, 4:04 pm
I do not think this article talks in full about what zoos do for elephants. ALOT of good comes from zoo "captivity" and it is not just purely evil and "inhumane." Zoos inform everyone-of all ages-about elephants and how they are endangered and how they can help and how to better treat them. And most animals in the zoos are not just taken out of the wild-and if they are its because they are orphaned, or sick, or another reason that can hurt them. Elephants in the zoo are happy and they are able to function. And with zoo breeding-good for zoos! They should breed in zoos because it keeps elephants around longer and allows for further research as to how we can help elephants further. Zoos are not all bad-you cannot just say the negative without the positive.
Chantal says...
January 16th, 2009, 9:33 pm
I'm sorry, Nikki, I do not agree that a lot of good comes from keeping elephants in zoos. It is absolutely cruel and inhumane. There are other ways to educate adults and children about endangered species without subjecting the animals to inhumane treatment. If you read the above article carefully and the other literature out there, elephants in zoos are not happy at all. They are physically, emotionally and spiritually miserable.
Lea says...
January 17th, 2009, 4:20 am
I am sorry to say but i strongly disagree with the above statement. There is no way that an Animal in a zoo is 'happier' then one in the wild. I live in South Africa and have seen elephants in there natural environment. Elephants are very social animals. If one of their young was orphaned there is a very good change that one of the herd would 'adopt' it. As for the sick, there are reports of mother elephants refusing to leave the side their sick young, often for days. If a wild animal is sick then who are we to interfere. We have to let nature take it course. This may sound harsh but I it the truth. The life of an animal in the wild will aways be more fruitful then one in a zoo or circus. Why would you want to see an animal in a man made enclosure when the real thing is still out there? I am sorry but you can learn very little about the nature of a creature in a fake environment.
Nancy says...
February 9th, 2009, 2:39 am
In my mind, confined animals suffer psychologically and are rarely happy. I think the only happy moment they have is when the hope of getting out of there is ignited. I've never seen a stray starving dog showing more agony than a dog in solitary confinement. Solitary confined animals have psychological traumas and problems that will take a long time to heal and fix. If a zoo hasn't killed an elephant yet, it has killed th spirit of the elephant. An elephant is not an elephant himself when he's not living in his natural habitat. An unhealthy mind suffers more than a physical illness. In the case of a zoo, the elephant suffers both psychologically and physically, let alone circus! Freedom, that's a gift God has granted wild animals but taken away by humans!
Robert Spencer says...
March 9th, 2009, 11:36 pm
I would love to set all of the animals in the zoos free. What a tragedy keeping them locked up. Would you like to be locked up for life for someone's amusement and curiosity?
Ken Janes says...
March 10th, 2009, 5:16 pm
The information modeled on the life expectancy of an elephant in a zoo is based on outdated material from the 80's until present. If you took the same model and modeled the life expectancy of an elephant from 2000-2008 it would be a different story. (Models are subjective in nature and can be manipulated to put out any data that the researcher seeks.) This is due to changes in regulation and zoos being more proactive in enriching the animals at the zoo, with the help of behavioral psychologist and biologist. I disagree with the use of animals in entertainment being movies or in circuses. Zoo's are not now used for entertainment. They take part in breeding programs that will insure the survival of endangered species around the world. Not to mention they enlighten children that would have no exposure to animals, and quite possibly change a young person into a future biologist or help them to take part in conservation. Zoo's could make children fall in love with animals and turn a non compassionate future hunter into an animal lover and activist. Peta does a lot of great things, and I am a member, but you have to choose your battles respectively. Just a little FYI the LA zoo got the funding for their project and the people people spoke up.
Natalie says...
March 10th, 2009, 8:17 pm
My children and I will no longer be going to the zoo.
Bill says...
August 1st, 2009, 12:17 am
Most zoo breeding programs are designed to provide "cute" babies to attract the paying public, not return endangered species to the wild. In fact the glut of babies often results in zoos selling the excess to canned hunts once they outgrow their money-making baby phase. In captivity wild animals are sad stereotypes of their true selves denied their natural behaviors and normal socialization, unable to forage or roam freely, and living in a habitat and often a climate far different than for which they evolved. This is not education. It only teaches children the capacity for human cruelty. A good video of wild populations can teach more about a species than a lifetime spent staring at animals in a zoo. Millions of us love and want to protect whales without one humpback ever having to perform in a marine mammal show or stare blankly at us from within a concrete swimming pool to elicit our sympathies. Even some zoos are beginning to recognize their inadequacies and are sending their elephants to qualified sanctuaries. Most elephants in captivity today were taken from the wild, not as orphans but as part of a hunt in which as babies they witnessed the murder of the adults of the herd. They were then taken, their spirits broken through various means of torture, and shipped to zoos and circuses around the world. All the behaviorial psychologists and enriching activities provided for an animal in captivity doesn't change the fact that it's still a prison, it's still abuse, and it's still wrong.
Carrie says...
November 11th, 2009, 9:24 am
Nikki i dont agree with you because elphants are used for peoples humour and are made to do pointless tricks which is undermining. They are huge animals and need a lot of space and freedom and their natural habitat is in the wild for a reason. Because in the wild they have access to all the proper resources they need to survive aswell as all the freedom to mate and be with family and friends. It doesnt matter how good the conditions are in a zoo or a circus at the end of the day animals have a home and people take them out of their home and away from their families and are disorientated because of it. People should concentrate on building reserves for elephants and other animals. Places in the wild where people are refrained from nearing them and interfering with their lives, unless to help them, and where they are safe from people wanting to captivate or hurt them.
This article is a very well informed article and shouldn't be taken lightly as a a piece of written entertainment. People who read and agree with this should try to find a way to help this situation whether it be making more people aware of it, finding more info to publicise, complaining to people who are in this business etc
People need to be reminded that animals were the strongest mammal before we domesticated some and took control and its not right if with this control we play god and control their lives to suit our entertainment. People need to understand animals have feelings like us and deserve all the benefits we have out of life. That is freedom, being with loved ones, able to stay in their home and not be in danger of harm or captivation.
Kelsey says...
April 18th, 2011, 5:38 pm
Well I don't really think that animals should be in zoos. It is a necessary thing. People long ago decided to take animals from the wild. Animals that now live in zoos can no longer survive on their own in the wild and would soon die if released. Offspring that are born in zoos can not survive in the wild without their parents help. So it is now humans responsibility to care for the animals that we took from the wild and their offspring. Unless you want to release all zoo animals just for them to die in the wild.
Nicole nija williams says...
January 25th, 2012, 11:01 am
well i strongly agrree with all thats going against the animal bein captive in a zoo.. i belive animal has right just as well as we do…i belive they should roam around the habits and enjoy there lifes like god put them on this world to do..they shoudnt have to go around living under human rules..you woudnt like it if u was stuck behind bar and have npothing to do but just be tortured by human lookn at you with no privacy and stuff being thrown at you..animal has feeling and we are too dumb to see that they hurtn n side becuase they not with there familys and friend they just worried bout the money they dont care bout the animals how they feel bout they are tryn to tell us some and we not listenen soo please help and free all the animals just because they endangerd doesnt mean we have to keep them animal jail mabe god put them n this position for a reason…and we wont allow god to do his job i swear gopd is very upset wit us please help free all animals…
Lin says...
March 2nd, 2012, 10:18 pm
I don't agree with keeping any animals in zoos, and especially not elephants which are higly social animals needed to be kept with family members.
Zoos mainly operate to make money, but they use excuses they are 'protecting' animals. The best way to see animals is in books or on wild life videos, animals living in zoos don't express their natural behaviours, but rather have to endue the constant noise, weather and lack of space which is all so very unnatural for elephants to have to live. All animals are not here for humans to use but rather they have their own reasons to exist.